Beowulf

Epic Long narrative poem Recounts the adventures of a hero Passed down orally Uses elevated language Begins in media res Think about The Odyssey

The Epic Hero Predestined Mysterious origin Vulnerability Embodies cultural ideals

The Epic Hero Responds to catastrophic situations Supernatural intervenes to help him Moral compass leads him to defend his society Mortal but god-like

I Need A Hero

Background Information Setting - Denmark and Sweden Author - Unknown, probably a monk Composed in the 7th or 8th century Oldest surviving English poem

The Anglo-Saxon Era

The Big Three In 449 AD, three groups invaded Britain Anglos Saxons Jutes Area became known as Angle Land (England) Angle-ish became English

The Setting Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia. Scandanavia= Denmark Britain Scandanavia= Denmark Norway Sweden Scandanavia is Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Tie this back to our earlier map. Scholars think Herot (a grand mead-hall where much of the poem is set) might have been built on the coast of Zealand, in Denmark. How does a story about Danes and Scandinavians become the first national classic of Britain?

The Anglo-Saxon Invasion Jutes Angles Saxons Celts/Romans QUESTIONS Which three tribes are known as the Anglo-Saxons? [Angles, Saxons, and Jutes] Where did they come from? [northern Germany, Denmark, and northern Holland] How did they get to Britain? [They rowed across the North Sea in wooden boats.] BACKGROUND King Alfred the Great came from Wessex. By the middle of the tenth century, the Wessex kings had become the kings of all England. In Sutton Hoo, East Anglia, a burial mound of an Anglo-Saxon king was discovered in 1939. A.D. 449 The Anglo-Saxons push the Celts into the far west of the country Angle-land is born.

Elements of Anglo-Saxon Poetry Alliteration: repetition of initial consonant sounds “Then the grim man in green gathers his strength” Caesura: a pause or break in a line of poetry “Oft to the wanderer / weary of exile” Kenning: compound metaphor used as a name “battle-blade” and “ring-giver” Hyperbole: exaggeration

The Poetry of Beowulf: Alliteration The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration. Grendel gongan,         godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða         manna cynnes Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot. Because there are relatively few traditional rhymes in the English language, the first poetry was alliterative.

More Poetry: the Kenning Kenning: a metaphorical phrase or compound word used to name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly. A kenning is a way of enhancing the qualities of the thing it describes Gold-shining hall= Herot, the meadhall Guardian of crime = Grendel Strong-hearted wakeful sleeper = Beowulf Whale-road = the ocean Cave-guard and sky-borne foe = dragon Can you think of contemporary examples of kenning? Gas-guzzler, Beer-goggles, man-eater, surfing the web, lead-foot, card-shark.

Anglo-Saxon Culture Belief in fate (Wyrd) Treasure equals success Fame and fortune Loyalty to the leader Pagan, Germanic, and Christian ideals

Anglo-Saxon Culture Fierce, hardy life of warrior and seamen Strength, courage, leadership abilities appreciated Rowdy rituals of mead-halls Expected the hero to boast

The Mead Hall All social events began and ended in the Mead Hall Mead is an adult beverage made from honey The hall was built by the local lord or king for the entertainment of the Thanes Thanes: warriors and soldiers loyal to the local lord or king Safest place in the kingdom

Anglo-Saxon Hero Strong Courageous Loyal Desires fame Generous

Anglo-Saxon Ideals Good defeats evil Wergild—restitution for a murder Comitatus—code of loyalty Boasts must be followed by actions Fate is in control Only fair fights are honorable

Title of Epic Poem Anglo-Saxon word Beo means “bright” or “noble” Anglo-Saxon word wulf means “wolf” Beowulf means bright or noble wolf Other sources say Beo means “bear”

Beowulf Epic hero Geat (from southern Sweden) Nephew of Higlac (King at story’s start) Sails to Denmark to help Hrothgar

Hrothgar Danish king Builds Herot (hall) Tormented by Grendel for 12 years Loses many men Joyless before Beowulf’s arrival

Grendel Referred to as demon and fiend Haunts the moors (swampy land) Descendant of Cain (kills his brother Abel in Bible) Feasts on 30 men the night of 1st attack

Grendel’s Mother Referred to as a she-wolf Lives under a lake Is not happy with Beowulf