Early British History/Beowulf

The Iberians were in Britain (from Portugal and Spain)

The Celts inhabited Great Britain before and during the 4th century B.C.E.

There were many separate Celtic tribes.Britain known for one: the britons. The Celts continually were pushed

back by both the Romans and the Germanic tribes that later invaded Britain.

The Celts

The Celts practiced a form of animism.Latin for “spirit,” believers of animism see

spirits in everything—every rock, stream, lightning bolt, tree, etc.

These spirits controlled all of existence and had to be constantly satisfied by sacrifice.

Many historians believe that human sacrifice was not uncommon in Celtic religion.Celtic priests were called Druids.

Celtic Religion

The Anglo-Saxons did not believe that an individual had the ability to choose his own path. (fatalism)

Instead, they believed in the power of fate (wyrd)

Wyrd

Many believe that Stonehenge was used by Druids for religious rites having to do with the lunar and solar cycles.

Stonehenge

Julius Caesar led the first invasion in the year 55 B.C.E.

It was the Emperor Claudius who conquered the Celts 100 years later.

The Romans were able to hold off other invaders for several hundred years.

Romans built up British infrastructure (roads and defensive walls) that is still standing in some parts of Britain.

Christianity begins to take hold.

The Romans

If the Romans had stayed, Londoners would be speaking Italian.

However, the Roman Empire was crumbling. The Romans had evacuated Great Britain by C.E. 409.

Romans left behind villas, homes, roads, defensive walls, and public baths—but no central government.

The early Brits were susceptible for an attack.

The Romans

The Angles and Saxons from Germany and the Jutes from Denmark invaded the island of Britain after the Romans left in the middle of the fifth century.

These tribes pushed out the old Britons.Britain was then named Enga land, or

England, after the Angles.Celts put up a great deal of resistance.

The Anglo-Saxons

Jutes

Angles

SaxonsCelts

Anglo-Saxon Britain was no more unified than it was before.There were several different principalities.There were many “kings.”

King Alfred, also known as Alfred the Great, reigned from 871-899.

Alfred led the united Anglo-Saxons against the Danes, a fierce Viking people who crossed the North Sea.

Alfred the Great also brought scholars into Britain to allow learning to flourish there.

Alfred the Great and Christianity

In 1066 the Danes and the Anglo-Saxons were defeated by the Duke of Normandy and his invading force of Normans from northwestern France.

This further changes the language.

1066

Honor came in winning.Warfare was an everyday occurrence.“Fame and success, even survival, were

gained only through loyalty to the leader, especially during war, and success was measured in gifts from the leader.”

There was a sense of loyalty to the clan.“Anglo-Saxons tended to live close to their

animals in single-family homesteads, wooden buildings that surrounded a communal court or a warm, fire-lit…hall.”

Anglo-Saxon Life

The cluster of buildings was surrounded by a fence.

There were community discussions in the chief’s central hall.

Religion:There was no after-life, despite the Christian

influence.It was heavily influenced by Norse mythology.The dragon was a constant source of fear for

Anglo-Saxons.Because there was no belief in the after-life,

people wanted to live on in legend.

Anglo-Saxon Life

Storytellers, scops, were often looked at as equal to warriors. In this oral tradition, the storyteller was the keeper of legends, religion, heroes’ quests, and history. They were revered.

Poets sang to the strumming of a harpThere was a hope to live on in verse.

Anglo-Saxon Life

Ireland was protected from the Germanic tribes because of the wild seas surrounding it.

St. Patrick (Patricius) converted Ireland to Christianity.

The monks and other religious leaders kept learning alive.

It was in Ireland that Christianity, in the words of Winston Churchill, “burned and gleamed through the darkness.”

Irish monks continued to transcribe histories, legends, and literary pieces.

Ireland

Old Englishhttps://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQVyol7N1Johttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_

K13GJkGvDw

The English Language

England’s Iliad and OdysseyFirst great work of English national literatureIt is the “mythical and literary record of a

formative stage of English civilization”

Beowulf

Epic of the heroic sources of English culture“Bear” (Bee+Wolf)Beowulf is a Geat from Geatland (now

Sweden)Oral EpicEpic Devices:

Hospitality codesSupernatural interventionsVisit to hadesVast settingEpic boasting

Beowulf

Epic: a long narrative poem that recounts, in formal language, the exploits of a larger-than-life hero

Epic hero: is usually a man of a high social status and is often important in the history of his people

Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds-usually at the beginning of words and in stressed syllables “miserable mighty men tormented by a monster…”

Caesura: an obvious pause in a line of poetryFound near the middle of a lineSometimes indicated with slashes or an actual space

in the line

Literary Terms

Kenning: an imaginative phrase that takes the place of a single nounWhale-Road (sea)Life-House (body)

Literary Terms

Link OnlineEpic One

The Monster Grendel Sections 1-3

Epic TwoThe Arrival of the Hero

Sections 4-5

Epic ThreeUnferth’s Challenge

Sections 6-7

Reading Guide

Epic FourThe Battle with Grendel

Sections 8-11

Epic FiveThe Monster’s Mother

Sections 12-13

Epic SixThe Final Battle

Sections 14-17

Reading Guide

Two Sentence SummaryMost Important Quote with Line Number

Per Section…

1. What was significant about Ireland during the Anglo-Saxon time period? Why is it important in terms of literature?

2. What was the heroic ideal of the Anglo-Saxons?

3. Define wyrd. Why is this significant in Anglo-Saxon culture?

4. Including dates, create a flow chart representing the occupation in Britain starting with Celts.

Essential Questions

• Language: Varying Languages• Contribution: Pagan

Influences/Animism Celts • Language• Contributions: ? • Language:

• Contributions ? • Language• Contributions: ?

NameDateClass “The Seafarer”

Turn to Page 69

“The Seafarer”

Handful of elegies:Elegy: a serious poem of lament; usually

mourning a death or other great loss (last bit of Beowulf)

The Exeter BookRare collection of old English poetry; compiled

and copied by monks in 900sUnknown author; some belief that monks

changed poem after line 65

“The Seafarer”

1. What is the theme of “The Seafarer”?2. What is the mood created in lines 1-26?3. What are the hardships at sea the speaker

describes in lines 1-26?4. What part might fate play in the speaker’s

attitudes about life at sea?5. In line 117—what home is the speaker

referring to?

Seafarer Questions

When referring to imagery, we must discuss all five senses. Complete the chart below by finding quotes in “The Seafarer” that appeal to each of the senses.

Imagery in “The Seafarer”

Sight Sound Smell Taste Touch

*Just Quotes*