Anglo-Saxon History and Literature

449 AD – Britain is invaded by the Anglo-Saxons

1066 AD – The Normans defeat the Saxons; the end of Anglo-Saxon leadership

The Anglo-Saxon invasion signaled the beginning of the English language

It is believed that Anglo-Saxons were deep-sea fishermen and farmers

They had highly organized tribal units with a class system

Over time, the differences between tribes faded and this intermingling produced a new language, Old English

The Anglo-Saxons brought their pagan beliefs to Britain

They believed every human life was in the hands of fate, whereas the Christians believe in a person’s ability to choose their fate

In 597, missionaries from the Roman Church were sent to Britain. These missionaries quickly learned that to win over a kingdom, they must only convert the king

Christianity had a great effect on Anglo-Saxon civilization, softening their ferocious and violent ways

The church also brought written literature and education to Anglo-Saxon civilization

The blend of the new Christian ways and the old pagan beliefs are often apparent in Anglo-Saxon literature, including Beowulf

The reciting of poems was a part of Anglo-Saxon ceremony and celebration

Scops and gleemen were professional minstrels, who recited stories and tales of great warriors for the king and his court

In order to make the performance enjoyable and exciting, the scops used a formula to help them memorize these poems and help their performances stand out

Three poetic devices found in Beowulf are:

The caesura: “A prince of Geats//had killed Grendel” “A powerful monster //living down in the darkness”

Alliteration: “the bright blueberry burst” “miserable, mighty men tormented”

Kenning: “spear play” for battle or “whale road” for ocean

Write your own kennings for the following words:

STAR SHIP WIND