14. What languages were spoken in Anglo-Saxon Britain? What is the great mythological poem written in the West Saxon dialect of Old English? What is it about?

Normans spoke Norman-French. This language became the official language of England. However, it was mostly spoken by the Norman aristocracy, so other spoke Early Old English (till 900) and Late Old English (from 900 to 1066)

Late Old EnglishA lot of words were borrowed into English from Norman-French. Words related to:

1. Feudal relations (homage [ˈhɒmɪdʒ] – почтение, liege [liːdʒ] - вассал, peasant, government, seigniorage [ˈseɪnjərɪdʒ] – пошлина),

2. Military (battalion[ bəˈtalɪən], dragoon [drəˈɡuːn] - конница,soldier, marine, guard, officer, infantry)

3. Law (justice, judge, jury, attorney, court, case).

4. Surnames (Godwison, Branson, Anderson, Johnson etc.)

The great mythological poem written in the West Saxon dialect of Old English called ‘Beowulf’ is the longest and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem. The setting (локации) of the epic is the sixth century in what is now known as Denmark and southwestern Sweden. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats( [‘ɡeɪəts] - Гёты), comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall ( [m:id] –медовыйзал) in Heorot [‘hi:ourot] has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland [‘ɡeɪətlaend] (Götaland in modern -Sweden) and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is fatally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect(воздвинули, построили) a tower on a headland (мыс) in his memory.

15. When did the Scandinavian invasion begin? Who were the Vikings?

The raid on Holy Island of Lindisfarne marks the start of the Viking migration from Scandinavia in 793. The first place the Vikings raided in Britain was the monastery at Lindisfarne, a small holy island located off the northeast coast of England. Some of the monks were drowned in the sea, others killed or taken away as slaves along with many treasures of the church.

Barbarians came again from Sweden, Nordway and Dannmark and they were known as Vikings. They were skillfull sailors and navigators. At home they were a good farmers and fishermans, merchants and craft-workers. They prided themselves on their bravery in battle. Most vikingsfought on foot, using swords, axes, spears and shields. They terrorised Europe because of the shortage of farmland in Scandinavia, which often lend to full crisis. In search of better life, they crossed the sea and plundered (ˈplʌndə - cовершатьнабеги) the nearby prosperous([‘prɒsp(ə)rəs] – благоприятный) and fertile([fəː`tʌɪl] – плодородные) lands.

In 835 they came not to plunder, but to conquer and settle. The Vikings raids were successful, because England had neither regular army nor a fleet. In 838 Vikings attacked Wessex and were defeated by King Egbert (802- 839). In 871 they attacked again and were defeated by his grandson Alfred 'The Great' (871-899). In 886 Vikings promised to leave Wessex and part of Mercia. They settled in the north-east - this region is called 'Danelaw'. The country was divided into two parts – Danelaw and Wessex. After Alfred's death, the Anglo-Saxon's resistance collapsed in 1013. In 1016Cnut (1016–1035) became king of all England. The country also became the part of a Scandinavian Empire. Cnut divided a country into 4 earldoms (Wessex, Mercia, North Andria, East Anglia). Cnut ruled kingdom until he died in 1035 and soon the Anglo-Saxon king came to the throne again. (Harthacnut–Anglo-Saxon king(1035 – 8 June 1042) – he died suddenly in 1042 and was succeeded by Edward the Confessor )