2. Elegy – serious poem of lament, usually mourning a death or other great loss Mood – R27 “wyrd” – Old English word for fate; literally means “turn” or “spin” Ancient Greeks, Ancient Chinese, Ancient Native Americans all used a word that meant “turn” or “spin” to describe FATE Ancient cultures typically looked at time and events in a cyclical fashion (like the seasons) – the repeatable, the archetypal, the eternal Relative peace (internal or external) and glory can only be achieved through acceptance of the cycle, FATE Free will and the linear idea of time only comes into history with Judaism

3. “The Seafarer” – Anglo-Saxon elegy o Pagan and Christian ideas are mixed together o written in 900s from the oral tradition o created in the oral tradition in 700s o comes from The Exeter Book  one of the four major manuscripts of Anglo- Saxon literature  The other three manucripts are: Nowell Codex (contains Beowulf) Caedmon Manuscript Vercelli Book

4. Beowulf – Anglo-Saxon epic o Written in Old English o Dates back between 975-1050 AD o Part of the oral tradition from the previous 200 years o Mixture of pagan and Christian elements o The text is from the Nowell Codex, one of the four major Anglo-Saxon manucripts - oldest works of the English Language o Set in what is now known as Sweden and Denmark o It is about a great warrior named Beowulf known for his courage, strength and dignity

6. This is an example of Old English from Beowulf.