Anglo-Saxon Period450-1066 A.D.

Historical and Literary Background Notes

Source: Pfordresher, John, Gladys V. Veidemanis, and Helen McDonnell eds. “The Anglo-Saxons 450-1066.” & “Beowulf.” England in Literature. Scott, Foresman and Co. Glenview, IL: 1989. 3-7, 10-35.

Shaped by InvadersThe Anglo-Saxon culture was shaped by the different peoples who invaded the island of Britain

2000 B.C.E. - Invaders from Iberian Peninsula 600 B.C.E. - Celts43 A.D. - Romans

Anglo-Saxon England450-1066 A.D.

440 A.D. - Tribes from north west Germany invaded

AnglesSaxonsJutes

Anglo-Saxon SocietyTribal society, ruled by warrior kings

Warred with each otherThanes pledged to defend warrior kings and were rewarded with treasure

What qualities make

someone a hero?

Epic Hero

Usually protected by or even descended from gods

Performs superhuman exploits, often founding or saving a nation

Epic HeroHero must be able to perform outstanding deeds and have super-human courage

Warriors frequently boast before fighting

What qualities make

someone a villain?

DraugrA monster in Old Norse Literature who is an animated corpse

People who had grievances after death could become draugar

Wander at night, wreaking aimless vengeance

DraugrSupernaturally strong – can’t be killed

A draugr often has a mother called a ketta (“she-cat”) more monstrous than he

Epic A long narrative poem

celebrating the great deeds of one or more

legendary heroes, in a grand, ceremonious style

Epic CharacteristicsSetting is typically vast, usually encompassing stories about great nations or even the universe

Use of elevated language (i.e., epithet, metaphor)

Supernatural forces are typically evident

Scop (or bard)

Chanted traditional

poems & composed

new ones for feasts

and ceremonialoccasions

List characteristics of stories that are primarily recited from memory instead of read from a book.

What are some examples of these kinds of stories?

Alliteration Repetition of consonant

sounds at the beginning ofwords

AlliterationExample:“Grendel . . . made his home in a

hellNot hell but earth. He was

spawned in that slime . . .”

Epithet An adjective or adjectival

phrase used to define a characteristic, quality, or attribute of some person

or thing

EpithetExamples:

Shild described as: “Lord of all life, Ruler of glory”Grendel described as: “Shepherd of evil, guardian of crime”Beowulf described as: “mighty protector of men”