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Anglo-Saxon Period

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Anglo-Saxon Period

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    1. Anglo-Saxon Period The Anglo-Saxon period is the earliest recorded time period in English history.

    2. Anglo-Saxon Literature Few people read in this period Oral tradition – was performed and/or sung by a Bard (Scop) from memory in Old English This is why there are often several versions of the same story. Scops – poet/minstrels Authors were unknown

    3. Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon Village

    6. Boat Sheds on Lindisfarne Island; similar to the Anglo-Saxon meade halls

    7. BEOWULF

    8. THE STORY OF BEOWULF Beowulf marks the beginning of English literature Beowulf is one of the earliest known pieces of literature in the English language; written in Old English

    9. Contains specific Motifs Motifs – a motif is a recurring theme or image in a work of literature Biblical and Christian Allusions Pagan Customs Social Customs Traits of the Warrior Beowulf’s Boasts

    10. The story of Beowulf wasn’t written down until about 700 AD by “The Beowulf Poet” who is unknown. He wrote down the poem which for many years had been only sung or spoken.

    11. Scholars believe “The Beowulf Poet” was most likely a Christian monk, thus adding a Christian perspective.

    13. Genesis 4 Cain and Abel  1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.       Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.  6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."  8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." [d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

    14. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"       "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"  10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."  13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."  15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

    15. There is only one original Beowulf manuscript existing today. It is in the British History Museum in London.

    16. BEOWULF is an EPIC poem. EPIC – a long, narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society.

    17. Examples of other EPICS are… Greek “Iliad” and “Odyssey” – Homer

    18. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings – Tolkien

    19. And of course there’s the EPIC HERO ! EPIC HERO – must undertake a quest to achieve something of tremendous value to himself and his society

    20. SUMMARY OF EPIC FEATURES: A long narrative poem Larger than life hero; often with super-human characteristics Concerns eternal human problems like the struggle between good and evil Presented in a serious manner using elevated (poetic) language Hero represents widespread national, cultural, or religious values

    21. Anglo-Saxon Themes in Beowulf: Triumph or failure in war and battle Exploration and seafaring Friendship and loyalty to men in battle Great value placed on beautiful artifacts and spoils of war Acceptance of wyrd – fate (what will be will be – predestined) Fatal doom concurrent with joyous celebration Christian allusions juxtaposed (in direct contrast) with pagan customs

    22. Christianity vs. Pagan Beliefs

    23. This epic poem is often divided into 3 sections; it is about Beowulf’s 3 epic battles w/ evil.

    24. …the Battle with Grendel (Grendel represents evil)

    25. …the Battle with Grendel’s Mother (She also represents evil.)

    26. …the Battle with the Dragon (It not only represents evil but also greed.)

    27. Beowulf himself represents good: loyalty valor selflessness sense of justice

    28. Beowulf: Where does it take place? Geatland and Denmark (Modern Denmark and Sweden)

    29. Setting: The Scary, Horror Movie “Where”

    30. More specifically… Beowulf takes place in a “once upon a time world” which taps into “three archetypal sites of fear.”

    31. 1. The barricaded night house/ Mead Hall (Herot)

    32. 2. The infested underwater lair (Grendel’s Mother)

    33. The Reptile-taunted rocks of a wilderness and cave (Fire Breathing Dragon)

    34. I like to think of them this way:

    35. Our bed on a stormy night when we are alone in the house (where we should feel safe.)

    36. A murky lake or a beach where Jaws takes place.

    37. The dark recesses of the earth: a cave, or even your own dark basement!

    38. WHY? Why do we read Beowulf? It’s a very creative, imaginative, poetic masterpiece. It gives us insight into the origins of the British people, the culture, who, through seafaring conquests, founded the world we currently live in. It gives us insight into the origins of our language.

    39. Why do we read it? It gives us insight into all people everywhere and throughout time (time, birth, death, fame/success/glory, honor, friendship, conflict, home, country, adventure, spirituality – all of these things transcend English literature and matter to all people) It’s challenging, and we love a good challenge!

    40. Why do we read it? It’s scary and gets us to think about our own worst fears It’s a VERY important piece of literature historically (This is the “because we have to” reason!!)

    41. Characteristic features of Anglo-Saxon Literature Alliteration Kennings Caesura

    42. Alliteration The repetition of beginning consonant sounds in lines of poetry Ex: She sells sea shells on the sea shore.

    43. Kenning Kenning – a metaphorical phrase used to replace a concrete noun Ex: teacher = knowledge giver Ex: sea = whale’s home Ex: battle = spear play It is like a poetic riddle or play on words.

    44. Caesura a natural pause in the middle of a line of poetry. 2 part line – each line is separated by a pause or break in the middle of the line; each part generally has 2 strong beats.

    45. Caesura example: Then the Scylding warrior savage and grim, Seized the ring-hilt and swung the sword Struck with fury despairing of life Thrust at the throat broke through the bone rings: The stout blade stabbed through her fated flesh.

    46. Comitatus The first century Roman historian Tacitus coined the term comitatus in his observations of Germanic tribal culture in Germania. The comitatus was a gathering of warriors under one governing lord, representing a strategic interweaving of family threads so as simultaneously to enlarge and secure tribal identity and allegiance. The comitatus and intermarriages among tribes were physical representations of intertribal treaties -- or rather the pre-literate versions of treaties, called friths, in which physical objects of value that represented the tribe were exchanged. In much the same way, blood-money (wergild, or literally man-money) is offered by one tribe as payment for those of another tribe whom they kill. And tributes of swords and rings, necklaces and battle gear are offered as seals of good faith -- physical objects in place of (non-existent) written contracts. They are markers of agreements which, without writing, have no other physical representation.

    49. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/launch_tl_ages_english.shtml

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