THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD

ANDBEOWULF

THE ANGLO-SAXONSThe Anglo-Saxons were a people who inhabited Great Britain from the 5th century.They included:- people from Germanic tribes who

migrated to the island from continental Europe.

- indigenous British groups who adopted some aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture and language.

THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD

The Anglo-Saxon period denotes the period of British history between about 450 (their initial settlement) and 1066 (the Norman Conquest).

Anglo-Saxon is also known as Old English, and it is the language which, through the centuries, has developed into the English language we know today.

Anglo-Saxon is like a foreign language even to a native speaker of English

THE ANGLO-SAXON LANGUAGE

Swa þa drihtguman dreamum lifdon,

eadiglice, oð ðæt an ongan

fyrene fremman feond on helle;

wæs se grimma gæst Grendel haten,

mære mearcstapa, se þe moras heold,

fen ond fæsten; fifelcynnes eard

wonsæli wer weardode hwile,

siþðan him Scyppend forscrifen hæfde

in Caines cynne--- þone cwealm gewræc

ece Drihten, þæs þe he Abel slog;

ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, ac hehine feor

forwræc,

Metod for þy mane mancynne fram.

OLD ENGLISH MODERN ENGLISHSo lived the clansmen in cheer and

revel

a winsome life, till one began

to fashion evils, that field of hell.

Grendel this monster grim was

called,

march-riever[5] mighty, in moorland

living,

in fen and fastness; fief of the giants

the hapless wight a while had kept

since the Creator his exile doomed.

On kin of Cain was the killing

avenged

by sovran God for slaughtered Abel.

Ill fared his feud,[6] and far was he

driven,

for the slaughter's sake, from sight

of men.

Can you recognise any modern English words in Old English?

ANGLO-SAXON SAGAS

Anglo-Saxon sagas are stories that mix references to real events with characters and events from Anglo-Saxon legends.

They were told to entertain people, particularly at feasts which involved lots of eating and drinking late into the night!

BEOWULF

What does each picture signify? What conclusions can you draw on Beowulf?