8. Anglo-Saxon

9. Anglo-Saxon 449-1066 Period of Conquest
Anglo Saxons defeated the Celts & Britons
Anglo Saxons were primarily farmers and fishermen
Lived in tribes ruled by kings (beginning of feudal system)
Period ended with Norman Conquest of 1066

10. Anglo-Saxon 449-1066 Period ended with Norman Conquest of 1066
Duke William II of Normandy
William the Conqueror
Invades England with Norman, Breton, and French soldiers

11. Anglo-Saxon Houses
Most were square, rectangular, or round with a fireplace in the center
Homes were modestly furnished (wooden table, bench, stools)
No windows only a door
Constructed of timber for the walls and crossbeams
Some walls were plastered with a mixture of mud and straw
Generally had a thatched roof
Floors were pounded sod although some were stone or wood

12. Anglo-Saxon House

13. The Mead Hall Mead: Alcoholic beverage – fermented honey and water
Gathering place – lord and his followers would eat, drink, listen to oral ballads, sing, share tales of heroism
Often crowded, noisy, and smoky
Men sat on benches along the walls, opposite the lord, his lady, and finest warriors
Trestle tables – removed when meals were over

14. The Hall

15. Inside the hall

16. Inside the hall

17. Anglo-Saxon Women Culture of AS was patriarchal (Men were the leaders)
Woman Rights
She could own property or a business, make contracts and wills
If husband died - She became responsible for the land, the home, and raising the children
She could not be married without her consent
Marriages were not arranged
Husband gave her gifts prior to marriage (land & money)
These were her sole possessions
Gave the woman independent wealth incase of the husband’s death or abuse
Life Expectancy was in 30’s – but many died earlier

18. Anglo-Saxon Literature…
Beginning of the English Language
Oral Genre
Oral Ballads with Alliteration and Rhythmic Patterns
Ballads strung together to become Epic Poetry
Examples
Beowulf – Earliest known epic poem
The Wanderer
The Seafarer

19. Scop Pronounced “shop”
Would sing or chant tales of past deeds and battles usually accompanied by the harp
had to be a master of his art, being able to recite thousands of lines from memory. (Beowulf has 3128 lines)
Audience was probably already familiar with the story
Preformed at court or on the road
Was paid for his talents

20. The most important values were courage, loyalty and reputation
Code of Comitatus
Comitatus: Germanic code of loyalty - the honor system that existed in Scandinavian countries in the 5th and 6th centuries between a king, or feudal lord, and his warriors or thanes.
Thane: warrior – swears loyalty to the king for whom they fought and whom they protected
Kings: generous, protected thanes
Reputation: thanes were expected to be loyal, brave, courageous;
kings were expected to be generous and hospitable
The most important values were courage, loyalty and reputation

21. Wergild
“man-payment” a fee paid to the family of a slain man to atone for his murder and to prevent the family from seeking revenge.
Based upon social or political station.
Was a way for the family to satisfy their grief

22. Wyrd “All lives are connected by a web of fate.”
the pagan idea of fate…ones fate is rigid, predetermined, and unknown
Literally means that everything in the universe is connected by a weave of intricate strands
Said to be controlled by three sisters known as the Norns
Anglo Saxons believed that our Wyrd shaped who we are, where we are, and what we are doing today because every choice we make builds on previous choices and together these choices we make shapes our destiny and that of generations to come.

23. Beowulf
Anonymous

24. Beowulf

25. Beowulf is an Epic Poem

26. Beowulf
written down by a literate scop (story teller, singing poet, entertainer) or by a scribe in a Christian monastery
was created in the oral tradition, developing over a period of time with roots in folk tales and traditional stories.
the SCOP (shop) would sing or chant the poem, usually accompanied by the harp.
the audience was probably already familiar with the story.
Beowulf appealed to a wide audience and constituted a public form of entertainment

27. Beowulf English Epic Poem About serious subjects
Compared to Greek Epics such as The Illiad or The Odyssey
Celebrate virtues of importance
National, military, cultural, political, or historical
Usually have a hero and emphasize heroic actions
About serious subjects
Heroes perform heroic deeds that exemplify values important to the culture
Boasting and bragging considered admirable
Journeys cover large areas of land

28. What makes a hero an Epic Hero?
The Epic Hero!
What makes a hero an Epic Hero?

29. The Epic Hero!
He is glorified and of high social status.

30. The Epic Hero!
Hero is generally male as women were thought of as being subordinate.

31. The Epic Hero!
He is on a quest which forces him to engage in supernatural events

32. The Epic Hero!
He often boasts of his superhuman strength, intelligence, courage, or victories.

33. The Epic Hero!
He is ethical and does the right thing

34. The Epic Hero!
His fate affects the destiny of many people

35. The Epic Hero!
He is a strong and responsible leader

36. The Epic Hero!
He is brave and faces life & death struggles

37. The Epic Hero!
His actions reflect the ideals of his society

38. Main Characters Beowulf (Geat) – Our epic hero (protagonist)
Hrothgar (Dane) – King of the Danes
Unferth (Dane) – Jealous of Beowulf
Wiglaf (Geat) – Beowulf’s loyal and faithful friend
Grendel – The monster (main antagonist)
Grendel’s Mother – The monster’s momma
The Dragon – The second main antagonist

39. King Hrothgar Period of great prosperity
Battle and conquest were a way of life for the Anglo- Saxons
Mead Hall (Heorot) was always full of Hrothgar’s men
Grendel hates sounds of celebration and singing
Grendel drives men out of Heorot
The men suffer relentlessly – and pray for relief - for 12 years!
Beowulf hears of the their strife and comes to their rescue…

40. Christian References
Christianization began about 100 years before the writing of Beowulf.
The scribe was probably Christian and very familiar with the Bible.
There are many Christian references, allusions, and themes juxtaposed with other pagan elements.

41. Setting
although written in Old English, the setting for the action is NOT in England.
Set in what is now Sweden, where a tribe called the Geats lived.
Takes place as early as 400 or 500 AD

43. Plot, setting, and characters…

44. Beowulf uses two literary devices common during Anglo-Saxon era…

45. Poetic Elements Alliteration Metaphors / Kennings
Christian & Pagan Influences
Good vs. Evil
Heroic Ideal

46. Kennings

47. Kennings

48. Kennings

49. Kennings

50. Kennings

52. Vocabulary foresaken bowers woeful mortified unrelenting catastrophic
raving
insatiable
resounding
keen
mortally
purging
valiant
gabled
moors
accursed
malevolently
forged

61. 1.

62. 2.

63. 3.

64. 4.

65. 5.

66. 6.

67. 7.

68. 8.

69. 9.

70. 10.

71. Answers: 1. A 2. B 3. D 4. C 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

73. Criteria for your Boast!
The boast should be of lines
Must show your understanding of Anglo-Saxon poetry by following the Anglo-Saxon poetic format:
No end-rhyme
Heavy alliteration in each line
Three original kennings