Ash.P3.T3

The early Anglo-Saxon culture was guided and built upon the culture that the Greeks had left behind, a polytheistic religion, and a belief similar to what the Greeks termed "Moirae", the idea that the lives of mortals were controlled by metaphorical threads from birth to death, therefore making it impossible for anyone to act outside his or her destiny - this would soon drastically change. In 596 A.D., the Pope sent a monk by the name of Augustine to preach the beliefs of Christianity, and gradually within the next hundred years the majority of the Anglo-Saxons would convert from their paganism, changing their view on idea of fate. The Anglo-Saxons settled down and became literate and cultured, as demonstrated by their numerous poems and by their burial mounds. This shift in belief could be seen in the Anglo-Saxon poem, The Seafarer, a poem of a sailor, supposedly exiled from his settlement, and travelling the seas in search of a new home. The poem begins off with the sailor talking about the harsh conditions of the sea, "of the ways [he] toiled distraught[ly]" and how he "for days on end enduring cares and bitter bale within [his] breasts" (lines 1 - 2). He goes on speaking about these conditions as if he were destined to be stuck in solitude at sea for all of his life, as if he couldn't control what was to happen. This is the Greek idea of Moirae; the sailor cannot control the sea because it is outside of his destiny, he is trashed at by the sea because it is his destiny, he was exiled because it was his destiny. The sailor then begins to change his belief halfway through; this could be seen between the lines 20 - 30, especially in lines 28 - 29, "my thought is thrown beyond my heart's cage now. My mind is cast upon the swell sea." This shows his conversion from his pagan beliefs to Christianity, which is later confirmed when he begins using the term "God" and epithets such as "Master," "Lord," and "Architect", and his change in his idea of fate and destiny, which is portrayed in lines 34 - 36, "So any noble spirit will aspire to earn an everlasting epitaph of good deeds done on earth, bold blows dealt at the Devil and against fell foe before his passing, that prosperity delights enjoyed for ever by the brave among the angels my perpetuate." Gradually, just like with most new ideas, successive generations of Anglo-Saxons accepted the idea more and more and eventually religion came out supreme over science. The Anglo-Saxons settled down and became literate and cultured, as demonstrated by their numerous poems and by their burial mounds. This idea of man's ability to determine his own destiny and over come evil was new and conflicted with the Greek's culture. The concept of moirae gave them something to blame their troubles on and an excuse for their actions, but as a result of their Christian faith, the Anglo-Saxon struck down this excuse and made people more accountable for their own lives.

wyl.p5.t2 Anglo-Saxon Synthesis

Tiffany Chen

Melody Sue

Xi Zhao (Lucy)

Team 2

Period 5

Anglo-Saxon culture was once quite pagan and life often quite dangerous, and this historic environment compelled the Anglo-Saxons to favor the idea of preserving an earthly reminder of an individual after death. As Beowulf reveals, Anglo-Saxon religion in conjunction with its cultural values stressed burial rituals and other traditions served to immortalize the human being beyond death.

The Greeks provided sacrifices, created festivals, and changed their lives to please their many gods, living constantly in fear of intangible gods and punishments. However, Anglo-Saxons lived their pagan lives with chutzpah under the code of honor, which stressed heroic triumph in the face of danger and risk – glory in one’s mortal life rather than glory the very Christianity-based afterlife. This was necessary due to the perpetually dangerous, war-laced environment of Anglo-Saxon life, which sharply contrasted with Greek/Roman stability of life. With danger (sometimes in the form of demonic monsters and their mothers) lurking in every corner and bodily harm (and thus loss of physical strength and heroism) and death abounding even in the safety of mead-halls (as in Beowulf), the Anglo-Saxons needed to be ready for death at any time. Lacking a belief in the afterlife, Anglo-Saxons believed that when the body died and the human being seemed gone forever, the legend of the person can be sustained on Earth. Thus, a deceased hero can live on in oral traditions and therefore preside as a mighty force over the brave heartstrings of posterity. If only he can accomplish a grand feat, such as Beowulf’s boastful and powerful defeat of Grendel and thus assurance of safety in Hrothgar’s kingdom, he will not soon be forgotten – his memory will live on forever.

