ANGLO-ANGLO-SAXON SAXON ERAERA

The The Beginning of Beginning of English English LiteratureLiterature

Early Anglo-Saxon cultureEarly Anglo-Saxon culture

1.1.Polytheistic, Polytheistic, Worship Worship elements of elements of naturenature

A.A. PaganPagan

3. Notable deities3. Notable deitiesTiu = god of war & sky (Tuesday)Tiu = god of war & sky (Tuesday)Woden = chief deity; god of magic and death Woden = chief deity; god of magic and death

(Wednesday)(Wednesday)Thuron – god of thunder (Thursday)Thuron – god of thunder (Thursday)Fria = Woden’s wife; goddess of fertility (Friday)Fria = Woden’s wife; goddess of fertility (Friday)

2. Life is in the 2. Life is in the hands of fate hands of fate ((Wyrd = Goddess Wyrd = Goddess of Fateof Fate))

C.C. Beliefs and Beliefs and

ValuesValues • BraveryBravery

• LoyaltyLoyalty

• StrengthStrength

• GenerosityGenerosity

• Love of GloryLove of Glory

B.B. Oral—Oral—history, history, religious religious ideas, stories ideas, stories passed on by passed on by word of mouthword of mouth

Anglo-Saxon culture by Anglo-Saxon culture by the time of the writing the time of the writing of of BeowulfBeowulf

A.A. ChristianChristian, but with , but with pagan remnants: 597 pagan remnants: 597 Christianity comes to Christianity comes to the Anglo-Saxonsthe Anglo-Saxons

B.B. LiterateLiterate—clergy —clergy and some nobility and some nobility onlyonly

Escomb Church, County Escomb Church, County Durham, late 7Durham, late 7thth century century

• Education & Written Education & Written LanguageLanguage– Monks recorded & Monks recorded &

duplicated stories by duplicated stories by handhand

– Not much left to Not much left to record because record because forgottenforgotten

– In transcribing In transcribing literature of native literature of native tradition, the monks tradition, the monks often added Christian often added Christian elements or changed elements or changed pagan elementspagan elements

Christian InfluencesChristian Influences

BeowulfBeowulfA.A. Composed and Composed and

passed down passed down orallyorally ca. 715, 750?ca. 715, 750?

B.B. Committed to Committed to writingwriting sometime before the sometime before the 1010thth century century

C.C. Essentially Essentially lostlost after after Norman Conquest; first Norman Conquest; first listed in 17listed in 17thth century but century but not read or studiednot read or studied

D.D. Badly damaged by fire Badly damaged by fire in in 17311731

Epic Poetry: CharacteristicsEpic Poetry: Characteristics FormForm

– Long narrative poemLong narrative poem Tone and languageTone and language

– Presents a serious subject Presents a serious subject through formal, elevated through formal, elevated languagelanguage

ProtagonistProtagonist– A figure of national, global, or A figure of national, global, or

cosmic significance who cosmic significance who embodies the best of his embodies the best of his cultureculture

PlotPlot– Involves a great journey or a Involves a great journey or a

great battle or both that the great battle or both that the hero undertakes on behalf of hero undertakes on behalf of a people, a nation, or even a people, a nation, or even the worldthe world

SettingSetting– Place: vast, global or cosmicPlace: vast, global or cosmic– Time: an idealized heroic pastTime: an idealized heroic past

VI.VI.BeowulfBeowulf: Time and Place: Time and Place

• Set in Denmark and Geatland

• 6th Century

• Herot – Mead Hall

1.1. Alliterative verseAlliterative verse Set number of strong Set number of strong

beats per line but no beats per line but no set meterset meter

Repetitions of initial Repetitions of initial consonant soundsconsonant sounds

UnrhymedUnrhymed

2.2. ParallelismParallelism Repetition of a Repetition of a

grammatical patterngrammatical pattern

3.3. CaesuraCaesura A pause in the A pause in the

middle of a poetic middle of a poetic line indicated by line indicated by a gapa gap

4.4. KenningsKennings Compound Compound

metaphormetaphor Examples:Examples:

““Swan’s road” for Swan’s road” for seasea

““Ring giver” for Ring giver” for kingking

E.E. Characteristics of Anglo-Characteristics of Anglo-Saxon PoetrySaxon Poetry

A A scopscop would perform the would perform the poems at victory poems at victory celebrations.celebrations.

He would be accompanied He would be accompanied by a musician called the by a musician called the gleemangleeman..

The celebrations would be The celebrations would be held in large banquet halls held in large banquet halls called “called “mead-hallsmead-halls””

MeadMead was an alcoholic was an alcoholic beverage made from beverage made from honey and drunk by AS honey and drunk by AS warriors.warriors.

An Anglo-Saxon warrior An Anglo-Saxon warrior was also called a was also called a thanethane..

The English language from the middle of the The English language from the middle of the 55thth to the 12 to the 12thth century; also called Anglo-Saxon century; also called Anglo-Saxon languagelanguage

Text of Text of BeowulfBeowulf

[332] oretmecgas æfter æþelum frægn:[332] oretmecgas æfter æþelum frægn: asked of the heroes their home and kinasked of the heroes their home and kin[333] "Hwanon ferigeað ge fætte scyldas,[333] "Hwanon ferigeað ge fætte scyldas, "Whence, now, bear ye burnished shields,"Whence, now, bear ye burnished shields,[334] græge syrcan ond grimhelmas,[334] græge syrcan ond grimhelmas, harness gray and helmets grim,harness gray and helmets grim,[335] heresceafta heap? Ic eom Hroðgares[335] heresceafta heap? Ic eom Hroðgares spears in multitude? Messenger, I, Hrothgar'sspears in multitude? Messenger, I, Hrothgar's[336] ar ond ombiht. Ne seah ic elþeodige[336] ar ond ombiht. Ne seah ic elþeodige herald! Heroes so many ne'er met Iherald! Heroes so many ne'er met I[337] þus manige men modiglicran,[337] þus manige men modiglicran, as strangers of mood so strong.as strangers of mood so strong.[338] Wen ic þæt ge for wlenco, nalles for wræcsiðum,[338] Wen ic þæt ge for wlenco, nalles for wræcsiðum, 'Tis plain that for prowess, not plunged into exile,'Tis plain that for prowess, not plunged into exile,