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Time Travel In Literature From The Anglo-Saxon Period And The English Renaissance

Decent Essays

For a brief moment suppose that time travel exists. A conundrum that has influenced our movies, our stories, and proved impossible by the laws of physics, is now a reality. What is the first thing to do: Kill Hitler? Save the Library of Alexandria? Suppose that a time traveler has a great love for literature, specifically literature from the Anglo-Saxon period and the English Renaissance. These two periods had vastly different societies, and due to this, vastly different literature. If the time traveler were to compare the literature from both periods, they would see that as time progresses, the themes in the literature from these periods shift from the bravado of glory and honor to the quieter aspects of life.

While time travel may not be an opportunity at the moment, it is possible to step into the traveler's shoes by examining the historical context surrounding these periods. Foremost, the Anglo-Saxon period, was a time when brawn, not brains, won the crown. The Celtic peoples, or Gauls, were loose-knit tribal people who were chased to Great Britain by the Romans, and built Hadrian's Wall to protect themselves. The Germanic people were very similar to the Celtic people: both used human sacrifice and had warrior kings. This was a time of the Vikings, for adventure. It was a time when the old gods—Dagda, Lugh, Odin, Thor, and many others—ruled. In the midst of all of this barbarism, it was oddly progressive, as women could divorce their husbands and own property. As time

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