Anglo-Saxon Time Period Anglo-Saxon Time Period (449-1066)(449-1066)

A Presentation to Enjoy A Presentation to Enjoy

byby

Mr. DominickMr. Dominick

Before the ASTPBefore the ASTP

Britain-invaded by Vikings and Normans; Britain-invaded by Vikings and Normans; people constantly fighting for territorypeople constantly fighting for territory

The Celts provided a religious basis: 1) The Celts provided a religious basis: 1) believed in gods for everything, 2) believed in gods for everything, 2) practiced animism-spirits everywhere in practiced animism-spirits everywhere in nature, 3) Druids worked as intermediaries nature, 3) Druids worked as intermediaries between gods and peoplebetween gods and people

Celtic legends full of strong womenCeltic legends full of strong women Celtic lit influenced English and Irish Celtic lit influenced English and Irish

writers todaywriters today

ASTP (5ASTP (5thth Century) Century)

Invaders crossed Invaders crossed the North Sea the North Sea (Angles and Saxons (Angles and Saxons from Germany, from Germany, Jutes from Jutes from Denmark)Denmark)

Drove out the old Drove out the old Britons and settled Britons and settled the greater part of the greater part of BritainBritain

AS Life and BeliefsAS Life and Beliefs

Heroes = godsHeroes = gods No afterlifeNo afterlife Story hall-mead hall Story hall-mead hall

like in Herotlike in Herot Bard-storyteller to tell Bard-storyteller to tell

and sing stories of gods and sing stories of gods and heroesand heroes

Mead hall-people would Mead hall-people would meet, hold meetings meet, hold meetings and hear stories and and hear stories and poetrypoetry

AS Life and Beliefs (cont’d.)AS Life and Beliefs (cont’d.)

With no belief in an afterlife, what people With no belief in an afterlife, what people did in life was extremely important because did in life was extremely important because it would live on in the stories and poetry in it would live on in the stories and poetry in the community hall.the community hall.

Creating poetry seen as an endeavor nearly Creating poetry seen as an endeavor nearly equal to being a warrior, hunter, or farmerequal to being a warrior, hunter, or farmer

Women held and inherited property, made Women held and inherited property, made financial decisions, supervised the making financial decisions, supervised the making of mead, and acted as beekeepers.of mead, and acted as beekeepers.

EnemiesEnemies

AS life dominated by AS life dominated by the need to protect the the need to protect the clan against enemies, clan against enemies, especially the Vikings especially the Vikings (called Danes)(called Danes)

Dragons were the living Dragons were the living embodiment of evil and embodiment of evil and death because Viking death because Viking ships would have prows ships would have prows carved in their shapecarved in their shape

The Epic HeroThe Epic Hero

The Epic Hero (cont’d.)The Epic Hero (cont’d.)

Beowulf is an example of an epic heroBeowulf is an example of an epic hero 4 characteristics: 1) superior physical 4 characteristics: 1) superior physical

strength, 2) supremely ethical, 3) must strength, 2) supremely ethical, 3) must make a quest to defeat monsters and make a quest to defeat monsters and dark, destructive powers, and 4) at the dark, destructive powers, and 4) at the end of the quest, the epic hero is glorified end of the quest, the epic hero is glorified by those that he has savedby those that he has saved

Which leads us to the five elements of an Which leads us to the five elements of an epic . . . epic . . .

Epic CharacteristicsEpic Characteristics

1) hero = great leader and strongly 1) hero = great leader and strongly identified with a particular peopleidentified with a particular people

2) setting includes upper and lower 2) setting includes upper and lower worldworld

3) hero does great deeds, undertakes an 3) hero does great deeds, undertakes an incredible journeyincredible journey

4) sometimes the gods, supernatural, or 4) sometimes the gods, supernatural, or fantastic take part in the storyfantastic take part in the story

5) story is told in heightened language5) story is told in heightened language