Old english period and beowulf / Making good sentences

The old english period

Celts - Peace loving and agricultural, discovered by Julius Caesar in Great Britain, in A.D 43 Romans under Emperor Claudius conquered their land.

Three germanic tribes in the Danish Peninsula and Southern Scandinavia; 

1. Jutes

2. Angles ( and c. saxons)

• These three germanic tribes were semi-agricultural and semi-nomadic.

Tribe class ruling system

Earl - Ruling class

Churl - Slaves

Role of women -  They do domestic duties and get married.

Warriors code

1. Pride

2. Loyalty

3. Courage

Christianity - Priests were advisers of rulers. Kept alive by Irish missionaries, in 587, Pope Gregory sent St. Augustine as a missionary to england.

The Story Of Beowulf

• The story starts with Scyld, the ancestor of the king of Danes, Hrothgar. The king built a hall where his thanes/noble followers gathered every night to party and stuff. The hall was called heorot.

• One night, a monster called Grendel attacked the great hall, killing and carrying away 30 of the sleeping warriors. Beowulf heard of the story and decided to free the danes and fight Grendel with 14 companions. ( Beowulf fought with his bare hands)

• After he killed Grendel, Grendel's mother came again to the danes and stole the king's men. And Beowulf defeated him again.

• Beowulf reigned for 50 years, His final adventure was when he retrieved a great treasure and defeated a dragon. Sadly, he died after defeating it.