The Anglo Saxons THE ENGLISH BEFORE THEY WERE ENGLISH

The Anglo SaxonsTHE ENGLISH BEFORE THEY WERE ENGLISH

Stages of Anglo-Saxon History

The Migration 500-600

The Conversion 600-700

The Golden Age 700-800

The Vikings 800- 900

The Restoration 900-1000

The Norman Conquest - 1066

The Migration

At the time of the migration, Britons and Celts lived on the Island.

Many were Romanized as Caesar “conquered” the area in ____ B.C.

3 Groups – The Angles, The Saxon, and The Jutes come from present-day Denmark

Two theories – The invitation and The flood

The Conversion

Championed by Pope Gregory

Led by Augustine, the first archbishop of Canterbury

Founded Monasteries – later disassemble by Henry the VIII

Established a tradition of learning both in Latin and Vernacular English

Caedmon – The first anglo-saxon poet

The Ecclestical History of England by the Venerable Bede

Golden Age

Widespread literary in Anglo-Saxon

Exeter Book – religious poems, personal poems, riddles, elegies

Most famous poems – The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Wife’s Lament

Ubi Sunt – Where are they who have gone before us?

Epics also date to this period

The Vikings

Yearly raids turned into colonization.

King Alfred levied resistance. The story of the cakes

Ends with the establishment of the Dane Law

The Restoration

Kind Alfred reestablishes Anglo-Saxon rule

Establishes a strong tradition of reading and writing anglo-saxon

Increases literacy

The anglo-saxon world comes crashing down in 1066

Anglo-Saxon Throughout History

Jefferson loved the Anglo-Saxons

Victorians were fascinated by it.

The Nazi’s coopted it

Tolkein restored our interest in it.

Contemporary Film celebrates it.

Provenance

Setting

Why Beowulf?

Beowulf

Poetic devices

Terms

Themes

Why Study Beowulf?1. Beowulf is the oldest poem in the English language, so everything written since Beowulf stems from it in some way

2. The story of Beowulf encompasses common themes that we still see in English literature today

3. Beowulf is simply good writing

Why Study Beowulf?4. In some ways, it doesn’t matter what you read, but how you read it, so…since Beowulf came first, you might as well start there.

5. Studying Old English improves your understanding of modern English

6. It’s a great story

Beowulf’s Provenance

What we don’t know:

who wrote it

when exactly it was written

how much, exactly, is based on historical truth

Beowulf’s ProvenanceWhat we do know:

Beowulf is the oldest surviving English poem. It’s written in Old English (or Anglo-Saxon), which is the basis for the language we speak today.Some of the characters in the poem actually existed.

The only copy of the manuscript was written sometime around the 11th century A.D. (1000’s), however…

The actual poem probably dates from the 8th century (700’s) or so, and…

The story may be set even earlier, around 500 A.D.

There are a lot of Christian references in the poem, but the characters and setting are Pagan…this means a monk probably translated it.

Beowulf’s ProvenanceSo why wasn’t it written

down in the first place?

This story was probably passed down orally for centuries before it was first written down.

It wasn’t until after the Norman Invasion (1066) that writing stories down became common in this part of the world.

Beowulf’s ProvenanceSo what’s happened to the

manuscript since the 11th century?

Eventually, it ended up in the library of this guy.

Robert Cotton (1571-1631)

Beowulf’s ProvenanceUnfortunately, Cotton’s library burned in

1731. Many manuscripts were entirely destroyed. Beowulf was partially damaged.

The manuscript is now preserved and carefully cared for in the British Museum.

Setting: Beowulf’s time and place

Although Beowulf was written in English, it is set in what is now Sweden, where a tribe called the Geats lived.

The story may take place as early as 400 or 500 A.D.

Setting: Beowulf’s time and place

Europe today Insert: Time of Beowulf

How we date BeowulfSome Important Dates:

521 A.D. – death of Hygelac, who is mentioned in the poem

680 A.D. – appearance of alliterative verse

835 A.D. – the Danish started raiding other areas; after this, few poets would consider them heroes

SO: This version was likely composed between 680 and 835, though it may be set earlier

The Poetry in BeowulfA few things to watch

out for1. Alliterative verse

a. Repetition of initial sounds of words (occurs in every line)

b. Generally, four feet/beats per line

c. A caesura, or pause, between beats two and four

d. No rhyme


out for

Alliterative verse – an example from Beowulf:

Oft Scyld Scefing sceapena praetum,

Monegum maegpum meodo-setla ofteah;

Egsode Eorle, syddan aerest weard.

