Engels Britain - College-aantekeningen 1-7 PDF

Title Engels Britain - College-aantekeningen 1-7
Course Engels taal en cultuur
Institution Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pages 38
File Size 1011 KB
File Type PDF
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Taal en cultuur Engels. 2.History. 1.Britons and invaders – up to 1066.  A long period of settlements and invaders -Brought conflict, wealth and religion to British Isles -Helped shape the culture and languages of the peoples of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland -First written account of ‘Britain’ in 320 BC – Greek adventurer Pytheas of Marseilles wrote ‘Prettania’ in travel log -ca. 4000 BC -> Nomadic lifestyle of hunter-gatherers gradually replaced by agriculture  People settled in villages  Large-scale construction of extravagant monuments e.g. Stonehenge -Between 800-200 BC -> British population multiplied to ca. 2 m , and villages became defended enclosures, with warrior chiefs engaging in minor warfare -Early Britons spoke a Celtic language -Stonehenge  UNESCO world heritage site on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire  Part of larger scaled landscape which included hundreds of prehistoric burial mounds; great circle of standing stones thought to have had religious/astronomical purpose  Annual assembly of druids (=priests/magicians from ancient Celtic religion) at sunrise on Midsummer Day, since only on this day the sun rises above a certain stone 1.1 The Roman occupation -After two attempts by Julius Caesar (failed two times), Britain invaded by Emperor Claudius in 43 AD -> remained a Roman province under direct Roman rule for nearly 4 centuries -Roman Britain: peaceful and largely prosperous south of Scotland. Towns grew + network of roads linking towns and villages facilitated trade and communication. Romans introduced new ways of governing (organized taxation) and urban way of life with new architecture and religious beliefs -Latin became language of administration, education and culture and remained so for centuries after Roman occupation + it became the official language of the Church (from late 6th C onwards) -> Catholic church used Latin in Britain -Hadrian’s Wall  An ancient wall built by order of Emperor Hadrianus in the 2Nd century AD to defend the Northern borders of England against attacks by Celtic tribes

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 About 120 km longs, starts somewhere close to town of Newcastle, and long sections of wall remain today 1.2 The arrival of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes -Romans retreated in 410 AD (Fall of Roman Empire)  British rulers left to face potential invaders alone -5th and 6th centuries: new continental invaders moved westwards across Britain, massacring and subjugating indigenous British (=Celts): “The Barbarians drive us to the sea and the sea throws us back on the Barbarians.” (6th century monk) -The Monk Bede, in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People (713 AD), dated the arrival of the invaders in England to 449 AD, and he divided them into Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, believed to have come from northwestern Germany and the Frisian coast of modern Netherlands -Gildas (monk) writes of British leader who defeated the Saxons early 6th C somewhere in Somerset -> legend of King Arthur based on this figure, with his ‘kingdom’ traditionally set in the West Country, and his ‘capital’ in Glastonbury -Legend endures to this day, involving a mythical pre-Saxon paradise called Camelot, a wizard called Merlin, a ‘round table’ of democratic discussion, and many knightly deeds, heartbreak, and tragedy 1.3 Anglo-Saxon consolidation -Invaders pushed Britons onto fringes of island: Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Cumbria, Celtic language disappears from England and divides into two groups: Goedelic (Irish + Scots Gaelic + Manx) and Brythonic (Cumbric, Welsh and Cornish; Breton) -Tribal war-bands established a series of kingdoms: Kent, Sussex, Essex, East Anglia, Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria, which by the 8th century became increasingly sophisticated, with rulers among the most powerful in Europe -Offa (757-796) first one to call himself “King of the English” Built Offa’s Dyke, now running almost entire border between England and Wales -Beowulf: one of the most important surviving pieces of Old English (Anglo-Saxon) literature, probably reflects the warrior-reality of Saxon society rather closely: “It is always better to avenge dear ones than to live in mourning.”  Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines  Opening lines: “Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.”

