{"id":102117,"date":"2016-06-15T17:45:53","date_gmt":"2016-06-15T21:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=102117"},"modified":"2016-07-01T11:13:38","modified_gmt":"2016-07-01T15:13:38","slug":"video-11-scenes-of-swordplay-suffering-and-speechifying-at-the-battle-of-maldon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2016\/06\/15\/video-11-scenes-of-swordplay-suffering-and-speechifying-at-the-battle-of-maldon\/","title":{"rendered":"Video: 11 scenes of swordplay, suffering, and speechifying at the Battle of Maldon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"maldon<\/a>

An English soldier does battle with a Viking invader as the Battle of Maldon re-enactment on May 26 at the Keigwin Amphitheater begins. (Josh Kuckens\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n

That famed Anglo-Saxon comedy troupe could’ve been talking the Anglo-Saxon battle re-enactment staged during Short Term: “And now for something completely different.”<\/p>\n

Staged on May 26 at the Keigwin Amphitheater, of the Battle of Maldon was a 10th-century clash in Essex, England, between Anglo-Saxons and invading Vikings.<\/p>\n

The well-attended event culminated a Short Term course taught by Sylvia Federico, professor of English and medieval studies scholar.<\/p>\n

Economics major Will Barstow ’17 of Amherst, Mass., gave the class high marks. Where else, he said, could you “work in the classroom for an hour each day and then go out and battle for another hour. It was great.”<\/p>\n

Here are 11 moments from the re-enactment, including a few speeches, which the students adapted from the Old English poem “The Battle of Maldon.”<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Norse landing, first-person style<\/h3>\n

From the perspective of doomed Norse warrior Beghel (Bella Miller ’18 of New York City), the Vikings travel the ocean (Lake Andrews) and land at Essex, England (Keigwin Amphitheater) to fight the English.<\/p>\n