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BeowulfANONYMOUS
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Old English
Beowulf was written in Old English, an early form ofEnglish
Old English was spoken in the Middle Ages from about
6
th
century to 11
th
century CE In 1066, William the Conqueror successfully invaded
England, bringing his Norman French language withhim; the nobility began to speak French, andgradually Old English evolved into Middle English(1100-1500): Whan that Aprill, with his shoures
soote/The droghteof March hath perced to theroote
Modern English has been spoken since theRenaissanceShakespeare is NOT Old English; he isEarly Modern English
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The Anglo-Saxon period
ranges from 449-1066.It ends with the Battle of
Hastings where the French,
under the leadership ofWilliam the Conqueror
invaded England.
Anglo-Saxon Period
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Anglo-Saxon Period
The Anglo-Saxon period is the earliest recorded timeperiod in English history.
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Anglo-Saxon Literature
Few people read in this period
Oral traditionwas performed and/or
sung by a Bard (Scop) from memory inOld English
This is why there are often
several versions of the
same story.
Scopspoet/minstrels
Authors were unknown
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Anglo-Saxon Culture
Belief in fate (Wyrd)
Accumulated treasures amount to
success
Fame and fortune zealously sought after
Loyalty to ones leader crucial
Importance of pagan, Germanic, and
Christian ideals to people whose liveswere often hard and uncertain
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Anglo-Saxon Culture
Fierce, hardy life of warrior
and seamen
Strength, courage,leadership abilities
appreciated
Boisterous yet elaborately
ritualized customs of the
mead-hall
Expected the hero to boast
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Anglo-Saxon Ideals
Codes of Conduct Good defeats evil
Wergild--restitution for murder or
expect revenge from victimsrelatives
Boasts must be backed with
actions. Fate is in control
Fair fights are the only honorable
fights
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Anglo-Saxon values
Loyalty
Fighting for ones king
Avenging oneskinsmen
Keeping ones word
Generosity -- giftssymbolize bonds
Brotherly love -- not
romantic love
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Anglo-Saxon values
Heroism
Physical strength
Skill and resourcefulnessin battle
Courage
Public reputation, notprivate
conscience
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Warrior Code
Comitatus: Germanic code of loyalty Thane: warriorswears loyalty to the king for
whom they fought and whom theyprotected
Kings: generous, protected thanes
Reputation: thanes were expected to beloyal, brave, courageous; kings were
expected to be generous and hospitable Wergild: man-payment; a fee paid to the
family of a slain man to atone for his murderand to prevent the family from seeking
revenge.
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Background Information
30,000 lines of Anglo-Saxon poetry
survive today
3, 182 (10%) of the lines are fromBeowulf
Setting - Denmark and Sweden
Author - Unknown, probably amonk
Composed in the 7th or 8th century
Oldest surviving English poem
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Elements of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Chant-like effect of the four-beat line
Alliteration (Then the grim man in greengathers his strength)
Caesura-pause or break in a line of
poetry (Oft to the wandererweary of exile)
Kenning-metaphorical phrase usedinstead of a name (battle-blade and
ring-giver) Epithet-description name to characterize
something (keen-edge sword)
Hyperbole-exaggeration
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Literary Devices
Allusion: Biblical, Germanic oral tradition,Norse myth and legend, historical Anglo-Saxon kings (eg. King Offa of Mercia)
Alliteration (eg. Scyldsstrong son)
Epic poetry: a long narrative poem written inelevated style which celebrates the deedsof a legendary hero or god.
Kenning: two-word metaphorical name forsomething (eg. whale-road=sea)
Scop: Anglo-Saxon composers andstorytellers (like minstrels or bards)
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Some terms youll want to know
scop
A bard or story-teller.
The scop was responsible for
praising deeds of past
heroes, for recording history,
and for providingentertainment
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thane
A warrior
mead-hall
The large hall where thelord and his warriorsslept, ate, heldceremonies, etc.
Some terms youll want to know
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wyrd
Fate. This idea crops up a
lot in the poem, while atthe same time there are
Christian references to
Gods will.
Some terms youll want to know
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elegy
An elegy is a poem that
is sad or mournful. Theadjective is elegiac.
homily
A homily is a writtensermon or section of thepoem that gives direct
advice.
Some terms youll want to know
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Mead Hall
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epic
Beowulf is an epic poem.
This means it has a larger-
than life hero and the
conflict is of universal
importance. Theres acertain serious that
accompanies most epics.
Some terms youll want to know
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2 Types of Epics
1. Folk Epic
Told out loud first (usually by scops)
Unknown author
Unknown dates
(E.g.Beowulf is a folk epic because wedont know who wrote it)
2. Literary Epic
Known author
(E.g.Paradise Lost, by John Milton is aliterary epic because we know whowrote it.)
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Characteristics of an epic:
The hero, generally male, is of
noble birth or high position
The heros character traits reflectimportant ideals of his society
The hero performs courageous
deeds that reflect the values of thetimes
His actions determine the fate of
many
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Characteristics of an epic
continued: The setting is vast
Written in formal diction with a serious
tone
Characters have long, formal speeches
Heros journey (slides to follow)
Poem reflects timeless values (courage,etc)
Treats universal themes (good vs. evil,
etc.)
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SUMMARY OF EPIC FEATURES
A long narrative poem
Larger than life hero; often with super-
human characteristics Concerns eternal human problems like the
struggle between good and evil
Presented in a serious manner usingelevated (poetic) language
Hero represents widespread national,cultural, or religious values
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The Poetry in BeowulfA few things to watch out for
1. Alliterative verse
a. Repetition of initial sounds of
words (occurs in every line)
b. Generally, four feet/beats per line
c. A caesura, or pause, betweenbeats two and four
d. No rhyme
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Setting: Beowulfs time and place
Although Beowulfwas written inEnglish, it is set in what is now Sweden,where a tribe called the Geats lived.