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1.4 The Birth of England: 8th-9th centuries -Missionaries sent by Pope Gregory I first converted Anglo-Saxon kingdom at end of 6 th century. Within a century, all the rest had become Christian -The church established many monasteries, recorded historical events in chronicles, educated the English people(s) and offered them welfare and public administration -King Egbert of Wessex (802-839) finally managed to unite the land that was to be England. Centre of power moved south -> Winchester = capital 1.5 The coming of the Viking: 9th century “whirlwinds, lightning storms and fiery dragons were seen flying in the sky” “Never before has such terror appeared… as we have now suffered from a pagan race” -Anglo-Saxon monks -Saxons= people of the land; Vikings= people of the sea -> their weapon: the longship; shallow-bottomed warships that could be pulled onto beaches without need for proper harbour, even sail them up rivers far inland -Regular Viking raids, until a ‘great heathen army’ arrived in East Anglia in 865: invasion -> occupation 1.6 The Vikings & Anglo-Saxons mix -Newcomers began to settle; they intermarried and their language mixed with that of local population -Much of the basic vocabulary of modern English (eye, bread, sky) comes from Old Norse, as do place endings in –by and –thorpe -King Alfred of Wessex (877-899): only king to conquer a Danish army -> ‘Alfred the Great’: great warrior + built many fortresses + planned a navy + intended to bring literacy to all free-born men -> defeated Guthrum (Dane) was then baptised as Christian (Alfred = Godfather) 1.7 Alfred’s successors -Alfred’s son and grandson and great-grandson succeeded by Ethelred ‘the Unready’ (9781016): gave bribes to fend off Danish attackers (‘Danegeld’) -> Alfred’s great kingdom reduced to wasteland -1016: Danish king Sweyn seized throne, followed by reign of King Canute (Cnut) (son of Sweyn), whose sons feuded over his succession -Edward the Confessor (1042-1066): Ethelred’s son Surrounded himself with French-speaking courtiers (became king after years in exile, and death of

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 First Norman ruler of England in practice -Enter Duke William of Normandy: Edward’s mother’s great-nephew  William claimed Edward had promised him the crown on a visit to Normandy: When crown eventually went to Earl of Wessex, Harold Godwinson, William was furious

2.Medieval Britain 1066-1485 -Period starts with Norman Conquest of English realm -Period sees establishment of the feudal system and development of a strong and powerful church Feudal system: King owned all the land and had tenants, who were noblemen. In return for using the land they had to provide military service, and supply him with soldiers in time of war. The noblemen then divided their lands among lower lords, who became vassals. The peasants occupied the lowest place in society, and worked on the land itself. They were owned by the noblemen, and lower lords and had to provide military and farming service. -Largely prosperous, although fruitless wars with France drained the treasury and frequently divided the country  Period dominated by fierce rivalry for land and power 2.1 William the Conqueror (1028 – 1087) -Descended from Viking warrior Rollo who had conquered Normandy in 911 -Illegitimate son of Duke Robert II of Normandy and tanner’s daughter, became Duke of Normandy aged 19  Overthrew 6 centuries of Anglo-Saxon rule in England  Radically reshaped England:  Replaced old ruling classes with Norman aristocracy  Brought the feudal system of landholding prevalent in Normandy in England 2.2 The Battle of Hastings (1066) The Battle of Hastings was fought between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold II, during the Norman conquest of England. -> was a decisive Norman victory. -Harold just defeated Norwegian attempt to invade in the North, so only found out about the Norman invasion 4 days later -> gave Norman troops plenty of time to prepare down south -14 October: two armies of 8000-strong met in a field. William losing initially, until he commanded his archers to pour a stream of arrows into enemy line. One of these hit Harold in the eye -> thinking their king was dead, Anglo-Saxon morale collapsed and many of Harold’s soldiers fled -> soon army utterly crushed 4

2.3 William’s rule (1066 – 1087) -Serious native revolts eventually squashed by “harrying of the north” leaving a trail of destruction -> remembered for centuries, leaving e.g. York (1069) in smouldering ruins -Anglo-Saxon bishops and barons replaced by Norman ones: one of most systematic transfers in European history -ca. 200,000 Normans, Frenchmen/women and Flemings migrated to England; same number of English died of slaughter and starvation -Latin replaced ‘English’ as language of law and government again -Programme of cathedral building (Canterbury and Winchester) -Established feudal system in Britain (free farmers now owed absolute loyalty to king) 2.4 Domesday book =survey of much of England and parts of Wales (1086)  To establish the value of every settlement for taxastion purposes  To end disputes among his barons “While spending the Christmas time of 1085 in Gloucester, William had deep speech with his counsellors and sent men all over England to each shire to find out what or how much each landholder had in land and livestock, and what it was worth” (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle)

-Name? “Because its decisions, like those of the Day of Judgement, are unalterable” (monk, ca. 1180) -> Turned Norman England into an administrative whole -> Road to central statedom (# France: confederacy of dukedoms) 2.5 William’s successors William II of Normandy

Henry I (4th son)

