Transcript The Anglo

History of the
People
of Great Britain
449 A.D.-1066 A.D
Cultural/Linguistic Influences
Celts (Brythons and Gaels) up to 55 B.C.
Roman Conquest 55 B.C. - 407 A.D.
Anglo-Saxon Period 407 A.D. - 787 A.D.
Viking Invasions 787 A.D. - 1066 A.D.
Norman Conquest begins in 1066 A.D.
Early England Created by Three
Invasions
1. Roman Occupation 55 B.C.-410
A.D.
2. Anglo-Saxon
and Viking
Invasions 410 –
1066 A.D.
GERMAN(IC)
LATIN
3. The
Norman
Invasion
(The
Battle of
Hastings)
in 1066
A.D.
FRENCH
Pre-Historical /Pre-Roman

The island we know as England was occupied by a race
of people called the Celts. One of the tribes was called
they Brythons or Britons (where we get the term Britain)

The Celts were Pagans and their religion was know as
“animism” a Latin word for “spirit.” Celts saw spirits
everywhere
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Druids were their priests; their role was to go between
the gods and the people
The Roman Invasion
55 B.C. - 407 A.D.
The Romans

55 B.C. Julius Caesar invaded Britain
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Built roads designed for military purposes (commerce,
communication, civilizing)
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Infrastructure
– Government (fell apart when they left)
– Walls, villas, public baths (some remains still exist)
Language and Writing
– Latin was official language
–
Religion
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Anglo Saxon Period
407 A.D- 787 A.D.
The Anglo-Saxons

In 449, three groups invaded Britain
– Angles
– Saxons
– Jutes

Anglo-Saxons
– Drove the natives from the eastern, central, and
southern areas
– Became known as “Angles Land” or England
– Germanic language developed into “Angle-ish” or
English
The Anglo-Saxons
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Originally started out with several tribal units organized
by a king.
Anglo Saxons were Pagans
 Paganism= polytheistic religion
Fate vs. Personal Freedom
 Christians believe that all individuals have the
freedom to make their own choice
Early Anglo Saxons worshipped ancient gods of German
mythology
The Anglo-Saxons
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Writing:
primitive system, “runic”
Oral tradition of Literature:
narratives handed down from
generation to generation by word of
mouth, usually sung.
Scop (shope)--Old English poet or bard
Anglo Saxon Society
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Kings
Athelings--Princes
Witans--Counselors
Thanes--Nobles
Peasants--Agricultural
Laborers
Theows--Servants
Thralis--Slaves
Anglo-Saxon Living
Conditions

most of the towns built by the Romans had fallen into
ruins

A village was made up of small groups of houses built
around a larger hall.
The Anglo-Saxon Man
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Athletic
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Strong
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Seafaring
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Adventurous
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Strong belief in fair play
Anglo-Saxon Ideals
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Loyalty to Lord or King
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Great love of personal freedom
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Respect for women

Love for glory

Honored the truth
The Viking Invasion
787-1066
The Vikings
The Vikings were sea-faring, explorers, traders and
warriors, Scandinavians during the 8th-11th centuries.
Expeditions that plundered and ended in conquest and
settlements of Britain.
King Alfred “the Great” in 871 was able to use the
language to appeal the English and his efforts saved
the language.
The Vikings

Politically and Culturally
– there was no central government or church
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Linguistically (The English Language at its Earliest)
– The English language is “born” during the first
millennium and is known as Old English
– Old English is mainly Germanic
– LOTS of dialects of Old-English
The Norman Invasion
begins in 1066 A.D.
The Normans

In 1066 at the Battle of Hastings, the Normans (powerful
Northern Frenchmen) defeated the English and started a
centuries-long conquest of England
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Two Most Important Effects:
– French becomes official language of politics and
power and exerts enormous influence on Old English
– England begins unifying under a French political
system, much of which is still with us (even in the
U.S.) today
The Anglo-Saxon Period in Review

Pre-Anglo-Saxon (really “pre” historical)
– Celtic Peoples (approx 1700/400 B.C. – 55 B.C.)
– Roman Occupation (55 B.C.-410 A.D.)

Anglo-Saxon/Viking
– Angles, Saxons, Frisian, and Jutes (410-787
– Viking Raids/Invasions begin 8th c. and end 10th c.

Norman Invasion/Occupation (really in the Middle Ages)
– four centuries of French rule
The Society of the
Middle Ages
The 3 Estates

The idea of estates, or orders, was encouraged during
the Age.
– Clergy
 Latin chiefly spoken, those who pray, purpose was
to save everyone’s soul
– Nobles
 French chiefly spoken, those who fight, purpose
was to protect—allow for all to work in peace—and
provide justice
– Commoners
 English spoken, those who work, purpose was to
feed and clothe all above them
Feudalism
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The economic system of much of the Middle Ages (800-1100)
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Commoners (peasants) lived on a feudal manor. The lord of the
manor gave his vassals (the peasants) land to farm.
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In return, the vassals received protection from roving bandits.
Yet they were taxed and had to surrender a portion of their
crops to the lord.
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Feudalism is important as it created ties of obedience and
fostered a sense of loyalty between the vassals and their lord.
Chivalry
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A product of feudalism, chivalry was an idealized system
of manners and morals
– Restricted to nobility
The Medieval knight was bound to the chivalric code to be
loyal to…
– God
– his lord
– his lady
Chivalric ideals include...
– benevolence
– brotherly love
The Church

