The Anglo Saxons

1. The Anglo Saxons

2. The Anglo Saxon Period 440 AD-1066 AD • Britons: Celtic people, original inhabitants of Britain • 449 AD: the first people from North German plain settled in Kent • Jutes: from Jutland in Denmark • Angles and Saxons followed • Britons were no match • King Arthur, Whales • Brought Old English • A/S England – military society born in warfare • 1066 AD: Norman Invasion ends A/S society

3. Anglo Saxon Civilization • Admired men of courage • Loyalty to leader and tribe • Person of rank received with courtesy • Ruler was generous to followers • Believers in an impersonal fate • Highly developed feeling for beauty • Aware of short life span: ubi sunt

4. Anglo Saxon People • Brain capacity same as our own • Practical and self-contained • Not given to excessive self-analysis • Skillful with hands – knew how to make and mend • Knew how to entertain themselves • Only a small minority could read • Learned by observing and imitating • Folklore and family history memorized

5. Christianity • Christianity came to Britain in AD 314 • St. Augustine – 597 AD • First archbishop of Canterbury • Beowulf • Christian characteristics • written down by monks in 10th or 11th century

6. Beowulf Homeric, or Herioc, Age - Mycenaean- 1400 B.C. M Celts 500BC-43BC Romans 43BC-c.450AD Anglo Saxons 449AD St Augustine 597 AD Vikings 789AD Normans 1066 100 Years War 1337-1450s Renaissance 1476-1650 1700s Industrial Revolution 1760-1800s 1900s - Present Day

7. Background • First English literary masterpiece • Beowulf was probably composed between 700 A.D. and 900 A.D • The place of its composition was probably Northumbria • Northumbria was home to Roman Catholic monks who excelled in learning and literature • The most famous was the Venerable Bede (672-735) • "A.D." (abbreviation for the Latin Anno Domini, meaning in the year of the Lord) • First transmitted orally for one to three centuries • Although its author did not write it down, two English scribes did so in about 1000 A.D

8. Setting • Dark Ages, between 500 and 700 A.D • Danish kingdom ruled by Hrothgar, situated on the island of Zealand (site of present-day Copenhagen, Denmark) • A mead hall was a communal gathering place for feasting and drinking mead • an alcoholic beverage made of water and fermented honey • Mead was a popular drink in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries during the Middle Ages because grapes, a crop that thrives in warmer southern climates, were not readily available to make wine.) • The scene of action then shifts 50 years later to the land of the Geats in Sweden

9. Important Terms • Scop: Old English term for poet • Heroic Ideal: A/S culture governed by ideals of bravery, loyalty and generosity • Comitatus: loyalty to king and king to men • Wyrd: Old English for fate • Wergild: “manprice”

10. Literary Devices • Compounding: the combining of two words to make a new word • "life-sick" (feorh =life, seoc = sick), which can be translated as mortally wounded • "Spear-Danes“ (gar = spear, Dena = Danes) • meet the needs of the alliterative meter, as part of a formula, or to make a new word • Kennings: Kennings are a special form of compounding that are metaphoric in meaning. • "bone-house," refers to the humanbody • "whale's road," refers to the sea • "sky's candle," refers to the sun.

11. More Devices • Variation: the restatement of a concept or term using different words • “Beowulf spoke, the son of Higlac” - here the second half of the line provides a second identifier for Beowulf • not used as filler • reminds the audience of important facts • also allows the poet to present an event, or image from multiple perspectives, each providing additional information or shedding new light on the events

12. More Devices • Formulas: Beowulf makes use of stock phrases, known as formulas • ready-made phrases which fulfill the metrical needs of a line or half-line • standard tool of an oral poet • lofty and highly traditional character • Litotes: an ironic understatement where an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite • “not bad” = good • "That [sword] was not useless / to the warrior now." = "The warrior has a use for the sword now."

13. More Devices • Alliteration: two or more words having the same initial sound • Caesura: a pause in a line of poetry • accentual verse, with four stresses per line • Example: “chosen champions cheerlessly grieved for the loss of their lord, leader and defender. They called him of captains, kings of the known world,”

14. More Devices • Metonymy: one thing is used to designate something with which it is commonly associated • Ex. Bottle instead of liquor • Synecdoche: a part of something is used to designate a whole • Ex. Keel instead of ship

15. Themes • Good vs. evil • Not moral but about fate and reputation • Good will fight knowing that eventually they will be defeated • Identity • Boasting = resume • Strength and skill • Highly valued even in enemies • Skill slightly devious

16. More Themes • Wealth • Glory and treasure - immortality • Religion • Christianity vs. paganism • Wyrd and providence • Violence • Loyalty, vengeance and feud • Courage • Fortitude and wisdom

17. More themes • Mortality • Ubi Sunt • Supernatural • Monsters • Tradition and customs • Comitatus • Wyrgild • boasting

18. Annotations • Question: ask a significant question about the text and include an attempted answer (not one word and you can get help from me) • Characterization: indirect or direct? What does it tell us about character • Significant/favorite lines: favorite lines – explain why, reflect with personal opinions and experiences; significant lines – reflect on universal themes • Connections: relate something that is similar or different than the Odyssey. What does this tell us about the two cultures? • Unknown vocabulary word: include quote with word, definition and explain what it means in the context of the novel

19. Annotations • Setting allusions: explain specific time period/place/ cultural detail – you may need to look up information to explain – why is this significant in relation to the plot? • Symbols: explain what the symbol represents and why it is important to the major concepts in the novel • Themes/motifs/concepts: explain theme/motif and how the lines relate to it in detail • Literary devices/imagery: list device, explain how it is present, and why it is effective in the context in detail • Tone/mood: explain how author’s attitude is expressed, or how the author creates a feeling; ex. through diction, setting, plot events, etc.

20. Annotations: Format and Guidelines • You must turn in 15 annotations per due date • That’s one per annotation type • Plus 2 in these categories: theme, literary device, setting allusions, connections • then pick one of the above categories for the 5th (that means you will have three of one of those categories)

21. Annotations Guidelines • Each annotation must be in ink, and must be in this format:

22. Annotations: Points and due dates • Annotations will each be worth 5 points each = 75 possible points • 2 points for quote/text paraphrase • 3 points for explanation/significance • You will earn 10 points each time you make a relevant comment during the oral quiz • you can get an additional 5 points if you impress me with a direct quote that is correctly used • You will not be allowed to use your annotations on quiz so study • You will be allowed to use your book • The oral quiz dates are: Tuesday, October 11th and Monday, October 17th