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 How does Beowulf illustrate the characteristics of an Epic?

 Beowulf is an Epic Poem  Written in Old English  Many versions  Poems  Books  Graphic Novels/Comic Books  Movies  Author Unknown  Passed on through storytelling for centuries until finally written down

 Thought to have been composed between 700 and 850 CE  Passed down through Oral Tradition  Finally written down around 1000 CE  Based on real events  Documents have been found that talk about Hygelac, Beowulf’s lord, dying in 521 AD

 Because this story existed for so long before being written down, there is no “true” version

 An Epic is a long story about an important event for a culture or country.  Often the beginnings of a culture or country  An Epic has at least one major Hero.  Epic Hero: Determines the Fate of a culture or nation, often in battle.  An Epic is usually written as a long poem in complicated, beautiful language.  Beowulf was originally a poem, but has morphed into other forms of literature.

 Usually have supernatural beings – monsters, gods, angels.  Grand scale: The fate of a nation or culture hangs in the balance.  The Epic Hero is a person of great national importance.  Involves extraordinary deeds in battle OR a long and dangerous journey.  Epics were told orally to remember historical events – which are usually exaggerated.

 The Aeneid – about the beginnings of Rome and Italy  The Odyssey – about the beginnings of Greece  Paradise Lost – about Humanity’s struggle against Satan  The Iliad – about the Trojan War  The Death of Hector comes from The Iliad – so you’ve already read an Epic!

 Beowulf was a popular story in England, but the events actually take place in two countries near England: Sweden and Denmark.  The story was told and written by Anglo- Saxons, who tell the story through the lens of their own values:  Treasure  Glory

 Book 1: Beowulf comes from Sweden to Denmark, where he has heard about a monster who terrorizes and murders people. Wanting Glory, he comes to kill the monster.  Book 2: Still in Denmark, more monster trouble.

 Beowulf has returned to Geatland (in modern Sweden) and becomes King. 50 years pass.  A Dragon begins to terrorize Beowulf’s people, and he must save them from the Dragon.

 Beowulf is a warrior, and later King, of the Geats (Swedish)  Beowulf wants to make a name for himself as the Greatest Warrior.  He is eager to risk his life for Glory so that he will always be remembered and respected.  He also wants to earn a lot of Treasure, which he plans to take with him to the afterlife when he dies.  He believes that having Glory and Treasure will make him Immortal.

 Remember Canterbury Tales? (Yes, you do.)  Chaucer wrote in Middle English in the 14 th Century  Beowulf was originally written down in the 11 th Century, when English was still what we consider Old English

 Canterbury Tales in Middle English: NfOMU NfOMU  Beowulf in Old English: qLhk qLhk  How are they different?  Modern German: azcSQ&feature=related azcSQ&feature=related

 Britain is made up of four countries:  England  Scotland  Ireland  Wales  Before the 5 th century, the dominant language and culture in Britain was Celtic

 In the 5 th Century, invaders from Germany called Anglo-Saxons conquered England

 The Anglo-Saxons took over what we know as England, which was pronounced “Angle- land,” and Whales  Scotland and Ireland remained Celtic  Anglo-Saxons brought their language, which was a version of German – “Angle-ish”  We refer to this language today as Old English, because it was the beginnings of our language

 Praised Glory and Treasure, because they thought that this was the way to Immortality.  Activity: Anglo- Saxon WebQuest  uk/history/ancient/a nglo_saxons/