Beowulf + Early Middle Ages

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Literature

Can be fun, really!

Literature

1. Entertain: it is to be enjoyed, so approach with an open mind!

2. Learn about historical periods, looking through the eyes of the people who actually experienced that part of history rather than through the eyes of scholars writing about that same part of history a couple of centuries later.

3. Learn new words

Expectations

- Listen carefully and take notes (bring an actual notebook and a folder).

- Step away from the conviction that literature can only be horrible.

- Courage!

Exameneisen

Subdomein E1: Literaire ontwikkeling

7. De kandidaat kan beargumenteerd verslag uitbrengen van zijn leeservaringen met

ten minste drie literaire werken.

Subdomein E2: Literaire begrippen (alleen vwo)

8. De kandidaat kan literaire tekstsoorten herkennen en onderscheiden, en literaire

begrippen hanteren in de interpretatie van literaire teksten.

Subdomein E3: Literatuurgeschiedenis (alleen vwo)

9. De kandidaat kan een overzicht geven van de hoofdlijnen van de

literatuurgeschiedenis en de gelezen literaire werken plaatsen in dit historisch

perspectief.

Medieval Literature: Old English

Historical background Information

Roman Britain

- 50 BCE- 410 CE

- Romans bring Latin

- 410: Romans leave to defend homeland

Anglo-Saxon Britain

- Different small kingdoms

- Wars between the kingdoms 

- Viking invasions and Danelaw --> Migration of the Peoples

- development of Old English also known as Anglo-Saxon English

Frisian is one of Europe’s least changed languages. 

English is one of Europe’s most changed languages. 

  

 Hoi, Aelfred is myn namme. Myn marse is fol fan Eels, buten Langh festjen is nin brae sperjen.

   Hwaet! Aelfred is min nama. Min bearwe is æla ful, ac an longe fæsten biergeþ nan hlaf.

   Hello, Alfred is my name. My basket is full of eels, but a long fast saves no bread.

The end (of the Early Middle Ages)

Beowulf

Beowulf

- Written around 850 CE

- Original in Old English

- First piece of literature (that we know of) written in Great Britain

- Epic hero story

- Over a thousands years old but still relevant today

Epic poem

- Viking influences  because story takes place in Sweden

- Epic hero, great heroism and bravery

- The setting of the poem is vast and could include land, seas, oceans, the world, or even the whole universe.

- Supernatural or other worldly forces or beings such as Gods, angels, or demons

- written in a formal manner and they often use exaggeration.