With this in mind, the Anglo-Saxons buried their great hero Beowulf in a huge funeral pyre, cremating him on a huge mound while others sang his praise to remember his accomplishments and keep a remembrance of him for the future. His mortal, physical existence is gone, symbolized by the burning of his body, but his spirit, his influence, his heroics live on, symbolized by the great praises sung at and continued after his burial.

wyl.p6.t3 Anglo-Saxon Synthesis

Dylan Mulcahy
James Jin
Caleb Ong
Jenny Zhan
Team 3, Period 6


Synthesis Question: Anglo-Saxon Era

Within the Anglo-Saxon text Beowulf, a cultural conflict and shift from Greek to Anglo-Saxon ideals can be seen as a prevalent theme throughout the story. Beowulf positions itself clearly that Christianity was the truth and polytheism led to damnation. When Grendel had attacked the Danes, some turned their faith back to pagan polytheism. The text of Beowulf states “Oh cursed is he who in time of trouble has to thrust his soul in fire’s embrace…. but the blessed is he who after death can approach the Lord…” (Heaney, Line 183). This is a clear statement showing the changing position in the concept of a higher power. The way that Beowulf was passed down throughout generations was a clear sign of changing traditions as well. For example, the Greeks often spread their literature through the incorporation of theater. This heavily emphasized body movement due to sheer size of audience and inability to hear the voice. Historical evidence shows that the Anglo-Saxons often spread the tale of Beowulf through a minstrel telling the tale within mead hall gatherings and celebrations in which the voice was a crucial instrument in telling the story. These are two completely contrasting ideals that easily express cultural shift in literature. Another such example was the concept of murder. In original Greek culture, murder was acceptable if committed to protect honor, societal norms and traditions, uphold the law, and to protect the “natural order” of religion and state. Anglo-Saxon culture had shifted greatly in ideals due to following Biblical text. In Beowulf, the damned demon Grendel was descended from Cain who “For the killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price” (Heaney, Line 107). This is a direct allusion in which humanity had apparently committed its first grave sin of murder. The only time in which killing is justifiable in Anglo-Saxon culture is in which it is justified by God’s will. The view on murder can be seen differently now; from a more Greek view of murder where killing upheld honor and tradition, Anglo-Saxon committed it in the interest of God’s divine right and power but otherwise found life more sacred. Fate and faith is another example within Greek and Anglo-Saxon literature that be heavily contrasted. Greek stories and tradition stated that all people have a preset destiny that cannot be changed and only the gods themselves may change it if you appease them. Within Beowulf, Anglo-Saxons saw fate as relatively uncertain and easily changeable with every action committed, with God as one who could influence it. Within Beowulf, Grendel and Grendel’s mother can be interpreted as a portrayal in the concept of Anglo-Saxon views on faith and fate since they acted outside of God’s will and directly opposed Him. With Beowulf’s firm and unwavering faith in God, he is able to change the possible fate of the Danes’ demise at the hand of the chaotic demons and defeated both demons even at impossible odds with God’s assistance. To go in further detail, he even went so much as fighting Grendel with his bare hands and stated that “the Divine Lord in His wisdom [shall] grant victory to whichever side He sees fit” (Heaney, Line 684). This provides proof that within Anglo-Saxon culture, they changed in the idea that they actually had a part in the path of their own destiny with God a guide. (560 Words)

Wyl.P6.T2 Anglo-Saxon Synthesis Response

During the period of the Anglo-Saxon there existed many different forms of how to bury the dead. The Anglo-Saxon took a pagan approach to the subject. They believed in both dealing with the body and spirit of the deceased. The most probable way the spirit would make a safe passage to the afterlife was to burin the body. One of the common rituals, for nobility, consisted of placing the body on an extravagant boat and sending the burning boat off into the sea with gifts, animal sacrifices, and a weapon. This form of sacrifice was preformed in the epic poem “Beowulf”. The mighty warrior was sent off to the afterlife with a similar sacrifice to honor his great deeds. In contrast, the Greeks preferred to burry their dead in the ground with no harm to the body. They focused on the afterlife rather than the time on earth. In the literary work “Beowulf” there also exists Christian influence, whom also believe in the Greek burial system. In an interview with translator/author Seamus Heaney, he states that the author lived in “two worlds”, that of pagan past and that of newfound Christianity. The poem uses both a Greek viewpoint and an Anglo-Saxon viewpoint thus emphasizing the cultural clash of the two burial systems.

