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Anglo-Saxon

2. Culture and Literary
Characteristic
Anglo-Saxon
Clent Joshua M. Camanay

3. Develop a Deep
Understanding
of Anglo-Saxon
Literature
Learning Objectives
Explore
Anglo-Saxon
Cultural
Artifacts
Learn the
Basics of
Old English

4. Anglo- Saxon

5. Anglo- Saxon
The Anglo Saxon Period in English
literature spanned from 410 CE to 1066 CE.
Despite coinciding with the Dark Ages of
England, it is the foundational period of
English identity and language as we know
today. Understanding England before and
after the arrival of the Germanic Saxons,
Angles, and Jutes is indispensable for an
understanding of the Anglo Saxon
literature.

6. Anglo-Saxon Culture
Origins and Society
Religion
Language
Art and Craftsmanship
Oral Tradition

7. Metalwork and Jewelry
Manuscripts
Archaeological Finds
Art and
Craftsmanship
Origins and Society
Migration and Settlement
Social Structure
Values

8. Religion
Pagan Beginnings
Christianization
Old English
Language
Storytelling and Poetry
Oral Tradition

9. Anglo-Saxon Literary TraditionsAnglo-Saxon Literary TraditionsAnglo-Saxon Literary Traditions

10. Definition
Heroic poetry celebrates the deeds of
warriors, emphasizing values like bravery,
loyalty, and honor.
Example
Beowulf
The most famous Old English epic, Beowulf
narrates the adventures of a Geatish hero
who battles monsters and a dragon.
Themes include heroism, fate, and the
transient nature of life.
Key Quote
“Listen! We of the Spear-Danes in days of
yore…”.
Heroic
Poetry

11. Elegiac Poetry
Definition
- Elegiac poems are mournful and
reflective, often exploring themes of
exile, loss, and the passage of time.
Examples
The Wanderer
A warrior laments the loss of his lord
and comrades, reflecting on the
impermanence of earthly joys.
Key Quote
“All is full of hardship in the kingdom of
earth, the course of fate changes the
world under the heavens.”

12. Definition
Religious poetry reflects the
Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England,
blending biblical themes with traditional
poetic forms.
Examples
Caedmon’s Hymn
A short hymn praising God as the Creator,
attributed to Caedmon, a cowherd with a
miraculous gift for poetry.

Religious
Poetry

13. Key Quote
“Now we must praise the Guardian of
the heavenly kingdom, the Measurer’s
might and his mind’s purpose,
the work of the Glory-Father, as he of
wonders,
the eternal Lord, established the
beginning.”
Religious
Poetry

14. Historical and
Religious Prose
Definition
Prose works include historical chronicles,
sermons, and translations of religious
texts.
Examples
Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the
English People
Chronicles the conversion of the Anglo-
Saxons to Christianity.

15. Historical and
Religious Prose
Quote
“This new doctrine seems to me to contain
something of truth, especially as it promises
life after death, which our own religion does
not.”
( Quote is attributed to King Edwin’s advisor
during the king’s deliberation about whether
to convert to Christianity. It captures the
turning point in Anglo-Saxon history when the
pagan worldview began to give way to
Christian beliefs.)

16. Definition
Riddles were a popular form of
entertainment, often describing
everyday objects in
metaphorical language.
Example
Exeter Book Riddles
A collection of about 95 riddles,
ranging from simple to complex.
Riddles

17. Riddles
“I am a wondrous creature, a joy to women,
useful to neighbors; I harm none
of the city-dwellers, except my slayer alone.
My stem is steep and high; I stand in bed,
rough somewhere beneath. Sometimes the
daughter
of a proud peasant, a maiden brave,
grips me hard, rushes me to redness,
plunders my head, forces me into a hole,
and holds me tight. She soon feels
the effect of my meeting, she who confines me,
the curly-haired woman.
Wet is that eye.”

18. Definition
Charms were practical, often magical
texts used for healing or protection.
Example
The Nine Herbs Charm
A charm for healing and
protection, blending Christian and
pagan elements. is a healing spell
from the Lacnunga (a collection of
Anglo-Saxon medical texts).
Charms and
Incantations

19. Key Quote
“Remember, Mugwort, what you made
known,
What you arranged at the Great
Declaration.
You were called Una, the oldest of herbs,
You have power against three and against
thirty,
You have power against poison and against
infection,
You have power against the loathsome foe
roving through the land.”
Charms and
Incantations

20. Gnomic
Poetry
Definition
Gnomic poetry consists of short, pithy
sayings that convey wisdom or moral
truths.
Example
Maxims I and II
Collections of proverbial wisdom.
us wall-stone works.”

21. Gnomic
Poetry
Maxim I
“A king must rule a kingdom.
Cities are seen from afar,
the skillful work of giants, which are on this earth,
wondrous wall-stone works.”

Maxim II
“Winter is the coldest, spring the frostiest,
it is the longest cold, summer the sunniest,
the sky is the hottest, harvest the most glorious,
it is laden with fruits.”

22. Anglo-Saxon culture and literature laid the foundation for English
identity and literary tradition. Their themes of heroism, fate, and
the human condition continue to resonate in modern literature. The
preservation of their works by monastic scribes ensured that this
rich cultural heritage survived to influence later generations,
making the Anglo-Saxon period a pivotal chapter in the history of
English literature.

23. THANK YOU
THANK YOU