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Questions and Answers
What significant political change occurred in 1707?
What significant political change occurred in 1707?
- Scotland became an independent country.
- Ireland joined the Kingdom of Great Britain.
- England and Scotland formed the Kingdom of Great Britain. (correct)
- Wales separated from England.
Which manuscripts are known to have preserved Old English literature?
Which manuscripts are known to have preserved Old English literature?
- The Iliad and The Odyssey
- The Canterbury Tales and The Divine Comedy
- The Book of Kells and the Gospel of Luke
- Caedmon’s hymn, Vercelli Book, Exeter Book, and Nowell’s Codex (correct)
What is Beowulf recognized as in Old English literature?
What is Beowulf recognized as in Old English literature?
- The first written law code of Britain
- A historical account of the Anglo-Saxons
- The greatest of Germanic epics (correct)
- A collection of medieval recipes
What role did scops play in Anglo-Saxon literature?
What role did scops play in Anglo-Saxon literature?
What geographical area does the United Kingdom comprise?
What geographical area does the United Kingdom comprise?
Which genre is NOT included in Anglo-Saxon literature?
Which genre is NOT included in Anglo-Saxon literature?
What literary technique is commonly used in Anglo-Saxon riddles to enhance imagery?
What literary technique is commonly used in Anglo-Saxon riddles to enhance imagery?
What purpose did riddles serve for the Anglo-Saxons?
What purpose did riddles serve for the Anglo-Saxons?
What is the term for the compound poetic phrases used in Anglo-Saxon literature?
What is the term for the compound poetic phrases used in Anglo-Saxon literature?
Which of the following best describes the nature of the verses in Anglo-Saxon riddles?
Which of the following best describes the nature of the verses in Anglo-Saxon riddles?
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Study Notes
Anglo-Saxon Period and Old English Literature
- Old English Literature dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period (450-1066 AD)
- Old English is the precursor to modern English, and the language was spoken in England during the Anglo-Saxon period
- This time period began with the arrival of Germanic tribes in England and ended with the Norman Conquest in 1066 AD
- The Anglo-Saxons loved riddles and poems, often reciting and sharing these works orally
Old English Literature Manuscripts
- Old English Literature is preserved in four manuscript collections:
- Caedmon's Hymn
- Vercelli Book
- Exeter Book
- Nowell's Codex
Notable Anglo-Saxon Writers and Works
- The Venerable Bede (673-735)
- Wrote Ecclesiastical History of the English People
- Considered the "Father of English History"
- Alfred the Great (848-899)
- King of Wessex (871-899)
- Defended England against Danish Vikings
- Encouraged Anglo-Saxon culture
- Wrote in Old English and promoted translations from Latin to Old English
- Believed to have been behind the start of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
- Cædmon (7th Century)
- An unlearned cowherd who acquired the gift of poetry through divine inspiration
- Cædmon's Hymn is the only surviving work attributed to him
- Cædmon's Hymn is the oldest surviving text written in English
- Considered the "Father of Old English Poetry"
- Beowulf
- "The greatest of Germanic epics"
- Beowulf was a notable figure from Anglo-Saxon folklore and stories
Key Features of Old English Poetry
- Alliteration - Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
- Caesura - Pauses within lines of poetry
- Kennings - Elaborate metaphors that use compound poetic phrases to replace the name of a person or thing
Examples of Kennings
- Battle: the storm of swords
- Blood: fighting gear/battle gear-armor, battle-sweat
- Dragon: the twilight-spoiler
- Lord/King: the protector of warriors; ring-giver, dispenser of treasure
- Queen: peace-bringer among nations
- Sea: swan-road, the whale-road, the sea-bird's baths
- Ship: bent-necked wood, the ringed prow, the foamy-necked, the sea-wood, the sea-farer
- Sword: light of battle, the leaving of the file, battle-lightning
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