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 # Anglo-Saxon period 

*The Anglo Saxon Period*

- 410 CE to 1066 CE

*The Anglo Saxon Period in English Literature*

- Literature and history are closely connected to the Anglo-Saxon period.

- This period is crucial for understanding England before and after the arrival of the Germanic Saxons, Angles, and Jutes.

- Understanding the Anglo-Saxon literature requires knowledge of the Celts and the Romans.

*England before the Anglo Saxon Period*

- The Celtic and Gaelic tribes

- The Celts

- Arrival and Fall of the Roman Empire in England (43 CE- 410 CE)

- The Dark Age in England (410 CE - 1066 CE)

*The Anglo Saxon Period*

- 410 CE to 1066 CE

- The Anglo Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes that ruled England from 410 CE to 1066.

- The Anglo Saxons practiced paganism and worshipped multiple deities such as Norse, Woden, Thunor, etc.

- The Anglo Saxon society was a rich society where loyalty was the single most important virtue.

- Marriages used to be political and practical affairs.

- Women in Anglo Saxon period held an integral position and were considered the weavers of both cloth and the society.

- They enjoyed hereditary rights to property and even owned kingdoms.

- The Anglo Saxons were great poets and were extremely fond of riddles.

- However, we must note that they did not record or write any of their works.

- Most of the poetry was meant to be sung and was orally transmitted from generation to generation.

- Most works were written later by the Roman monks who came to convert England to Christianity in the 6th century.

*Christianization of Anglo Saxon England (597 CE approximately)*

- Christianization of the pagan Anglo Saxon society began during the 6th century.

- In 597 CE, Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory to lead the mission of Christianization in the south of England and became the first archbishop of Canterbury.

- On the other hand, the Celtic monks Christianized northern England and Scotland.

- Christianization of England during the Anglo Saxon period had the following consequences:

    - There had been no books before Christianity.

    - The Runic alphabets of the Germanic tribes gradually replaced the Roman alphabets.

    - Majority of the written literature was in Latin as it was the language of the Roman Church.

    - The Anglo Saxon England gained presence and visibility in the mainstream Western European culture due to Latin.

*Invasion by the Vikings and King Alfred (793 CE)*

- The Vikings raided and attacked England in the year 793 CE of the Anglo Saxon period.

- Interestingly, they only raided and attacked monasteries as they were guarded by unarmed monks and were vulnerable but rich targets.

- During this time, all the monasteries and libraries housing rich Anglo Saxon literature got destroyed.

- All the damage incurred during the raids and attacks of the Vikings began to get restored during the reign of King Alfred from 848 CE to 899 CE.

- During this time of the Anglo Saxon period, monasteries were revived and English learning was encouraged.

- All the four volumes of Old English verses belong to this period.

- These four volumes are:

    - The Junius Manuscript

    - The Beowulf Manuscript

    - The Vercelli Book

    - The Exeter Book

*Anglo Saxon Period in English Literature or Old English literature*

- Features and Complete list of Works

- Characteristics of Anglo Saxon poetry and prose

- Anglo Saxon Heroic poetry

- Anglo Saxon Religious or Christian Poetry

- Lyrical Elegies in Old English literature

- Anglo Saxon Writers and their Works