Anglo-Saxon Synthesis questions #2

The Anglo-Saxons believed in fate or destiny, the will caused to bring a certain coming future. Fate and destiny are demonstrated in Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney. Oedipus the King describes the story of Oedipus, as he, his mother, and his father attempted to escape the path set out for them by the gods. In Beowulf, on the other hand, Beowulf is able to defeat Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and almost the dragon as well through his own strength. No omens from God or predestined path guided him to do what he did and fail where he failed. It was all through his own will. Also, in the story, pagan ideas, such as Grendel and dragons, are intermingled with Christian ideas, such as man’s ability to determine his own destiny and overcome evil. During the time of the Greeks, the Greeks believed in moira, in which the gods intervene directly in human lives and decided their fates. They also believed their lives were already decided, following logically that no matter what they did in their lives, they would meet the same ultimate destiny. Because of this, they allowed themselves to justify on their decisions and actions. When the conversion to Christianity stressing the idea of a higher power of God came, all of these beliefs changed. Until the time the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity, they shared similar beliefs as the Greeks and the Romans. Ever since then, people believed that their fate doesn’t come until their death, and this caused the people to live their life morally.

Asher.P4.T8.Anglo-Saxon

The Anglo-Saxon culture was characterized by two distinct religious ideas that seemed completely at odds with one another—the pagan religion that first took root among them, or the Greek-influenced Christianity that arrived with the monk Augustine. The conflict between the two manifested itself in ways ranging from the traditions surrounded funerary rituals to the methods of education used in monasteries after the Greek pattern. But perhaps where the distinction is the clearest is in literature and poetry. While few examples of Anglo-Saxon literature survive in good condition, the works that do nearly all demonstrate religious undertones, and often even multiple religious concepts that clash within the work. Fewer examples still survive of overtly pagan literature, as the oral tradition in pre-Christian culture was far stronger than the written tradition, but anthologies like The Exeter Book contain valuable clues to the contrast between religious principles. The Exeter Book contains both poems detailing battles in which a premium was placed on qualities such as honor, bravery, and strength—vital virtues in the pagan ideal—and poems with distinctly Christian qualities. “The Battle of Brunanburh,” in particular, refers to “eternal glory” and “noble descent”, to “glorious warriors” and “proud war-smiths” who return home with fame and material wealth. The value placed upon warriors is clear, and contrast with the repeated references in other Exeter poems to the “good deeds” required by the clearly Christian “Lord”, “Prince of glory”, or “Father”. “Judgment Day I” even warns that “hardhearted men who hoard ostentatiously” are destined for the “fire, torment in obscurity”—obviously the hell of the Christian Bible.

The Christianity of the Greeks manifested itself in various other aspects of life, most evidently in martial behavior, architecture, art, and education. Under Christian principles, wars generally occurred under the guise of “holy wars”, expressly, at least in theory, for the purpose of converting foreigners to Christian beliefs. Yet the Anglo-Saxon literature glorifies war, lionizing heroes like Beowulf and the kings of the Exeter Book. The Greeks prized science, critical thought, and educated participation in government. Yet the Anglo-Saxons were governed by kings, referred to as “Lord of the warriors”—the capitalization is of note—and elevated to near god-like status, and their science remained elementary at best. The Greeks utilized principles of physics and materials science in their elaborate religious constructions, many of which survive to this day. Yet the “wall’d places” of the Saxon kings, strongholds and fortresses in times of war as described in “The Wanderer”, have largely long since crumbled away. The evidence continues to emerge. From the large collections of surviving Greek literature, thanks to the Greek value on written tradition, contrasted with the dearth of comprehensible Anglo-Saxon writings, to the largely educated population of Greeks, contrasted with the overwhelmingly uneducated population of Anglo-Saxons, the cultural, religious, and ideological differences between the cultures are strikingly demonstrated.

