Anglo saxon period and poetry

1. Anglo-Saxon Period and Anglo-Saxon Period and
PoetryPoetry
449 – 1066 A.D.449 – 1066 A.D.

2. BeowulfBeowulf
Written in old EnglishWritten in old English
Oldest epic narrative in any modern Oldest epic narrative in any modern
European tongueEuropean tongue
Unknown authorshipUnknown authorship
Unsure of the precise date of composition, Unsure of the precise date of composition,
but may date from the early 8but may date from the early 8
thth
century century

3. Beowulf’s Beowulf’s CreationCreation
Composed in the oral poetic tradition , but Composed in the oral poetic tradition , but
whether it was originally written or oral is not whether it was originally written or oral is not
knownknown
Composed by a single Christian author for a Composed by a single Christian author for a
Christian audience in Anglo-Saxon EnglandChristian audience in Anglo-Saxon England
Gives an excellent understanding of the spirit Gives an excellent understanding of the spirit
and embodiment of heroic epic traditionand embodiment of heroic epic tradition

4. History of the PeriodHistory of the Period
Native Celts originally Native Celts originally
inhabited the islandinhabited the island
Romans inhabited Romans inhabited
England for 300 yearsEngland for 300 years
Made slow progress Made slow progress
with roadswith roads
Celts and Romans Celts and Romans
continued side by sidecontinued side by side
Celts had no written Celts had no written
languagelanguage
The first to write their The first to write their
tales were the Anglo-tales were the Anglo-
SaxonsSaxons
Romans withdrew Romans withdrew
about 400 A.D.about 400 A.D.

5. Hadrian’s WallHadrian’s Wall
117km long
5m high

6. History of Period (cont’d)History of Period (cont’d)
Period begins when Period begins when
first Jutes (Denmark), first Jutes (Denmark),
the Angles the Angles
(hookmen), and the (hookmen), and the
Saxons (swordsmen) Saxons (swordsmen)
came in wavescame in waves
Celts were driven to Celts were driven to
Wales and IrelandWales and Ireland
Ends with the Norman Ends with the Norman
invasion in 1066invasion in 1066
Anglo-Saxons were Anglo-Saxons were
hardy and athletic, hardy and athletic,
wandering and wandering and
seafaring tribes, semi seafaring tribes, semi
barbarous and paganbarbarous and pagan
Also faithful, earnest, Also faithful, earnest,
brave, and liked brave, and liked
action and fightingaction and fighting

7. How Did Anglo-Saxons Live?How Did Anglo-Saxons Live?
After a hunt or battle, After a hunt or battle,
the followers of a the followers of a
chieftain or king chieftain or king
would meet in the would meet in the
mead hall or banquet mead hall or banquet
room of the chieftain’s room of the chieftain’s
living quartersliving quarters

8. Mead HallMead Hall
In many villages, this In many villages, this
was the central place was the central place
where the men would where the men would
gather to argue the gather to argue the
ways to meet a crisis ways to meet a crisis
or deal with a or deal with a
situation in the villagesituation in the village
Hrothgar’s was called Hrothgar’s was called
Heorot or Hall of Heorot or Hall of
HornsHorns

9. Mead Hall (cont’d)Mead Hall (cont’d)
Men would gather at Men would gather at
the tables to eat and the tables to eat and
drink mead (alcoholic drink mead (alcoholic
beverage made with beverage made with
malt and honey)malt and honey)
Chieftain and scop Chieftain and scop
(village poet) sat at (village poet) sat at
one end of the hallone end of the hall
Hall was a long hall, Hall was a long hall,
possibly a whole possibly a whole
building, with a long building, with a long
trench down the trench down the
middle in which fires middle in which fires
were builtwere built
Long tables were set Long tables were set
on either side of the on either side of the
trenchtrench

10. ScopsScops
Regaled warriors with Regaled warriors with
tales of deed of tales of deed of
bravery and heroism bravery and heroism
accompanied usually accompanied usually
by a small hand-held by a small hand-held
harpharp

11. GovernmentGovernment
Decisions for a village Decisions for a village
were usually done at were usually done at
“town meeting” or “town meeting” or
“folkmoots”, where “folkmoots”, where
every able-bodied every able-bodied
man had a sayman had a say
Might elect a war Might elect a war
chief, but even a King chief, but even a King
was elected by the was elected by the
village malesvillage males
King was selected for his King was selected for his
family connections as well family connections as well
as his abilitiesas his abilities
He would gather He would gather
followers about him followers about him
(thanes) to whom he (thanes) to whom he
gave protection and gave protection and
allegianceallegiance
Thanes in turn watched Thanes in turn watched
over farmlands and over farmlands and
collected taxescollected taxes

12. Christianity
Christianity came to
England in 597 when
Augustine was sent
by Pope Gregory to
share the faith
Founded the 1
st

church in Canterbury
Became the 1
st

Archbishop of
Canterbury

13. So what next . . .So what next . . .
We will read a poem about Beowulf, an We will read a poem about Beowulf, an
epic English hero, and his struggles with epic English hero, and his struggles with
3 monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, 3 monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother,
and a fire-breathing dragon. and a fire-breathing dragon.