1. Beowulf
The First English Epic

2. TSW…
Analyze Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon poem, for its influence on English Literature and importance to the Anglo-Saxons.

3. Standards

4. Agenda
Bellwork – Write your definition of a hero on a piece of paper with an example.
Lecture – Anglo-Saxon History/Background
Lord’s Prayer in Old English
Exit Ticket – Pop Quiz

5. Opening scene from Beowulf
First 5 minutes.
Questions:
What did the scene look like? (visual)
Who do you think Hrothgar was? Justify.
What do you think will happen?

6. Anglo-Saxon History/Background
Why study?
The U.S. cultural heritage has been profoundly influenced by English Literature, Language, and Law.

7. Invasions British Isles
Romans
Angles & Saxons
Vikings
Normans

8. The Celts – 4th Century B.C.
tall, blonde warriors
Sometimes called “Britons”
Religion:
Pagans – worshipped spirits (everywhere – trees, water, stones, nature, etc.)
Druids=priests
Performed animal & human sacrifices

9. Celtic legends Values important Stories full of: Strong women Magic
The Celts
Celtic legends
Values important
Stories full of:
Strong women
Magic
Imagination

10. Anglo-Saxon History – Invasion!
Roman invasion and settlement. Ca. 50 A.D.
100 years for Romans to conquer Celts
Several hundred years rule
Brought some Christianity
Built roads, Hadrian’s Wall.
Left no government.
Hadrian’s Wall

11. Anglo-Saxon History – Invasion!
Angles and Saxons and Jutes
Series of invasions
Drove out Celts
Language became dominant
Renamed Engla-land = England

12. Anglo-Saxon History Anglo-Saxon Life/Religion
Close allegiances between leaders and followers
Leaders earned positions
Earned fame through war
Religion
gods for warriors - polytheism
Odin (father), Thor (son)
Encouraged ethics & qualities like:
Bravery
Friendship
Loyalty
Death, poetry, magic were important parts of society.

13. Viking Invasion - Christianity and King Alfred
Christian missionaries sent from Rome and Ireland at same time of Viking raids. 3 EFFECTs:
Britain linked culturally to Europe (think Roman Catholic Church)
Provided common faith & system of morality
Helped King Alfred unify A-S against Viking invaders.
Fierce Viking invasions in 8th and 9th centuries.
Alfred the Great brought A-S together to protect:
Culture
Churches
People
Vikings continued to invade until A-S & Vikings were overthrown by William Conqueror in 1066 (Normans).

14. King Alfred Promoted learning
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle – running history of England written in Old English (OE), not Latin.
First time that OE had been promoted.
Monasteries – fostered learning & preserved literature
Copied Latin & Greek classics and works of OE, like Beowulf

15. English – An evolving language
Paired activity:
What language (if any) does it sound like?
Could you pick out anything familiar? What?
Why do think the language changed?
Do you think language changes today? Justify your answer.

16. Old English – The Lord's Prayer
Old English Literal Translation
Fæderureþuþeeart on heofonum; Father our thou that art in heavens
Si þinnamagehalgod be thy name hallowed
to becumeþin rice come thy kingdom
gewurþeðinwilla be-done thy will
on eorðanswaswa on heofonum. on earth as in heavens
urnegedæghwamlicanhlafsyle us todæg our daily bread give us today
and forgyf us uregyltas and forgive us our sins
swaswa we forgyfaðurumgyltendum as we forgive those-who-have-sinned-
against-us
and ne gelædþu us on costnunge and not lead thou us into temptation
ac alys us of yfelesoþlice but deliver us from evil. truly.

17. Exit Ticket – Anglo-Saxons Quiz
Using notes from today, answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES:
Name 3 peoples other than the Angles and Saxons who invaded Great Britain during this time.
Name at least two things King Alfred did to unify the Anglo-Saxons.
What is a BARD and why were they valued during this era?
Generally, how were women treated in Anglo-Saxon society?

