The Anglo Saxons

The Anglo Saxon Period 440 AD-1066 AD  Britons: Celtic people, original inhabitants of Britain  449 AD: the first people from North German plain settled in Kent Jutes: from Jutland in Denmark Angles and Saxons followed Britons were no match  King Arthur, Whales Brought Old English A/S England – military society born in warfare  1066 AD: Norman Invasion ends A/S society

Anglo Saxon Civilization  Admired men of courage  Loyalty to leader and tribe  Person of rank received with courtesy  Ruler was generous to followers  Believers in an impersonal fate  Highly developed feeling for beauty  Aware of short life span: ubi sunt

Anglo Saxon People  Brain capacity same as our own  Practical and self-contained Not given to excessive self-analysis  Skillful with hands – knew how to make and mend  Knew how to entertain themselves  Only a small minority could read  Learned by observing and imitating  Folklore and family history memorized

Christianity  Christianity came to Britain in AD 314  St. Augustine – 597 AD First archbishop of Canterbury  Beowulf Christian characteristics  written down by monks in 10 th or 11 th century

Beowulf Homeric, or Herioc, Age - Mycenaean B.C. M Celts 500BC-43BC Romans 43BC-c.450AD Anglo Saxons 449AD St Augustine 597 AD Vikings 789AD Normans Years War s Renaissance s Industrial Revolution s 1900s - Present Day

Background  First English literary masterpiece  Beowulf was probably composed between 700 A.D. and 900 A.D  The place of its composition was probably Northumbria  Northumbria was home to Roman Catholic monks who excelled in learning and literature The most famous was the Venerable Bede ( ) "A.D." (abbreviation for the Latin Anno Domini, meaning in the year of the Lord)  First transmitted orally for one to three centuries  Although its author did not write it down, two English scribes did so in about 1000 A.D

Setting  Dark Ages, between 500 and 700 A.D  Danish kingdom ruled by Hrothgar, situated on the island of Zealand (site of present-day Copenhagen, Denmark)  A mead hall was a communal gathering place for feasting and drinking mead an alcoholic beverage made of water and fermented honey Mead was a popular drink in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries during the Middle Ages because grapes, a crop that thrives in warmer southern climates, were not readily available to make wine.)  The scene of action then shifts 50 years later to the land of the Geats in Sweden

Important Terms  Scop: Old English term for poet  Heroic Ideal: A/S culture governed by ideals of bravery, loyalty and generosity  Comitatus: loyalty to king and king to men  Wyrd: Old English for fate  Wergild: “manprice”

Literary Devices  Compounding: the combining of two words to make a new word "life-sick" (feorh =life, seoc = sick), which can be translated as mortally wounded "Spear-Danes“ (gar = spear, Dena = Danes) meet the needs of the alliterative meter, as part of a formula, or to make a new word  Kennings: Kennings are a special form of compounding that are metaphoric in meaning. "bone-house," refers to the humanbody "whale's road," refers to the sea "sky's candle," refers to the sun.

More Devices  Variation: the restatement of a concept or term using different words “Beowulf spoke, the son of Higlac” - here the second half of the line provides a second identifier for Beowulf not used as filler reminds the audience of important facts also allows the poet to present an event, or image from multiple perspectives, each providing additional information or shedding new light on the events

More Devices  Formulas: Beowulf makes use of stock phrases, known as formulas ready-made phrases which fulfill the metrical needs of a line or half-line standard tool of an oral poet lofty and highly traditional character  Litotes: an ironic understatement where an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite “not bad” = good "That [sword] was not useless / to the warrior now." = "The warrior has a use for the sword now."

More Devices  Alliteration: two or more words having the same initial sound  Caesura: a pause in a line of poetry accentual verse, with four stresses per line Example: “chosen champions cheerlessly grieved for the loss of their lord, leader and defender. They called him of captains, kings of the known world,”

More Devices  Metonymy: one thing is used to designate something with which it is commonly associated Ex. Bottle instead of liquor  Synecdoche: a part of something is used to designate a whole Ex. Keel instead of ship

Themes  Good vs. evil Not moral but about fate and reputation Good will fight knowing that eventually they will be defeated  Identity Boasting = resume  Strength and skill Highly valued even in enemies Skill slightly devious

More Themes  Wealth Glory and treasure - immortality  Religion Christianity vs. paganism Wyrd and providence  Violence Loyalty, vengeance and feud  Courage Fortitude and wisdom

More themes  Mortality Ubi Sunt  Supernatural Monsters  Tradition and customs Comitatus Wyrgild boasting

Annotations 1. Question: ask a significant question about the text and include an attempted answer (not one word and you can get help from me) 2. Characterization: indirect or direct? What does it tell us about character 3. Significant/favorite lines: favorite lines – explain why, reflect with personal opinions and experiences; significant lines – reflect on universal themes 4. Connections: relate something that is similar or different than the Odyssey. What does this tell us about the two cultures? 5. Unknown vocabulary word: include quote with word, definition and explain what it means in the context of the novel

Annotations 6. Setting allusions: explain specific time period/place/ cultural detail – you may need to look up information to explain – why is this significant in relation to the plot? 7. Symbols: explain what the symbol represents and why it is important to the major concepts in the novel 8. Themes/motifs/concepts: explain theme/motif and how the lines relate to it in detail 9. Literary devices/imagery: list device, explain how it is present, and why it is effective in the context in detail 10. Tone/mood: explain how author’s attitude is expressed, or how the author creates a feeling; ex. through diction, setting, plot events, etc.

Annotations: Format and Guidelines  You must turn in 15 annotations per due date That’s one per annotation type Plus 2 in these categories: theme, literary device, setting allusions, connections then pick one of the above categories for the 5 th (that means you will have three of one of those categories)

Annotations Guidelines  Each annotation must be in ink, and must be in this format:

Annotations: Points and due dates  Annotations will each be worth 5 points each = 75 possible points 2 points for quote/text paraphrase 3 points for explanation/significance  You will earn 10 points each time you make a relevant comment during the oral quiz you can get an additional 5 points if you impress me with a direct quote that is correctly used You will not be allowed to use your annotations on quiz so study You will be allowed to use your book  The oral quiz dates are: Tuesday, October 11 th and Monday, October 17th