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Why study British literature?

Why study British literature?. British culture has helped influence America Personal rights and freedom Government Literature Language. Anglo-Saxons. Order of Invaders. Celts Romans Angles Saxons Jutes. Celts. First British settlers Their mythology has influenced British writers

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Why study British literature?

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  1. Why study British literature? • British culture has helped influence America • Personal rights and freedom • Government • Literature • Language

  2. Anglo-Saxons

  3. Order of Invaders • Celts • Romans • Angles • Saxons • Jutes

  4. Celts • First British settlers • Their mythology has influenced British writers • Religion was a form of animism – seeing spirits everywhere • Celtic mythology- influenced Arthurian legends/poets • Celtic stories- full of strong women, magical animals, love affairs, adventures

  5. Romans • Caesar begins an invasion that would take 100 years to conquer Britain • Build roads, baths, Hadrian’s Wall • Bring Christianity to Britain- Celtic religion died • After 400 years (approximately) Romans leave • This leaves Britain susceptible to other invaders

  6. Three groups that invade Britain after the Romans leave • Angles (Germany) • Saxons (Germany) • Jutes (Denmark)

  7. Anglo-Saxons • Becomes the dominant language • Angle Land • Engla Land • England • Celts settle in Wales • Christianity helps to unify the country • Came from Germany and Denmark via the North Sea • Brought their language “Engla Land”

  8. Anglo-Saxon Life • Based on strong loyalty to the leader • Farmers, Craftsmen, and Maintained Government • Monasteries were centers of learning • Women held many rights- could inherit property from husbands/fathers, some became abbesses-ran convents and were educated. • Not Barbarians

  9. Anglo-Saxon Life • Warfare was necessary for protection • Religion was concerned with ethics over mysticism • Valued bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship

  10. The Sutton Hoo Treasure- (found in 1939) Suffolk England

  11. Anglo Saxon Religion Dragon-Protector of treasure, guardian of the grave mound. Values: Bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship • Dark, fatalistic • Warrior gods-Norse mythology: Odin-death, poetry, and magic- “Woden” • Thor-Thunder, lightning, hammer or swastikam “Thor’s Day”

  12. Bard • Skilled storytellers that sang about gods and heroes • They were also known as Scops • Creating poetry was held in high esteem • Scops were equal to great warriors • The only way to have life after death in A/S religion was in poetry

  13. Monasteries • Christian monks preserved the tradition of the Anglo-Saxons • Interjected Christian beliefs into the A/S writings • Centers of learning-Scriptorium=writing room where monks worked • Monks wrote in the vernacular, later Latin • EX: Beowulf

  14. Beowulf

  15. Literary Terms • Alliteration • Caesura • Epic (Poem) • Epic Hero • Imagery • Kenning • Comitatus • Wergild • Wyrd

  16. Epic • Hero is usually a great leader • Broad setting (upper and lower worlds) • Hero completes great deeds or goes on an extraordinary journey • Supernatural forces or gods are usually involved • Story is told in heightened language

  17. The Epic Hero Cycle • A change • A test • Various mythical, human, or animal helpers • Main antagonist, usually supernatural • Magical unreal world that the hero can visit but normal humans cannot • An escape from the quest • Resurrection • Restoration • What modern stories also fit this cycle? There are a few. Hint: ‘Luke, I am your father’

  18. Beowulf • Anglo-Saxon Period (450 –1066) • Originates as oral tradition • No author • Composed around 8th Century

  19. An Old English Sample • Lord's Prayer I (Exeter Book,10th c.)[....]g fæder, þu þe on heofonum eardast,geweorðad wuldres dreame. Sy þinum weorcum halgadnoma niþþa bearnum; þu eart nergend wera.Cyme þin rice wide, ond þin rædfæst willaaræred under rodores hrofe, eac þon on rumre foldan.Syle us to dæge domfæstne blæd,hlaf userne, helpend wera,8 þone singalan, soðfæst meotod.Ne læt usic costunga cnyssan to swiðe,ac þu us freodom gief, folca waldend,from yfla gewham, a to widan feore.(The Exeter Book, ed. Krapp and Dobbie 1936)

  20. Beowulf • Christian ideals are included • Most Old English literature was copied by monks • Epic hero travels from Scandinavia to help the Danes

  21. Characters

  22. Beowulf • Hero of the poem • Nephew of the King of the Geats (Higlac)

  23. Brecca • Beowulf’s friend

  24. Hrothgar • King of the Danes • Friend of Beowulf’s father

  25. Grendel • Man-eating monster

  26. Herot • A lavish mead hall built by Hrothgar

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