Anglo-Saxon background info

History of the Anglo Saxon rule & the dark ages and their effect on literature from 450-1066 B.C.

Anglo-Saxons

A group of invaders from the Germanic regions who settled in Britain, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, and whose language became dominant in the region

Anglo-Saxon culture

Built around warfare; obedience to law and loyalty to leaders saved lives; success in battle was measured in gifts to leaders; ruled by consensus and community discussion

Anglo-Saxon Religion

Has much in common with Norse mythology; earth mother goddess took on many forms, combined into ‘mothers’ with the Celts and Anglo-Saxons

Dragon significance

Dragons were protectors of treasure, personifying “death the devourer”, guardian of grave mounds

4 ethical virtues

bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship

Celts

An ancient people who inhabited Britain before the Anglo-Saxons, known for their animistic religion and cultural contributions, including the legendary figure of King Arthur.

Religion of the Celts

Animistic Religion; Believed that spirits were everywhere controlling every aspect of life and that they had to be appeased constantly; also believed that society and nature needed to be in balance for life to be good; the marriage of the great mother and the great father would result in the world’s perfect harmony

The year Rome Conquered the Britons

43 AD; Emperor Claudius organized an invasion following a campaign led by Julius Caesar in 55 B.C.

Effects of Roman Rule

Further serious invasions of Britain prevented; Christianity grew, Celtic religion slowly vanished

Effects of Roman departure (410 A.D.)

with no central government left behind, Britain was left in disorder; clans were freed to pursue individual interests not pertaining to general well-being; disorder resulted in weakness and successful invasions by Germanic non-Christians

Germanic non-Christian groups that invaded Britain after the Romans left

Angles, Saxons, Frisians, and Jutes

Druids

Priestly intermediaries in Celtic religion who performed rituals and sacrifices to appease the spirits or gods.

Division of land under Anglo-Saxon rule

At first, the country was divided into independent states, each with a different king; it was not until Alfred the Great led the Anglo-Saxons against invading Danes that the real ‘nation’ of England was born

Stonehenge

A megalithic structure in Wiltshire, believed to have been used for religious rites by the Druids, particularly related to lunar and solar cycles.

Magna Carta

A charter signed in 1215 that laid the foundation for a political system in England based on rights and freedoms, influencing modern democracy.

King Alfred the Great

The King of Wessex (871-899) who successfully defended against Viking invasions and is credited with unifying England.

St. Augustine

The first Archbishop of Canterbury who played a key role in converting the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity in 597.

Effects of Wessex kings’ rule of England

878-1066 AD - safety improvement from the military, improved literacy, established law to move toward civilization, English set as unifying vernacular

Venerable Bede

An Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar known for his work "Ecclesiastical History of the English People," which is a primary source for early English history; scholar known as the greatest of Latin writers

Beowulf

An epic poem that is one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature, combining elements of both pagan and Christian traditions.

Old English

The early form of the English language spoken and written in England from approximately the 5th to the 12th century.

Alliterative Poetry

A style of poetry common in Anglo-Saxon literature characterized by the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Kennings

Descriptive compound words used in Old English poetry to evoke vivid imagery, such as "whale-road" for the sea.

Sutton Hoo

An important archaeological site in England known for its burial mounds containing treasures from the Anglo-Saxon period, including artifacts linked to King Raedwald.

Dane-law

The legal system established by the Danes in parts of England during their invasions in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Christianity

A major religion that began to spread in Britain during the Roman occupation and became a unifying force among the Anglo-Saxons

St. Augustine of Canterbury

A missionary who converted King Ethelbert of Kent, founded the Cathedral at Canterbury, and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury; a driving force in re-emergence of christianity among Anglo-Saxons in 597

Hero story ‘formulas’

descriptions for Bards to repeat verbatim about regular hero activities; made it easier for Bards to perform stories

Oral tradition

tradition in which stories and histories are passed down through speech or song, not written down

Monasteries in Anglo-Saxon Britain

Supplied hope as centers of faith and education; cultural and spiritual ideals influenced & co-existed with heroic ideals and older Anglo-Saxon Religion; monks wrote and reworked popular literature like Beowulf for the first time, preserving the stories

Bards (scops)

skilled storytellers who sung stories; same status as other warriors, because Anglo-Saxons saw creating poetry as ‘manly’ and the bards recorded a tribe’s history and culture

typical topics in poetry

deeds of warriors, value of success, code of behavior, fleeting nature of life

William Duke of Normandy (France) (AKA William the Conquerer)

Lands in England and defeats King Harold at the battle of Hastings; William became king, family has ruled England ever since; merged English and French culture, bringing England to mainstream Europe

Norman invasion

invasion that marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon era and beginning of Medieval era