1. Beowulf

2. Old English and Medieval Period (449-1485 a.d.) A.D. means anno domine Latin The year of our Lord The number of years since the time of Jesus Christ Medieval means medium aevum Latin Middle age

3. Some History… The Chinese for centuries were searching for an “elixir of life” that would render the user immortal During the Tang Dynasty (850 A.D), an alchemist, whose name has been lost in history now, came across a potent mixture It didn’t give longer life, BUT it did explode with a flash and a bang when exposed to an open flame Song Dynasty (904 A.D) later used gun powder devices against their enemies, the Mongols

4. Some History… October 10, 732 near Tours, France Between Charles Martel (Frankish) and Emir Abdul Al Ghafiqi Abd al Rahman (Islamic) Franks won; Abdul was killed Battle stopped the northward advance of Islam from Iberian peninsula Preserved Christianity as the controlling faith in Europe during a period when Islam was over running the remains of Old Roman and Persian Empires

5. Earliest written Literature Epic of Gilgamesh (3000 b.c.) From the Sumerian culture in Mesopotamia Miraculously preserved on clay tablets dating back to four thousand years The poem of Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, is the world’s oldest epic, predating Homer by many centuries. The story tells of Gilgamesh’s adventures with the wild man Enkidu, and of his arduous journey to the ends of the earth for the secret to immortality. Themes of family, friendship and the duties of kings, the Epic of Gilgamesh is, above all, about mankind’s eternal struggle with the fear of death.

6. Earliest English Literature Beowulf Oral tradition created (700-1000 A.D) In Anglo-Saxon period, few people could read. Written down around 1000A.D Beowulf is the greatest surviving work of literature in Old English, unparalleled in its epic grandeur and scope. It tells the story of the heroic Beowulf and of his battles (modern day Sweden), first with the monster Grendel, who has laid waste to the great hall of the Danish king Hrothgar, then with Grendel's avenging mother, and finally with a dragon that threatens to devastate his homeland. Through its blend of myth and history, Beowulf vividly evokes a twilight world in which men and supernatural forces live side by side. Celebrates the endurance of the human spirit in a transient world

7. Themes in Beowulf (Why it is so cool) Good vs. Evil Sorrow Courage Identity: Climbing the social ladder Strength and skill of a hero proving himself in battle Wealth Revenge Religion and Spirituality Ultimate Realities of life: Mortality

8. Look these up before next class Kennings Allusions Themes: good vs. evil & sorrow Vocabulary: on board to define Setting Character traits