The history of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain begins with an invitation from the British Emperor Martian to the Angles and to the Saxons. The result was three vessels, filled with Angles and Saxons, heading towards Britain to begin a new life. This marked the beginning of the Anglo Saxon era of literature. From then on, the British environment and culture, as well as the patterns of the time period they were in, would shape the way they wrote. Everything from war, to the varying dialects and speech patterns, to the different religions would contribute to the Anglo-Saxon writing style. This helped to create one of the most influential time periods in the history of British literature.

"Head on knee, hand on knee, loyally laying; pledging his liege as in days long past." (Kennedy). This quote reveals a very important detail in the Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. The protagonist of The...