ANGLO-SAXON/MEDIEVAL LIFE
Life, Religion, and History
They were German settlers from Angeln and
Saxony. They arrived around 410 AD…after the
fall of the Roman Empire.
The Jutes and the Frisians from Denmark also
settled the British Isles at this time.
Anglo-Saxon’s were Pagans- They did not believe
in a Christian God.
Life, Religion, and History
There were some Christians. The descended
from Roman Britains and were called Celts (K)
Around 597 AD, the arrival of St. Augustine
began the Christian revival and most of the
country converts to Christianity.
England was not a unified country as today. It
consisted of Saxon, Angle, Briton, Kent, Merica,
Northumbria, and Wessex.
Life, Religion, and History
Each Kingdom was organized as follows:
King- He was the ruler.
Thanes- The Noble
Churls- Free peasants who owned land
Slaves- They could be bought and sold.
Eight oxen was a top price.
Later, slaves could own land.
Life, Religion, and History
Wessex was the only kingdom to survive the
Viking or Norsemen invasion around 789 AD.
The Vikings, who were lead by Eric Bloodaxe,
were defeated in 954 AD by an army from
Wessex led by Alfred the Great, King of Wessex.
Alfred the Great did many great things for
England. To educate his people, he invited
scholars from all over Europe to come and
teach.
Life, Religion, and History
He ordered Monks to write Bibles and books in
Anglo-Saxon language. He also established a
universal set of laws for his country. He also
devised a public hearing for those who broke
the rules. If you did not show up, you could be
killed by anyone. If you admitted a crime, you
would have to pay a fine to the person you
harmed.
Life, Religion, and History
Many aspects from the Anglo-Saxon era survive
today. Our days of the week names come from
the names of Anglo-Saxon gods.
Tuesday- Tiw, god of war
Wednesday- Woden, chief Teutonic god
Thursday- Thor, god of thunder
Friday- Frigga, goddess of home
Literary Terms for Beowulf
Epic- a long, serious poem. Usually describes
bravery in battle and resourcefulness during a
long journey. Usually centers on a national hero,
his courage, intelligence, and most importantly,
his goodness.
Theme- the central idea of a literary work.
Literary Terms for Beowulf
Alliteration- the repetition of the same sound at
the beginning of closely linked words or
syllables. Ex. “With a rush and a roar, the
ruthless rocks rebounded.”
Metaphor- a comparison of two unlike things
not usually thought of as being alike.
EX. Snake in the grass – unseen, strike anytime
Literary Terms for Beowulf
Personification- giving human qualities to
objects or abstract ideas. EX. “The tree wrapped
it’s branches around the small child.”
Simile- the comparison of two unlike things
using either “like” or “as”. EX. Fast as a cheetah
Narrative Poem- a poem that tells a story
Literary Terms for Beowulf
Onomatopoeia- words who’s sounds suggest
their meaning. EX. Snap, crackle, pop
Symbol- something that stands for something
else. EX. The American Flag
Literary Terms for Beowulf
Kenning- a poetic device characteristic of the
Anglo-Saxon period. They are used to signify a
person or thing by a characteristic or quality.
EX. Whale road = the sea