18. Beowulf Day 2 - Agenda
Bellwork – read pages in your Literature book. Define epic and epic hero in your notes.
Discuss epic and epic hero.
Pronunciation guide.
Beowulf Parts 1-3.
Reflection. – Student summary

19. Handout Parts 1-3
We will read this portion together and answer the questions. Always follow along in the book. Be prepared to answer questions.

20. Beowulf – Day 3 The Beauty of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Bellwork – on an index card, write down some conventions of modern poetry that you remember (i.e. figurative language, sound devices, meter, types of poetry)
Audio Clip, Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Notes – Kenning, Caesura, Alliteration
Analyze Anglo-Saxon Riddles
Gallery Walk
Independent practice
Exit Ticket/Reflection

21. Essential Questions – Day 2
What can we learn from the manuscripts and literature of the Anglo- Saxons?
What are some of the formal elements of Anglo- Saxon poetry?

22. Audio Clip – Old English
Audio Clip – Riddle 45 in Old English, Swarthmore College
Are you able to recognize any words this time? Why or why not?
Did you notice any kind of rhythm to the poetry? Was it regular or sporadic?

23. Connections
Just like modern poets, the Anglo- Saxon bards (scops) used alliteration and other sound devices to make their poetry more pleasing to their listeners. In fact, this is probably why we use these conventions today.

24. Notes – Conventions of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Kenning
Caesura
Alliteration

25. Notes = Kennings
Kennings – special metaphor made of compound words. A favorite of Anglo-Saxon bards. Beowulf contains over 1,000 kennings (original).
Earliest and simplest:
“sky-candle” = sun
“battle-dew” = blood
“whale-road” = sea
More elaborate: “foamy-throated sea-stallion” or “foamy- throated sea stallion of the whale-road” = ship
Modern-day kennings: “gas guzzler,” “headhunter,” “queen bee,” “king of the hill”

26. Well-known Anglo-Saxon kennings:
Bone-house
Battle-light
Wave-floater
Fish-home
Seal bath
=The human body
=Sword
=Ship
=Sea

27. Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close to one another. Alliteration may occur
at the beginnings of words, as in “bright blue” or “kindcomment”
within words, as in “jacket pocket”

28. Alliterative Anglo-Saxons
Instead of rhymes, Anglo-Saxon oral poets used alliteration along with carefully placed pauses to add music and rhythm to their poems.
Lines of Anglo-Saxon verse often are divided into two halves separated by a rhythmic pause, or caesura.
ða com of more under misthleoþum
Grendelgongan, godesyrrebær;
myntese manscaða manna cynnes
sumnebesyrwan in seleþamhean.

29. Alliterative Anglo-Saxon
Here are the same lines in Burton Raffel’s modern translation:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendelcame, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot
Punctuation produces pause effect of the caesura.

30. Why use these conventions?
Anglo-Saxon poets and storytellers used alliteration and kennings because these devices
•aided memory
•created sound effects
•pleased the audience

31. Let’s analyze this riddle (#40)
I saw four things, in beautiful fashion Journeying together. Dark were their tracks, The path very black. Swift was its moving, Faster than birds, it flew through the air, Dove under the wave. Labored unresting The fighting warrior, who showed them the way All of the four, over plated gold
Can you solve the riddle?

32. Gallery Walk Groups of 3 Identify kenning, alliteration, and caesura.
Solve the riddle, explain your reasoning.
When your group is finished, pick up a handout and begin working on the independent practice.
When all groups are finished, we will walk around looking at the riddles.
Use a sticky note to make comments/corrections on other groups’ riddles.

33. Exit Ticket/Reflection
Rate your learning today 1-5.
1= “I do not understand”,
3=“I understand, but couldn’t explain it”,
5=“I understand completely and could explain it to someone else.”
Answer the essential questions on your index card:
What can we learn from the manuscripts and literature of the Anglo-Saxons?
What are some of the formal elements of Anglo-Saxon poetry?