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Beowulf
A presentation by Prof. M. Sajid Iqbal
ED 205-16
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
One of the most important remains
of Anglo-Saxon literature is the epic
poem Beowulf. Its age is unknown;
but it comes from a very distant and
hoar antiquityIt is like a piece of
ancient armor; rusty and battered,
and yet strong.
Historical Perspective
Ancient civilizations, some of which were quite
advanced, had arisen in other parts of the world well
before the Anglo-Saxon period.
For example, the great pyramids had already been
built along the Nile.
City states had risen and fallen in Mesopotamia.
Persia had already united many lands.
China was a unified, powerful empire.
The beginnings of democracy had already come and
gone in Greece.
By contrast, Britain was a green, dark, isolated,
sleepy island where civilization and empire had yet to
bloom.
Table of Contents
Anglo-Saxon Era: Timeline
Anglo-Saxon society
Pagan vs. Christianity
Anglo-Saxon Literature
Beowulf
Resources
The Anglo-Saxon Era: Timeline
43CE Romans invade
Britain.
Encountered the Celts.
Romans build roads,
villas, huge buildings,
and forts.
Introduced Christianity.
420CE Romans leave.
Timeline Continued
450CE Jutes from Denmark, and the Angles
and Saxons from Northern Germany invade
England.
Germanic tribes.
Anglo-Saxons push out Celts
597CE Anglo-Saxons become Christian
Timeline Continued
787CE Viking raids begin
871-899CE King Alfred the Great becomes King of
England.
Established education systems, rebuilt monasteries.
Fought Danes and forced them from Wessex.
Unified Anglo-Saxons under one king to resist the Viking
invasions.
Danes ruled in the North, Anglo-Saxons in the South.
1066CE Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror.
From Norman French.
Defeated Danes and Anglo-Saxons.
Officially ended Anglo-Saxon era and brought about the
beginning of the Medieval Period.
Anglo-Saxon Society
Anglo-Saxon society.
Lived in tribal groups with a high class of warriors.
Kings emerged as society developed.
Spoke Old English. This was the language that Beowulf
was written in.
Became Christian but still valued heroic ideals and
traditional heroes.
Their culture valued human contact, family, virtue, and
a good story. They feared humiliation and loneliness in
their lives. In addition, the Anglo-Saxons desired
richness, power, and appreciated heroic actions of
warriors.
Pagan vs. Christianity in Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxons mixed both pagan and
Christian traditions. Beowulf contains traces of
Pagan both beliefs.
Christianity
God is mentioned by two of
Strong nature the main characters in the
presence poem: Beowulf and
Hrothgar.