Part I Early and Medieval English LiteratureObjectives II、 The Influence of these invasions; III、 Beowulf IV. Have a good mastery of several literary terms: alliteration, Romance, BalladPreview Question: How does Preview Question: How does English culture come into being?English culture come into being? The English people are of a mixed blood: English Celts/ Britons 700BCRomans 55AD+JutesAngelsSaxons5A.DDanes787ADNormans l1066=Early settlers / Britons(-55 B.C.) Time :Great Britain became an island 8,000 years ago. Who are natives of Britain?Tribal society of Celts/ Iron Age Where were they from?Celts from north-western Europe, bringing iron-working, Gaelic language.War-like peopleThe Celtic Civilization Stonehenge 巨石阵-Giant rock slabs for religious purposes/ almost no literary records Celtic nameBritain got its name from early settlers- BritonsRoman Invasion (55 B.C410) Time: 55BC_411AD, Julius Caesar Britain remained part of the Roman Empire for almost 400 years. Influence: Roman mode of lifetheatres and bath, laws, architecture (ROMAN ROADS), social system, Latin and more important -Christianity, churches .Anglo-Saxon Britain (410-871)nBackgroundqThe Roman army left Britain in about A.D.410nInvasionqWho- the Angle, Saxon, and Jute tribesqWhen- 5th and 6th centuriesqWhere- The Anglo-Saxons left their home in northern Germany and Denmark.The English (Anglo-Saxon) Conquest Influence: English was made into being as a nation. Left behind rich Northern-European myths(warriors,half- human monster, fate goddess.), Language: The Anglo-Saxons language was called Old English (“England”- “Angle-land”) Wednesdayday of Woden, father of the gods Thursdayday of Thor, god of warThe Danish Invasion/Viking (871-1042)lInvasion time 8-9th centuries lInfluence From 1017 to 1041, England was ruled by Danish kings. Left behind rich Danish legends inspiring the following writers, such as William Shakespeares Hamlet, prince of Denmark.The Norman ConquestThe Normans, from Northern France, Duke Williamin 1066battle in HastingsKing of Englandrevolts suppressed; conquest completed; The Norman Conquest ended the Anglo-Saxon period. The Norman ConquestNorman Conquestended the Anglo-Saxon established the feudalism confiscated the lands （没收）Anglo-Saxon lords(贵族)a great surveyThe “Domesday Book” 地籍簿bestowed (赠送给)William I pushed England into the feudal societyTHE INFLUENCE OF THE NORMAN CONQUESTFrench ruling and living styleThe next 300 years may be thought of as a time of Norman nobles ruling a largely Saxon population.Establishment of Feudalism in EnglandLanguageTHE INFLUENCE OF THE NORMAN CONQUEST ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGEFrenchnobles, lordsEnglish subject(臣民)scholarromancesNo writtenchronicles, religious poemsliteraturelanguagespeakerEnglishLatinat firstThe Anglo-Saxons, low position; English, despised thing. French words of Warfare and chivalry, art and luxury, science and law, began to come into the English language. English absorbed almost the whole body of French words and became the language of the land.Guide map I. the Old English Period (449- 1066) aboriginal : Britons/Celts The Roman Conquest The Anglo-Saxon Invasion The Christianization of the Anglo- Saxons The Danish Invasion II. The Middle English Period (1066-1485) The Norman Conquest The All-prevailing Influence of the Medieval ChurchNo written literatureEnglish literature began “Beowulf” Religious poetryKing Alfred the Great the Anglo-Saxon ChronicleThe Romances; popular ballads; Piers the Plowman; Geoffrey Chaucer; Historyliteraturethe social condition of Anglo-Saxon “ The military democracy grown out of the gens” Heathens / old Northern Mythology Christianized in 7th C Literature Northumbrian: monasteries/ Bible & religious books Anglo-Saxon Poetry Epic BeowulfBeowulfnheroic epicna long poem telling the story of the deeds of gods and great men and women, or the early history of a nation.nnational epic of the English peoplena folk legend brought to England by Anglo-Saxons from Northern Europenpassed from mouth to mouth for hundreds of years before written down in the 10th centuryn the most important work of the Old English literature. n3182 linesBeowulflPlot: fight with Grendel fight with Grendels mother fight with firedragon death and funeral Beowulf battles Grendels motherQuestions for discussion What kind of person Beowulf is? What can we get from the story?The significance of Beowulfl a. This glorious epic presents us a vivid picture of the life of Anglo-Saxon people and highly praises the brave and courageous spirit of the fighting against the elemental forces. l b. The epic reflects the situations the epoch of pagan tribalism and of the era of the Christianized feudal society. l c. The epic gives the vivid portrayal of a great national hero, strong and courageous people and his kinfolk.Character