The Anglo-Saxon Period

449-1066

Theme: Heroes and Heroism

British Legends

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Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?

• Between 800 and 600 B.C., two groups of Celts from southern Europe invaded the British Isles.– Brythons (now spelled “Britons”) settled on

the largest Island, Britain.– Gaels, settled on the second largest island,

known to us as Ireland.

The Celts

– farmers and hunters – organized themselves into clans– clans had fearsome loyalty to chieftains– looked to priests, known as Druids, to settle

their disputes

• Roman conquest of Britain AD 43– Britain annexed as a province in the Roman

Empire– Difficult to control such a large piece of land

• Brought Christianity to Britain around AD 300– Pagan vs. Christian themes throughout; never

fully indoctrinated at this time

• The last Romans left around 407 A.D.– Needed to defend against rebelling European

countries; England left to its own devices

Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?

Roman Empire

Roman Gatehouse in BritainArbeia

Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?

• 449AD 3 Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invade.

• Destruction of Roman influence, including Christianity

• New land: “Angle-land”- small tribal kingdoms- no written language- supported themselves through

farming and hunting

Anglo Saxon King and Warriorearly 7th century

An Anglo-Saxon Hall

An Anglo-Saxon Farmstead

West Stow: reconstructed village

The Reemergence of Christianity

• 596AD: attempt to convert Anglo- Saxons to Christianity

• 597AD: Saint Augustine – converted King Ethelbert of Kent to Christianity.– set up a monastery in Canterbury in Kent.

• 650AD: most of England is Christian; some hold on to previous beliefs– The church provided counsel to quarreling rulers in

efforts to unify the English people.• At this time, the British Isles were not unified and

included separate kingdoms with separate rulers. They fought continuously over the fertile, green land

Constant Conflict

• 9th Century: – Norway invaded Northumbria (Anglo-Saxon

kingdom in northern and central England), Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

– The Danes of Denmark targeted eastern and southern England

Alfred the GreatKing of Wessex 871-899

• 866—resisted Danish intrusion and earned “the great” title– Saxons acknowledged Danish rule in East and North– Danes respected Saxon rule in South

• End of 10th Century—Danes want to widen Danelaw– Forced Saxons to select Danish Kings

• 1042—Kingship returned to Alfred the Great’s descendent Edward

• Edward the Confessor died in 1066. His death led to the end of the Anglo-Saxon Period.

Literature of Anglo-Saxon Times

• 2 major influences

1) Germanic Traditions of the Anglo-Saxons

2) Christian Traditions of the Roman Church

Proto Indo EuropeanProto Indo European

GermanicGermanicCelticCelticBalto-SlavicBalto-SlavicLatinLatinGreek Greek AlbanianAlbanian

Indo-Indo-IranianIranian

RussianRussian

UkrainianUkrainian

CzechCzech

SlovakSlovak

Serb-Serb-CroatianCroatian

PersianPersian

KurdishKurdish

HindiHindi

BengaliBengali

IranianIranianSanskritSanskritRomanianRomanian

FrenchFrench

SpanishSpanish

PortuguesePortuguese

ItalianItalian

SlavicSlavicBalticBaltic WelshWelsh

BretanBretan

GGælicælic

LatvianLatvian

LithuanianLithuanian

1) Germanic Traditions of theAnglo-Saxons

• Germanic language

– Mixture of various Germanic dialects + Old English

– Old English (often looks like a foreign language)

Page of Beowulf manuscript in Old English

Listen to me!

Heroic Ideals Dominate

• Warrior culture– Poems and stories depict a society like the Anglo-Saxons

• Military and tribal loyalties• Bravery of warriors• Generosity of rulers

• Oral tradition– Songs and stories often sung and told about the valiant struggles of heroic warriors

• More than just entertainment – provided a model for living and a form of immortality they could aspire to

• Note: all of these provided the foundation for early written literature in Old English

Anglo-Saxon Literature cont.

• Anglo-Saxon poetry falls mainly into two categories:– Heroic poetry – recounts the achievements of

warriors– Elegiac poetry – laments the deaths of loved

ones and the loss of the past

• Beowulf is the most famous example of heroic poetry.

Sutton Hoo

• Burial site discovered in 1939

• Important links to Anglo-Saxon world and Beowulf

• Remains of a boat were discovered and large burial chamber containing numerous artifacts

• Artifacts suggest a distinctly Christian element intermingled with pagan ritual.

Epic ElementsEpic Element Definition As seen in …Epic Hero  the central character of an epic. This

character is a larger-than-life figure, typically of noble or semi-divine birth, who pits his courage, skill, and virtue against opposing, often evil, forces. 

 

Quest a long, dangerous journey or mission undertaken by the epic hero. The quest is the hero’s opportunity to prove his heroism and win honor and undying renown.

 

Valorous deeds

 long, dangerous journey or mission undertaken by the epic hero. The quest is the hero’s opportunity to prove his heroism and win honor and undying renown.

 

Divine intervention

 In many epics, the hero receives help from a god or another supernatural force who takes an interest in his quest.

 

Great events  Important events from the history or mythology of a nation or culture often provide the backdrop for the epic narrative.  

 

Epic Hero Cycle