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The Anglo –Saxon Period 449-1066

The Anglo –Saxon Period 449-1066. Historical Background Pre-Anglo Period- up to 55 BC - Britons, or Celtic people, relied on the oral tradition to maintain history, etc. -Animism – Celtic religion; belief that spirit is in ALL things Druid- Priest that linked Celts to gods.

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The Anglo –Saxon Period 449-1066

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  1. The Anglo –Saxon Period449-1066

  2. Historical Background Pre-Anglo Period- up to 55 BC-Britons, or Celtic people, relied on the oral tradition to maintain history, etc.-Animism – Celtic religion; belief that spirit is in ALL thingsDruid- Priest that linked Celts to gods

  3. Stonehenge is believed to have been built during this pre-Anglo period.The Saxon “henge” means hang… Stonehenge= Hanging stone

  4. 55 BC Julius Caesar invades Britain Bringing “stone roads, written scholarship, and eventually Christianity.” Celts were taught Latin

  5. Rome was overrun by invading tribes Roman Empire Falls Britain open to Anglo invasion 449 Northern European Tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invade Britain Organized into 7 kingdoms – Heptarchy (Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Sussex, Wessex and Kent) Britain became known as Angle land-England Welsh leader Arthur led Celtic resistance 400Anglo-Saxon Invasion

  6. Anglo-Saxon PERIOD 449-1066 • Society was centered around clans, ruled by chieftains • Primarily pagan with focus on wyrd(fate); warrior gods • Mostly violent seafaring wanderers • Anglo-Saxon warriors gathered in Mead Halls to hear tales of battle by Scops (shopes) • Over time they became semi-civilized, agricultural • Christianity was still being practiced in Ireland; slowly moved through Britain by 690

  7. Anglo-Saxon PERIOD 449-1066 • Language was influenced by heavy dialect of varying tribes The History of English in Ten Minutes

  8. Genre- Epic Characteristics • Long, narrative poem celebrating a hero’s deeds including the following elements • hero of noble birth or importance • hero’s traits reflect his society • hero who performs superhuman deeds • hero’s actions determine fate of the nation • vast setting • formal diction and serious tone • includes long speeches by major characters • elements of the supernatural • reflects timeless values: courage, loyalty • reflects timeless themes: good over evil

  9. The Epic- Characteristics • Repetition • Stock epithets - compound adjectives that are used to point out traits “swift-footed” • Kennings – similar to epithets; descriptive PHRASES or COMPOUND WORDS that are used in place of a noun • Alliteration – repetition of initial consonant sounds • Parallelism – repetition of grammatical structures • WHY DO YOU THINK REPETITION PLAYED SUCH A MAJOR ROLE IN THE EPIC?

  10. The Oldest British Epic - Beowulf • Anonymous author: the Beowulf Poet • Composed probably four centuries prior to Norman conquest • Not written down until A.D. 1000 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR464WBmA2s • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUv-cF_Oscw&feature=related • http://www.beowulftranslations.net/benslade.shtml • http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/beowulf-oe.html • http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/noa/audio.htm

  11. OTHER INVADERS • The Danes – Vikings (Norwegians and Swedes) attacked but were defeated by Alfred the Great who forced Christianity on them • Norman Invasion – William (the Conqueror) led Normandy to successfully invade Britain • --The Norman Invasion marked serious changes in the English language due to the heavy influence of French dialect • http://www.youtube.com/course?list=ECA03075BAD88B909E

  12. Historical Information The Middle Ages – 1066 - 1485 • Begins with Battle of Hastings • Duke of Normandy (William) defeated and killed King Harold (last Anglo Saxon King); battle begins the Norman Conquest • Norman Conquest Outcomes • William controls England • Anglo Saxon language is influenced by French and becomes Anglo Norman (Middle English) • French law and order impacts Anglos democratic ways • Domesday Book – William inventories all personal property • Feudalism – Lord (protector); Serf/Vassal (worker/slave)

  13. The Middle AGEs • Magna Carta ended the church’s domination of England • Hundred Years War – England fought France from 1337-1453; Yeomen replaced knights • Black Death (1348) – Plague that eventually claimed about 75% of the population

  14. Historical Information The cAnterBury Tales (1387) • Written by Chaucer; about a religious pilgrimage to Thomas a Becket’s shrine in Canterbury; Thomas a Becket – archbishop of Canterbury was murdered in his cathedral; King Henry II thought responsible

  15. Geoffrey Chaucer • England’s first great writer • Born into middle class between 1340-1343 • Career in government; fought in the 100 Years War • Writing helped him advance politically; writing popular due to his use of vernacular • Influenced by Boccaccio’s Decameron • Died in 1400; buried in Westminster Abbey • Canterbury Tales unfinished; not organized until 1387

  16. Characteristics of the Genre The cAnterBury Tales (1387) • Considered a quest narrative ( narrative poem involving a quest) • Written in IAMBIC PENTAMETER (unstressed syllable followed by stressed); five feet

  17. Plot Information The cAnterBury Tales (1387) • Frame of snapshots of life in Middle Ages • Begins with Prologue and is told by a poet-pilgrim (Chaucer) • Poet-pilgrim meets 29 other pilgrims along way to Canterbury and decide to share stories • Setting: April in Tabard Inn (London)

  18. Author’s Style The cAnterBury Tales (1387) • Strong Characterization; Chaucer’s characters fall into 3 categories: Feudal, Church, and Merchant/Professional • Interesting use of Tone • Humorous use of Irony • http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/canttales/gp/ • http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/index.html • http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/gp.htm • The Pardoner’s Tale Rap • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnVLLQna1-c

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