Beowulf Epic Hero and Epic Epic Hero Characteristics

Beowulf: Epic Hero and Epic

Epic Hero Characteristics of Epic Heroes: The hero, generally a male, is of noble birth, and high position (importance) - STRONG The hero’s character traits reflect important ideals of his society. – ETHICAL The hero performs courageous and superhuman deeds. – QUEST The actions of the hero often determine the fate of a nation or group of people. GLORIFIED

Epic Poem: A long narrative poem Relates the story of a serious adventure No aspects of comedy Details the hero’s victories as well as his defeats Sometimes defeats are more important

Two Types of Epics Primary Epic: No known author Iliad, Odyssey, Beowulf, Gilgamesh Secondary Epic: Author is known Paradise Lost John Milton The Idylls of the King Lord Alfred Tennyson

The Marks of an Epic Hero is of Nobel birth Character traits reflect important ideals of his society Hero performs courageous, superhuman deeds Actions of hero determine the fate of the nation Setting is vast in scope (more than one place)

The Marks of an Epic Formal diction and serious tone Major characters deliver long, formal speeches Plot is complicated by supernatural beings or long journeys The poem reflects timeless values The poem contains universal themes What are some modern epics?

Kennings A literary device in which a noun is renamed in a creative way using a compound word or union of two separate words to combine ideas. School “Scholar’s Home” Your Parents “Car Loaners” Coca-Cola “Humanity’s Beverage”

Your Turn Create your own kenning for the word “High School Senior” *Practice by complete 10 more kennings on your worksheet.

Alliteration is the repetition of stressed sounds, particularly consonants from the beginnings of words or syllables. Example: “. . . A powerful monster, living down In the darkness, growled in pain, impatient As day after day the music rang Loud in the hall. . . ”

Caesura A typical Old English alliterative line consists of two half-lines separated by a strong pause, known as a caesura. In one half of the line, two words commonly alliterate; in the other half, one word alliterates with the two from the other half. Example: “Then, when darkness had dropped, Grendel Went up to Herot, wondering what the warriors (caesura after Herot) Would do in that hall when their drinking was done. ”

The Blood Feud Very Godfather-like If one member of a family/clan is killed by another family/clan, then vengeance is taken upon that other family.

Wergold Money given as compensation for a killed family member Used to avoid violence or end a feud

My clothes are silent as I walk the earth Or stir the waters. Sometimes that which Makes me beautiful raises me high Above men’s heads, and powerful clouds Hold me, carry me far and wide. The loveliness spread on my back rustles And sings, bright, clear songs, And loud, whenever I leave lakes And earth, floating in the air like a spirit.

A worm ate words. I thought that wonderfully Strange—a miracle—when they told me a crawling Had swallowed noble songs, A night-time thief had stolen writing So famous, so weighty. But the bug was foolish Still, though its belly was full of thought.

I cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. I lie behind stars and under hills, And empty holes I do fill. I always come first and always follow after, I end life, kill laughter.