1 / 31

ANGLO-SAXON BACKGROUND 449-1066

ANGLO-SAXON BACKGROUND 449-1066. THE BRITONS’ EXPERIENCE. We start with a clan/tribe known as the Britons. They lived in a time where people owed an allegiance to a lord in return for protection. This was a time of war, movement, and chaos. THE BRITONS’ EXPERIENCE.

sidney
Download Presentation

ANGLO-SAXON BACKGROUND 449-1066

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. ANGLO-SAXON BACKGROUND449-1066

  2. THE BRITONS’ EXPERIENCE • We start with a clan/tribe known as the Britons • They lived in a time where people owed an allegiance to a lord in return for protection. • This was a time of war, movement, and chaos

  3. THE BRITONS’ EXPERIENCE PRE-ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD: A. 800-600 BC - Britons battle Gaels and Celts (Greek for “Barbarian”) B. 43-410 - Britons battle the Romans ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD: A. 410-449 Britain gets invaded from lots of tribes – Constant Upheaval! a. PICTS – keep pillaging b. SCOTS – Old English “raider,” from Ireland c. 442 – Britains invite SAXONS in alliance but are betrayed for the Scots. d. 449 – more GERMANIC invasions (Jutes, Frisians, Angles, & Saxons) * e. 787 – Viking attacks start = pillage, loot, burn everything!

  4. The Britons get invaded by EVERYONE

  5. POINTS OF INTEREST I. 500 AD – historical King Arthur wins British victory II. 597 - St. Augustine founds Christian monastery • First king of Anglo-Saxon England converted to Christianity! (King Aethelbert I of Kent - Jute) • Gradual Christianization by Roman and Irish missionaries - 7th century with persistent pagan customs as well *( Christianity flourished during the Roman Empire, never left when it fell)

  6. POINTS OF INTEREST IV. 849-899 King Alfred, recognized as king of all England • Revival of learning… oral tradition turns to written language for all V. 1042-1066: Edward the Confessor (last Anglo Saxon king, deeply religious) beat up by William the Conqueror’s Norman invasion at the Battle of Hastings

  7. OLD ENGLISH • NO WRITING: Writing went out of style with collapse of Roman empire. Only the church had a few documents. *Oral tradition / scops 2) Christian missionaries taught and wrote entirely in Latin, Old English was vulgar 3) Language is predominantly: Anglo-Saxon (German), Some Celtic/Gaelic words, Latin (450 words) Old Norse (50 words)

  8. OLD ENGLISH OLD ENGLISH VERBS: Cyssan – cyste – cyssed (kiss) Ridan – rad – ridden (ride) Drincan – dranc – drunken (drink) Sprecan – sprac – sprecen (speak) Fyllan – fylde – fylled (fill) Cnyttan – cnytte – cnytted (knit)

  9. CHRISTIANITY VS. PAGANISM • PAGAN • - Warrior culture • - Loyalty to many gods • Tell stories to teach lessons. • COMITATUS: loyalty to lord, do • anything for him (loyalty rewarded with fame/riches, mead hall), • - Exile worst punishment CHRISTIAN • Spiritual culture - faith in heavens and morality • Loyalty to a God • Bible

  10. PAGAN WORLD • The world is believed to be set up in different dimensions: • Gods (Asgard) above • the underworld (Hel) below • the Earth plane (Midgard)

  11. CHRISTIANITY VS. PAGANISM PAGAN WYRD: You are powerless in life, with no real choice. It is a dangerous world ruled by FATE (predetermined) • You should have the courage to fight/die early. You live a a good life by achieving fame/glory through deeds, riches. CHRISTIAN PROVIDENCE: People follow Christian qualities and obey commandments in hopes of going to a better after life. • You have the free will to live a good life. Suffering you endure will pay off in the glorious afterlife with God.

  12. THINK ABOUT IT… What happens when you die?

  13. THINK ABOUT IT… • How do you PROVE you go to heaven for an afterlife? • How does the church convince so many people of the time to buy into Christianity? Why might it sound appealing?

  14. ANGLO-SAXON RECAP • Warrior Culture: Britons lived in clans that owed allegiance to a lord in return for honor, fame, and gold. (comitatus) • Time of war, chaos, and transition. • Everything is passed on through the oral tradition. • Old English is made up of Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Latin & Old Norse. • Revival of Education • Pagan culture trying to be turned Christian by missionaries and priests. • Pagan views: many gods, WYRD, warrior culture • Christian views: one god, PROVIDENCE, spiritual culture

  15. ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE • All passed down through an oral tradition until the mid 10th century (900s). It was caused by a church reform where monks were in charge of copying manuscripts. 1) RIDDLES: entertainment/education 2) PROSE: • Caedmon: “Hymn of Creation,” oldest vernacular work (Latin) • Bede: “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” (Latin) • Used historians, other books, travelers, never left more than 75 miles!! • “Anglo-Saxon Chronicles”– begin writing down history in Old English so it was accessible to all

  16. Exeter Riddle Answer: A Shield • Wounded by iron, broken by blades • No comfort in herbal healing • handiwork of smiths • Sword slash and death wound day and night

  17. Exeter Riddle Answer: A bow!!! • Wob is my name twisted about • I spit outthe death-blend I swallowed before. • Unwound I will not obey any man;Bound tight, I serve.

  18. LITERATURE: POETRY HEROIC: tales of warriors and battles • Pagan/Warrior culture… FAME/WYRD • Beowulf ELEGAIC: lamenting the death/loss of loved ones,glory, or gold • Christian ideas, spirituality • Happy past / desolate present • “Seafarer” and “Wanderer” *POEMS COME FROM BOOK OF EXETER

  19. POETRY TERMS 1) ORAL TRADITION originally 2) Typically narrative 3) Regular rhythm - Usually 4 strong beats, consistency for memorization and speaking Ex. Now there are no rulers, no emperors • Kenning: metaphorical phrase used to replace a concrete noun (embellished/figurative) EX. Whale’s home = sea Rat’s nest = ? Sea-Steed = ? Brow Star = ?

  20. POETRY TERMS 5) CAESURA: natural pause in a line of poetry Ex. With gift in the mead-hall and comfort for grief • ALLITERATION: repetition of sounds in a sequence of words (*Tongue twisters: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers)

  21. POETRY TERMS • PARAPHRASE: break down lengthy portions of text to find strictly meaning, put in your own words in a shorter manner Advantage: understand meaning Disadvantage: time consuming

  22. Exeter Riddle Answer: An onion! • I harm no citizen except my slayer • I am shaggy below. • Her eye will be wet. • wonderful help to women

  23. Exeter Riddle Answer: An oyster!!! • Suckled by the sea, • sheltered near shore • Footless • relish me raw

  24. HERO • What does our generation/world define a hero as today? What are his/her characteristics? Who are examples of a hero?

  25. HERO • DEFINITION: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. • NEED FOR A HERO: • Changes with time depending on the culture/climate • We often look at major societal problems to create or embellish who we should look up to

  26. HEROES vs. villains How has the idea of a hero changed over time? Consider who he/she fought and what they stood for? • ANCIENT GREEK & ANGLO-SAXON: • Brave warriors fought for their country and lord/king against outside • Gladiator, 300, William Wallace • RENAISSANCE: • Knights of the Round Table fought against people who didn’t follow the law and to protect the king or ladies. • Robin Hood fought against the tyrants of the world. • WWII:

  27. HEROES vs. villains How has the idea of a hero changed over time? Consider who he/she fought and what they stood for? • 1930s - • Creation of Batman, Superman, and early Marvel Comics • 1960s: • TODAY:

More Related