mid term exam Flashcards
Alliteration
A device in poetry that repeats initial consonants in a series of words or phrases within a line or stanza. Many Old English poems contain alliteration because most people were illiterate at the time which caused poems to be written to be recited and performed aloud rather than read. This allowed stories to be memorable and passed down through generations in this time period despite most people being unable to read.
Kenning
A device in poetry that communicates an indirect metaphor by using a figurative compound expression. Kennings consist of two nouns, often hyphenated, which function as a metaphor for the original noun which enriches the meaning of the text. Kennings help present a whimsical and poetic mood in Old English while also exaggerating ordinary things or characters, things, or places within a piece. They made Old English writing very descriptive and interesting. An example would be line 702 in Beowulf which says “Shadow-stalker” instead of saying monster or one who attacks at night. Or “whaleroad” This kenning made the text feel more poetic.
Manuscripts
handwritten books written on parchment papers by scribes and illuminated by illuminators, usually written by monks in monasteries. Monks took careful care and provided the manuscripts with near perfect lineation and handwriting. Most surviving literature from Old English comes from the four major manuscripts named the Junius manuscript, Vercelli manuscript, Exeter book, and the Beowulf manuscript. These manuscripts are crucial to Old English and our understanding of it because they provide most of the insight that connects us to our ancestors and their culture. The manuscripts are carefully created artifacts that provide us a window into what life was like and continue to enrich our understanding of history. Each manuscript disproves the misunderstanding that our ancestors were savages, but instead shows us just how imaginative, poetic, creative, emotional, intelligent, self-aware, and playful they were. An example is how Beowulf shows us the importance of honor, ancestry, glory, loyalty, being brave, and the concept of fate/wryd at the time period through literature and a story of heroism.
Junius Manuscript
It was copied in the year 1000 and is currently held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. It contains biblical paraphrases of books in the bible such as Exodus, Genesis, and Daniel, and a poem about “Christ and Satan”. It adds to our understanding of the importance of Christianity during the time period. Its illustrations and lineation reflect the patience of the scribe and it is illuminated with various religious drawings that reflect both the manuscript culture and religious culture of the time period. This manuscript helps add to our understanding of Anglo-Saxon Christian tradition, while also helping us see our ancestors as intelligent, imaginative, capable, and creative people/.
Exeter book
It is the largest, best preserved, and most important manuscript within Old English, though it was used for a cutting board at one point. It was copied near the year 970 by a single scribe and given to the Exeter Cathedral in 1072 by its Bishop Sir Leofric who died then. It is the most important manuscript considering it contains, among other works, 95 riddles, 40 poems, two poems about Saint Guthalic, eleagies: “the wife’s lament”, “the husband’s message”, the wanderer”, the seafarer”, “the ruin” and other poems. It contains the most literature that emphasizes the culture of the time and without it our knowledge of Anglo-Saxon literature would be much narrower. It is a cultural artifact that matters to all of us and connects us to our ancestors through their history and what they left behind that laid the foundation of English for us. It shows us just how intelligent, aware, imaginative, creative, and poetic our ancestors were and disproves the misunderstanding that they were unsophisticated.
Vercelli book
It was copied down in the late 10th century and found in the library of the Cathedral in Vercelli, Italy in 1822. Scholars believe it may have been left behind by an English Pilgrim on his way to rome in the 11th century. Contains “The Dream of the Rood”, 23 religious homilies, and a Saints life. “The Dream of the Rood” was carved onto the Ruthwell Cross in the early 8th century in Scotland so we know the poem was around long before it was copied down. It provides us with important information about the development of the English language, and shows us the different and more pagan view of Christianity at the time period.It is one of the key pieces that helps us connect and understand our ancestors in English. It helps us understand that our ancestors were creative, emotional, intelligent, self aware individuals rather than just savages of the “dark ages”.
Beowulf Manuscript:
Oldest of the great long poems written in English and copied down in the first half of the 8th century. Also contains “Judith” and 3 prose works. The manuscript was damaged in a fire before any modern translation could be made in 1731 when a building in London burned down. The manuscript was in Sir Robert Bruce Cottons collection and although someone was able to throw it out of a window, some parts remain damaged. The single surviving copy of the poem and our “epic” in English is regarded as a special treasure and held by the British Library. It is believed that Beowulf is the work of a single poet who was a christian and reflected those traditions through his literature. Beowulf provides us with insight into the evolution of English as a language and connects us to our ancestors. It helps us understand Anglo-Saxon traditions such as honor, loyalty, bravery, glory, ancestry, selflessness, the desire to be great, boastfulness, and the concept of wryd/fate. This helps to disprove the misunderstanding that people of the time period were savage or unsophisticated, but instead show just how imaginative and intelligent they were.
