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Anglo-Saxon England: Religion and the Great Vowel Shift In an attempt to delve into my own understanding of Anglo-Saxon England, I compiled a comparative list. The results were overwhelming, and frankly a little intimidating. The what I do not know side of the table far outweighed the what I do know side. After viewing the substantial difference between what I know and what I do not know, it is much more accurate to say that I have delved into my own lack of understanding regarding Anglo-Saxon England. In attempts to remedy this lack of understanding, I have decided to investigate two main areas of interest: Anglo-Saxon religion, and the Great Vowel Shift. My previous knowledge regarding the Anglo-Saxons religion is severely stunted. All I knew about the Anglo-Saxons religion was that they were eventually converted into Christians. When I started my initial research I discovered that the Anglo-Saxons first believed in the Norse gods, one of which included Thor (Blair 6). My interest was immediately spiked due to my admiration of the Marvel franchise. My prior knowledge of Thor is based on Marvels interpretation of him: a hammer wielding superhero with the capability of fighting off massive alien worms. I decided that researching the truth behind Thor, as well as the other aspects of the Anglo-Saxons religion, would be an interesting subject to pursue.

In John Blairs The Anglo-Saxon Age: A Very Short Introduction, it is noted that the principal gods of Anglo-Saxon society were those of later Norse mythology, Tiw, Woden, and Thor (6). In order to learn more about each of the three primary gods of Anglo-Saxon religion, I searched each of their names in the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. According to the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Tiw was a highly regarded sky god (1). Tiw was worshipped as a god of war and of athletic events, and was often associated with the Roman war god Mars (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). Woden, the father of Thor and Tiw, was the uppermost god of AngloSaxon religion (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). He is said to have created the earth from the body of a giant, the first man from an ash tree, and the first woman from an alder tree (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). As the top god, Woden established the laws that governed the universe and controlled the destiny of humanity (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). Along with Wodens responsibilities as executive Norse god, he was also a god of war and a god of learning, of poetry, and of magic (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). Similar to both Tiw and Woden, Thor was also associated with war. He was regarded as the protector both of warriors, and peasants; therefore, Thor was noted as the god of the people (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1).

Thor was powerful and fearless, and like the movies, had a magic hammer that would return to him when he threw it (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). Not only was Thor associated with war and strength, but he was also associated with marriage, with the hearth, and with agriculture (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 1). I found it extremely interesting that Thor is also associated with marriage, the hearth, and agriculture. My prior view of Thor was that he was primarily associated with war, power, and a slight case of narcissism. I know understand that Thor is something so much more than a narcissistic, hammer-wielding superhero. In order to worship their gods, Blair notes that the Anglo-Saxons had shrines established on remote hills, or in remote woods (6). However, by the 590s, the English kings, as well as their courts, began to convert to Christianity (Blair 23). The conversion to Christianity occurred through several influences, including Roman monks, Irish ecclesiastics, Mediterranean missionaries, and the British (Blair 23-25). By 660 Christianity had reached across the English kingdoms, expect for that of Sussex and the Isle of Wight, but soon they too were converted (Blair 25). Despite the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity, the legacy of Tiw, Woden, and Thor still lives in in the names of the week: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (Blair 6). The initial religion of

the Anglo-Saxons is not completely lost, as it has melded into our history, our literature, and our lifestyle. Just as the Anglo-Saxons religion has not disappeared, neither has their language. During my initial research into the Anglo-Saxons language, I was perplexed by question of why we no longer speak Old English today. I believed that Old English had been wiped out over time, particularly by the Great Vowel Shift. After writing a misinformed blog, I began the journey toward reevaluating my research. Through this re-evaluation, I discovered that Old English has not disappeared, but has changed. In McGillivrays Old English course introduction, it is noted English was hardly used following the Norman Conquest of 1066 (McGillivray). English ceased to be used under Norman rule because the Normans insisted upon using their own language: French, or on using the language of the Church: Latin (McGillivray). Due to its lack of use for several years, Old English was heavily influenced by the Normans languages when it re-emerged. The influence of French and Latin caused several changes to occur in Old English (McGillivray). The changes which occurred were primarily seen in vowels, where McGillivray notes that there were startling differences in pronunciation between Modern English "long" vowels and Old English long vowels (McGillivray). It is during this period of change, 1450-1750, that Old English

was altered by the Great Vowel Shift (McGillivray). Despite the alterations brought on from language influence and lack of use, Old English did not disappear. Old English has instead melded into the English we speak today. Researching into the world of the Anglo-Saxons has brought me a wealth of knowledge. Prior to this assignment I truly believed that the AngloSaxon culture had been completely eradicated over time. I could not have been more wrong. The Anglo-Saxons gods inspired the day names Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, while the Anglo-Saxons language melded into what is now modern English. Although the Anglo-Saxons lived long before my time, their influence is readily apparent. From reading a calendar, to visiting Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe Anglo-Saxon life is incorporated into my own life.

Works Cited Blair, John. The Anglo-Saxon Age: A Very Short Introduction. 1984. New York: Oxford UP, 2000. Print. McGillivray, Murray. About Old English. English 401: Old English. University of Calgary, 2014. Web. 25 Jan 2014. Thor. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2013. Web. 25 Jan 2014. Tiw. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2013. Web. 25 Jan 2014. Woden. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2013. Web. 25 Jan 2014.