The story may take place as early as400 or 500 A.D.
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Setting: Beowulfstime and place
Europe today
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Beowulfs Provenance
What wedont know:
who wrote itwhen exactly it waswritten
how much, exactly, isbased on historical truth
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Beowulfs Provenance
What we doknow:
Beowulf is the oldest surviving Englishpoem. Its written in Old English (or Anglo-Saxon), which is the basis for the languagewe speak today.
Some of the characters in the poemactually existed.
The only copy of the manuscript waswritten sometime around the 11thcenturyA.D. (1000s), however
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The actual poem probably dates fromthe 8thcentury (700s) or so, and
The story may be set even earlier,around 500 A.D.
There are a lot of Christian references inthe poem, but the characters and setting
are Paganthis means a monk probablytranslated it.
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Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at thebeginning of words that are close together in a poem.
Hrothgarsmen lived happy in hishall.
miserable, mighty men tormented
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The Poetry in Beowulffew things to watch out for
Alliterative versean example fromBeowulf:
Oft Scyld Scefing sceapena praetum,Monegum maegpum meodo-setla ofteah;
Egsode Eorle, syddan aerest weard.
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The Poetry in Beowulffew things to watch out for
Other kennings from Beowulf:
banhus= bone-house = body
goldwine gumena= gold-friend of men =
generous prince
beaga brytta= ring-giver = lord
beadoleoma= flashing light = sword
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You can Create modern-day kenningsfor things yousee around you.
giver of wordsword-wand
??
? ?
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The Poetry in Beowulffew things to watch out for
Litotes
A negative expression; usually an
understatement
Example:
Hildeburh had no cause to praise the Jutes
In this example, Hildeburhsbrother has
just been killed by the Jutes. This is a
poetic way of telling us she hated the Jutes
absolutely.
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Beowulf
Epic hero
Geat (from
southern Sweden) Nephew of Higlac
(King at storys
start)
Sails to Denmark to
help Hrothgar
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Hrothgar The aging king of
the Danes
Welcomes Beowulfsassistance in facing
Grendel Built Herot (his giant
mead-hall) tosymbolize the
kingdoms success,civilization, and joy
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Grendel
Referred to asdemon and fiend
Haunts the moors(swampy land)
Descendant ofCain
Feasts on 30 menthe night of 1stattack
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Grendel
An enormous ogre ordemon-like creature
A descendent of thebiblical Cain
Adam and Eve had twosons, Cain and Abel.Cain killed Abel out of
jealousy.
Despises mankinds joy
Menaces Hrothgar and theDanes for twelve yearsbefore facing Beowulf inbattle
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Fire Dragon
Lives in Beowulfs
kingdom
Wakes up whenthief steals cup
Guards countless
treasures
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1 When was owulf written?
2 What is a hero? Explain your definition and give examples
3 What is courage? How would most people today define courage?
4 What is an epic?
5 Define and give an example of a kenning Write an original kenning about someone
you know
6. In todays society we have our own monsters who or what are they and what do
they represent?
7 List three modern fictional heroes and explain how their journeys fit the epic hero
cycle How are they separated? What is their initiation? How have they been
changed?
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Synopsis
For twelve years, Grendel has raidedHerot nightly, killing King HrothgarsDanish warriors.
Beowulf, who has heard of Grendelsevil deeds, decides to come to theaid of the Danes. Hrothgar had once sheltered
Beowulfs father during a deadlyfeud, and Beowulf wants to returnthe favor.
Beowulf also hopes to enhance hisown reputation and gain treasurefor his king, Higlac.
Beowulf brings with him fourteen of his
finest men.
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Synopsis On the first night of the visit,
Hrothgar holds a feast in Beowulfshonor.
Beowulf is insulted by a drunkenDane named Unferth.
Unferth tells the crowd that Beowulfwas once beaten in a swimmingcontest by an ordinary man namedBreca, thus he would certainly beno match for Grendel.
Beowulf responds with dignity notingthat the two swimmers wereseparated by a storm, and on thefifth night of the contest Beowulf
slew nine sea monsters before finallyreturning home
Unferth had been put in his place!
The Danes retire to safe sleepingquarters; Beowulf and his Geats beddown in Herot.
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Synopsis The Danes celebrate the next day
with a huge feast. But Grendels mother is bent on
revenge.
That night she climbs into Herot toretrieve her sons claw, and kills one
of the Danes. Beowulf was sleeping elsewhere.
The next morning Hrothgar, Beowulf,and several Danes and Geats followthe mothers tracks into a dark,formidable swamp.
Beowulf dives into the mere to seekGrendels mother.
He carries with him a sword namedHrunting, a gift from the chastisedUnferth.
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Synopsis First, Beowulf battles with strange
creatures. Grendels mother then attacks and
hauls the Geat warrior to her dimly litcave.
Beowulfs gift sword Hruntingfails to penetrate the ogreshide.
Grendels mother tries to cut Beowulfwith a knife, but his mail (armor)
protects him. Beowulf spots a giant magical
sword and uses it to kill her.
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Synopsis
An unexplainable light illuminates thecavern and reveals Grendelscorpse and a
great deal of treasure.
Beowulf decapitates the corpse.
The magic sword melts to its hilt (handle).
Beowulf returns the surface carrying
Grendelshead, but leaves the treasure.
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Synopsis
After much celebration and gifts fromHrothgar, Beowulf and his men returnhome.
Later, Beowulfs king Higlac is killed inbattle. Higlacsson is also killed in a feud.
Beowulf is named King of Geatland and
rules for 50 years. In his declining years, he must face one
more demon.
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