english III h exam

Question 1

before the anglo saxon period

Answer 1

-Before Anglo Saxon age there were people called the Celts (also called the Brythons which is where the word Britain came from) living in England

-Rome took over and then left England abandoned

-the Angles, Saxons (both Germanic) and the Jutes (Dutch) invaded the abandoned island of England

-cultures mixed due to invasions and created the English language

Question 2

government of anglo saxon

Answer 2

the witan (council of elders) chose the king

it was under the feudalism system

Question 3

Values of anglo saxon

Answer 3

-first loyalty is to the king, community,

• mead hall/ community hall is center of life
• want to live a noble life and live on through stories because there was no afterlife

Question 4

attitudes of anglo saxon

Answer 4

fatalistic: believe fate is in control→ whatever happens happens

Pessimistic: expect life to be hard and for bad things to happen

Question 5

religion of anglo saxon

Answer 5

worshipped many ancient gods (polytheistic)

St. Augustine was sent to convert England and converted King Ethelbert, founded Canterbury Cathedral and was named the first archbishop of Canterbury

Question 6

stories of anglo saxons

Answer 6

-stories were passed down by word of mouth because barely anyone could read

-stories and poems were about brave warriors and glorious deeds, struggle for survival, harsh environment (cold, wet, rocky terrain, dangerous seas), respect and fear for the sea, and an adventure that involves imagination, and heroism, and reflects traditional values

Question 7

poem anglo saxon

Answer 7

began orally, performed by scops or bards, more like music at the time, lines divided in halves, middle pause: caesura, alliteration, kennings

Question 8

epic anglo saxon

Answer 8

long narrative poem about a hero who saves his people

Question 9

beowulf historical background

Answer 9

-written in old english

-beowulf is the oldes recorded epic story in the english language

-no one knows the original story teller of beowulf but we do know it was translated and altered a little by a christian monk

-comes from about 700-750

• in the cotton vitellius

Danes→ from denmark, also called scyldings
Geats→ from sweden, also called wederfolk
Characters

Question 10

beowulf characters

Answer 10

-king wrothgar→ current king of the danes; his great mead hall symbolizes the kingdoms success, civilization and joy
-wulfgar→ kings loyal thane
-heorot→the mead hall
-hygelac→ king of the geats and uncle to beowulf
-hrunting→ beowulfs sword
-Beowulf→ a mighty warrior and noble individual, the poems hero, strength of 30 in his hand grip, comes to the aid of hrothgars danes
-wyglaf→ one of beowulfs kinsman
-Grendel→ descendant of cain, the enormous ogre despises mankinds joy
-Grendels mother→ not as strong as grendel but still a formidable foe
-Dragon→ a literal dragon protecting treasure

Question 11

main plot beowulf

Answer 11

-Grendel starts killing everyone who sleeps in the mead hall (for 12 years), so the danes flee and beowulf comes to help. Beowulfs uncle, Hygelac and king of the geats, knows hrothgar. Beowulf hides in the meadhall, lets grendel kill one guy and then attacks him without any weapons. He rips off grendels arm and kills him. The next day, grendels mother comes to avenge her son, so she takes his arm back and kills one of hrothgars elders. Beowulf then follows her back to her layer but his sword doesnt work so he grabs a giant sword off of the wall and beheads her. He then finds grendels corpse and beheads him too. He then has a celebration. Beowulf becomes king of the geats. Someone has stolen treasure from a dragon and disturbed him. Beowulf knows it will probably be his last fight but he proceeds with great weapons and great warriors. Beowulf begins to fight the dragon alone and the rest of his army runs away like cowards except for wiglaf. Beowulf dies from this fight and wiglaf goes to get some treasure for him. Beowulf has an extravagent ceremony and has a statue built in his name.

Question 12

themes of beowulf

Answer 12

There is a theme of the heroic code and traditional values. Beowulf is strong, courageous, confident and loyal like all warriors should be.
There is also a theme of hospitality that hrothgar gives to beowulf.
There is also a theme of loyalty, beowulf does everything he can to help wrothgar but the army who was supposed to help him is cowardly and unloyal. There is one who is exceptionally loyal, wiglaf, who stays to help beowulf.
Good versus evil is also a recurring theme.

Question 13

epic hero characteristics

Answer 13

Of noble birth, special extravagent qualities, overly confident, courageous, hero of the story

Question 14

author

Answer 14

unknown, translated by christian monks