Saxons

Old English literature, also referred to as Anglo-Saxon literature, can be described as gloomy or grim. These writings reflected the emotions and conflicts the people were experiencing during this time. Two examples of Anglo-Saxon literature that are very alike are “The Wanderer” and “The Wife’s Lament”. “The Wanderer” and “The Wife’s Lament” are similar in their elegiac tone, theme, and form of writing. Many Anglo-Saxon poems contain a certain mournful tone that longs for the past. This tone,…

One of which was the sword of Beowulf. "...that Hrunting could not her, was useless now when he needed it."(480-481). Hrunting was actually the name of Beowulf's sword. In the Anglo Saxon culture, wars and battles were always occurring and actually looked upon as an event of honor and bravery. In battle, a warrior yields a sword. That possession of theirs was so significant and meaningful in value, that they often gave their swords…

questions for the culture they were written for, “who were they and what did they believe? Epic poems help us understand ancient cultures and help us discover what their values were. One such epic poem that greatly reflects its culture is the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf. In the epic, Beowulf, a great hero, fights three monsters. In his younger years, he first travels to the land of the Danes to help purge King Hrothgar’s hall of the evil demon-monster, Grendel. It is soon discovered that Beowulf…

complexity, diversity, and change. Ken Saxon, a graduate student from Princeton, presents his ideas about students taking this approach to college in his writing titled, “What do you do with a B.A. in history?” It discusses how students with knowledge of the wider world are more prepared for life after college. A liberal education helps students develop intellectual and practical skills that they can use in any job field they may enter into after college. I agree with Saxon completely that…

about other countries, spirituality assists the composure of a culture, shaping it to be unique. In the Angelo-Saxon era spirituality was defined as a religion and fate. Angelo-Saxon focused mostly in pre-Christian paganism, which granted them the option to be polytheistic or the idea of worshiping multiple Gods. In Beowulf the poem, their system of religion and fate consist of the Angelo-Saxon tradition, considering the poem was written as a spiritual tradition. The main role of Beowulf in the…

and before the Vikings started to raid the east coast. However it is extremely hard to exactly predict when King Arthur was alive if he ever was. This is so because the lack of evidence there is. The lack of written sources from the migration of the Saxons, after the departure of the legions and before the conversion of the Pagans to Christianity can be the only time Arthur ever existed. An article by Tony Jebson deals with the lack of sources for this time period.There are only a small number…

Identity Through Loyalty Beowulf exemplifies how loyalty was a defining characteristic of one’s identity inside Anglo-Saxon society. When Beowulf first lands in areas controlled by the Danes, he is identified based on loyalty to his king. When questioned by the guard at the shores about who he and his men are, Beowulf replies, “We belong by birth to the Geat people / and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac” (Beowulf 260-261). Aside from what clan he comes from, the other important part in his…

“So Beowulf chose the mightiest men he could find, The bravest and best of the Geats, fourteen in all, and led them down to their boat (204-207).” this quote shows Beowulf’s drive to rid Herot of Grendel he becomes driven by the sense of the Anglo-Saxon cultural value of Destiny and lineage because Beowulf’s father, Ecgtheow, owes his life to Hygelac, so ultimately due to Beowulf’s lineage his destiny becomes to rid the Danes of Grendel. Furthermore later on in the poem Beowulf becomes presented…

‘new’ monotheistic religion among the Anglo-Saxons and Irish as could be seen among the Gauls. Not only did the subsequent religious conversion effect the balance of authority in the region, but it also changed the society’ values regarding morality and ethics, as well as gender roles. Conversion itself meant different things to the different social classes. Additionally, the rise of Christianity in England altered the relationship of the Anglo-Saxons and Irish with the post-Roman world,…

Mosaics had originally been used in the Roman Empire to cover floors and walls of homes. This practice now continued in Christian buildings but with different subjects of depiction: "the old geometrical designs, interweaving patterns, animal figures and scenes from everyday life or mythology were replaced by symbolic representations of religious history..." (Palanque 49-49). An example of the transition from mythology towards biblical figures and scenes can be seen in the mausoleum of Saint…