literature: Old English period

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Old English Period

About

500-

1066

The Old English Period

When

5th century AD

First inhabitants

Celts

First group of Invaders

Romans

Left in 410 after 400 years of occupation

The Old English Period

410  AD  

Romans left Britain

Around 450 AD: 

Second group of invaders.

Saxons, Angels and Jutes: The Celts were driven to the far corners of Britain: Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Ireland. Only a few survived.

Be thankful this happened. Otherwise we had to learn .....

localhistories.org

Poetry

• People were illiterate. Only monks could read and write
• Alliterations and regular rythm used for mnemonic reasons
• Kenning
• Variation

Alliteration

Two or more words within the same line begin with the same letter.

Meotodes meahte and his modgepanc

the Measurer's might and his mind-plans

Kenning

A figurative name for a thing, usually expressed in a compound noun.

swan-road = sea

Bone-house

Battle-light

Heaven's candle

Sleep of the sword

Variation

The restatement of a concept or term using different words. 

An example can be seen in Beowulf in lines 1408-1411:

"The nobleman's son then passed, the steep rocky cliffs, 

the narrow path,  the narrow single-file path, 

an unknown way, precipitous headland, the homes of many water-monsters."

Variation is not used as filler, but fulfills a few important functions.  Variation reminds the audience of important facts.  It also allows the poet to present an event, or image from multiple perspectives, each providing additional information or shedding new light on the events. 

Reasons for 
story telling:

• Entertainment
• Didactic
• Reporting
  
  

4 surviving manuscripts

• The Beowulf Manuscript
• the Exeter Book
• the Junius Manuscript
• Vercelli Book

There are also a few historical poems in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle

Exeter book 

of riddles

onion

fish in the river

One more....

Riddle 45 

Ic on wincle gefrægn weaxan nathwæt,

þindan ond þunian, þecene hebban.

On þæt banlease bryd grapode,

hygewlonc hondum. Hrægle þeahte

þrindende þing þeodnes dohtor.

I have heard of a something-or-other, growing in its nook, swelling and rising, pushing up its covering. Upon that boneless thing a cocky-minded young woman took a grip with her hands; with her apron a lord's daughter covered the tumescent thing.

dough

The Wanderer

• comitatus tradition (relationship lord and followers )
• honour
• christianity
• elegy: poem that laments the loss of worldly goods, glory, or human companionship --> ubi sunt motif (Latin phrase meaning “Where are they?” )

From The Wanderer

Where is the horse? where the rider?

Where the giver of treasure?

Where are the seats at the feast?

Where are the revels in the hall?

Alas for the bright cup!

Alas for the mailed warrior!

Alas for the splendour of the prince!

How that time has passed away,

dark under the cover of night,

as if it had never been.

From The Lord of the Ring

Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?

Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?

Where is the hand on the harp-string, and the red fire glowing?

Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?

They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;

The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.

Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning?

Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?

Beowulf

• Swedish prince
• Grendel
• Hrotgar's court (Denmark)
• ancient treasure guarded by dragon
• epic of Germanic hero

Why important?

• Read about Beowulf (pages 10 -12 in your reader) and explain what it is that makes it a true Germanic, epic story and why it could still be relevant today. (Your answer/text should contain at least 70 words). 
  

Explain what it is that makes it a true Germanic, epic story and why it could still be relevant today. (Your answer/text should contain at least 70 words).