- Team Dragon (Alex, Clair, Laurel, Yee-Lum, Jodi)

Asher.P4.T6: Anglo-Saxon Era Synthesis Question # 2

The Dream of the Rood, one of the first Old English poems, distinctly displays the conflict between Christian and pagan influences during the Anglo-Saxon Era. It initially presents itself as a true Christian story. The Dream revolves around the narrator’s dream, in which he envisions the Cross that Christ was crucified upon – and experiences supernaturally – the ability to converse with the Cross. He is able to listen to its story of how it was cut down from a tree, how it experienced the same pain and torture as Christ endured, and how both it and Christ were later praised and worshipped for the agony they suffered: “With dark nails they drove me through: on me those sores are seen, open malice-wounds. I dared not scathe anyone. They mocked us both, we two together.” Though the story tells the most famous story of Christianity, of Jesus’ crucifixion, the mere ideal of the poem, a man talking to a tree, is based off of a pagan ideal. Facets of paganism are widely known to involve supernatural elements like the presence of spirits, and the spirits in inanimate objects. The fact that the tree was, in essence, a sacrificial element, also connects widely to widely practiced pagan sacrificial rituals. This poem reflects that even after 597, St. Augustine’s arrival to convert Anglo-Saxons to Christianity, it was still relatively difficult for the churchmen who held power to completely eliminate pagan ideals. This poem explicitly depicts wholly Christian ideas – Christ and a Cross – and yet obviously has still been dramatically influenced by pagan elements regarding spirituality. Since Greek religion was the principal form of the earliest form of paganism, the cultural conflict that the Anglo-Saxons underwent was also with the previous Greek/Roman era. Paganism and Greek religion were both polytheistic, both involved many rituals, sacrifices, and ceremonies, to appease their gods. Ultimately, despite the significant monastic influence that the Greeks transferred to the Anglo-Saxons with paganism, their influence was no match against the dominating force of Christianity. Greek influences on works of literature based on pagan ideals were noticeably overshadowed by Christianity.

Erin Chan, Atty Blatt, Mekayla Melahouris

Asher.P4.T5 Anglo-Saxon Synthesis Question

Cultural conflict between the Anglo-Saxons and the ancient Greeks is reflected in the stories of Beowulf and Oedipus, respectively. Beowulf portrays the Anglo-Saxon belief that fate could be controlled by ones own will, many of times through violence. As a warrior, Beowulf chooses to command his own fate and fight for the protection of his country. However, in ancient Greek culture, fate is viewed as predetermined, and no course of action may change the destined actions of an individual. This is evident Oedipus, for although he made an effort to avoid his fate, it was by doing so that he fulfilled it when he killed his father and married his mother.
The idea of Anglo-Saxon national pride and the compelling notion to defend ones nation can be related back to the Anglo-Saxon's war history. the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings were constantly at war with each other around mid to late 800AD. The Anglo-Saxons became accustomed to the violence that stemmed from the battles fought on their land. This resulted in the incorporation of fighting, violence, and defending into their culture, which was then portrayed in literature pieces such as Beowulf. With violence and combat come death, and the culture's rituals to honor the life of the deceased. the Anglo-Saxons would burn the lifeless bodies, but the Greeks insisted that the dead be buried in the ground. In accordance to the Anglo Saxon tradition, key characters in Beowulf are burned on a funeral pyre after their death.

Sara Jan, Lia Lohr, Joanna Tung, Tiffany Yin

Period 4, Team 5

Asher.P4.T7. Anglo-Saxon Synthesis

The Greek/Roman may have shared many similarities with the Anglo-Saxon culture, such as the monastic life, but the two cultures still do have some conflicting aspects. The differences in the rituals in the Greek culture versus the Anglo-Saxon culture also has to do with the fact that the Greek/Roman culture was heavily pagan while the Anglo-Saxon culture had the monotheistic Christian God view. Although both cultures manifest much respect in a man’s death through ritualistic burials, the Anglo-Saxon have a more heathen approach. For example in Beowulf, one of the most famous poems from the Anglo-Saxon era, the hero is highly valued in his society and must be buried and burned when deceased. At the end of the poem, Beowulf dies and his body is taken to Hronesness to be burnt on a funeral pyre. This heathen ritual was influenced by the Christian belief that the mind and body are two separate entities. When the body died the Anglo-Saxons believed that they must free the mind from the body so that the soul may enter the heathen realm of heaven. Both the Greek and the Anglo-Saxon culture have high values for the burial rituals of a dead man but the Anglo-Saxon carry out the ritual even further by burning the body.

