Presentation Transcript

1. Old English Anglo-Saxon period

   450-1066 AD
2. Where and When it took Place Present day England from 450 (the leaving of the Romans) to 1066 (the Norman Invasion) A.D.
3. What exemplifies the literary period? Poetry – Germanic heroic (like Beowulf); Elegiac (wisdom poetry); hagiography (narrative poems of saint’s lives); lyrical biblical; riddles Literary Devices – few similes; extensive metaphors; kennings (metaphorical compound word or phrase used as an allusion to a simpler idea which (at the time) would be readily recognized by the audience); alliterations; variations (many descriptions to name people); caesuras; litotes (ironic understatement) Prose – Christian prose (how to be a priest, etc), medical works, mathematics, rhetoric, grammar, law
4. Who are important figures/what are important works Beowulf Bede (Ecclesiastical History of the People of England) Aelfric (Lives of Saints) Caedmon (first Old English poet) Monks and Manuscripts ( TheJunius manuscript also known as the man hunt, is an illustrated collection of poems on biblical narratives. TheExeter Book is an anthology TheVercelli book contains both poetry and prose The Nowell Codex also known as the Beowulf Manuscript, contains prose and poetry, typically dealing with monstrous themes, including Beowulf
5. Historical and social environment - Roman military withdrawals left Britain open to invasion by Saxons and Jutes - Formed series of separate enclaves in the more rugged country to the west - Roman-dominated Christianity reintroduced by missionaries from Rome Disputes between the Roman- and Celtic-dominated forms of Christianity ended in victory for the Roman tradition at the Council of Whitby - Tribal territories by the 7th century coalesced into roughly a dozen kingdoms - 9thcentury Danes conquered of the north and east of England, overthrowing the kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia. -political unification of England, first accomplished under Æthelstan in 927 King Henry V fought on Saint Crispin's Day that concluded with an English victory against a larger French army in the Hundred Years’ War A dispute over the succession to Edward led to the Norman conquest of England in 1066
6. Poetry selection From Beowulf
7. Prose selection AT this time, Ethelfrid, a most worthy king, and ambitious of glory, governed the kingdom of the Northumbrians, and ravaged the Britons more than all the great men of the English, insomuch that he might be compared to Saul, once king of the Israelites, excepting only this, that he was ignorant of the true religion. For he conquered more territories from the Britons, either making them tributary, or driving the inhabitants clean out, and planting English in their places, than any other king or tribune. To him might justly be applied the saying of the patriarch blessing his son in the person of Saul, "Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil." Hereupon, Ædan, king of the Scots that inhabit Britain, being concerned at his success, came against him with an immense and mighty army; but was beaten by an inferior force, and put to flight; for almost all his army was slain at a famous place, called Degsastan, that is, Degsastone. In which battle also Theodbaid, brother to Ethelfrid, was killed, with almost all the forces he commanded. This war Etheifrid put an end to in the year 603 after the incarnation of our Lord, the eleventh of his own reign, which lasted twenty-four years, and the first year of the reign of Phocas, who the governed the Roman empire. From that time, no king the Scots durst come into Britain to make war on the English to this day.