The Literature of Great Britain Do you refer to England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom interchangeably? http://www.cnn.com/world/meast/9902/ 14/lockerbie/great.britain.map.jpg UNITED KINGDOM shortened for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. GREAT BRITAIN the name of the largest island in the British Isles and is political entity consisting of three countries: England, Scotland and Wales. Also, England s Isle of Wight and Scotland s Isle of Skye belong to GB. ENGLAND the name of the largest country on the island. Britain is an archaic term from Roman occupation called Britannia, and refers only to England and Wales.
The Anglo-Saxon World
The Anglo-Saxon Homeland Where did A-S come from?
Britannia becomes England... The Anglo-Saxon Invasion 410 AD: The Romans leave Britannia Major (the Romans called England & Wales) 449 AD: Hengest and Horsa arrive, invited by KingVortigern to be his allies against the Picts Hengest and Horsa defeat the Picts and then turn on Vortigern, beginning the invasion Thus goes the legend, but the invaders actually came as early as the 3 rd century Major groups: Angles (Denmark), Saxons (Germany) and Jutes (Jutland and Rhineland) By the mid-5 th century, Germanic kings controlled much of Britain, particularly the eastern sections
King Alfred Ruled from 871-899 as King of Wessex, later King of England Ordered the keeping of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Arranged for the books most needful for all men to know to be translated from Latin into English In 878, after being driven back onto the Island of Athelney in Somerset, raised an army and defeated the Vikings led by King Guthrum As a result, England was divided into Alfred s kingdom in the south and east and the Danelaw in the north and west.
Religion among the Anglo-Saxons Pre-Roman Celtic origins: supreme goddess was Nerthus, the earth mother, surrounded by pantheon of goddesses (Frea, Esotre, Rheda) Early Anglo-Saxon religion: Supreme god was Woden (from Viking roots) The Wild Hunt: souls of dead warriors ride to Valhalla to join Woden s host of champions Frey was an important god, symbolized by a boar Shrines in natural places rather than churches or temples Christianity: Absorbed earlier customs and beliefs and began the process of Christianizing both life and literature
Anglo-Saxon Cultural Beliefs Comitatus (The lord-thane relationship, governed by protection and loyalty) Wergild (the price of a man) Wyrd (fate) Immortality (fame) Gift Giving (binding loyalty) Fragility of human life (constant warfare; threatening natural forces)
Beowulf Oldest long poem composed in English Tale told by a scop (singer-poet) Entertainer Historian Set in 6 th century Denmark and Sweden Great emphasis on use of real people and settings Dating by real events mentioned, Beowulf fought Grendel and his mother about 520 AD; his fight with the dragon would have taken place toward the end of that century
Rich ship burials were recorded in Sweden as early as the sixth century, and the Sutton Hoo burials were about a century later, about the time the story of Beowulf was first being told in England. A 1904 image shows the Oseberg Viking ship after its recovery in southern Norway. Scientists say DNA tests could yield new information about a queen and another woman whose remains were found in the ship.
Literature of Anglo-Saxons Riddles When I am alive I do not speak. Anyone who wants to takes me captive and cuts off my head. They bite my bare body I do no harm to anyone unless they cut me first. Then I soon make them cry. ANSWER: Onion
Literature of Anglo-Saxons Lyrical Poems We ll read three examples: The Seafarer ; The Wanderer ; The Wife s Lament LOOK FOR: kennings, alliteration, dark/sad tone, role of fate, references to the sea/ocean
Literature of Anglo-Saxons Epic Poem We ll read ONE example: Beowulf LOOK FOR: kennings, alliteration, dark/sad tone, role of fate, references to the sea/ocean, epic hero,
Who wrote Beowulf? Author unknown, probably a Christian monk working with older versions of the story Only manuscript dated 1000 AD Probably composed in 7 th or 8 th centuries, while memories of Germanic tales and traditions still alive East Anglia, where ship burials were found, likely to be the place of composition