English Literature Anglo-Saxon Review Essay Example

English Literature Anglo English Literature Anglo-Saxon Review Paper English Literature Anglo-Saxon Review Paper Essay Topic: Poetry The Exeter Book Included Anglo-Saxon poetry The Seafarer and The Wanderer and The Wifes Lament, survived because it was in Exeter Cathedral one of the benefits of Christianity is that with it the people got churches, libraries, and schools, bound together during King Alfreds reign Scops Shop; storyteller like a minstrel, indication of the oral history of Anglo-Saxon poetry Beowulf First English poem, epic poem-long, has a hero, quest, extraordinary powers, divine intervention, valorous deeds/ culturally Beowulf is important because he is a strong warrior, who is selfless, is an important part of Anglo-Saxon culture; Christianity and paganism; Christianity wins out. Beowulf is a Christian. Warning when Hrothgars people turn to the old gods and make sacrifices. Artistically, all the literary devices- kennings, caesura, apposition; hard to translate. Basic human questions answered or addressed in it. Hero has a flaw. Apposition Extra information about a subject; not essential, gives a bigger picture of the subject; makes Beowulf hard to translate. Kennings Another thing that makes Beowulf hard to translate; 2-3 word poetic construction that provides extra information and gives an image of the subject Cassivelanus Celtic chieftain, really progressive, peaceful, first chieftain to submit to paying tribute to Rome Boudica Queen of a Celtic tribe who rebelled against the Romans and led an attack on them as they would not accept her as queen. They whipped her and raped her daughters and then she kills herself instead of being captured. Julius Caesar Invaded Britain in 54 BC, went for two reasons-knowledge and revenge Tolkien First person to treat and study Beowulf as a from of art, changed forever the way we study literature- was highly influenced by Anglo-Saxon writings in Lord of the Rings- carries on the theme of Ubi Sunt Ubi Sunt A theme in Anglo-Saxon poetry meaning where are those who have gone before? Carpe Diem Seize the day, a theme in poetry Memento mori Remember you will die, another theme in AS poetry Timor mortis conturbat me The fear of death disturbs me, another theme in AS poetry Caesura A break in a line of poetry; made it hard to translate Beowulf Anglo-Saxon Language German, Bede called it the vulgar language, Latin, Celtic, it is Old English The Wifes Lament The wife is killed by her husband and then she wishes he would suffer, she is a victim to the code of love- country, friends, spouse The Seafarer Ubi Sunt- a lament of those who have gone away as the speaker has lost everything but in the end the speaker turns to God for solace, a loving God The Wanderer A lot like the seafarer, but it ends with a punishing God Folk Epic A poem passed down orally before it is written down Literary Epic An epic originally written down Pagans Believe in earthly wealth. The religion of the celts and the AS, believed in fate instead of free will Christians Believed in free will