ANGLO SAXON

Página 1

anglo saxons inhabited britain from 5th century

450bc till norman conquest

from norman- anglo norman/middle eng

anglosaxons= old english = germanic tribes = angles, saxons and jutes - invaded briton

anglo saxons did not believe in christianity= / paganism

arrival of st.augustine in 597 converted most into christianity

st.AUGUSTINE BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY AND LATIN LANGUAGE

from 8th century, christian themes reflected in works of anglo saxons

literary characteristics of old english

old eng is a combination of native briton lang and the langs of the germanic tribe

songs and poetry

oral poetry first

from 733AD -written form

poet/scop - discussed social and cultural values in works -responsible for maintaining a person's reputation after death-through poems (heroic deeds etc)

native briton's religion=christianity - which was suppressed after the anglo saxon invasion

anglo saxons also later converted to christianity.... thus in their literature christianity ideals were common

also they did not stop talking about germanic heroic past- mythology/heroes

poetry- caesura ( a break between words within a metrical foot.)

alliteration

( 4 strong stresses etc)

kenning = a compound expression in Old English and Old Norse poetry with metaphorical meaning, e.g. oar-steed = ship. whale road=sea

anglo saxon did not bring prose

prose came with christianity

churches had to keep records= prose

latin and christianity ---- lead them to talk about abstract ideas

Página 2

WORKS of anglo saxon period

heroic poetry

lyric poetry

christian poetry

heroic poetry -

BeowUlf - has alliterative verse and stressed poetic linesWITHOUT rhyme

J.R.R Tolkein 'ON TRANSLATING BEOWULF'

william Morris

2. Waldere

3. fight at finnsberg (hnaef & 60 retainers try to hold attacking finnsfort)

4. whidsith (survey of all people,kings)

lyric poetry

wanderer - old man talks about kin being murderer. wise man resolves. dont fight

sea farer- hardship of life on wintery sea- yet he longs for sea- translated multiple times by ezra pound

wife's lament

deor's lament- singer lost lord's favour. banished. hurt.comforts self by seeing other sorrows of the world. this too shall pass

husband's message- forced to leave homeland and wife- now war over- wealthy-sends message through carved wood piece- nostalgia and love, yearns for reunion

christian poets

caedmon- first english poet- caedmon's hymn-anglosaxon milton young shepherd unable to sing- pass har and sing practice in monastery- no one passed him as he was poor- dream-god appears- sing of creation c- after waking, able to sing and write songs- sacred themes

bede - wrote " Ecclesiastical History of the English People"- info abouthistory of christianity's development- first written in latin, then translated by king alfred- talks about life of caedmon

cynewulf - first poet to sign his name other works by cynewulf= 1. juliana 2.elene 3. the fates of apostles 4.christ

'DREAM OF THE ROOD'(rood=cross) = the cross speaks - poem divided into 3 sections - a.vision of cross, b. cross's account of christ's death-how cross was adorned c.author's reflection about vision ... desire to be near cross.

anglo saxon prose

king alfred( alfred the great) encouraged education- in english than latin

translated vast works from latin to english

anglo saxon chronicle (sort of annual periodic) published continuously for 300 years- anglo saxon history record!

english to create national identity and assert independent control over political counties

Página 3

social history

celts 500bc - made up of numerous tribes

earliest tribe-gales

second tribe-( britons is thus derived)

they spoke celtic and gaelic(in scotland)

iron age began after celts settled down

DRUIDS- priests,judges

enter romans

55bc julius caesar

augustus -- pax romana

anglo saxons formd heptarchy - essex , sussex, wessex, kent , northumbria, anglia, mercia

first king of england - king Egbert of wessex

800S - VIKINGS

alfred the great of wessex tried his best to defend them . after he died, vikings took over

last anglo saxon king- Edward confessor