Anglo-Saxon Period 450-1066 A.D.
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Transcript of Anglo-Saxon Period 450-1066 A.D.
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”