Mrs. Llanos

 Author unknown  Epic – a long narrative poem detailing a hero’s deeds.  Passed down orally by storytellers known as scops, who also played harp music  People gathered in mead halls the center of community, culture, & entertainment to hear stories.

 Written down between 8 th & 10 th centuries  Many mysteries remain surrounding the text  Written down after the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity  Originally written in Old English, the language spoken in Britain during the Anglo-Saxon period  A single manuscript exists, now in the British Library in London; preserved by Christian monks who copied it

 Events in the poem take place between late 5 th century & early 7 th century  Set in a pagan society, but translator was Christian so contains traces of both beliefs  Considered the earliest major work of English poetry to survive (  oral tradition)  Title added later, was not included in manuscript

 Warriors  Strength, courage, loyalty  Kings  Generous to his thanes (warriors)  Show hospitality  Strong political leader  King determined by deeds, not family last name  Society  A good reputation  Supported king & thanes

 Story of noble warrior, Beowulf  Becomes King of Geats  Fights 3 major battles (Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, Dragon)  He travels from modern day Sweden to Herot (in modern day Denmark) Scandinavia Britain Scholars think Herot might have been built on the coast of Denmark.

 Setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation  Plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve a long, dangerous journey  Poem reflects timeless values (ex: courage, honor)  Themes are universal (ex: life and death; good and evil; dark and light)  Major characters often deliver long, formal speeches  The diction is formal and the tone is serious

 Is of noble of birth or high position; often of great historical or legendary importance  Character traits reflect important ideals of the society  Performs courageous (sometimes superhuman) deeds that reflect the values of the era  Actions of hero often determine the fate of a nation or group of people

 a mighty warrior from the land of the Geats (modern day Sweden)  Arrives in Denmark and travels to Herot to see Hrothgar, king of the Danes  noble, courageous, bold, and stronger than anyone else  Arrives to fight Grendel, who is terrorizing Herot, as a favor to King Hrothgar

 Grendel  nightmarish creature–half-beast, half-man–that strikes at night  Born with dark heart and dark spirit  Born out of chaos – from the lineage of the biblical Cain (who killed his own brother)

 Grendel's mother  Disgusting creature  Lives in swamp with her son  Fire-breathing dragon  Dragons believed to be former kings who were greedy  Dragon is opposite of good king (i.e. Beowulf)

 Danes  Hrothgar and his thanes (warriors)  Geats  Beowulf and his men  Wulfing  Tribe Hrothgar made peace with for Beowulf’s father