The AngloSaxon Period 449 1066 Arrival of AngloSaxons

The Anglo-Saxon Period 449 -1066

➔ Arrival of Anglo-Saxons in Britain signalled beginning of English lang. ➔ Invaded land became known as “Angles’ land” or England. ➔ New lang. developed = “Angle-ish” or English. ➔ Although language would change, it was precursor to English we speak today.

➔ Society developed from kinship groups led by strong chief. ➔ People farmed, maintained local gov’ts, and created crafts (metal). ➔ Christianity replaced old warrior religion, linking England to Europe. ➔ Monasteries = centers of learning and preserved works from old oral tradition.

Whom did the Angles and Saxons conquer? (Britain Before the Anglo-Saxons) (The Celts) ➔ Among Celts lived group called Brythons, now Britons, who settled what is now Britain.

➔ Religion = form of animism (Latin for spirit. ) ➔ Saw spirits everywhere: rivers, trees, fire, thunder, etc. ➔ Spirits or gods controlled all aspects of existence = had to be constantly satisfied. ➔ Priests, called Druids, acted as intermediaries between gods and people. (Study 20 years)

➔ Druids responsible for religious rituals/memorized & recited long, heroic poems to preserve past. ➔ Druid = “knowing the oak tree” ➔ Oak trees and mistletoe sacred = rituals performed in oak groves ➔ Druids responsible for educating young.

Anglo-Saxon Conquest ➔ Brought own pagan beliefs ➔ Crude, barbaric people ➔ Grim view of life due to ever- present dangers of death by accident or warfare ➔ Every human life in hands of fate ➔ Hedonistic: pleasure seeking, self gratification

➔ Worshiped ancient Germanic gods: Tiu, god of war & sky; Woden, chief of gods; and Fria, Woden's wife & goddess of home. ➔ These were abandoned with coming of Christianity, but names survive in our words Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The Bards ➔ Anglo-Saxon communal halls provided shelter, meeting place, & space for storytellers. ➔ Storytellers (bards) sang of gods & heroes to strumming of harp. ➔ NOT regarded as inferior to warriors. (Just as important!)

Christianity/Literature ➔ Church brought 2 elements missing since the Romans: education & written ➔ literature. ➔ Christian leaders established schools (Canterbury & York) & supervised learning in monasteries. ➔ Monks worked as scribes, recording & duplicating manuscripts/books written by hand.

➔ From such monastic training emerged Northumbrian monk later considered “father of English history. ” ➔ Today known as the Venerable Bede (673 -735). ➔ Most famous volume (A History of the English Church and People) offers clearest account of early Anglo-Saxon times.

➔ Christianity tempered but didn't destroy Anglo-Saxon spirit. ➔ Glimpses of earlier world lived on in epics - Beowulf, long narrative poem that depicted great battles between Anglo. Saxon warriors & superhuman monsters. ➔ Anglo-Saxons remained hardy, but were about to endure an invasion by the Vikings.

Anglo-Saxon Literature ➔ Runes – Anglo-Saxon alphabet; used until Latin superseded it. ➔ Began with Druids ➔ Bards, also called scops, recited poetry.

➔ Poems followed formal, rigid pattern - easier to memorize, gives lyrics sing-song effect. ➔ Caesura – midline pause ➔ Alliteration – repetition of consonant sounds ➔ Kenning – metaphorical name

Beowulf ➔ Story of great pagan warrior renowned for courage, strength, and dignity. ➔ Epic – long, narrative poem ➔ Because it is 1 st work composed in English, it is national epic of England. ➔ Author unknown