Summary: English Literature

Read the summary and the most important questions on English Literature

• 1 Old English Period

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• What did the celtic culture look like?

  There were lots of different tribes ruled by kings or chiefs. Chiefs often fought one another. A chief would lead his warriors into battle in chariots pulled by horses. For defence against enemies, they built forts on hilltops. These hill-forts had earth banks and wooden walls.

• When did the Romans leave and who took Britian over?

  in 410, the Angles, Saxons, Goths and Jues drove the Celts back to remote corners of the British Isels.

• What was the language of the Anglo-Saxon period?

  It wa still a purely Germanic language before the various invasions of the Scandinavian tribes. Due to these tribes and Vikings who came into the country around the 8th ventury, the Old English language absorbed many Scandinavian elements.

• In what way was the Old English language used?

  It was still not common to use the Old English language in everyday writing, since Latin was still the language to be used by those people who could read or write like monks. Yet, old English was still spoken by the ordinary poluation and used fro the oral recitation of poetry.

• When did more english writings occured and why?

  Since King Alfred the Great (871-99). because he orderd so many Latin works to be translated into English.

• What is the history of Beowulf the poem?

  
  •a long narrativeabout a hero
  •set in Denmark/Sweden (Danish land)
  •traditionally pagan oral story,
  •later recorded by a Christian monk
  •some Christian elements 
  * Germanic values (strength, courage, and loyalty in worriors, loyalty to the king, death in battle, hospitality, generosity, and political skill in kings; ceremoniousness in women; death in battle, hospitality, generosity, and god reputation in all people) play an important part in the poem. 

• What was the language use in Beowulf?

  -Extensive use of alliteration (probably made easier t oremember)
  -‘kennings’ is a distinctive feature in this famous piece of writing.  Thousands of them in Beowulf make up a third of the entire tekst. 

• Examples of kennings in beowulf?

  Ship: “the bent-necked wood”, “the ringed prow”
  Sun: “sky-candle”
  Blood: “slaughter dew”

• What is the heroic code?

  
  •Revenge
  •Honour
  • Mutual responsibility
  •Loyalty
  •Kinship
  •Boasting

• What are the characteristics of heroic poetry? 7

  
  • the lord and hisloyal band of warriors (comitatus)
  • the loyalty of kinship and kingship
  • the feasting and glory of the beer hall
  • the dedication and courage to a lord in battle
  • the boasting of bravery in battle and living up to thatboast in a public display of valour (bravery)
  •fighting to the death and urgingothercomrades to do the same
  • the giving and receiving of treasures as a reward  the desire to achieveimmortalglory and praise