1. Anglo-Saxon/Medieval Period HEROES
English 12 Literature

2. Who/what makes a hero?
Hero Video _ ,00.html

3. Beowulf Literary Focus: The Epic Hero
In modern America, the hero may be a real person or a fictional character.
[End of Section]
What makes a hero today? Brainstorm a list of characteristics with your group that you believe a hero MUST have.

4. Group Quick Write
Beowulf is a story about a hero from the British past who faces violence, horror, and death to save a people in mortal danger.
In your groups, take a moment to think about some people who you consider heroes. Then select one to write about. This person should be a contemporary hero, real or fictional.
Describe him or her and then answer these questions.
What sort of evil or oppression does your hero confront?
What motivates your hero?
For whom does your hero confront evil?
What virtues does your hero represent?
**Be prepared to share your responses orally when finished.

5. The Epic
The epic is a long, narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes.
It usually deals with a few events in the life of a single person.
The protagonist is heroically “larger than life”.
The actions consist of brave or heroic deeds.
It is written in formal style.
****Show Epic Hero P.Point Here.

6. Characteristics of Epic Heroes
The hero is “larger than life.” He’s almost too good to be true.
He risks personal danger to pursue a grand quest.
The hero has superhuman courage, strength, bravery, and intelligence.
The hero faces supernatural forces.
The hero is of high physical and social status (noble birth). He reflects ideals of his society (ethical).
He is a great warrior and leader. He risks death for the greater good of society.

7. Terms
wyrd– fate
bard– poet (often played a harp or lyre while reciting)
fate vs. fame– unavoidable destiny vs. only way an important personal, individual act could live forever (word of mouth); only way to defeat fate in a grim, violent world
Kenning--metaphorical compound word or phrases substituted for simple nouns
Alliteration—repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
Caesura—rhythmical pause
Comitatus—Germainic code of loyalty

8. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura, or rhythmic pause, to create unity.
Locate the caesura (si-zhoo-r-uh) in these lines:
ða com of more         under misthleoþum Grendel gongan,         godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða         manna cynnes sumne besyrwan         in sele þam hean.
Line divided into two parts by a caesura.

9. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
Here are the same lines in modern English from Burton Raffel’s translation:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendel came, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.
Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura.

10. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration.
Grendel gongan,         godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða         manna cynnes

11. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendel came, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

12. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendel came, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

13. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
The kenning is another poetic device that was used by the oral poet.
Examples of kennings from Beowulf:
gold-shining hall= Herot
guardian of crime = Grendel
strong-hearted wakeful sleeper = Beowulf
cave-guard and sky-borne foe = dragon

14. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
Kenning: a metaphorical phrase or compound word used to name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly.
A kenning enhances the literal meaning of the words. A kenning gives the listener an idea of how the words connect to an idea or concept that is richer and more emotionally complex.

15. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf
Create modern-day kennings for things you see around you.
giver of words
word-wand ? ?
Kitten: purr-full delight, mew-madness
Singer: siren of song, melody-muse
Racing car: road-shark, roar-racer
Airplane: soar-silver streak, sky’s arrow ? ?

16. How Did Anglo-Saxons Live?
After a hunt or battle, the followers of a chieftain or king would meet in the mead hall or banquet room of the chieftain’s living quarters.

17. Mead Hall
In many villages, this was the central place where the men would gather to argue the ways to meet a crisis or deal with a situation in the village.
Hrothgar’s was called Herot or Hall of Horns.

18. Mead Hall (cont’d)
Hall was a long hall, possibly a whole building, with a long trench down the middle in which fires were built.
Long tables were set on either side of the trench.
Men would gather at the tables to eat and drink mead (alcoholic beverage made with malt and honey).
Chieftain and scop (village poet, pronounced shope) sat at one end of the hall.

19. Scops
Regaled warriors with tales of deeds of bravery and heroism, accompanied usually by a small hand-held harp.

20. Government
Decisions for a village were usually done at “town meeting” or “folkmoots”, where every able-bodied man had a say.
Might elect a war chief, but even a King was elected by the village males.
King was selected for his family connections as well as his abilities.
He would gather followers about him (thanes) to whom he gave protection and allegiance.
Thanes in turn watched over farmlands and collected taxes.

21. Christianity
Christianity came to England in 597 when Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory to share the faith.
Founded the 1st church in Canterbury.
Became the 1st Archbishop of Canterbury.

22. Written in old English
Oldest epic narrative in any modern European tongue
Unknown authorship
Dating from the early 8th century
Gives an excellent understanding of the spirit and embodiment of heroic tradition

23. Before we begin… A look at the first page in Old English
Listen to lines 1-6 in Old English
Caesura – rhythmical pause
Alliteration – the repetition of initial consonant sounds that enhance the structure inherent in the poetry’s four-beat rhythm
Kennings – compound-word metaphors

24. Introduction to Beowulf
This is a story about a hero from the misty reaches of the English past, a hero who faces violence, horror, and even death to save a people in mortal danger. The epic’s events take place many centuries ago, but this story still speaks to people today – perhaps because there are so many people in need of a rescuer, a hero.

25. From Where to Where . . . Sweden Denmark Home of the Geats and Beowulf
Home of the Danes, King Hrothgar, and Grendel (and the mead-hall)

26. Pagan Pagan or Christian?
While we’re reading, think about the pagan and Christian elements of Beowulf.
Some critics say the Christian elements were added much after the first tellings, others say they were there all along. What do you think?
Which elements are more important and do you believe were intentional in the first tellings of the story?
Keep a running list or mentally note pagan and Christian elements in the story.