Anglo-Saxon England and Viking Invasions

The Anglo-Saxon period saw the development of Old English literature, blending languages of the Jutes, Angles and Saxons. This era laid the foundation for letteratura inglese autori principali and many letteratura inglese classici.

Key features of Anglo-Saxon literature include:

1. Oral tradition: Stories passed down generations before being written
2. Importance of poets in preserving tribal history and culture
3. Use of poetic devices like kennings (compound descriptors)

Definition: Kenning - A compound phrase used in Old English poetry to describe an object or person indirectly, e.g. "banhus" (bone-house) for body.

Two main genres emerged:

1. Elegies: Lyrical poems reflecting on difficult times and glorious pasts

   Example: "The Wanderer" and "The Seafarer" in the Exeter Book

2. Epic poetry: Longer works about heroic deeds and tribal history

   Highlight: Beowulf is the most famous Anglo-Saxon epic poem

Beowulf, composed between the 8th and 11th centuries by an unknown author, exemplifies the blending of pagan and Christian elements typical of letteratura inglese 800 '900.

Quote: "Beowulf was probably written between the 8th and the 11th centuries by an unknown poet."

The poem recounts the heroic deeds of Beowulf, who aids the Danish king Hrothgar by defeating the monster Grendel and its mother. This work is crucial for understanding the foundations of letteratura inglese romanzi.

Medieval Warfare and Social Change

The period encompassing the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses marked significant political upheaval in English history. The Black Death's impact on medieval society led to improved conditions for surviving peasants.

Definition: The Wars of the Roses was named for the rose emblems of the competing houses of Lancaster and York.

Highlight: The Black Death killed approximately four million English people but paradoxically improved working conditions for survivors.