There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,

A wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes.

The terror of the hall-troops had come far.


out for


out for2. Kennings

a. Compound metaphor (usually two words)

b. Most were probably used over and over

For instance: hronade literally means “whale-road,” but can be translated as “sea”


out forOther kennings from Beowulf:

banhus = “bone-house” = body

goldwine gumena = “gold-friend of men” = generous prince

beaga brytta = “ring-giver” = lord

beadoleoma = “flashing light” = sword


out for3. Litotes

A negative expression; usually an understatement

Example:Hildeburh had no cause to praise the Jutes

In this example, Hildeburh’s brother has just been killed by the Jutes. This is a poetic way of telling us she hated the Jutes absolutely.

Some terms you’ll want to knowscop

A bard or story-teller.

The scop was responsible for praising deeds of past heroes, for recording history, and for providing entertainment

comitatus

Literally, this means “escort” or “comrade”

This term identifies the concept of warriors and lords mutually pledging their loyalty to one another

Some terms you’ll want to know

thane

A warrior

mead-hall

The large hall where the lord and his warriors slept, ate, held ceremonies, etc.


wyrd

Fate. This idea crops up a lot in the poem, while at the same time there are Christian references to God’s will.


epic

Beowulf is an epic poem.

This means it has a larger-than life hero and the conflict is of universal importance. There’s a certain serious that accompanies most epics.


elegy

An elegy is a poem that is sad or mournful. The adjective is elegiac.

homily

A homily is a written sermon or section of the poem that gives direct advice.


Themes and Important Aspects Good vs. Evil

Religion: Christian and Pagan influences

The importance of wealth and treasure

Loyalty and allegiance

The importance of the sea and sailing

The sanctity of the home

Fate

Heroism and heroic deeds

BeowulfTEXT AND CONTEXT

Background

Composed around 700 A.D. The story had been in circulation as an oral narrative for

many years before it was written. The action of the poem takes place around 500 AD Poet is reviving the heroic language, style and values and

pagan values of ancient Germanic oral poetry The poem deals with ancient Germanic forebears, the

Danes and the Geats Only a single manuscript of the poem survived the Anglo-

Saxon era. In the 1700’s it was nearly destroyed in a fire It was not until 1936 when the Oxford scholar J.R.R>

Tolkien published a paper on the poem that is became popular.

The Beowulf Poet

The poet is Christian The poem reflects

established Christian tradition

Allusions to the Old Testament

Beowulf is a Redeemer who is sent by God to save man from sin

The price of salvation is life itself

Correspondences between Beowulf’s death and the death of Christ

Heroic Values in Beowulf

Relationship between king and his warriors

The king rewards his warriors with gifts

If a kinsman is slain, obligation to kill the slayer or obtain payment (wergeld) in compensation

Conflict Christian Values and Heroic Values

This tension is at the heart of the poem

Pagan history and myth are made to point to a Christian moral

Beowulf is poised between two value systems

The Character of Beowulf

He fights for personal honor, but is committed to service to his own people and humanity.

A superhuman who remains recognizable

Contrast old and young Beowulf

Beowulf as savior

Themes

Good vs. Evil Fate The Importance of

Establishing Identity Tension between Heroic

Code and Christianity Significance of artifacts The past

Important Elements of the Poem

Elegaic tone Heroic poem Contrasts

Christian and pagan Youth and old age Rise and fall of nations Joy and sorrow Fate and God’s will

Violence

Irony

Sutton Hoo

Burial site discovered in 1939 Important links to Anglo-Saxon world and Beowulf Remains of a boat were discovered and large

burial chamber containing numerous artifacts Artifacts suggest a distinctly Christian element

intermingled with pagan ritual. Episodes in Beowulf now have tangible

archaeological violence to add creditability to the blend of customs in the text.

Sutton Hook Images

Suggested Further Reading

Beowulf, A Verse Translatioin. Trans. Seamus Heaney. Ed. Daniel Donaghue. Norton Critical Edition. 2002.

Norton bibliography on Beowulf , p. 2902.

Websites on Beowulf, Old English poetry, and Sutton Hoo.

Documents

The Anglo Saxons THE ENGLISH BEFORE THEY WERE ENGLISH