A Brief Overview of Anglo-Saxon history, language and literature

                                                                1. Anglo-Saxon history

The Anglo-Saxons were a unique people that thrived in what many people erroneously call ''The Dark Ages.'' The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes were tribes from northern Europe that migrated into Britannia and came to form as one group. They were Germanic settlers and tribes that came to Britain between the fourth and sixth centuries A. D. Upon their arrival in Britain during the middle half of the first millennium, The Saxons had mostly conquered the ancient Celts, and driven these latter tribes into Scotland and Wales. At first pagan, they gradually converted to Christianity since at least the arrival of Augustine of Canterbury from Rome. Once, Christian, the Anglo-Saxons helped to evangelize other European tribes. While the Anglo-Saxons were not the first people to live in Britain, much of British history, language, and literature is traced to their influence. 

Today, I would like to discuss in brief detail the literature and language of the people that we now call Anglo-Saxons. My ancestry as far I am aware, is probably Anglo-Saxon, and thus this subject feels personal to me. As early as I remember, I felt connected to the Anglo-Saxon peoples. 

                                                            2. Anglo-Saxon language

 

First off, the Anglo-Saxons were largely illiterate. Those that had a more fluent grasp of language often wrote in Old English. Old English was the language of the Saxons. A Germanic language, Old English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, is quite different from modern English. While some scholars claim Old English and Anglo-Saxon are not interchangeable, most agree that they are largely the same.

 

''Old English'' is frequently misunderstood by many Americans. As a few examples, many people erroneously call the works of Shakespeare or The King James Bible "Old English" when both are written in early Modern English! Here in America, there seems to be a great ignorance among most citizens about the roots of our American English linguistics, which can be traced, to the Anglo-Saxon/Old English Language. 

As mentioned above, the Anglo-Saxons wrote Old English in the earliest of English Literature. Old English was the language of Beowulf and other important Anglo-Saxon works. Before we understand Saxon literature, it is important to know a little bit about how the English language has changed. 

Old English was the common language in England after the conquest of the ancient Celts. This is an example of Old English: "Eadwine eorl com mid landfyrde and draf hine ut".

Middle English was spoken by many people in England after the Norman Conquest. An example of Middle English would be: "Swelleth the breast of Arcite and the Sore Increaseth at his hearte more and more."

Early Modern English originated practically at the time of the Protestant Reformation {or possibly a little later}. This is an example of early modern English, which I have taken from The King James Bible: David said furthermore, "As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle and perish. "

The English Language has changed dramatically over the years. Even today, the dialects of English often vary from one country to another. The roots of our English language go back to the Anglo-Saxons, though Middle English was later frequently influenced by French and Latin. 

Is the Anglo-Saxon language relevant to our modern world? Yes! The more we understand it, the more we understand English history. Words in our present English language such as arise, arm, and art, are derived from the language now known as Old English. The modern English word ''arm'' derives from the Anglo-Saxon word earm, which can mean poor or miserable. The more we understand Old English, the more we will also understand our own language as we can understand the etymology of keywords that we speak and write and read. 

                                                                 3. Anglo-Saxon literature

Though it is often claimed that Chaucer is the father of English Literature, this is only a half-truth. While the language of Old English was much different than our present English, English Literature has origins long before the great and one and only, Chaucer. 

Middle English works including Sir Orfeo and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight too were written in the latter part of the Middle Ages. Yet they too, like The Canterbury Tales, were written in Middle English, and hence, are not the oldest works of English Literature. 

Some people trace English Literature all the way back to the Celts in ancient times, though more commonly, the literature of the Anglo-Saxons is recognized as the first works of English Literature. The reason for this is because the literature of the Celts was not written in any form of English. Sometimes, ''British Literature'', is used to describe all those works of literature written in England that were not written in the English Language.  

All works were written by the Saxons before 1066 A. D. were written in Old English. While some written works continued in Anglo-Saxon after the Norman Conquest, the English Language largely faded, though never went totally extinct, until it was popularized again by John Wycliffe and Geoffrey Chaucer in the fourteenth century. Some debate whether the language of Old English (which some scholars consider to be separate from Anglo-Saxon), to have existed until the twelfth or thirteenth centuries. Ultimately though, it seems to be a general consensus that the English language began to fade in the British Isles with the rise of French during the eleventh century. Indeed, The Canterbury Tales, along with the works of the Pearl poet helped popularize Middle English in the later era of the Middle Ages.  

From Anglo-Saxon Literature, we will find both epic poems and prayers. I think we will have to hardly observe also, that their literature was quite different than would be the literature of the English people after the Norman Conquest. While Old English Literature did not totally disappear after the Norman Conquest, it was gradually suppressed after this time. 

Caedmon's Hymn is sometimes called the oldest work of English Literature {though it is not the oldest.} This poem is quite the foundation of all English Literature as it describes God's great creation of the world. What we know of this poem is only from the great Peter the Venerable himself.

 . Beowulf needs no introduction to justify its canon among the works of English Literature. This poem reflects both the paganism and Christianity of the Anglo-Saxon people. As I will be blogging about it Beowulf soon, I will save my literary discussions for it some other time. In many ways, Beowulf was for the English what The Iliad and The Odyssey were for the Greeks. An epic poem, Beowulf, continues to be read and loved today. Like Caedmon's Hymn, Beowulf was written in Old English. So were The Seafarer, Judith, and The Wife's Lament, all important works of Anglo-Saxon Literature. 

The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede the Venerable is one of the most important of Anglo-Saxon works. It tells the story of how Christianity emerged in the British Isles. A monk, Bede, is perhaps the greatest source for the history of the English people besides that of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. While Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People was written in Latin, many works from British writers are still considered English Literature {though others would call them American Literature.}

These are just some examples. I will be posting and studying Anglo-Saxon history and literature in the following weeks. As we learn about the Anglo-Saxons, it helps us politically understand the foundations for later English and American governments. From a literary point of view, we will find stories that are both mythological and Christian, often both at the same time. The study of Old English Literature must be understood and is arguable, necessary to know and appreciate one's English heritage. 

                                                                 

                                                                    

Further Sources: English Literature by Benjamin W. Griffith, Anglo-Saxon Poetry translated and edited by S. A. J. Bradley, Anglo-Saxon England by Lloyd and Jennifer Laing, The Norton Anthology of the Middle Ages.