Anglo Saxon Period and Beowulf Flashcards
What is the earliest recorded period before the Anglo-Saxons?
The Stone Age
What was built during the stone age?
Stonehenge
When was Stonehenge completed?
2,500-3,000 years ago
Who invaded Britain in 600 B.C.
The Celts
What type of name is London
Celtic
What were the characteristics of the Celts?
They dyed themselves blue with weed, had tattoos, and worshipped nature
Who might have been a leader of the Celtic people?
King Arthur
Who invaded at about 54-55 B.C.?
Julius Caesar and the Romans
How did the Romans advance civilization?
Created a system of roads and highways, a type of central heating, and sunken baths
What is the type of name that many British towns have like Lancaster and Winchester?
Roman
When did the Anglo-Saxon Period Start?
449
What were the three groups that invaded England?
Angles, Saxons, and Juts
Where were the Anglo-Saxons from?
Germany and Denmark
What were the characteristics of the Anglo-Saxons?
tall, blonde, blue-eyed, physically strong, athletic, and loved art and poetry
What were the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes’ morals?
They valued bravery, honored the truth, respected women, and valued fair play
What was the Anglo-Saxons’ contribution to the world today?
They held meetings that paved the way for our system of government
What was life like for the Anglo-Saxons?
Brutal, violent, short, and constantly threatened by the Vikings
How did the Anglo-Saxons live?
They were warriors who farmed when they weren’t fighting and feasted in mead halls
Who did the Anglo-Saxons serve and protect in return for hospitality in the mead hall?
Chieftains
what is mead?
liquor with honey
what is a mead hall?
A noisy, smelly, and crowded room people would go to get drunk off of mead
What religious beliefs did Anglo Saxons have at first?
They worshipped Pagan gods and thought life was in the hands of fate
When did Christianity start to spread in England?
597
How was Christianity spread in England?
The pope sent St. Augustine, who converted a chieftain and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, to spread it
What were the benefits of early Christianity in England?
It made people more civilized, peaceful, and unified. It also promoted education and was the beginning of written literature in Latin
What were the Anglo-Saxons’ contributions?
They named the days of the week, formed the basic fundamentals of government, and created the beginning of our language
What type of name is England and English
Anglo Saxon. They come from Angleland and Anglish
How was most of Anglo-Saxon literature developed?
Orally
When were Anglo-Saxon stories written down?
After Christian missionaries came to England
What were the storytellers/poets that memorized stories to entertain people in meade halls called?
Scops
What was the singer that accompanied the scop called?
Gleeman
What were the stories the Scops and Gleemen chanted about?
battles, kings, and chiefs where the hero and his warriors would be known throughout the land
What poetic devices did the Anglo-Saxons use?
Kennings, Alliterations, and Caesura
What is a Kenning?
an imaginative phrase that takes the place of a noun (a two-word metaphor)
What is alliteration
repeating the beginning consonant sound
What is a Caesura?
A pause in the middle of the line
What type of beliefs were in the Anglo-Saxon stories?
a mixture of early pagan beliefs and newly taught Christian beliefs
What is the most famous piece of literature from the Anglo-Saxon period?
Beowulf
When and how did the Anglo-Saxon rule end?
1066 in the Battle of Hastings
Who invaded and took control of England in 1066?
William the Conqueror from France
What did William the Conqueror build?
The Tower of London and Windsor Castle
What is an epic?
A long narrative poem about a human hero
How many epics does England have?
- The most out of any country
What is considered the national epic of England?
Beowulf
Where is the one surviving copy of Beowulf?
The British Museum in London
What is the theme of Beowulf?
good versus evil
Who represents the good in Beowulf?
Beowulf
Who represents the evil in Beowulf?
the three monsters
What are the three monsters in Beowulf?
Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon
When was Beowulf composed?
around 750
Who is the author of Beowulf?
unknown
Where is Beowulf set?
Scandinavia in the 6th century
Who is Hrothgar?
The King of Danes
What is Herot?
A mead hall
Where does Grendel live?
In the darkness of the marshes
Who is Grendel said to be the descendant of?
Cain
What did Grendal do in the mead hall?
He killed and took 30 men
How long was the mansion empty?
12 years
What did the Danes do to try to get rid of Grendel?
They gave offerings
What was the only thing Grendel doesn’t touch and why?
Hrothgar’s throne because it was protected by God
How is Beowulf first described?
The greatest and strongest of everyone
Where are Beowulf and the Geats from?
Sweden
How many Geats traveled with Beowulf to fight Grendel?
14
What great heroic deeds has Beowulf accomplished?
He killed sea monsters and put 5 giants in chains
What does Beowulf request of King Horthgar?
To let him and his men fight alone
What does Beowulf say shall fight for him and why?
His hands to make it a fair fight because Grendel doesn’t use weapons
What is the term “sea-road” an example of?
Kenning
What is “who sleep deep in the sea were stirred” an example of?
Alliteration
what is an example of a pagan reference in Beowulf?
They said fate will unwind as it must
What is an example of a Christian reference in Beowulf?
They gave thanks to God for an easy crossing
How many men did Grendel kill before he got to Beowulf?
1
What was Grendel’s first thought when he grabbed Beowulf?
He wanted to flee because he was scared
What was meant to be the only thing that could destroy Herot?
fire
Where did Gredel die?
Where he lived in the marshes
Where did Beowulf put Grendel’s arm?
In the rafters
What did Grendel’s mother do?
Killed Hrothgar’s closest friend
Where does Grendel’s mother live?
At the bottom of a deep lake
What happened between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf?
Beowulf tries to hit Grendel’s mother with his sword but it doesn’t work on her so he fights with his bare hands. Grendel’s mother retaliates and ends up sitting on Beowulf but she couldn’t kill him because his armor protected him. Then Beowulf finds an old magic sword and kills Grendel’s mother by splitting her in half.
