1. Introduction to Beowulf
Transitioning from Old English to Modern English from the Oral Tradition to the Written Tradition

2. Why is Historical Context Important?

3. Historical Context: British Timeline
Celtic Stories & Myths
300 B.C.E (B.C.)
Strong female & male figures
Enchanted lands where magic and imagination rule
Human interaction with the gods
Oral tradition – large part of culture

6. Historical Context: British Timeline
Anglo-Saxon Period
Language
449 C.E C.E.
First time England has solidarity
King Alfred the Great, first great Anglo-Saxon King
Led his people against the Danes/Vikings
For the first time, England became a nation (in any true sense)
Old English
Angle-Ish = English
Angle-land = England

7. Etymology Genealogy n. n.
The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed or developed over time.
“Etymology”. Wikipedia.org
The study of families and their lineage through history.
“Genealogy” Wikipedia.org

8. Beowulf Genealogy

9. Divisions of the English Language
Old English ( C.E.)
Beowulf
Middle English ( )
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
Modern English (1485-present)
Shakespeare
1st play Comedy of Errors (1590)

10. Transitioning Language
Middle
Cwene
Balle
Farme
Mild
Melc
Egge
Flour/flur
Dreme
Dogge
speche
Old
Cwene
Beallu
Feorm
Milde
Milc
Aeg
Flure
Dream
Hund/docga
spaec
Modern
Queen
Ball
Farm
Mild
Milk
Egg
Flower
Dream
Dog
speak

11. Historical Context: British Timeline
Anglo Saxon Religion
Prospered over Christianity
Similar to Norse mythology
Belief in Dragons
Value bravery, loyalty, friendship
Met in Great Halls for storytelling
Polytheistic (many gods)
Woden-
god of death, poetry, & magic,
Woden’sDay (Wednesday)
Thor/Thunar
god of thunder and lightening
Thor’s Day (Thursday)

12. Historical Context: Beowulf
Strong belief in fate (wyrd)
Juxtaposition of church and pagan worlds
Admiration of heroism and warriors who prevail in battle
Express religious faith and give moral instruction through stories

13. Historical Context: Anglo-Saxon Literature
Characteristics:
Oral Tradition
Repetition
Stock scenes: points of a scene that are repeated to serve in memorization of plot lines for oral tradition, common characteristics (i.e. once upon a time), narrative landmark
Foreshadowing: clues to future elements
Flashbacks: reverting back to past events, non-linear chronology
Epithets: Alternative names for people
Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds
Kennings: hyphenated Germanic compound words (whale-road, life-house)
Litotes: Ironic understatements (i.e. He cared not for battle)
Caesura: Break in a line or verse
Confluence of Christian and Pagan Beliefs
Metonymy: a specific symbol or concept that represents something larger (the giver of rings)
Synecdoche: a figure of speech in which a more inclusive term is used instead of a less inclusive one (i.e. a part represents the whole, or a whole represents its parts)

14. Historical Context: Beowulf
Oldest text in English
by Anonymous
Oral Tradition
Composed in Anglo-Saxon (Old English) between 600 and 700 C.E.
Written down in 1000 C.E.
Translated by Christian monks –introduces Roman alphabet to Britain because monks wrote it down.
Hero’s journey
Epic
Transition of the heroic world to medieval world
The world of violence and ruined civilization fades with the old gods and is replaced with the promise of Christian virtue and mortal valor overcoming the forces of evil.

15. Historical Context: Beowulf
Beowulf as the Hero
Beowulf the hero embodies virtues that are emblematic of the shift in times
(humility, loyalty, selflessness before personal glory)
Judged by honor as much as his deeds
Illustrated clash between Pagan and Christian tensions.
Illustrates constant and unresolved tension between glory of warrior on earth versus Christian virtues

17. Oral Tradition Literary Techniques
Kennings- compounding that are metaphoric in meaning. (I.E. bone-house, sky’s candle, whale road)
Alliteration- repetition of stressed sounds, specifically consonants. (I.E. She sells sea shells…)
Caesura- indentation in verse which signifies a pause or break in a line.
Assonance-repetition of vowel sounds

18. How would these devices help memory when telling an oral story?
Alliteration?
Kennings?
Caesura?
Assonance ?

19. Your Turn! Examine the use of each literary device in Beowulf.
Highlight use of alliteration and assonance.
Circle use of caesura.
Underline Kennings

20. Homework: Create your own poem, to be performed in the Oral Tradition.
Be sure to use caesura, kennings, alliteration, and assonance.
Be prepared to memorize and present these poems in the form of oral tradition.

21. Good luck & God’s Speed
spēdan