Anglo-Saxon Periods

Characteristics: Anglo-Saxon Period

Other Characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon Period

Anglo-Saxon Period

Middle Age Period

It starts with the normand invasion: Vikings invade Normandy- France

French people gave to the invasors a piece of land (normandy), in order to finish the battles with this group, but to have this land, the vikings have to fight with new invasors in order to avoid a new invasion in other territories of this country.

The normand invasion was commanded by William the conqueror ( french), whom in a battle, that was known as " The hasting battle", defeated british people.

As he defeated british people, he was the new british king and old english adopt a third language:

• Old english: 4 dialects (northumbrian, wessex, mershian, kentish)
• French: for monarchy and aristocracy.
• Latin: religious purposes, juridical states and different statements

The most representative author of the middle ages was Geoffrey Chaucer, he was the writer of different books, and the most important is named " The Canterbury Tales".

Beowulf

Beowulf  is the conventional title of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature. Is the first attempt to introduce christianism into the paganism of that age.
It survives in a single manuscript known as the Nowell Codex.

SUMMARY

Beowulf is a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose great hall, Heorot, is plagued by the monster Grendel. Beowulf kills both Grendel and Grendel's mother with a magical sword.

Later, Beowulf became king of the Geats, and finds his kingdom terrorized by a dragon whose treasure had been stolen. He attacks the dragon with the help of his army, but they doesnt succeed. Beowulf decides to follow the dragon into its lair, but only his young relative, Wiglaf, join him. Beowulf finally killed the dragon, but is mortally wounded. He is buried in a boat by the sea.

Anglo-Saxon Period

Is the period of the history were the angles and saxons arrived to england to help the celts in the war between the roman empire.


BARBARIANS: The name given by the romans to people who wasnt roman. they were different tribes like angles, saxons, jutes, frisians and celts.


Angles: germanic tribe.

• The Angles were one of the main groups that settled in Britain, founding several of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, and their name is the root of the name "England".
• They were the strongest tribe of the germanic tribes.
• Religion they were pagans, they believe in a lot of gods and made a lot of rituals (sacrifices) in order to praise their gods.

Saxons: germanic tribe

• They were fisher men
• They were named like that because they used a knife that was called seax.
• Land of saxons  west---> wessex, east---> eassex, south---> sussex

Frisians: germanic tribe

• They lived in the suth scandinavian peninsula
• When they arrived to england, they arrived to what is known as kent, east anglia, or lincolnshire.
• They were very important until Charle Magne apeared

Celts:

• Religion: druism
• Office: warriors
• Rich and extensive folklore
• Brave and corageus
• They were the first using kilt

At this time, there wasn't written language. Then the irrish monks teach this tribes how to read and write.

The most famous works from this period include the poem Beowulf, which has achieved national epic status in Britain. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of important early English history. Cædmon's Hymn from the 7th century is the earliest attested literary text in English.