British BeginningsBritish Beginnings

““Britons”Britons”

• 800-600 B.C.E. Celts invade the British Isles.– Brythons (Britons)

settled England– Gaels settled Ireland

Organized into clans with a chieftain

Priests (Druids) would settle disputes

Romans!Romans!

• 55 B.C.E. Julius Caesar invades England

• Small battles and encampments last for 100 years, finally Romans begin to colonize.

• 407 C.E. Roman legions leave England to defend Rome itself.

Christianity on the IslandChristianity on the Island

• 597 C.E. St. Augustine (from Rome) converts King Ethelbert of Kent to Christianity

• Augustine sets up monastery at Canterbury

• Converts other rules and promotes peace and unity

Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons• 449 C.E. Invaded from what is now

Germany.

• 800’s : Vikings attack– Danes from Denmark (southern England)– Norse from Norway (Northumbria, Scotland,

Wales, Ireland)– Danelaw: 886

• Saxon Rule in the South• Danish rule in East and North

Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons

Norse and DanesNorse and Danes

• Nose: Northumbria, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland

• Danes: eastern and southern England

• 871 Alfred the Great takes the Wessex throne, only king to gain title

• 886 Truce between Danes and the Saxons– Danelaw

Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons

• Expert sea-farers

• Although they converted to Christianity, many retained a pagan conviction in the power of fate, retold Germanic and Scandinavian tales of heroes and monsters.

• A man-dominated society. Sorry ladies, you would have very few rights as a single female and even fewer if you were married

• Late 900’s: Danes force Saxons to have Danish kings

• 1042 succession returns to Alfred’s bloodline, Edward “The Confessor” due to his devote faith as a Christian

• 1066: Edward’s death is the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.

The Exeter BookThe Exeter Book

• Collection of manuscripts that includes pieces from oral tradition

• Compiled during the reign of Alfred T.G. by monks (871-899)

• Has large burns and several stains (drinking mug) and several cuts

• Recorded stories told in the oral tradition

Anglo-Saxon LyricsAnglo-Saxon Lyrics

The making of poetry!The making of poetry!

VocabularyVocabulary

• Lyric poem: expresses the thought and feelings of a single speaker.

• Anglo-Saxon lyrics: composed for easy memorization and recitation

• Elegy: a lyric poem mourning the loss of someone or something.

Component PartsComponent Parts

• Lines with regular rhythms, usually with four strong beats

• Ceasuras: rhythmic breaks in the middle of lines, where the reciter could pause for breath

• Kennings: two-word poetic renamings of people, places, and things, such as the kenning “whales’ home” for the sea

Component PartsComponent Parts

• Assonance: the repetition of initial vowel sounds in accented syllables

• Alliteration: the repetition of initial consonant sounds in accented syllables