Anglo-Saxon Lecture
I. Invasions
A. Three Early parts
1. Britons
2. Picts (to the north)
3. Gaels (to the west)
B. Romans
1. Contributions – cities built, roads built, Christianity, and education. They also provided
protection.
2. Ruling and leaving – Ruled lightly but provided military protection. When they left to help
protect Rome, they left the country unprotected.
C. Germanic Tribes
1. Two Groups - Angles and the Saxons (This is where we get the name England, the country
was named Angle-Land)
2. Language – Old English originates from German tribes.
D. Vikings
1. Origin – Come from Denmark and Norway
2. Why they settled. – England has a nicer climate, and it is easier to farm.
3. Defeated by…Alfred the Great
E. Chieftains
1. Alfred the Great – Anglo-Saxon chieftain. He gathers all the small tribes into one large
group. Encourages cultural development. Commissioned the writing of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that
recorded the history of the English People.
2. Edward the Confessor – Inherits the throne. Very religious. Dies with no children and no
one to inherit the throne.
3. William the Conqueror
a. why he wanted throne – He claims it was promised to him by Edward. He feels it is
rightfully his.
b. Norman Conquest – Last successful invasion of England. William comes in with
army to take back throne.
c. Battle of Hastings – 1066. Williams kills Harold and takes thrown. This defeat is
the end of the Anglo-Saxon time period.
II. Culture
A. Pagan
1. wyrd – God of all controlling fate
2. weekdays – ex: Thor is Thursday
B. Shift – Life is hard and reflected in literature.
C. Christianity
1. Arrival – brings hope to people
2. Augustine – creates first monastery at Canterbury
3. Combination – ignore this
4. Monasteries
a. Venerable Bede – great monk – write A History of the English Church and People
b. education – monasteries have books – people are able to learn about other places in
the world and other cultures
III. Literature
A. Epic Poems – Boewulf is an epic poem.
1. Qualities – spoke of heroes and heroic deeds
2. Mead halls and scops – cultural center – professional story tellers
3. Value – spread stories – provide instructions and morality lessons
1. be strong in battle. 2. Help those who need it. 3. Keep your word. 4. Honor your lord.
B. Stories
1. oral – passed down from generation – memorized and spoken
2. manuscripts – stories were told to monks that wrote them down
C. Lyric poems – just know type of literature
D. Riddles - just know type of literature
E. Christian vs. pagan style
1. Christian – hope – an afterlife – moral instructions
2. pagan – fate decides – no fear because there is no control
F. Caedmon – famous poet from time period
G. Latin – language of the church
IV. Beowulf
A. Author - ignore
B. Real people - ignore
C. Culture present - ignore
D. Christian vs. pagan elements
1. Fate is mentioned and called to aid in battle, but God is mentioned to protect them
2. 2 reasons – one is monks added God when writing manuscripts, one is the scops became
Christianized and added the elements over time