Anglo-Saxon Period

• For Anglo-Saxon society, family was the most important thing.
• After family, it was their tribe, and after their tribe, their kingdom.
• Although the Anglo-Saxons fought frequently among themselves, they had many things in common:
• language
• heroic ideas and a set of traditional heroes
• admired men of courage, regardless of what tribe they came from
• loyalty to the leader and their tribe, and fierce personal valor when necessary for the survival of all
• persons of rank were treated with courtesy and respect, regardless of what tribe they came from
• were aware of the shortness of life and the passing away of all things, believed in wyrd ("fate" in Old English, the language of the Anglo-Saxons)
• their temper of mind was marked by heroic stoicism (indifferent to pain or pleasure), resigned to accept what fate (wyrd) had in store for them
• had a democratic habit of mind; leaders would gather their people and hear their concerns
• Anglo-Saxons immigrated to England from:
• northern Germany
• southern Scandinavia
• Anglo-Saxons immigrated to England during 450-1066 for 2 reasons:
• to help the British fight Scottish invaders
• flooding in northern Germany and southern Scandinavia forced them to
• Venerable Bede was a historian who wrote The History of the English Church and People in 731.
• There were three tribes of Anglo-Saxons:
• Saxons
• Angles
• Jutes

Anglo-Saxon Literature

• Anglo-Saxon poetry was an oral art.
• Poems were not written down; they were sung by a scop/bard, accompanied by a harp.
• A scop/bard was a professional poet who served as the historian in Anglo-Saxon society, remembering heroes, kings, battles, and folklore.
• There were 2 important traditions of Anglo-Saxon poetry:
• heroic tradition, which spoke of heroes
• elegy, which mourned the passing away of things (death)
• Examples include The Seafarer and The Wife's Lament.
• Monks wrote down poems they liked, which is how we know about them today.
• Venerable Bede is known as the "father of English history," and as the epitome of intelligence and perfection.

Women during the Anglo-Saxon Period

• Women were equal to men.
• Women were corn grinders, weavers, they made clothing, entertained (comedians/singers), baked, and served drinks at mead halls.
• The men would cook, care for animals, and do all the hard labor.