Anglo-Saxon Period

The Anglo-Saxon PeriodAnglo Overview

  • Reference: Laurel Hicks, eds. (2015) English Literature (Classics for Christians) (4th ed.). A Beka Books

Inhabitants of Britain

Celtic Tribes

  • One of the earliest groups to inhabit Britain: the Celts.

  • They divided Britain into several primary kingdoms made up of scattered forts and villages.

King Arthur

  • Legendary King Arthur likely originated as a Celtic chieftain.

Roman Conquest

Subjugation of Britons

  • The Britons were conquered by the Romans, termed "great conquerors of the world."

Roman Occupation

  • By 40 B.C., Roman troops had conquered southern Britain, making it a province of the Roman Empire.

  • During Roman rule, Christianity was introduced to the British Isles.

  • Evidence of Roman presence includes ruins of ancient fortifications, towns, villas, and roads found throughout southern Britain.

Anglo-Saxon Invasion

Definition and Timeline

  • The term "Anglo-Saxons" refers to the Germanic tribes that invaded southern and eastern Britain starting in the early 5th century A.D.

  • Anglo-Saxons began arriving in Britain after the Romans withdrew in the 5th century.

Migration of Britons

  • Many Britons fled to join other Celts in Ireland, Scotland, or Wales, abandoning England to the Anglo-Saxons.

Introduction of Christianity

  • One significant development of the Anglo-Saxon period was the introduction of Catholicism to Angle-land.

  • Pope Gregory the Great appointed the missionary Augustine to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons around 587 A.D.

  • By A.D. 600, all of England had officially adopted the Roman Christian religion.

End of Anglo-Saxon Rule

  • The Anglo-Saxons maintained power until the French Normans conquered Britain in 1066.

Notable Figures

Alfred the Great

  • The best-known king of the Anglo-Saxon period.

  • Led the English resistance against the Danes; by 878, he effectively confined Viking territory known as the Danelaw.

Contributions to Literature

  • Alfred the Great promoted learning and translated several books into the Anglo-Saxon language.

  • He initiated the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to account for current events in England.

Characteristics of Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Structural Elements

  1. Each line of verse has four principal beats.

  2. Typically, two or three of the accented syllables are alliterated.

  3. Lines are typically unrhymed.

Oral Tradition

  • The earliest Anglo-Saxon literature was predominantly poetry, not prose.

  • Poetry was recited or sung and passed down orally.

Themes and Subjects

  • Anglo-Saxon poetry reflects the dual nature of its people, highlighting their capacity for noble emotions despite their warrior culture.

  • Common subjects include the sea, battles, adventure, brave deeds, warrior glory, and love of home.

Striking Characteristics of Anglo-Saxon Literature

  1. Love of Freedom

  2. Responsiveness to nature, especially in its harsher moods

  3. Strong religious conviction and belief in wyrd (fate)

  4. Reverence for womanhood

  5. Devotion to glory as a primary motive in every warrior's life

Poets of the Era

Scop

  • An Anglo-Saxon poet known for creating and performing poetry.

Gleeman

  • A performer who recited poems; not an original poet, but a chanter, harper, and sometimes a jester or juggler.

Role of Poetry

  • Poetry was a major form of entertainment in great banquet halls and an integral part of daily life for warriors, sailors, and farmers, who often chanted simple verses.

Literary Devices in Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Alliteration

  • The repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely connected words.

    • Example: "A powerful monster, living down in the darkness, growled in pain..."

Kenning

  • A figure of speech that combines two words to create a poetic expression.

    • Examples: "sky-candle" for sun, "whale-road" for sea.

Caesura

  • A pause within a line of poetry, marked by punctuation.

    • Example: "At night there, something uncanny happens: the water burns..."

Parallelism

  • A literary device where parts of a sentence are grammatically similar or repeated.

    • Example: "On the Danes, keeping the bloody feud alive, seeking no peace..."