Team 7: Tim Szu, Devin Mitchell, Jason Sim

Wylie. P5. T5. Anglo-Saxon

Synthesis Question
by: Lorena Huang Liu, Diana Huang, Isabel Kim, Rachel Yeo

One of the main differences is the portrayal of the hero in Anglo-Saxon and Greek/Roman literature. In Anglo-Saxon literature, the hero is quite close to perfection; he is always honorable and honest. The main character, the hero, will usually be extremely brave and perform selfless acts of good and generosity. On the other hand, the main character in Greek/Roman literature usually has a fatal flaw, also called hamartia, which causes the hero’s downfall. The reason why Greek/Romans always imposed a big flaw in the heroes of literature was because it was a way in which the audience would be able to connect to the audience through catharsis. And the reason why Anglo-Saxon literature idolizes the heroes is because they want to make heroes into the ideal human being. This way, Anglo-Saxons could form a type of behavior standard that would encourage the warriors and men in that time period to behave properly, as literature exemplified. For example, in Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus is portrayed as a kind and brave ruler; however, he does have a tragic flaw that leads him to his downfall. At first glance, it may seem that his tragic flaw is his ignorance about the omens that the oracle had predicted, but it then becomes obvious that Oedipus’s hamartia is pride and bad temper. In contrast to Sophocles’ portrayal of a hero, Seamus Heaney makes it apparent that Anglo-Saxon heroes greatly differed from Greek/Roman heroes. For instance, Beowulf does not appear to have any type of flaw. He is just a man that is extremely humble for his capabilities. He is honorable and worries about the well-being of his people. When Beowulf finds himself in the verge of death, he says “For this, this gold, these jewels, I thank Our Father in Heaven…For all of this, that His grace has given me, Allowed me to bring my people while breath still came to my lips.” In this quote, Beowulf’s true heroism is apparent because instead of worrying about himself when he is dying, the thanks God for the treasure that he has found because then his people would be able to live comfortably.

Asher.P4.T4. Anglo-Saxon Synthesis.

Though similar in perspective and monastic life, differences in religious values and sensibilities have created a disparity in the way Anglo-Saxons and Ancient Greeks view their heroes through literature. Both cultures drew heavily from basic pagan ideals, but the heroic ideas put forth in “The Wanderer” or “Beowulf” (Exeter Book) clearly deviates from those shown in works like The Odyssey or “Oedipus”. In “The Wanderer,” which deeply incorporates Christian ideals found in the Bible, the speaker states what he believes to be the essential qualities of a man, including strength, loyalty, fearlessness, humility, and selflessness. It is in this list of qualities where the Greek heroic ideal and the Anglo-Saxon heroic ideal first clash; essentially displaying an absence of intelligence or wit in the Anglo-Saxon hero, with an emphasis on physical and mental toughness. And because the society’s moral beliefs were so intertwined with religion and spirituality, these ideas penetrate many aspects of the culture. In contrast, Grecian morality and religion remained separate allowing for the influence of philosophy and logic to spread into these heroic ideals. Furthermore, in comparing this cultural conflict between Anglo-Saxon and Grecian values, a second example of the Anglo-Saxon value of brawn versus wit is found in Beowulf. Prized for near supernatural strength and bravery, Beowulf shows little wit in fighting monsters if compared with the quick-minded Odysseus who defeated the Cyclopes and Siren.

