Transcript Anglo-Saxon Lecture PowerPoint Fall 2011

Anglo-Saxon Lecture
Fall 2011
ENGLAND
A towering circle of ancient stones,
draped in the mist of centuries.
The clatter of horses’ hooves, the
clash of swords and spears. A tiny
island whose motley tongue would
become the language of the world,
and laws, customs, and literature
would help form Western
civilization. This is England, and
the story begins here.
Map of England
Anglo-Saxon Period (Dark Ages)
 Difficult life
 Bloody conflicts, violence, barbarism
 Literature
 Reflects reality of the time
 Serious minded people
 Little humor in literature
 Stories & poems present heroic struggle
 Only strong survive
Stonehenge
 Archaeologists believe it was erected
around 2200 BC
 Three reasons
 Religious rituals
 Calendar
 Way to contact extra-terrestrial beings
 Winter equinox & summer solstice
 The Sun and the gaps in structure
Stonehenge image
Roman Influence
 Julius Caesar—55 BC
 False claim of victory
 Claudius—43 AD
 Success
 Aspects of Society
 Cities
 Roads
 Trade, tax collection & troop
movement
 Written scholarship
 Christianity
Roman Influence
 “Romanized” Britons adoption
 Urban lifestyle
 Lived in villas
 Frequented public baths
 Evacuation
 Returned to Rome in early 5th century to
help defend empire against invaders
 England became a target for attack
without Roman protection
Anglo-Saxons
 Arrived around 449 AD
 King Arthur
 Celtic chieftain
 Battled invaders
 Celts
 Believed human soul lied within the head
 Strong women folk legends
 Basis for English culture and language
Vikings
 Invaded in 790s
 Seafaring marauders from Denmark
and Norway
 Alfred the Great
 Defeated the Danes
 Unified the English
 Learning and culture flourished
 Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
 Record of English history
Norman Conquest
 Edward the Confessor
 1042 ascended to the throne
 No children
 Swore to make French cousin William, Duke
of Normandy, his heir (according to William)
 Death in 1066
 Harold named as successor
 William revolted
Battle of Hastings
 1066
 Harold dies
 On Christmas Day, William is crowned
king
 WILLIAM the CONQUEROR
 Ended Anglo-Saxon dominance
 Noble families lost land and became
peasants
Spread of Christianity
 Pagan religion
 Wyrd—god of all controlling fate
 Days of the week
 Tui-god of war—Tuesday
 Woden-father of gods—Wednesday
 Thor-god of thunder—Thursday
 Comitatus
 Bond between a warrior and his followers
Christianity Arrival
 597 AD
 Roman missionary Augustine arrives
 Establishes monastery in Canterbury
 Pagan traditions and beliefs still evident
 Monasteries
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Intellectual
Literary
Artistic
Social Activity
Record of English people
 Clergy at monastery
 Venerable Bede
 A History of the English Church and
People
 Vikings destroyed monasteries
 Wanted to rid all trace of cultural
refinement
Epic Tradition
 Early literature took form of epic
poem
 Praised deeds of heroic warriors
 Reality of life
 Mead halls
 Nobles and kings gathering place
 Scops—professional poets who
brought poems to life
Epics as Entertainment
 More than entertainment
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History lesson
Moral sermon
Pep talk
Instilled cultural pride
 Taught how a true hero would behave
Epic
 Epic
 Poem that tells the story of a great hero and
reflect the values of the culture from which it
comes
 Celebrates a hero’s deeds
 Historical
 Kennings
 Descriptive phrase or compound word that
substitutes for a noun
 Example: Noun-police kenning-law enforcer
Epic Hero Traits
 Superior to other men
 Larger than life actions
 Still human
 Vulnerable
 Capable of death
 Christian characteristics
 Kindness
 Loyalty
 Gentleness
 Strives for honor and fame
Beowulf Poet
 Oldest surviving epic
 Chanted or sung aloud
 Author anonymous
 Middle 7th century to late 10th century
 Christian influence evident in poem
 Character of Beowulf
 Hero who comes to rescue people
 Surviving copy
 1000 AD