The Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf

A presentation by Jan Bassett

Table of Contents

• Anglo-Saxon Era: Timeline• Anglo-Saxon society• Pagan vs. Christianity• Anglo-Saxon Literature• Beowulf• Resources• Author’s slide• Concept Map

The Anglo-Saxon Era: Timeline

• 43CE Romans invade Britain.– Romans build roads, villas, huge

buildings, and forts.– Introduced Christianity.– Encountered the Celts.

• 420CE Romans leave. --Soldiers homesick for Rome

-abt 15 year abroad --Supplies never made it/robbery --Soldiers immersed in native culture

Timeline Continued

• 450CE Jutes from Denmark, and the Angles and Saxons from Northern Germany invade England.– Germanic tribes.– Anglo-Saxons push out Celts– Celts were the native peoples

• 597CE Anglo-Saxons become Christian --Roman Catholic monks used roads to travel --Church used changed pagan values to Christian values example: build church over pagan temples to join values

Timeline Continued• 787CE Viking raids begin• 871-899CE King Alfred the Great becomes King of

England.– Established education systems (male), rebuilt monasteries.– Fought Danes and forced them from Wessex.– Unified Anglo-Saxons under one king to resist the Viking

invasions.– Danes ruled in the North, Anglo-Saxons in the South.

• 1066CE Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror.– From Norman French.– Defeated Danes and Anglo-Saxons.– Officially ended Anglo-Saxon era and brought about the

beginning of the Medieval Period.

Anglo-Saxon Society Stories told as a way of communication between villages.

• Became Christian but still valued heroic ideals and traditional heroes.

• Anglo-Saxon society.– Lived in tribal groups with a high class of warriors.– Kings emerged as society developed.

Original stories/Beowulf pagan. Roman monks first to write the legend. In their writings proselytize the Christian faith.

• Spoke Old English. This was the language that Beowulf was written in.

• Their culture valued human contact, family, virtue, and a good story. They feared humiliation, mutilation, and loneliness in their lives. In addition, the Anglo-Saxons desired richness, power, and appreciated heroic actions of warriors.

• Life after death occurred through the stories told.

Pagan vs. Christianity in Beowulf

Pagan Christianity (monks in writing)• God is mentioned by two of

the main characters in the poem: Beowulf and Hrothgar.

• Grendel as Lucifer(not in original story. Invading peoples were monsters)– Both are outcasts– Perform a task for God– Grendel is described as a son or

descendant of Cain, a clear Biblical reference.

The Anglo-Saxons mixed both pagan and Christian traditions. Beowulf contains traces of both beliefs.

• Strong nature presence• Strength of warrior• Wyrd/Fate in control

Anglo-Saxon Literature• Anglo-Saxon literature began as an oral tradition. Stories through poems,

and songs were all told aloud and passed from generation to generation orally through minstrels (also called scops). Pagan values until the monks brought writing and their Christian faith.

• Poems traditionally had a strong beat, alliteration, and no rhyme.• Caesura: “a cutting.” A break in a line of poetry, used in Old English to

depict a half line. We use a comma for a modern effect.– i.e. Da com of more under mistheleopum

“Out from the marsh, from the foot of the hills.”• Kenning: derived from the Norse word “kenna” which means “to know, to

recognize.” It is a compact metaphor that functions as a name.• i.e. helmberend: “Helm bearer” or “warrior”

The Epic!

• Beowulf is the most well-known Anglo-Saxon poem, and is a form of poetry called the epic. Such other examples are Homer’s The Iliad and The Odessey.

• Long narrative that celebrates a hero’s long journeys and heroic deeds.• J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Ring series and George Lucas’ Stars

Wars could be called modern epics.

• Characteristics include a noble hero whose character traits reflect their society’s ideals. The hero performs brave acts and appears superhuman.

• Characters can be linked to archetypes.

Heroic Code• The epic poem Beowulf

strengthens the Heroic Code. This code was derived from the Anglo-Saxons’ Germanic roots, and called for strength, courage, and loyalty in warriors. It also required kings to be hospitable, generous, and have great political skills. This code was a basis for Anglo-Saxon honor.

• This code is the precursor of the Medieval Code of Chivalry.

Common Themes Of an Epic Poem

• Universal themes of epic poetry– Good vs. evil

• Beowulf vs. Grendel– Isolation– Courage and honor

• Beowulf is fearless and brave while fighting the monsters.– Gods or semi-divine creatures

• Grendel, Grendel’s mother, the dragon– Tale involves the fate of an entire race

• Beowulf saves Hrothgar’s village from Grendel.

Beowulf• Most famous of early Germanic

poems (Anglo-Saxon on Isles)• Written anywhere between 400-

1000, but most likely after the 500s. (date we use)

• Theoriginal author is unknown, but Christian monks first to write and made Biblical changes/allusions for teaching and for indoctrination.

• Takes place in Sweden, Denmark, and Frisia (todays Netherlands and southern English islands)– The Norse were at this time attacking

Britain, thus allowing knowledge of places, people, and ancestors to be available.

Characters

• Beowulf: main character, a hero featuring all the qualities of an epic hero. He has superhuman strength and is fearless and brave in battler.

• Hrothgar: the king of the village that Beowulf saves from Grendel.

• Grendel: a monster terrorizing Hrothgar’s village. (invading peoples)

• Grendel’s mother: a monster set out to avenge her son’s death.(more invading peoples)

The Plot…in six sentences.

• Beowulf travels to Hrothgar’s village to save them from Grendel, a terrifying monster eating their warriors. An epic battle ensues with Beowulf is the winner. Of course, Grendel’s mother comes seeking vengeance for her son’s death. Again, Beowulf is called upon to save them all, and he fights heroically and defeats the evil monster. After being vastly rewarded and refusing an offer from Hrothgar to be his heir, Beowulf makes the long trek back to his homeland where he becomes a mighty and generous king for many years. He fights a massive dragon who is threatening his people. He and the dragon both die in the struggle, but he is heroic until the end.

• (note: an he lives forever more in his story.)

Resources• “The Anglo-Saxon Invasions of Britain” and “The Spread of Christianity”• http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=1A5DF869-

F81A-463A-8E03-495F774C68EF&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US• “Life After the Romans”• http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=BD1245FC-

89CF-4423-A217-E0EBC8FF62A6&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US• Old English sample• http://mockingbird.creighton.edu/english/fajardo/teaching/eng520/lang-

samples-small.jpg• Information of the Anglo-Saxon period and of Beowulf

– Anderson, Rachel. “Medieval Context: Beowulf.” ENG 220 British Literature I. Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. 10 Jan. 2008.

– Schneider, Daniel. “English Literature: Anglo-Saxon Era and Beowulf.” Honors English Literature. Linden High School, Linden, MI. 30 Aug. 2005.

Concept Map

Old English ExampleOld English circa 500CE-1100CE

“Cyning” means “king,” so “Cyningas” must mean “kings.”

What other words look familiar to today’s language?