Provided guidance through
well known precepts..
– Seven Deadly Sins
 Pride
 Greed
 Wrath
 Envy
 Gluttony
 Sloth
 Lust
The Wheel of Fortune
The idea of Fortune and her wheel
was one of the most pervasive
ideas throughout the Middle
Ages.
On the wheel are depicted four
figures: one at the top, one at
the bottom, one rising, and one
falling.
It served to remind of the
temporality of earthly things.
•Germanic language introduced to the British
Isles in the 5th century A.D.
• Spoken before the Norman Conquest by
William the Conqueror in 1066 AD which
introduced French as the language of the noble
class.
•This language is the ancestor of the Modern
English spoken today
Literature During the
Medieval Period
Three distinctive phases in language in which literature was
composed.
Old English 449-1066
Middle English 1066- 1485
Modern English
1485-present
Anglo Saxon Literature
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Mostly oral stories, especially riddles
 Doesn’t Rhyme
 Uses alliteration
 Uses Kennings
– Metaphor often hyphenated ex. Whales-path=
sea
– Symbolism with Seasons
 Spring: Youth
 Summer: Adult
 Autumn: Old Age
 Winter: Death
Characteristics of Medieval
Literature
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Heroism
– from both Germanic and Christian traditions, sometimes
mingled
 Beowulf
 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Presentations of idealized behavior
– literature as moral lesson
 loyalty to king
 chivalry
use of kennings (especially in Beowulf)
– A figurative, usually compound expression used in
place of a name or noun. Example, storm of swords is a
kenning for battle.
Use of Allegory
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An allegory is a figurative mode of representation
conveying a meaning other than the literal.
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Much of medieval literature relied on allegory to
convey the morals the author had in mind while
writing--representations of abstract qualities, events,
and institutions are thick in much of the literature of
this time.
The Ideal of Courtly Love

This relationship was modeled on the feudal
relationship between a knight and his liege lord.
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The knight serves his courtly lady with the same
obedience and loyalty which he owes to his liege lord.
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She is in complete control; he owes her obedience and
submission.
The Quest

A quest is a hero’s journey towards a goal. The objects
of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero,
and the overcoming of many obstacles.
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The hero's must obtain something, or someone, by the
quest and with this object return home.
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the code of conduct observed by a knight errant who is
wandering in search of deeds of chivalry. This knight is
bound by a code of behavior - a set of conventional
principles and expectations.
The Hero
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Is often of divine descent endowed with great strength and
ability" or "a man admired for his achievements and noble
qualities"
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The hero faces his greatest fear
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The hero “dies,” so he can be reborn
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The hero gains new perception
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This new perception may create a moment of clarity
The moment may be of great self-realization for the hero
It may also be an epiphany for the hero’s companions
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The Structure
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Usually, an inner and outer problem for the character
is set.
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The hero is introduced; audience identifies with them
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The hero lacks something, has a tragic flaw, or a
deep wound
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The call often produces disorientation and discomfort
for the hero
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The call is often in the form of a dire warning
The Structure
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Excuses are used to avoid the call
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This hesitation illustrates the formidability of the
challenge ahead
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Resistance creates change and strength, allowing the
hero to grow
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A physical or metaphorical crossing is made
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The crossing is an irrevocable leap of faith, from
which there’s no turning back
Characteristics of Epic
Literature
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The hero is a figure of imposing stature
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The setting is vast, covering great nations or worlds
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Action consists of deeds of great valor or require super
human strength
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Supernatural forces are evident
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A styled of sustained elevation and grand simplicity
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The poet recounts deed of the hero with a measure of
objectivity
Structure of Epic
Literature
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The poet opens by stating the theme
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The poet then invokes a muse
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Opens the narrative in media res (literally means “in
the midst of things”)
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Has extensive use of epic similes
Literary Terms
Epic

A long verse narrative in an elevated style, presenting
characters of high position in adventures
Examples: The Iliad, The Odyssey,
Gilgamesh, and Beowulf
Epic Simile

an elaborated comparison. Differs from the ordinary
simile by being more involved and ornate. A
secondary object is developed into an independent
aesthetic object
Folk Epic
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An epic without certain authorship
Kenning
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An elaborate metaphor used in Old English poetry as a
synonym for a simple noun
Example: whale-road
Litotes
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a form of understatement and a characteristic of Old
English poetry
Example:
“Twas a weary while! twelve winter’s time”
In Medias Res

a literary technique of opening a story in the middle of
the action through flashbacks and other devices in
exposition
Elegy
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a formal poem mourning the death of someone
Epithets
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descriptive phrases that may be repeated over and
over. Frequently, several epithets are used in the same
sentence
Example: “Prince of the Danes, protector of Scyldings,
Lord of nations, and leader of men,…
Alliteration
Alliteration

Repetition of the first sounds of words.
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Used to help scops remember the poem and to create
unity within a piece.
Language Changes to the
Culture

Roman Alphabet was
gradually adopted
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Christianity gradually replaced
Anglo Saxon beliefs
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Literature gradually changed
from oral to written
Beowulf
Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum
si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on
eorðan swa swa on heofonum
urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg
and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum
and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice.
Chaucer
Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;
þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it
is doun in heuene.
yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred.
And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen
to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us.
And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.
English
14851800
Shakespeare
Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in
heauen.
Giue us this day our daily bread.
And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliuer us from euill.
Amen.
Modern
English
1800present
Austen
.
OLD
ENGLISH
Middle
English
Early Modern
4001066
10661485
The End