The Ruthwell Cross
It is a stone cross created in the early 700’s in Scotland and it is a cultural artifact within Old English. Fragments from the poem from the Vercelli book, “The Dream of the Rood” were carved into it in the early 8th century. It includes, among other images, images of the crucifixion, Jesus healing the man born blind, Mary Magdalene anointing Jesus feet, the flight or return of Mary, Joseph and Jesus from egypt, Christ glorified, the apocalypse vision, and an eagle symbolizing Christs resurrection and ascension. The cross was destroyed in 1642 and used as church seating and buried in the graveyard, but fragments were found and reconstructed and put back together in 1887. The Ruthwell Cross is important because it provides us with a physical sculptural artifact that connects us to our ancestors and traditions from the anglo-saxon time period. It aligns with the literature to show us the Christian traditions and creativity of the Anglo-Saxons.
Sutton Hoo
It was the most significant Anglo-Saxon Archeological discovery in England. The royal ship burial was found by archaeologists in 1939 in Suffolk, England. It unveiled a burial chamber of immense extraordinary royal riches that signify the importance of someone. Though it is impossible to say, the theory is that it was the 7th century burial of a King named Raedwald from the Wufflings clan in East Anglia. Sutton Hoo is significant because it provides evidence that the Anglo-Saxons were a highly skilled, well traveled, and cultured society. We can see proof within this because of the items inside the ship. Coins from the Byzantine empire proved they were engaged with other cultures, and the golden belt buckle proved just how skilled their craftsmanship was. Items such as a decorated wooden shield, textiles, a purse lid, and drinking vessels showed their love for elaborate creations. Of course, the Sutton Hoo helmet and it’s imagery along with a golden sword proved the breathtaking artistry they were capable of making as well as the honor they bestowed on their King during this humongous exquisite burial. Sutton Hoo provided physical evidence of the intelligence, skill, and remarkable artistic achievement that the people in what was considered the dark ages, were capable of. Sutton Hoo proved the the spectacular imagery and powerful kings within Beowulf to no longer be legends, but real experiences of our ancestors within English.
Chronological Order:
Anglo-Saxon: 5th-11th Century (500-1066)
Anglo-Norman: 12-13th Century (1066-1185)
Middle English: 14th-16th Century (1200-1485)
Anglo-saxon:
Time of germanic invasions which led to Old English displaying kinship with germanic languages. Old English of the time period has a lot in common with Germanic literature of the time, sharing both heroic and Christian stories.
Anglo-norman:
A time when William the conqueror of France overtook England. English became a second class language and the aristocracy used French, while the church used Latin. It brought a lot of political, social, and literary changes. English declined and there wasn’t another King who spoke English as their first language until 1399 Henry IV. This caused a lot of French words to be loaned to the english language.
Middle English:
Longest of 3 primary sections. English becomes a literary medium and can compete with Latin and French. English had finally been able to displace French as a language for conducting business in parliament. English was becoming a prestigious language and area of literature. Movable type was invented and institutions of book production began to come into play
Old English Poetry
distinct elegiac poetry; poetry that has a sense of mourning, sense of the past and greatness of the past as opposed to sorrow, very much involved with nostalgia and looking backwards.
Example of elegiac tone in old english:
Men are celebrating in the hall before Beowulf’s fight for the possible triumph, but still expecting and reflecting on the probable doom and failure by fate.
Literature in Order
Sutton Hoo Burials
750ish: Beowulf composed
Ruthwell Cross
975: Exeter Book
1000: Vercelli Book
1000: Junius Manuscript
1136/1138: Historia Regum Britanniae
1155: Roman de Brut
1190: Brut
What is the mood of the ruin and what does it tell us about Old English culture
The Ruin has a mourning, nostalgic, reflective, comparing, and emotional mood. It has a tone of elegy, and the elegiac tone has to do with the sense of the past. It seems to look back at what once was and how it shaped us today. It looks at how things aren’t how they used to be, but also how to hold on to those ancient ideas and to live up to the heros or ancestors that shaped us, while also remembering that they are gone. It holds on to the greatness of the past, while also giving meaning to the present by seeing how we can continue this greatness and pondering what we will leave behind. The mood is very reflective and contemplates the past and present, with themes of fate/wryd coming into play. It also displays the same greatness vs fate them by telling of the greatness of the past but also the ruin of the present. Shows us greatness may not be made to last and fate is inevitable. opening life reads “Splendid this rampart is, though fate destroyed it, the city building fell apart, the work of giants crumble” explicitly displays the reflection of the past and what is left behind today and provides us with a nostalgic tone when discussing wyrd/fate. We can see the reflectiveness in them and their vulnerability toward their ancestors, which is the same that we have towards them today. It shows us just how self aware they also are.
