Читать книгу Anglo-American Cultural Studies - Jody Skinner - Страница 73

place namesYou could argue that the history of EnglandEngland begins with the Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons since they gave England its name. The Anglo-Saxons were various tribes who came from the continent, many from present-day GermanyGermany, and after some time together gradually began to call themselves English; the reintroduction of Christianity, which had first arrived while the Romans were still in Britain, was another unifying factor. Other than giving England its name, the Anglo-Saxons are also still present in the county names that end in shire from BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire in the southeast to WilshireWilshire in the south (where StonehengeStonehenge is) to WorcestershireWorcestershire (as you might remember from our spicy geography appetizer) in the West MidlandsWest Midlands. And then there are the regions EssexEssex (still a county name), WessexWessex (no longer a county), and SussexSussex (still used in the county names of East and West Sussex) named for the East, the West, and the South Saxons in England.

legend of King ArthurKing ArthurArthur, KingYou’ve probably heard of King ArthurKing ArthurArthur, King and his round table and [57]of the sword ExcaliburExcalibur, the tragic knight Lancelot and the love-torn Guinevere, the search for the Holy GrailHoly Grail. You might wonder what a question about King Arthur is doing in a section on British history since historians have as of yet found no evidence that King Arthur was a real person. This survey of British history isn’t supposed to be a strictly historical one in the same way that a historian might describe things. Legends are often more important than historically sound facts in the formation of a nation’s identityidentity, and King Arthur plays a big role as a defender of the CeltsCelts in post-RomanRoman Britain in their struggle against the Saxon invaders. Perhaps you’ve also had the chance to see one of the many film or stage versions of the King Arthur legendKing Arthur legend ranging from the popular stage musicalmusical and film CamelotCamelot to Monty Python and the Holy GrailMonty Python and the Holy Grail. For those who don’t like dates, just remember that the Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons ruled in Britain just about as long as the Romans did, roughly 500 years.