This week we will be reading The Battle of Maldon. This late Anglo-Saxon poem is one of the most powerful articlulations of what we call the 'Germanic Heroic Code'. This code, first described by Tacitus, seems to have remained a central concept in Germanic societies for at least the 1000 years after Tacitus first described them.
In addition to Maldon, we will also be reading excerpts from The Germania, Y Gododdin, and Brunanburh (if we have time).
Readings for Monday:
The Battle of Maldon (in the Anthology)
Sections 1-3, 6-8, and 10-14 of the Germania
Readings for Wednesday and Friday:
The rest of The Battle of Maldon
Additional extra readings on the Heroic code which we will refer to:
Y Gododdin (in the Anthology)
Brunanburh (in the Anthology)
Remember that you need to read these texts ACTIVELY. Make notes, engage, ask questions, be curious, be critical, come prepared!
And you might like to have a quick read of this later poetic response to Maldon.
See you all on Monday, and have a great weekend!
Dr Rouse
So, today we were introduced to a number of key terms and concepts:
ReplyDeleteTerritories of the Self (Erving Goffman)
- important for understanding how the individual relates to social group including identity groups.
Kennings
- those metaphoric compound words used in OE poety
http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/changlang/activities/lang/anglosaxon/anglosax.html
Cultural hybridity: the poem is invested in articulating a sense of an English identity. Why are names such as 'Magnus' important to understanding the cultural diversity of East Anglia (part of the Danelaw)?
Geneaologies - why was it so important for the AS warriors to be identified by name, and by their ancestors (son of...)? Think about the way in which honour and shame work in a heroic society.
Ofermode - the key word in judging why our fearless 'sheild of the warriors' allows the Viking raiders to cross the causeway to fight on even terms.