Theo Mandin-Lee, Christian Deamer, Marika Stanford-Moore, Sean Ehrlich

Anglo-Saxon synthesis question Asher p2.t4

In Anglo-Saxon's literature, the heroes are capable of defeating a vigorous beast relatively easily, depicting what Greek considered impossible as possible. For instance, the Greek hero Oedipus eventually yields to his fate, whereas Anglo-Saxon hero tries more to fight against the harsh situations and eliminate his doom by battling. Beowulf reflects the cultural conflict in that the main character, Beowulf, defeats the monster, Grendel, who ends up with a torn arm and circumvents with a mortal wound. Common motifs from folklore are shown in the fight between Beowulf and Grendel's mother where Beowulf runs after her in her cave at the base of a mere and slays her. In addition, Anglo-saxon literature is a reference to one supreme deity whereas Ancient Greek worshipped many gods of different powers. One significant cultural component of Beowulf is the practice of wergild, or reciprocity. For instance, Grendel's mother comes back to compensate for her son's death. Then, Beowulf has to stand up and (average) the murder the monsters have caused. Also, there's always exchange of gifts and sacrifices to equalize the debts that they owe. In Ancient Greece, the ethic of reciprocity suggests that "What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not impose on others," credited to Epictetus.
The ethical values in Beowulf are evidently the Germanic code of loyalty to chief and tribe and vengeance to enemies of the civilization and of the community. It necessitates the retaliation of the blood feud in that Beowulf fights against super creatures rather than men. In contrast, Greek's ethical values were more generous. For example, "One should never do wrong in return, nor mistreat any man, no matter how one has been mistreated by him," credited to Socrates which is found in Plato's Crito, 49c.

wyl.p6.t7.anglosaxon

The Greeks/Romans and Anglo Saxons shared and conflicted in beliefs. The Anglo Saxons and Greeks/Romans were especially different when it came to literature. Often times, the Greeks/Romans held tragic plays that depicted the downfall of a great warrior. The Anglo Saxons however, portrayed their heroes as magnificent and they often died in glory or while in battle. In Beowulf, Beowulf is depicted as a mighty warrior with “awesome strength.” He “battled and bound five beasts” and raided a troll-nest.” He dies a magnificent death after successfully slaying a dragon. The Anglo Saxons emphasized the strength and abilities of a hero and their literature often brags about their dangerous but mighty deeds. This shows that the Anglo Saxons truly revered their warriors and were optimistic about their skill and strength. The Greeks/Romans often portrayed their warriors as strong but possessing an emotional weakness. In Oedipus, Oedipus’ weakness is his short temper and his frequency to jump to conclusions. His traits are emphasized at the end of the play in which is he gauges his eyes out with a brooch and is banished from his own kingdom. The Greeks and Romans were pessimistic about their warriors and kings and often sought to find human weaknesses in them whereas the Anglo Saxons glorified their soldiers and emphasized their combat skills and massive strength.

Aashrita Mangu, Christine Yi, Elaine Hong, Tiffany Show

ash.p2.t8 Anglo-Saxon:Synthesis Question

The Anglo-Saxons and the Greeks both shared similar religious beliefs. Both cultures based their religions on paganism. One difference between the two cultures is shown in the burial or funeral service. Anglo-Saxons burials required a lot of time and effort to be put into the building of the tomb, the funeral pyre, and the collection of material possessions of the deceased to be buried. This showed the respect for those with high social status. Although the Greeks did bury their dead, their funeral service didn’t have the same elaborateness as the Anglo-Saxons.

Both the Greeks and Anglo-Saxons were polytheistic, although the names of their gods did differ. Another similarity between the two cultures was the idea of fate. The Greeks believed in the idea of moira while the Anglo-Saxons believed in the idea of wyrd. Both believed that their future was predetermined. Although the Greeks believed that one’s fate was immutable and that the gods were not to be disobeyed, the Anglo-Saxons believed that one’s fate could be changed using physical strength.

An example of the differentiation between the two cultures’ ideas of fate are present in Beowulf and Oedipus. In Oedipus, Oedipus tries to avoid his fate by using his intellect and logic. In most Greek stories, the “hero” almost always is met with death. On the other hand, Beowulf, the strongest of all men, uses his physical strength to avoid the supernatural challenge put before him.