Henry II

Richard I

King John

-Henry I (1100 – 1135)  William’s 4th son  Married a Scottish princess (Matilda of Scotland) -Henry II (1154 – 1189)  Son of Henry I’s daughter and Geoffrey Plantagenet of Anjou (The House of Plantaganet)  Married French queen/Duchess of Aquitaine ;Eleanor -> united empire that ran from Scotland to Spain

-Richard ‘Lionheart’ I (1189-1199) 5

 Son of Henry II  English contingent in Third Crusade  Brother John

The Crusades -King of England = Catholic monarchs -> had to take papal calls to save Holy lnad form -King (1199 – 1216) --the John Infidels seriously  One ofparticipated the least popular kings ever -Noblemen  Lost the duchy ofreligious Normandy Out of genuine desire for recovery of Jerusalem  Let England slide into chaos: overtaxed the population Because they desired the lands which might be won because of drawn-out war France (neededfor more money for his wars, lead to conflictenemies with his barons);  with Because it allowed convenient means to escape political attacked by Welsh and Scottish; conflict with northern barons  Agreed to sign the MAGNA CARTA in 1215: first series of concessions made by -Long-lasting cultural effects: English monarchs by which theytoceded -> thebenefited first charter 1) Many knights sold their lands raisepower moneytotolower go -> nobility monasteries by of rights in Europe to underpin civil liberties by failed rule oftolaw; greatly extending their lands when knights return  61 clauses: e.g. clause 12: ‘no scutage of aid is tosuch be levied ourspices realm-> 2) Those who returned had developed taste for luxuries as silkinand by theinterest commonincounsel of ourmiddle realm’ east helpedexcept to promote (trade with) MAGNA CARTA: first document that stood for democratic representation – first charter of rights – rule of law is more important than power Henry III

Edward I

Edward II

Edward III

-Henry III (1225 – 1272)  Craved glory in battle and wished to recover lost French possessions -> needed funds for his French war campaign, contributions to Pope, and his zoo  Increased amount local sheriffs were expected to tax on their countries (-> Robin Hood stories)

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-Edward I (1272 – 1307)  Invaded and repressed Wales and Scotland (William Wallace): the most costly military enterprises ever staged in Britain  Established the first bicameral (two houses) parliament to raise funds needed -Edward II (1307 – 1327)  Time of culture and finery; founded colleges at Oxford and Cambridge -Edward III (1327 – 1377)  Obsessed with King Arthur and ideals of chivalry and knighthood -> desired proper battle

2.6 The Hundred Years’ War -Broke out when Edward III attempted to seize throne from Philip VI of France -> fortunes of war ebbed and flowed between two sides -Fighting mostly in north-west France: battle dominated by two weapons: English longbow vs. French cannon (+ dysentery= disease that killed a lot of soldiers) -Siege warfare common: castles = arena for military action -Coincided with terrible time in Europe’s history: cooling climate, crop failure, famine, bubonic plague (+The Black Death -> ½ of UK population died) 2.7 Literature in the 14th century -For first time: writings in the English vernacular rather than Latin -Middle English: Old English (or Anglo-Saxon: grew out of dialects Angles, Saxes, Jutes & Scandinavians) + French influences -Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400): ‘the founder of English literature’; developed rich, flexible language based on English midlands dialect ! Canterbury Tales (c. 1387-1400 -From the Wife of Bath’s Tale… Of tribulacion in mariage, Of which I am expert in al myn age – This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe. (III.179-181)

2.8 The Succession of Edward III -Richard II (1377-99): grandson  Dictatorial reign triggered the peasant’s revolt; deposed by parliament & Henry IV, other grandson of Edward III (so his cousin) -Henry IV (1399-43):  Addressed parliament in English, not Norman French  Inaugurated the start of the Lancastrian dynasty (son of Duke of Lancaster)  Paranoid and eventually insane

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-Henry V (1413-22): Henry V speech  Warrior king, obsessed with war with France  Victory at Battle of Agincourt (1415), but short-lived  Son and heir only 1 year old when he died 2.9 The Wars of the Roses (1455 – 1487) What? Struggle for English throne between royal houses of Lancaster and York (divisions of Plantagenet dynasty) and their followers

