1) What does Widsith tell us about travel in ancient times?
- Travel was important for learning about different people and places. It also shows that poets travelled to
share stories and gain honour.
2) What is the main message of The Lament of Deor?
- Sad times do not last forever. Deor says that other people suffered, but their pain ended. He believes his
sadness will also go away one day.
3) Why are the Waldere Fragments important in Anglo-Saxon literature?
- Although it comes from a Germanic legend, the Anglo-Saxon version of the story is the oldest one that
survives. It shows how the Anglo-Saxons knew and appreciated other Germanic traditions and heroic stories.
4) Where was the "Battle of Finnsburg" fragment discovered?
- On the inside of a piece of parchment drawn over the wooden covers of a book of homilies.
5) What’s the seafarer’s primary emotional state regarding human company?
- The Seafarer feels lonely and sad because he is far from other people. He misses human company, but he
chooses the sea, even if it means being alone.
6) How did the Angle-Saxons answer the call of the deep of the North Sea?
- They responded the call in their poetry, expressing all the feelings they had in it.
7) What would the Anglo-saxons do after each battle?
- They would gather in the banquet hall and listen to songs sung by Scops and Gleemen.
8) Why did the Anglo-Saxons prefer writing poems instead of building monuments to remember their heroes?
- They believed poems would last longer than monuments.
9) How did the Anglo-Saxons preserve the memory of their heroes?
- In their poems.
10) What are the four main languages that influenced modern English?
- Germanic, Latin, French and Celtic
11) What is the difference between Pagan and Christian Anglo-Saxon literature?
- Pagan literature is about heroes, battles and fate. On the other hand, Christian literature is about God, the
Bible and faith.
12) Who were the Pagan poets? Who were they replaced by?
- The Pagan poets were the Scops, who used to perform poems orally. However, they were replaced by the
literary monks.
13) Which school promoted the integration of the Anglo-Saxon oral tradition with Latin and Celtic literary
knowledge?
- The Irish school, under the leadership of Saint Aidan, promoted the integration of the Anglo-Saxon oral
traditions with Latin and Celtic literary knowledge.
14) Was Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England written to support the monastic intellectual ideal?
- Yes, it was. It supports the monastic intellectual ideal by showing how monks, like Bede, valued careful study,
accuracy, and scholarly work as part of their religious devotion.
15) Why Bede shape Christian thought?
- Bede significantly shaped Christian thought through his extensive writings on scripture, history, and theology,
particularly with his influential work "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People," which chronicled the
history of Christianity in England and set a precedent for historical writing, while his biblical commentaries and
theological works helped standardize biblical understanding and contributed to the Carolingian Renaissance.
16) Why is Cædmon’s hymn considered the first verse of native English poetry?
- Cædmon’s hymn is considered the first verse of native English poetry because it is the earliest known poem
written in Old English by a named poet. It was written around 665 A.D. and shows the beginning of English
literary tradition.
17) What is significant about Cædmon's hymn in English literary history?
- Cædmon's hymn represents a fundamental moment in English literary history, as it is the first documented
text of native literature in Old English, marking the birth of a truly English literary tradition.
18) How did Cædmon receive his poetic talent?
- According to the story, Cædmon received his poetic talent through a divine dream. An angel appeared to him
and told him to sing about the creation, and from that moment, he was able to compose beautiful religious
poems, even though he had never learned poetry before.
19) What was the place where Cædmon and his family lived?
- Cædmon and his family lived at the Whitby Monastery, where he learned about the Bible.
20) Why is The Paraphrase important in English literature? What do we know about its real author?
- The Paraphrase is important because it turns Bible stories into poetry. Although we are not sure if Cædmon
wrote it, his name is still linked to it.
21) What did Cynewulf use to describe in his riddles?
- He describes well-known objects, like the bow or drinking horn, is described in poetic language, and the
hearer must guess the name.
22) What are the "Homilies of Gregory the Great" about?
- They are commentaries and sermons from Pope Gregory I.
23) Which works are signed by Cynewulf and which ones are attributed to him without being signed?
a) Signed works: The Christ, Juliana, The Fates of the Apostles, and Elene.
b) Unsigned works attributed to him or his school: Andreas, the Phoenix, the Dream of the Rood, the Descent
into Hell, Guthlac, the Wanderer, and some of the Riddles.
24) What event marked the end of Anglo-Saxon poetry?
- The Danish invasion, which led to the destruction of monasteries, schools and libraries.
25) What did Cynewulf use to sign his poems?
- With secret ruins (coded letters).
26) What's the most important translated written product made by King Alfred?
- The Saxon chronicle.
27) What written product still exists in its very original dialect?
- Cædmon's Hymn.
28) What marked the end of Alfred's struggle?
- The Treaty of Wedmore.
29) What was the first major historical work written in England?
- Bede's History.
30) What are the two supreme objects of heroism that were lost?
- The national life and national literature.
