Beowulf Beowulf timeline Beowulf was written around 700

Beowulf

Beowulf timeline Beowulf was written around 700 A. D. but the events took place between 515 -570 A. D. The story tells of a Germanic tribe, the Danes, who is routinely attacked by a monster, Grendel.

Beowulf The King of the Danes, Hrothgar, asks for help from neighboring tribes. Beowulf, of the Geats, responds and brings a band of warriors with him.

Who are the Danes? The Danes were one of many Germanic groups living in Northern Europe in the years of the late Roman Empire. Around 500, The Swedes, Geats, Danes, and Jutes (all native to Scandinavia) were actively migrating to Britain.

Anglo-Saxons Three Germanic groups: the Jutes, the Angles, and the Saxons became the dominant inhabitants of the island. The Germanic immigrants blended cultures with the existing British and became what we know as the Anglo-Saxons.

Dates 1 st century A. D- Romans conquer the Britons (Celts) 410 - Romans leave the island of G. B. 419 - Jutes arrive, followed by Angles, Saxons * During this time there were separate kingdoms (Northumbria, Kent, Mercia, Wessex) These separate tribes banded together to fight the Norsemen (Vikings) 1066 - Invasion by William the Conqueror of Normandy

Anglo-Saxon Culture The early groups were pagan, worshipping the Earth and gods like Thor. However, because of St. Patrick in the 400 s and Catholic missionaries in the late 500 s, many of the Anglo-Saxons were exposed to Christianity, and by 700, most pagan practices were gone.

Religion in Beowulf remains unique in that the poem is a mixture of Pagan concepts and Christian teachings.

Anglo-Saxon Culture The German tribes who settled in Great Britain also brought a “code” with them, with the strongest belief in loyalty. • Loyalty within a family (protect kinsmen at all costs, revenge a crime against kin) • Loyalty to a king (fight (and possibly die) for a king in return for treasures. )

Loyalty to family Because family loyalty was so highly honored, marriages were often arranged between tribes as a way to bring peace. Husbands and wives had different roles, but were treated equally in marriage.

Loyalty to King War leaders (often kings) usually had a band of warriors who would be loyal to the death. In return, kings would share treasure (jewelry, horses, cookware) that had been pillaged from battles. The higher the rank of the warrior, the greater the treasure.

Anglo-Saxon Culture With this Germanic honor code, the most shocking acts in their oral tales involve betrayal of these ties. § Grendel is said to be a descendent of the Biblical Cain betrayed his kinsman by murdering his brother, Abel. § Grendel’s mother seeks revenge for her son’s death, and Beowulf sees this as completely justifiable.

Anglo-Saxon Culture- Wryd Wyrd (Old English for “fate”) is the Anglo. Saxon word to mean the “the inescapable decree of the day of one’s death. ” The Germanic peoples believes that if a warrior is fated to die, then he will die, but if he is not fated to die, then he will be courageous. Bold actions were favored over passive acceptance.

Anglo-Saxon Culture - Wergeld A wergeld was a price set on a person’s life for the purpose of compensating the victim’s family for their loss. The slayer was expected to pay the wergeld to avoid further punishment/obligation and to avoid a tribal war.

Beowulf Manuscript

Who wrote Beowulf? The author of Beowulf is unknown but is believed to be an Anglo-Saxon poet. Scholars believe the true Beowulf manuscript had been changed by Christian monks who rewrote parts to incorporate religious morals into the story.

Who wrote Beowulf? Anglo-Saxon poetry was an oral art, much like the Greek oral traditions. Poems were sung, usually accompanied by a harp. Scop- the “professional poet” whose duty it was to be the “memory and historian of the tribe. ”

The saga of the manuscript No one knows how many copies (if any) of Beowulf there were. Only one copy has survived. Scholars believed the surviving manuscript was originally in a monastery. During the Reformation in England, many monasteries were closed and private collectors took possession of large collections of books. Sir Robert Cotton had the original manuscript in his personal library.

The saga of the manuscript In 1700, Cotton’s grandson donated the entire library to the British government. In 1786, and Icelander, Grim Johnson Thorkelin, was searching though old manuscripts for anything pertaining to Danish history. Thorkelin was able to understand some of what he read and immediately hired sribes to make two copies. Beowulf was finally published in 1815.

Elements of Beowulf

Alliteration Because Old English poetry has no stanzic form or rhyme, the poet used alliteration heavily to create a rhythm of phonetic sounds rather than a tune. ellenmæþum. Geatmecga leod Nihtweorce gefeh, Hæfde East-Denum gilp gelæsted. . . [He rejoiced in his night's work, the fame his courage won. The man of the Geats had fulfilled his boast to the East-Danes. ]

Kennings A kenning is a metaphorical appellation which is typically written as a two-word compound. The kennings use metonymy to create poetic language. In the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and begin to pay tribute. whale-road = ocean

Caesura

Characters

Beowulf - Prince of the Geats/ nephew to King Hygelac - epitomizes “hero code”brave, loyal, generous - fully accepts the fate of his own death (and is not afraid)

Hrothgar - King of the Danes - Beloved by his people because of his generosity - Builds mead-hall: Heorot - Because of his age, he cannot fight off attacks from Grendel

Grendel - a monster who is half-man/half-fiend - lives in the bottom of a lake near Heorot - despises human joy - has been attacking the Danes for twelve years - is a descendent of Cain

Wealtheow - Wife to Hrothgar - considered a “generous” queen because of the rewards she gives - younger than Hrothgar; probably given in marriage as part of a peace treaty between two groups

Unferth - a “thylee”- a spokesman in a Danish court - feels intimidated by Beowulf’s presence - becomes drunk and challenges Beowulf - some scholars believe that Unferth’s name means “anti-peace” (ferth = peace), but others contend the name Hunferth is clear in the original text, and someone changed it to fit the alliteration pattern because “H” would be silent

Wiglaf (WEE-lahf) - young Geatish warrior - relative of Beowulf - helps Beowulf against the dragon

Prologue Scyld Scefing Beo Why the history? Many scholars Healfdane believe the poet wanted to create a history in order to give credibility to his story- as would be in an oral tradition fashion. Throughout the poem, the poet is Hrothgar careful to avoid anachronisms to question the truth in his writings.