House of York Lancaster

House of

Who? -Henry VI (1422-61) (House of Lancaster): suffered military defeat in France (Joan of Arc!) ! -> mental breakdown -Richard, Duke of York: Lord Protector of England -> once Henry VI regained his wits, Richard raised army -> son - Edward IV – eventually crowned (1461-70) -Henry VI (1470-71) defeated and captured Edward IV, until tables eventually turned year later -Edward IV (1471-83) died suddenly at 41 after period of peace and prosperity: 12 year old Edward V soon killed by his uncle/lord Protector Richard of Gloucester -> Richard III (1483-1485) -Henry Tudor (distant cousin of Henry VI, House of Lancaster) defeated and killed Richard III ! -Henry VII (the first Tudor king). Married Edward IV’s daughter, finally uniting houses of Lancaster & York

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3.Tudors and Stuarts 1485-1688

-Marks the end of the Middle Ages. -Wars of the Roses had severely weakened the nobility, so the Tudors wielded far more 3.1 Henry VIIthe (1475-1509): power than Plantagenetsthe first Tudor king -Centralized the state unification England Wales ) -Time of major social,(=formal economic, religious of and culturaland change -Concentrated powerbyonthe hisStuarts, monarchy giving aristocrats landright in return complete -Tudors succeeded whobybelieved in their divine to rulefor and submission eventually turned the people against them -Obsessed with money -> taxed his subjects heavily -Married his eldest son & heir Arthur to Catherine of Aragon to safeguard alliance with Spain 3.2 Henry VIII (1509-1547) -Reign characterized by power (Treason Act) and prestige (e.g. major programme of palace building) -Expanded the Royal Navy: 5 ships -> 100 ships (built, bought & captured) (-> state-sponsored piracy) -Main motor of exploration & war + inspiration to country as whole The Act of Supremacy (1534) -Henry VIII’s reign dominated by need to produce a male heir:  First wife: Catherine of Aragon -> sickly daughter Mary Asked Clement VII (Pope) for annulment -> Pope refused -> Henry outraged -Act of Supremacy made monarch “supreme head in earth” of the Church of England (Protestant)  Second wife: Anne Boleyn -> daughter Elizabeth + miscarriages -> accused of adultery + incest + treason -> killed  Third wife: Jane Seymour -> sickly boy Edward  3 more wives after Jane died (Ann of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Catherine Parr) 3.3 Mary I (1553-1558) -The sickly Edward VI (1547-1553) died and was succeeded by his very catholic half-sister (daughter of Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon) -Married the future Phillip II of Spain -> burned hundreds of protestants -> ‘Bloody Mary’

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3.4 Elizabeth I (1559-1603) First part of Elizabeth’s reign: unstable -Threatened by 1. Mary Queen of Scots in the North (cousin), and 2 Spain, the 16 thC catholic superpower (Phillip II), enriched by New World empire -Angered Phillip by Elizabeth’s support of the Dutch cause (Protestants resisting Spanish domination) in 80-year war -In 1588, Phillip II sent an “Invincible Armada” (huge war fleet= 24 warships, 40 armed commercial boats + other craft) to invade England, but was defeated by English fleet under Francis Drake -> ushered in a “Golden age” “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king” – Elizabeth I Speech Second part of Elizabeth’s reign: the Golden Age -This period saw the rise of some of literature’s greatest poets and dramatists: era of Shakespeare and humanist thinking -> the Renaissance -Trade and agriculture also flourished, but many farmers were expelled from the countryside -> tried their luck in the cities were they either found opportunities, or turned to crime Sonnet XVII – W.Shakespeare Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate; Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date; Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. (1609)

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3.5 James I (1603-1688) -Son of Mary Queen of Scots, James VI of Scotland -> First Stuart king, united English & Scottish kingdoms -Held theory of “divine right of kings to rule” -> clashed with disappointed catholics and the English Parliament The Gunpowder Plot (1605) -Clique of catholic conspirators who plotted to blow up Parliament and King James I -Conspirator warned a friend to stay away from parliament on 5 November -> Guy Fawkes was found in basement with 40 barrels of gunpowder -Retribution ferocious: ‘hanged, drawn, and quartered for treason’ -> general anti-catholic frenzy, any religious dissent considered treason -> wave of immigration to the New World (e.g. Pilgrim Fathers: Mayflower)

Colonial expansion in the 17th C 3.6 Charles (1625-1649) Civil War -15thC: the IAge of Discovery:and Portugal (Brazil, Africa,) & Spain (Central and Latin America) -James I’sadventurers/pirates son: ‘God’s representative onDrake earth’,&Walter but clashed withmore parliament when -16thC: Frances Raleigh successful at he needed money to fight Scottish rebels -> ‘Petition of Rights’ (1628): the most explicit document of attacking others’...


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