Chapter One The Anglo --- Saxon Period

• 2. Northumbrian School and

Wessex Literature

• 3. Anglo --- Saxon Poetry

• 1. Historical backgroundin the north, in the 7th century

in the south, in the 9th century

• Celts --- earliest settlers of the British Isles

in the upper Rhineland to the British Isles about 600B.C.branch

name the isles Britain (400 to 300 B.C.)

Culture of the Celts: an early stage of the Iron Age

Beliefs: little knows

Religious ceremonies: May Day

the cult of mistletoe

The Roman Empire --- from 55 B.C. to 407 A.D.

Form of society : slave society, but with high level of civilization

London was founded.

The first Roman general: Julius Caesar

The contributions: build temples, roads, walls, military camps;

make little influence on the cultural life of the Celts

Walled towns: a name ending in “chester” or “caster”

fortknowledge of the Roman Britain

----- De Bello Gallico

defeated Celts

---- Germania

The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes ---- about 450 A.D.

Settled in England

Drove the Celts into Wales, Scotland and Ireland

Germanic tribes

The Saxon words

angul a hook lived by sea

fishing

seax swordhardy fighters

tribal society

master of the British Isles

ancestors of the present English people

the kingdom of Wessex ----- around 500 A.D.

feudal society

Celtic King Arthur a legendary figure

The Knights of the Round Table

the bravest of his fellowers

King Alfred, the Great of Wessex ---the second half of the 9th century

It was not until the reign of his great grandson Edgar that England was united under one king.

At the close of the 6th century there were 7 prominent Saxon kingdoms in England.

in the south

The Duke of Normandy ----- 1066

In the early 11th century --- Danes for 23 years

from Normandy in northern France

English throne William

the last Saxon king

promise

Norman ConquestReligion: heathens be Christianized

Heathen mythology Christian religion

Churches were built, and monks became the most learned in the country.

the end of Anglo – Saxon period

two highlights in the development of the Anglo - Saxon literature

Northumbrian School

Wessex

Center: monasteries and abbeys

Leader: 1. Caedmon in the 7th century

his contribution: Paraphrase

turned the stories in the Bible into verse form

the first Anglo --- Saxon poet

2. BedeThe Ecclesiastical History of the English People

Father of English History

In the 7th and 8th centuries the center of learning in the north

In the 9th and 10th centuries the center of learning in the south

with King Alfred as the guiding spirit

His contribution: * Latin to his own language

* The Anglo --- Saxon Chroniclehistory book

literary work

* A style of Anglo --- Saxon prose

the reign of King Alfred

30,000 lines of Anglo --- Saxon poetry have survived.

Beowulf

epic poetry religious poems heroic poems elegies

the earliest heroic poetry

the most important poem now preserved

Beowulf probably written down in the 8th Cen.

the manuscript of poem in the 10th Cen.

3,183 lines

based on partly historical

and legendary materials

oral form existed in the 6th Cen.

The first page of

the Beowulf manuscript.

Hrothgar

Danish King

Heorotbuild

a splendid hall

Grendel

monster

comes out of the lairgoes to the halldevour warriors

holds the parties

for 12 years

Beowulf

nephew to king Hygelac of the Geats

helps

rewards

fights

diesPart 1 the fight against Grendel

Beowulf

Grendel’s mother

Grendel

avenge

fightskills

Hrothgarrewards

the GeatsHygelac his son

diesbe killed

be chosen

a dragon

fights and wounded dies

People lamented Beowulf’s death and praised him as a great and good king.

Part 2 the fight against Grendel’s mother---sea monster.

Part 3 the fight against dragon: aged king and died

Themes:

high spiritual qualities

resolution to serve the country and kinsfolk

true courage

courteous conduct

love of honour

Characteristics:

Beowulf is strong, courageous, selfless, ready to risk his life.

artistic features \ technical structure

caesura

alliteration

kenning

repetition and variation

caesura

every line consists of two clearly separated half lines between which is a pause, called caesura

Grendel stalking; God’s brand was on him. …… the gold-hall of men, the mead-drinking place nailed with gold plates. That was not the first visit

Alliteration

• It is a form of initial rhyme, or head rhyme. • It is the repetition of the same sound or

sounds at the beginning of two or more words that are next to or close to each other.

He came on under the clouds, clearly saw at last

Rage-inflamed, wreckage-bent, be ripped open

Kenning

a figurative language in order to add beauty to ordinary objects. It is a metaphor usually composed of two works, which becomes the formula for a special object.

Helmet bearer___ warrior

Swan road___ the sea

The world candle___ the sun

repetition and variation

Grendel / The spoiler / warlike creature/

the foe/ horrible monster

A host of young soldiers/ a company of

kinsmen/ a whole warrior-band