Big overall theme in all:
Our connection to our ancestors. Within the anglo-saxon culture we can see that ancestors are a part of their identity. They determined how you were referred to, what your expectations were, what you pursued glory for, and played a role in everyday life. Your capacity for heroism was determined through your connections. Even in Beowulf, Grendel, though an outcast to the group, is referred to as a descendant of Cain and in line 106 it says he is apart of “Cain’s Clan”. We can see the value for this, as Beowulf is repeatedly referred to as “Son of Ecgtheow” like in line 1651. He is willing to lay his life down to honor his connection, loyalty, and legacy to both his ancestors and clan. Poems such as “The Ruin” show us the elegiac tone in Old English that shows us that our ancestors were nostalgic and emotional like us. It shows us they struggled between greatness and fate as well.
Heroism in Beowulf
-Beowulf exemplifies heroism and seems to live by the heroic code. In the anglo-saxon world, heroes were brave, strived for glory, honored their ancestry, were prideful, boasted, valued kinship, were loyal, and fought to the death. Beowulf did just this. In the Anglo-Saxon world, a brave person is not someone who never feels fear, but instead is someone who feels it and faces it head on anyways. We see his bravery and striving for glory in 2419 “He was sad at heart, unsettled yet ready, sensing his death” before he goes into battle, he senses fate yet he chooses to take the battle head on and face it anyway. We see his pride and boastful nature in his debate after Unferth questions his capability in line 527 when he says “no one has ever outlasted an entire night against Grendel.”. Beowulf shows this side when he responds when he speaks of his great battles and then says in line 582 “Now I cannot recall any fight you entered, Unferth, that bears comparison.” Or when he says in line 418 “Because they all knew of my awesome strength.” An example of Beowulf honoring his ancestors and showing his loyalty to their connections is when he shows up to grant his help to King Hrothgar and the Danes. We know this because Hhrothgar states he knew his father in line 373 and Beowulf admits in line 411 “The news of Grendel, hard to ignore, reached me at home”, as if his connection through his ancestry and fate gave him a reason to arrive in Heorot. He shows his loyalty when he says “As God is my witness,I would rather my body were robed in the same burning blaze as my gold-giver’s body than go back home bearing arms.” in line 2650. Through these traits we can see Beowulf is the perfect hero, but also Wiglaf exemplifies the heroic code through his loyalty and kinship to Beowulf. When the others run away, Wiglaf stands up to fight because the heroic code says you must fight to the death for your lord, and avenge his death if he is slain. In this time period, shame was brought to those who failed to do so, just as Wiglaf publicly shamed all the men who failed to come to Beowulf’s aid though he had spoiled all of them generously, doing more and being kinder to his people than what he was expected to do as a king.
Heorism in Dream of the Rood
-”The dream of the rood” was written during the Anglo-Saxon time period which makes sense for it to have themes that appeal to pagan warrior society. It is clear that our ancestors had more of a pagan way of looking at Christ, seeing him as a mighty warrior while we view him more as the prince of peace. In this poem, Christ is depicted as a strong hero and warrior who confronts sin head on, just as we see Beowulf confront his oppositions that way as well. An example of this is in line 40 when it says “…he climbed up on the high gallows, brave in the sight of many, as he set out to redeem mankind.” and again it refers to him and says “I saw the God of Hosts direly stretched out” in line 51. Which of course we know refers to the Lord of Armies, enhancing and emphasizing the warrior tone of the piece. In this we see Jesus as a brave, loyal, fearless, warrior and hero for the people. When it speaks of his resurrection it states in line 101 “Yet he tasted death; yet the redeemer arose with his great might to help mankind.” Rather, in today’s view we seem as dying for our sins as a savior and royal prince of peace with eternal life. The more pagan view of Christianity allows the crucifiction to be seen as a battle between good or bad. Aside from this, it also is told from the view of a cross. It personifies the cross and has it quite literally bleeding as we see in line 58. This is another element of anglo-saxon poetry in heroic stories, very creative and imaginative characters.
Themes within the ruin:
Greatness vs fate
The contrast between past and present
Ancestory and connection by engaging with past
“Beowulf”
themes
-Poem has an elegiac tone, starting and ending with a funeral and having traces of death,mourning and fear.
Connection and ancestory, Greatness and Glory vs Fate (wryd) , Loss and Fate theme, The heroic code is the overarching theme of Beowulf
Themes of Riddles:
Making ordinary things interesting and turning them into enigmas (aenigmata) which are subtle challenges to defamilarize
Put meaning into the everyday world.
Riddles-
The riddles show the playfulness of the Anglo-Saxon people. They prove that the theory that the people of that time being only savage is untrue. The riddles show just how intellectual and playful they were. They have to be somewhat violent as a survival skill, but that clearly was not all they were.
Saga hwaet ic hatte:
say what I am called (at beginning of riddles)
