Old English Period (450 – 1066)
The Old English Period or The Anglo – Saxon period, extended from the invasion of Celtic England by Germanic tribes (The Angles – Saxon and Jutes) in the first half of the fifth century to the conquest of England in 1066 by the Norman French the leadership of William the conqueror. The Anglo-Saxons were then conquerors. The Angle Saxons were then converted to Christianity in the 7th century.
English literature started with songs and stories of those three tribes. Its subjects were the sea, the boats, battles, adventures, and the love of home. Their poetry reflected their profound emotion and bravery. Accent, alliteration, and sudden break of each line gave their poetry a kind of Martial rhythm. The main characteristics of Old English literature are the love of freedom, responsiveness to nature, strong religious convictions, belief in fate, respect for womanhood, and devotion to glory as the rolling motive in every warrior’s life. Beowulf was the first great heroic folk epic of an unknown author.
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