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.

Ready for a little bit of Scottish?

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

localhistories.org

Literature in the Old English Period

• People were illiterate. Only monks could read and write
• Entertainers recited poetry from memory
• Figurative language:
  Alliteration and regular rythm used for *mnemonic reasons (to remember them more easily), metaphors, kennings, variation and more. 

*mnemonic device= ezelsbruggetje 

Types of poetry or literature

• Epic poems were popular: these were narrative poems about kings and heroes 
  
• Didactic and or historical chronicles
• Riddles

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....

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

Write a riddle yourself. Think about a mundane object and describe it in a riddle of at least 6 lines. Be aware: keep it civil and secret, since we're going to share your riddles in class.

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?” )

Questions

1. Tolkien was, apart from a writer, a ........, specialised in .......... at Oxford.

2. Why is 'the Wanderer', the warrior, wandering the earth? What happened to him?

3. How is the sense of loss conveyed in this poem?

4. From what perspective is the poem written?

5. What is the dearest wish of 'the Wanderer'?

6. Explain in 5-7 sentences why The Wanderer is a shockingly sophisticated poem?

Explain in 5-7 sentences why The Wanderer is a shockingly sophisticated poem?

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

• Beowulf is an Old English epic poem, which consists of 3,182 long lines. It is considered to be one of the most important books in Anglo-Saxon literature.
  
• The poem is set in Scandinavia, although it was written in England. It uses different dialects of Old English for the spelling and has many different linguistic styles.
  
• It is about a Scandinavian hero who defeats various monsters – the most famous of which are Grendel and Grendel’s mother – for the King of the Danes. The last part of the poem describes the hero Beowulf’s funeral.
  
• Although the book is about a legend, the characters were probably based on real people. In parts of Scandinavia, archaeological discoveries suggest some elements of the story may be true.
  
• The only known existing copy of Beowulf is now in the British Library in London. The manuscript was put in paper frames to protect it, in 1845, although it is still very fragile.

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). Involve the epic heroes' code of values in your answer and substiate your answer with examples from the story.
  

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).

Remember the code of values of epic heroes?

> Physical strength                              > Justice/Vengence

> Oratory skill                                          > Wergild

> Comitatus                                             > Pursuit of glory

> Wyrd                                                        > Lineage

> Confidence                                          > Respect of enemies

www.coursehero.com

Discuss in groups of four:

> Compare your anwers to the question of slide 40.

> What do you know of the Roman legacy in Britain?

> Explain the Hadrian wall.

> What is left of the Celtic culture and language?

> Explain the importance of the didactic function of Anglo-Saxon stroytelling.

> What was the impact of the Vikings on English culture, language and literature? 

> Give examples of Kenning.

> Explain the use and function of Variation.

> Besides Kenning and Variation, mention more characteristics of Anglo-Saxon literature.

> Mention 4 typical Germanic values and how you recognise these in the story of Beowulf.

> Compare the Wanderer to Beowulf.

> Explain how Tolkien used his knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon period in his novels The Hobit and The Lord of the Rings.

> Why and how is the story of the Wanderer a heart-breaking one?

> Who was Alfred the Great and why has he become  known as "The Great"?

> Explain the difference between an epic poem and an elegy.