Anglo-Saxon Literature and Society: Origins, Invasions, and Cultural Developments - Prof. , Apuntes de Idioma Inglés

¡Descarga Anglo-Saxon Literature and Society: Origins, Invasions, and Cultural Developments - Prof. y más Apuntes en PDF de Idioma Inglés solo en Docsity! UNIT 1: ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE General context: 55 BC – Roman Conquert – 410 AD. 367 AD – Anglo-saxon invasions – 603. 7th C – Anglo-saxon England - 1066. 9th C - Vikings (Scandinavia) – 1066. Christianised + relavively Romanised Celtic and Celtic – speaking Britain (5th - 6th Cs). • 7 kingdoms ('Heptarchy') established: • Unstable frontiers – king holding supremacy over other things (territories overlordship/ e.g. Offa of Mercia 757- 796) Origin of England: • Idea of the English (Offa named king the English...). • Common currency. • International commercial relations. • Territorial administration in districts or hundreds around a manor house that collect taxes and administered justice. Origin of the English language. Origin of the Arthurian legend: • Old English: a synthetic language (verbs string and weak conjugations; nouns: 3 genders (neuter – it was desinences, added to lexemes), 4 cases, etc.). Morphological complexity. • Anglo-saxon soon Christianised in Britain. • Augustine of Canterbury (sent by Pope Gregory the Great in late 6th C): King Altherbert of Kent converted in 597. Roman. Catholicism rapid expansion: • 664: Synod of Whitby (Northumbia) completed the process c. 750: English parochial system established around monasteries. • Late 7th and 8th Cs: English missionaries Christianised Frisions, Germans and Franks. • Christian/ Religious and Pagan/ Magic values and practises. Co-existed. • “Frank Casket: Welend, legendary Germanic Smith/ Adoration of the Magi”. • Vikings: Danes adn Norwegian. • Plundering of monasteries: Ling disfarne (793), Jarrow (794). • Systematic attacks from 835 anwards: Norwegian (Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall). • Affred of Wessex (871 – 899). Stopped the advance? Of the Denish great army at Edington Wilshire in 878 – England divided in two parts: English territorist Danllaw. • Mid - 10th century: Wessex reconquered the Darelaw – territories united under one ruler • Danish army defeated? The Engliish fled by the cane?of Essex. Adn the Battle of Maldon (991): the English, ruled by Althedict???, were forced to pay taxes to the Danes. • Cnut, a Dane, became King of England in 1016 and of Denmark in 1019 till his death in 1035. Anglo-saxon society: • Binding duty to and protection of kin, tribe, collectivity, etc. • Revenge: • Duty to avenge a relative's death (restone bonour) vs. Neglect – shame. • Wergild: alternative to revenge: murderer's stipulated. Payment to the victim's kin- • Comitatus: • Lord (King and his military) aristocracy of closest followers (retainers, warriors) together in the “hall” (comfort zone) (e.g. “the Wanderer” “Citas Inglés Antiguo” p.1) • Vassal's fidelity to lord (die for him in battle) (A. Saxon Chronicle Ab 755: “Citas Inglés Antiguo” p.2) • Lord's protection and gifts (jewellery). • Ethics of honour and fame (beyond death). Culture life: • Monasteries: centres of learning and MS productions. • Religious texts to fix Christian doctrine. • Historical like Bede's Historia (731). • Literary like Beowulf: 2nd period of monastic deveopment (9th C). (1st period mid-7th-late 8th.) • King Alfred the Great's court (8th – 899). Frankish emperor Charlemagne. • (800 – 814), cultural development necessary for reing's strength and unity: • Promoted literary and learning. • Founded schools (Alfred was a scholar himself). • Translation into OE (linguistic prestige): Bede's Historia or Boethius De Consolatione philosophae. Orality: • Many songs, ballads... never reached us (no Mss). Mss likely written by monks (literate). • Rich oral tradition of Germanic peoples. • Repository of folklore (pagan...)