THE ANGLOSAXON PERIOD
449-1066 AD
The Anglo-Saxon Period
449-1066 AD
 The island we now
call Britain was
home to the Celtic
people. In 449, they
were being invaded
by Scottish and Irish
tribes and could not
fight them off.
 The Celts asked for help from the Angles, Saxons, and
the Jutes(from Denmark) , who were Germanic tribes.
Instead of helping, they invaded and took over the
island for themselves, and called it “Angle-land.”
Jutes
So, English
history and
literature begins
in 449 AD.
Angles
Celts
Saxons
English Language
 During this time, the English language was
growing. The Celtic language merged with the
Anglo-Saxon language.
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Some words added by A-S: to, and, for, man, wife, child, drink, eat,
sleep, T, W, R, F.
When Christian missionaries started coming to England around 600
AD, they brought words such as: altar, monk, preach, school,
anthem, rule, candle, offer, hymn
From 787-1000 AD, Vikings came to the island with words such as:
lift, take, give, live, husband, sky, trust, rotten
When the Normans invaded and conquered the Anglo-Saxons, they
brought 10,000 words like: action, adventure, marriage, power,
vision, rage, honest
Christianity of the A-S
 In 596, missionaries came & attempted to convert
them to Christianity. By 650, most A-S were
Christians in name anyway-even though they still
held on to some of their pagan traditions.
More Invasions
 Danish invasions: during the 700 and 800s, the
Danes and the Normans began attacking the island
of Britain and almost won until Alfred the Great, a
Saxon, fought back and won the country back-and
there was peace-for a while
End of the Anglo-Saxon Period
 When Alfred’s grandson Edward died in 1066,
there was an argument over the throne. The Duke
of Normandy claimed the throne, but the English
chose Harold II. The Duke retaliated by attacking
and defeating the A-S at the Battle of Hastings.
 So, the A-S period ended in 1066 when the
Normans won the Battle of Hastings and the DukeWilliam the Conqueror was the new King.
Social Order
 Based on warrior bonds-they bonded together under a
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strong leader.
Heroic groups; rural and tribal
Core of culture was comitatus relationship-warrior bond for
each other and their leader. Tribes engaged in blood
feuding constantly.
WER GELD= “man price,” absolute obligation to avenge a
fellow warrior’s death (like gangs).
Loyalty: fight to death to protect and/or avenge; obligation
to King and warrior.
After battles, there was a strict payment of treasure.
Chief selected for loyalty, generosity, strength, and courage.
Anglo Saxons & Mead Hall
 All {social} events began and
ended at Mead Hall
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Mead: Fermented beverages
made from honey (Think of beer
made from honey)
 The hall was built by the local
lord or king for the
entertainment of the Thanes
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Thanes: warriors and soldiers
loyal to the local lord or king
Anglo-Saxon Literature
 All literature was oral (spoken), not written,
because there was no real written language
yet.
 Literature & history was passed down by
scops, people in each tribe who composed
stories and songs about the tribe and its
heroes. The stories were passed down from
generation to generation. He told the stories
every night after supper.
Why were the scops important?
• warriors gained immortality through songs
•The literature of the Anglo-Saxons was
handed down orally by scops who sang in
the lords’ mead halls, where warriors
gathered to celebrate the events of the day.
These scops, like the Greek poets before
them, remembered their stories by using
accentual meter and many stock phrases
called kennings.
Anglo-Saxon harp
Beowulf
 Was composed around 700
AD
 Author was unknown- it is
known the poet was a
Christian, aristocrat, &
professional (by language)
 Poet composed it in his head &
performed it.
 Poem was not written down
for about 250 years.
Epic Poem, Hero
 An epic poem-long narrative poem
about a national hero who has the
virtues and qualities his society
values. Epic poems are fiction with
some fact put in.
 Epic Hero- courageous,
resourceful, loyal, generous,
willing to avenge wrongs, gentle,
brave, strong, loves beauty, has
deep feelings, able to express
feelings.
Characteristics of an Epic
 Major characters deliver long, formal speeches.
 The hero performs courageous, sometimes
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superhuman deeds.
The poem includes universal themes such as good/evil
and life/death.
The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than
one nation.
The hero, generally male, is of noble birth or high
position.
Hero characteristics reflect important ideals of his
society.
The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or
events and may involve a long and dangerous journey
to a foreign land.
Beowulf
Introducing the Epic
Beowulf
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Is the first great work of
English national literature.
• Is the epic story of the hero
Beowulf, who fights the
demonic monster Grendel.
Beowulf
Introducing the Epic
Places
Scandinavia
Takes place in Denmark & Sweden
(not England)
Scholars think Herot might
have been built on the coast
of Zealand, in Denmark.
Britain
Beowulf
Introducing the Epic
People
Beowulf: nephew of Higlac, king of
the Geats.
Hrothgar: king of the Danes.
Wiglaf: a Geat warrior, one of
Beowulf’s select band and the
only one to help him in his final
fight with the dragon.
Beowulf
Introducing the Epic
Monsters
Grendel: man-eating monster who
lives at the bottom of a foul mere, or
mountain lake.
Grendel’s mother: water-witch
who seeks revenge.
Dragon: giant fire-breathing serpent
whom Beowulf fights in Part Two of
the epic.
Beowulf
Introducing the Epic
Places
Herot: the golden
guest hall built by
King Hrothgar
where warriors
gathered to
celebrate.
[End of Section]
What is a Hero?
 Do you know a real life hero?
 What do you think this story is going to be about?