Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                

Group1 Old English Period

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 20

CHAPTER 1:

THE OLD ENGLISH


PERIOD
PREPARED BY:
GROUP 1
MICHAELLA MAHINAY
LUTCHE MAE ENDEREZ
Ƿes hāl, Ealle!
Wilcume to
Ƿēod Eald
Englisces!
OLD ENGLISH PERIOD
450-1066
Old English is the term used to refer to
the language literature spoken and
written in England during the rule of the
Anglo-Saxons.

The term Anglo-Saxon comes from the


two Germanic Tribes, the Angles and
the Saxons.
THE PEOPLE
RELIGION
Anglo-Saxons were Teutonic tribes that came
to the Roman Province of Britannica from The Anglo-Saxons worshipped
Germany and France which was later called pagan/heathen Gods like earth, heaven
England. With them came several closely and powers of nature. the doings of these
related to Germanic languages that would
powers were made into mythical stories
evolve into Old English. They loved war and
and when a great hero arose, his history
fought fierce battles but enjoyed singing and
merry-making. also grew into a saga. This was the origin of
the old stories.
LITERATURE
Old English is the language and literature of the Anglo-
Saxons. Old English was first oral (with runic incriptions),
then used alphabets to write on manuscripts. Anglo-
Saxon literature encompasses the surviving literature
written in Old English in Anglo-Saxon England.

Anglo-Saxons were adventurous people, and hence their


songs are about heathen gods and wars and nothing
about Christianity, e.g.: The Battle of, Maldon, which tells
us about the battle between the Danish Pirates and Earl
of Maldon.
WHY IS OLD ENGLISH
IMPORTANT?
It shows us where English
comes from and how it
relates to other language.
It tells about the history,
society, and geography of
England.
ANGLO-SAXON POETRY
TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS:
Types: Anglo-Saxon poetry consisted of personal and Elegiac
poems (sad poems written about death), war songs, riddles, and
epic poems.

Characteristics: These poems reflect their belief in the


importance of war, bravery, courage, heroism, immortality,
revenge, and glorious death. The description of sad events or cruel
situations are common than happiness. They strongly believed that
fate determines all.
What is an Elegy?
Elegy is a poem written in response to the death of a
person. The speaker expresses grief and sorrow, then
praise and admiration of the dead, and finally
consolation and solace.

Example: W. H. Auden's classic "In Memory of W. B.


Yeats"
What is an Epic?
An epic poem is very famous in old English literature. It
is a long, serious, poem that tells a story about an
important event like war, often about adventures of a
brave man fighting an enemy in the battle field.

Some of the most famous example of epic poetry is the


John Milton's Paradise Lost.
What is a Lyric?
A lyric is a poem originally meant to be sung. It
expresses a poet's thoughts and feelings.

Old English lyrics examples are Deor's Lament by


Michael R. Burch, The Wanderer and The wife's
Complaint.
• A very elevated linguistic style.

• They used alliteration. An alliteration is


two or more words beginning with the
same sound.

Linguistic
Example: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of
Pickled Peppers".

Characteristics • They used rhyme. A rhyme is when two


or more lines end with same sound.

Example:
My cat likes to chase a mouse. Especially
one that's in the house

• They used metaphors to describe things.


01

Beo w u l f
THE STORY OF BEOWULF: WHY
BEOWULF IS REGARDED AS A HERO?
Anglo Saxons loved war and bravery. In the poem, Beowulf, a hero of
the Geats in Scandinavia, comes to the aid of King Hroogar, the king of
the Danes, whose mead hall (in Heorot) has been under attack by a
monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf kills him, Grendel's mother
attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes
home to Geatland in Sweden and later becomes king of the Geats.
After a period of fifty years, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is fatally
wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants bury him in a
tumulus, a burial mound, in Geatland. Therfore, he is regarded as hero.
Cynewulf’s Poems
Cynewulf wrote four poems: Juliana, The fates of the
Apostles, Christ and Elene. His poems are religious and
probably written in the later eight century.

A few lines from his poems predicted his death:

"Now are my days in their appointed time gone away.


My life-joys have disappeared, as water runs away."
WHO WAS CAEDMON?
Caedmon was a poor man who looked
after animals at Whitby, a monastery
founded in 657 by St. Hilda and was
illiterate. One night an angel came in his
dream and told him to sing praises of God.
Caedmon refused, claiming that he could
not sing. But the visitor would not go. He
requested that Caedmon sing of the God's
creation. To Caedmon's surprise, he sang
beautifully in praise of God, It was from
this divine inspiration that Caedmon began
to write religious poetry.
WHO WAS KING ALFRED-THE GREAT?
King Alfred was the king was King of Wessex
from 871 to 899.

Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons


to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons".
Alfred studied, and even translated from
Latin into Old English, certain works that
were regarded at the time as models of
ideal Christian kingship and 'most necessary
for all men to know'. He improved education
of his people and established first English
public schools.
NGLISH PROSE
OLD E

Aelfric was a prose writer of Old English era.


His works such as Homilies and Lives of Saints
were religious. He translated Bible into old
English. He uses alliteration to join sentences
and his prose is he best n Old English.
References
https://www.slideshare.net /slideshow/old-english-
literature -77225305/77225305
https://youtu.be/hvi5dDWpH9U ?feature=shared <
https://www.slideshare.net /slideshow/1-old-english-
literature /45874073
IĊ ÞANCIE
ÞË FOR
HYRINGE!
THAN
ANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!

You might also like