Introduction to the Epic Poem English /26/11 J. Pynes

The Epic (notes from pages and added information!) long narrative poem legendary hero’s adventures quest is in pursuit of “national” interest(s) accomplishments reflect cultural values to which the peoples ascribed in order to establish or reinforce the nation’s identity

Elements of the Epic (includes more than just what is noted on page 34): Hero: The hero is a larger than life person whose birth is noble and/or in some way divine; of course he/she fights evil courageously and virtuously. Beowulf is one such hero. Quest: The hero must take on the quest to search for someone (Grendel) (to destroy) or something (a talisman to return) that will restore peace to his/her kingdom/nation. Task: The hero must perform superhuman and Valorous Deeds in support of the quest. This proves his/her worthiness because the deeds require strength, virtue, and skill under terrific amounts of pressure.

Epic Elements, continued Journey: The hero must search for that which is needed to complete the quest. The journey takes the hero often to the depths of physical and psychological hell in pursuit of his/her goal. Divine Intervention: The hero receives some type of help from supernatural forces (such as the pagan gods, Christian God, magic, or spirits) as he/she pursues the quest. This intervention marks the hero as a person of favor. Great Events: Often historical or cultural events important to the national/cultural group provide a backdrop for the action of the epic. The historical backdrop is not always there, however. One such example of a poem without the historical backdrop but the cultural is Beowulf.

Types of Epics Folk: The folk epic is the ancient form that was sung/recited as entertainment/encouragement for the national/cultural group. There were often several versions that eventually were put together to form the written epic. The folk epic describes the early ideals, characteristics, and traditions of a people as they strive to become or solidify themselves as a nation. Beowulf is an example of the folk epic. Literary: The epic which is written by the author rather than collected from oral tradition is the literary epic. It contains the same elements as the folk epic. An example of the literary epic is Aeneid by Virgil. It does follow the folk traditions, but is ascribed to one known author. Classic: This epic is told/written prior to Christianity’s rise to prominence. So the supernatural is often pagan or natural. It can be folk or literary, but its focus is still to celebrate and even to help create a nation/culture.

Epic Conventions Invocation: Begins with a call to the muses or other supernatural forces to help tell the story and thus inspire and “bless” it. The opening also states the purpose/subject of the story. in media res: The story starts in the middle of the action. Often information is needed in order to avoid confusion because of this convention. Serious tone and style: The tone and style are lofty and serious to support the grandeur of the hero and, ultimately, the nation/culture. Imagery: Epics are rich are in imagery because they began orally. Creating a mental image allows the listener/reader to become part of the epic thus leading to the listener/reader identifying with the hero and embracing the values espoused by the epic.

History of Beowulf Manuscript found in Sir Robert Cotton’s library circa 1700; it had two parts; one part ascribed to 11 th century monks; the other part ascribed to 12 th century monks; most likely, though, Cnut, Danish king over England in early 1,000s was probably the impetus for Beowulf’s preservation. Manuscript A fire in Cotton’s home damaged this only known manuscript; it is still undergoing translation today.it is still undergoing translation today

Timeline by Rachel Zirkelbach Timeline Our text’s translation is by Burton Raffel The translation was done in 1963 There are 100+ known translations. Our textbook doesn’t contain the full poem. The basic story is that a Danish kingdom, ruled by Hrothgar, is terrorized for 12 years by Grendel, a monster who specifically targets the mead hall. A Swedish prince, Beowulf, hears of this reign of terror, determines to kill Grendel, and does so. He also must face Grendel’s mother, and, at the end of his life, a dragon. The Prologue

Sources 22/Manauth.htm 22/Manauth.htm star.net/literature/beowulf/beowulf.html star.net/literature/beowulf/beowulf.html ticaledition#backlitimages ticaledition#backlitimages