The History of the English Language

1. The History of the English Language

2. Britain Before the Anglo-Saxons • Early history was big battle scene • Iberians brought stone-age weapons

3. Arrival of the Celts • 2 groups of Celts 800-600bc • Brythons (Britons) Settled on largest island (Britain) • Gaels Settled on 2nd largest (Ireland

4. Celts Cont. • Organized into clans • Depended on Druids (pagan priests) to settle disputes • Druids performed religious rituals and recited poems and myths

5. The Roman Conquest • Julius Caesar (55bc) hasty invasions - barely penetrated the island • Claudius sent legions for true conquest (43ad) • Camps grew into towns • Paved roads • Taught methods of warfare (not defense) • Lasted 300 years

6. The Anglo Saxon ConquestWho were they? • Farmers • Fishermen • Rowed boats up rivers and conquered towns • 3 groups • Angles • Saxons • Jutes

7. A-S Established highly organized tribes • Ruled by a king • King chosen by the witan (council of elders) • 4 distinct classes • Earls – hereditary class of warlords • Freemen – could own land and sell things (included thanes, early barons, who were given status as reward for military service. • Churls (serfs) – servant who worked the land in exchange for military protection • Thralls – slaves, prisoners, convicts

8. A-S continued • Small kingdoms frequently fought, eventually seven larger kingdoms were formed. • All of the intermingling created what is called Anglo-Saxon or OLD ENGLISH

9. A-S Beliefs • 4 Ideals • Honor • Warrior attitude • Good will defeat evil • Fate • Pagan • In the hands of fate

10. Worshiped early Germanic gods • Tiu – god of war and sky • Woden – chief god • Fria – Woden’s wife, goddess of the home • Days of the week are named after them

11. Dispersal of the Britons • Fled to edge of island and beyond • Wales – hilly western region • Ireland – to join Gaels and back to Scotia (Scotland) • Spoke Celtic languages

12. The Coming of Christianity • Romans brought Christianity in the 4th Century • Celts brought it with them when they fled • Went from Wales to Ireland • Church thrived in Ireland and was eventually reintroduced in northern England by Columba in 563 • Scotland accepted the faith as well as some Angles and Saxons

13. Resurgence of the Roman Church • St. Augustine brought RC to southern England in 597 • Converted King Ethelbert and set up monastery in Canterbury • By 650 all of England was RC • The result was a “kinder, gentler” England

14. Christianity and Literature • Roman influence brought 2 things • Education • Written Literature • Monks hand copied books called manuscripts • Venerable Bede • Wrote A History of the English Church and People • Beowulf • Epic poem (more later)

15. Attack of the Danes • AKA the Vikings • Nasty- burned, plundered, raped, pillaged, burned manuscripts • By 850 most of England was ruled by Vikings and called the Danelaw • Only the Saxon kingdom of Wessex held strong

16. Alfred The Great • Only English King to be called “The Great” • Established truce in 886 • Saxons took the South • Danes took the North • Reestablished education • Translated Latin works into Anglo-Saxon

17. Danish Contributions • Brought brewing and mercantile trade to England. • Had a fondness for law • New Danish invaders actually conquered Saxons in 10th century and witan was forced to chose a Danish King

18. Edward and the Normans • Throne was regained by Alfred’s family • Deeply religious (thus the name Confessor) • His friendship with his cousin William weakened Saxon power and led to the Norman Conquest (next unit)

19. A-S Lit • 1st alphabet called runes • Singers at celebrations were called scops and gleemen • Accompanied by a harp and included a caesura (mid-line pause) • Heroic poetry- recounts the achievements of warriors involved in great battles • Elegiac poetry-sorrowful laments that mourn death • Pagan elements remain such as wyrd, or an ominous fate

20. Poets of the Christian Era • Caedmon • Cynewulf

21. A-S Prose • Bede wrote in Latin, but wrote of a unified England, thus the 1st of English prose • Alcuin: monk who wrote books on philosophy, religion, etc. • All writing was linked to church because church gave education

22. Alfred and his Successors • Aelfric:Monk, 10th century wrote Homilies • Wulfstan: Archbishop wrote sermons in Old English

23. The Beowulf Legend • Epic: A long heroic poem • The National epic of England • Author unknown • first recited in the 6th century • Composed in the 8th century • Written down in the 11th century

24. Beowulf Cont. • Beowulf: Pagan warrior known for his courage, strength, and dignity • Poem includes many references to Christian ideas (11th century), but many A-S values • Warrior society • Dignity • Bravery • Prowess in battle • Honor • Fate

25. The Epic of Beowulf • Actually has three parts • B vs. Grendel • B vs. Grendel’s mother • B vs. the dragon • We will only read part I • Includes Kenning • Colorful indirect ways of saying something • Sea= whale path • Battle=sword play

26. The Epic of Beowulf • Theme: • Good vs. Evil • Although evil is present in life, ultimately good will overcome evil.