Beowulf Beowulf Why read it Beowulf is the

Beowulf

Beowulf Why read it? Beowulf is • the first great work of English national literature • Gives us a glimpse into Scandinavian and Anglo. Saxon Culture • Common themes and structures with stories today

Beowulf Background Beowulf is an oral epic poem Anglo-Saxon scops told the familiar story for audiences in the communal halls at night. Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village in West Stow, England, with communal hall on the left.

Beowulf Background Written down between 700 and 750 AD in present day Britain- composer unknown Existed for future ages in only one manuscript likely copied by Christian monks around 1000 AD

Beowulf Genre The poem is an epic (3, 182 lines long; 80 -90 pages) Epic poem- A long, narrative poem that records the efforts of a hero who demonstrates the ideals of a culture

Beowulf Anglo-Saxon Culture The hero was very important in Beowulf’s time- his strength, wisdom and courage might save people from evil - Wyrd - Boasting - Wergild

Beowulf Religious References Originally pagan warriors, the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian invaders experienced a largescale conversion to Christianity at the end of the sixth century. P Though still an old pagan story, Beowulf thus came to be told by a Christian poet. The text of Beowulf shows both Norse pagan belief and Christianity, often in the same line. h t y l o Mon tic s i e oth c ti s i e

Beowulf Setting Beowulf takes place in present day Denmark and Sweden around 500 AD Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians invaded Britain and settled there several hundred years before Setting/characters date back to before migration

Beowulf Plot Two Parts: Part 1: Young Beowulf battles Grendel and Grendel’s mother in Daneland. Part 2: Old Beowulf battles a dragon in Geatland.

Beowulf in Old English

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

Beowulf Poetic Elements 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.

Beowulf Poetic Elements The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration. Grendel gongan, mynte se manscaða godes yrre bær; manna cynnes Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds in words close together.

Beowulf Poetic Elements 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.

Beowulf Poetic Elements 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

Beowulf Poetic Elements Kenning: a metaphorical phrase or compound word used to name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly Teacher: Fountain of wisdom or Sleep inducer?

Beowulf Poetic Elements Create modern-day kennings for things you see around you. giver of words word-wand ? ?

Beowulf Characters Scyld: king whose funeral rite is described at the beginning of the poem Beowulf: hero of the epic, king of the Geats Hrothgar: king of the Danes Unferth: Danish warrior who doubts Beowulf’s ability to kill Grendel Wiglaf: a Geat warrior, one of Beowulf’s select band the only one to help him in his final fight with the dragon

Beowulf Characters Monsters Grendel: man-eating monster who lives at the bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake. Grendel’s mother: waterwitch who seeks revenge. Dragon: giant fire-breathing serpent whom Beowulf fights in Part Two of the epic.