The document provides background information on the Anglo-Saxons who invaded Britain around 450 CE and conquered much of the territory by 800 CE. It describes their warrior culture, which centered around kinship, lordship, and concepts like weregild, lof, and wyrd. It also discusses the oral tradition of epic poems like Beowulf, noting they were sung by bards and provided insights into the culture. The language of Beowulf, Old English, is examined as well, noting it uses unfamiliar letters but sounds similar to modern English once the letter sounds are known.

1. Anglo­Saxon England
The Origins of Beowulf

2. So Who Were the Anglo­Saxons?
• Germanic tribes from central Europe
– The Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes
– Moved east and eventually into England around
450 C.E.
– Conquered by 800 C.E. through fighting process
• Successful groups absorbed the losers

7. Warrior Culture
• Kinship
– The individual ceases to exist, responsible for all behavior of
family members
• Lordship
– The king is tied to everyone
• Pursues interest of all members
• Selfless­ Kinship
– Military relationship
• King is tied to the nobles who provide the soldiers who fight for the
king

8. Elements of the Warrior Culture
• Wergild = the man price
– When you offend a family you must offer compensation
• Provides peace without causing a feud
– If you murder a man outside of war, usually there was an
execution
– Repairs evil done by death

9. Warrior Culture Continued
• Lof = esteem, reputation
– Warrior wants story told over and over so legacy and fame
will live on
• Immortality in the eyes of men!
• Wyrd = fate
– Destiny of the warrior

10. The Epic Poem
• The Oral Tradition
– Stories passed down by telling them
– Usually told by a bard(scop) who sings
• Long narrative with heroic theme
– Story of the hero’s journey
– In the 3rd person
– Contains information about the culture that created them
– Contains clues as to what people feared
– Examples: The Odyssey, The Iliad
• Beowulf dates back to some time between 700­ 1000 CE

11. The Language of Beowulf

12. Old English
• This is the language of Beowulf, also known as
Anglo­Saxon
• Many people confuse Shakespearean language as Old
English
– It is actually Modern English
• Shift to Modern English did not occur right away
– Took hundreds of years

13. Old English Continued
• Uses unfamiliar letters that come from runic alphabet
of Germanic peoples
• Despite the fact that it looks so different, once you
know what the sounds the letters make it sounds very
similar to English
• For example:
– “Pæt wæs god cyning!”
• The P makes a th sound