Anglo Saxon Beowulf PPT for Careers

7/28/2019 Anglo Saxon Beowulf PPT for Careers

1/21

The Angl o-Sax ons :4491066

I nt r oduc t i on t o t he

L i t e ra ry Pe r iod


2/21

Th e Ang lo -Sax on s: 44 9106 6

300s B.C.Celts in Britain

55 B.CA.D.409

Roman Occupation

A.D. 449Anglo-SaxonInvasion

A.D. 400699Spread of Christianity

A.D. 1066NormanInvasion

A.D.878

King Alfredagainstthe Danes

A.D.600

A.D.

300

A.D.

1300B.C.

A.D.

900

A.D.

1200


3/21

The Ce l t s i n Br i t a in

Celtic religion a form of animism (belief that

Gods/spirits controlled allaspects of life and couldtake the form of trees,rivers, fire, thunder, etc)

Before and during the 4th century B.C.

Stonehenge

Britain named for oneCeltic tribethe Brythons

King Arthur famousCeltic King (516?)

Britain home to severalCeltic tribes


4/21

The Rom an Oc c upa t i on

55 B.C. Hadrians Wall

Romans evacuate their troops

Central government breaks down

Julius Caesar invades Britain

Celts defeated by Claudius

A.D. 43

Romans build walls, villas,baths, roads

Roman ruins

Britain left vulnerable to attack

A.D. 409


5/21

The An glo-Sax on I nvas ion

A.D. 449 The Anglo-Saxons push the Celtsinto the far west of the country.

AnglesSaxons

Jutes

Celts


6/21


Anglo-Saxon Society

Warrior-based society, led by strong warrior chief Warfare was the order of the day (between

clans, tribes, and outside invaders) Anglo-Saxon life was dominated by the need to

protect the clan and home from enemies. Fame and success were achieved through loyalty

to a leader, and success was measured by giftsreceived from leaders.


7/21


Women had manyrights in Anglo-Saxonsociety. Womeninherited and heldproperty (even whenmarried) and wereoffered substantial giftsof money and land from

prospective husbands. English emerged as a

written language

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle


8/21

The Anglo-Saxon religion

offered no hope of an afterlifeonly fameoffered immortality and provided a defenseagainst death.

valued concept of the Heroic Idealearthlyvirtues of bravery, loyalty, generosity, andfriendship.

Thunor Thor

WodenOdin

Day of week Anglo-Saxon godNorse god

Wednesday

Thursday



9/21

Anglo-Saxons did not believe inan afterlife

warriors gained immortalitythrough songs preserved in thecollective memory.

Why were the scops important?

The Anglo-Saxon bards called scops

Anglo-Saxon harp

skilled storytellers and honoredmembers of society.

sang of heroic deeds regarded as equals to warriors



10/21

8th9th centuriesVikings, called Danes,invade Britain

K ing A l f r ed t he Grea t aga in st t he Danes

878 King Alfred unifiesthe Anglo-Saxonsagainst the Danes.

England becomes anation.

871 Alfred of Wessexbecomes king of England.

King Sweyn and his Danish troopsarrive in England, from a

manuscript (c. 14 th century)

* Alfred was also know for reviving an interestin learning and the English language.


11/21

Christianity andAnglo-Saxonculture co-exist

The Spread o f Chr i s t i an i t y

Christian monkssettle in Britain

British paganreligions replaced byChristianity

Around A.D. 400

By A.D. 699


12/21

William of Normandy crosses the EnglishChannel

The Norman Invas ion

The Norman Invasion,Bayeux Tapestry

French replacesEnglish as thelanguage of theruling class

1066

William defeats Harold and Anglo-Saxon army


13/21

Li t e r a t u r e o f t he Pe r iod Leading Genres: Poetry and Riddles

o Epics (narrative/story-like)o Elegiac mood (somber, sorrowful tone)o Strong rhythm and no rhyme

o Lyrical (focuses more on emotion)


14/21

Te r m s Animism Celtic belief that Gods/spirits controlled all aspects of life

and could take the form of tress, rives, fire, thunder, etc.

Fatalism Anglo-Saxon belief that the course of ones life was pre-determined by fate. Bards skilled storytellers and honored members of society. The

Anglo-Saxons called them scopsand they were not regarded asinferior to warriorsactually, the Anglo-Saxons viewed creatingpoetry as important as fighting, hunting, farming, and loving (becauseof religion).

Vernacular language of the people > Old English. Alliteration repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

(ex: the wind whips through the woods). Caesura rhythmical pause separating a line of verse into halves. Kennings descriptive compound words that evoke vivid images

(sea-stallionsand whale-road). Epic a long, narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a largerthan life hero who embodies (is made up of and reflects) the values of a particular society.


15/21

An In t r o d u c t Io n

t o

Beo w u l f


16/21

Beo w u l f

1st great work of English national literatureComposed between 700-750, but depictsearlier time periodearly 6th century. An example of heroic literature and, as such,is composed of many traditional motifs andrecurring elements.Beowulfs name means Bear??

The epic is a mythical and literary record of the formative stages of English civilization.


17/21

Beo w u l f

Story handed down orally forgenerations, naturally with changes andembellishments.3,200 lines longPoet unknownscholars think it wasoriginally told by someone of paganreligion but recorded by a monk due toChristian elements present in the story.


18/21

So , w h y iS Beo w u l f a n impo r t a n t w o r k o f l i t er a t u r e?

1. It is an expression of Anglo-Saxon values andattitudes:

Warfare was the order of the day

FatalismCourage, loyalty and honorThe battle of Good versus Evil

BoastingStorytelling (bards/scops held key toimmortality)


19/21


2. It is an archetypal example of an epic:LongNarrative Adventures of a central hero withsupernatural powersWorldwide or cosmic setting

Major battle scenesDiscussion of heros weaponryParticipation by God (or Gods) in

action


20/21


3. It is an example of Old English poetry:4-beat rhythmNo rhyme AlliterationKenningsCaesuras


21/21

J ournal Entry! On the last page of your notes, pick one of the journal topics and respond to it in the spaceprovided.

I will collect your notes after the test on Beowulf andthe Anglo Saxon time period, so make sure you donot lose the packet!

Documents

Anglo Saxon Beowulf PPT for Careers