Questions & Cues
What are the various time
periods in British
Literature?
Notes
DATE
Anglo- Saxon/ Medieval Literature
Refer to p. 4-5 in your textbook
449-1066/ 1066-1485 Anglo-Saxon/Medieval
1485-1660- English Renaissance
1160-1798- Restoration
1798-1832- Romanticism
1832-1901- Victorianism
1901- Present- Modernism
449-1485: Anglo-Saxon/ Medieval Literature
Why are the Anglo-Saxon
and Medieval Periods
linked?
Because there is very little surviving literature from the
Anglo-Saxon period, the two periods are often linked
together. There are similarities.
Questions of the time period:
What makes a hero?
What really shapes society?
Does fate control our lives?
Can people live up to high ideals?
How did language begin in
England?
History:
When the Germanic tribes, including the Angles and the
Saxons, invaded Northern Europe, Britain took on a new
name “Angle-land” or “England.” The language of the
Angles became the official language of the land. We now
call this “Old English.” Below are some examples of
“Old English” words with their “Modern English”
translations.
o
o
o
o
claene ("clean"), crypel ("cripple"), corn
("corn"), cyning ("king")
ceap ("cheap"), cild ("child"), dic ("ditch")
fisc ("fish"), wascan ("wash"),
scearp("sharp")
graes ("grass"), god ("god"), gyltig
o
o
("guilty")
brycg ("bridge"), secg ("sedge"), mycg
("midge")
gear ("year"), giet ("yet"), gellan ("yell")
Religion:
The Angles were a violent, pagan people. After they
settled in England, however, they calmed down and were
domesticated. Christian missionaries are known to be in
Britain by 300A.D. The popularity of Christianity spread.
By 600 A.D., the majority of Britain were Christians.
With the rise if Christianity, a Roman missionary named
Augustine began establishing churches and monasteries.
Perhaps his most famous monastery is Canterbury in Kent
(South East England).
Monasteries were the center of the educational, literary,
artistic, and social activity. Students of monasteries
would copy books and translate them as well. From this,
spread of knowledge of writing and written language,
original works were written.
See handout: Death of Thomas á Becket.
Summary