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Beowulf: The Beginnings of English Literature

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Invoke a muse. Muse inspiration provided by the gods. Plot begins ... Invokes a muse at the beginning. Begins in the middle of the story as they escape jail ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Beowulf: The Beginnings of English Literature


1
BeowulfThe Beginnings of English Literature
2
Origins
  • Unknown author possibly one Christian author in
    Anglo-Saxon England
  • Unknown date of composition (roughly 8th-11th
    Century CE)

3
Literary Devices
  • Allusion Biblical, Germanic oral tradition,
    Norse myth and legend, historical Anglo-Saxon
    kings (eg. King Offa of Mercia)
  • Alliteration (eg. Scylds strong son)
  • Epic poetry a long narrative poem written in
    elevated style which celebrates the deeds of a
    legendary hero or god.
  • Kenning two-word metaphorical name for something
    (eg. whale-roadsea)
  • Scop Anglo-Saxon composers and storytellers
    (like minstrels or bards)

4
Warrior Code
  • Comitatus Germanic code of loyalty
  • Thane warrior swears loyalty to the king for
    whom they fought and whom they protected
  • Kings generous, protected thanes
  • Reputation thanes were expected to be loyal,
    brave, courageous kings were expected to be
    generous and hospitable
  • Wergild man-payment a fee paid to the family
    of a slain man to atone for his murder and to
    prevent the family from seeking revenge.

5
Geats and Danes
  • Beowulf was a war leader of the Geats, a group of
    people in what is now southern Sweden
  • Hrothgar was king of the Danes

6
Old English
  • Beowulf was written in Old English, an early form
    of English
  • Old English was spoken in the Middle Ages from
    about 6th century to 11th century CE
  • In 1066, William the Conqueror successfully
    invaded England, bringing his Norman French
    language with him the nobility began to speak
    French, and gradually Old English evolved into
    Middle English (1100-1500) Whan that Aprill,
    with his shoures soote/The droghte of March hath
    perced to the roote
  • Modern English has been spoken since the
    Renaissance Shakespeare is NOT Old English he
    is Early Modern English

7
(No Transcript)
8
Elements of an Epic
  • Epic hero an character with a trait or
    characteristic that is valued by his society.
  • (E.g. Supermans bravery or valor)
  • Quest A journey through which the character or
    the reader learns something
  • Valorous Deeds Doing something bravely.
  • Divine Intervention The hand of God (or gods)
    help the hero, proving his value.
  • Great events The hero has a hand in something
    important in the history or mythology of a
    culture.

9
2 Types of Epics
  • Folk
  • Told out loud first (usually by scops)
  • Unknown author
  • Unknown dates
  • (E.g.Beowulf is a folk epic because we dont
    know who wrote it)
  • Literary
  • Known author
  • (E.g. Paradise Lost, by John Milton is a
    literary epic because we know who wrote it.)

10
3 Epic Conventions
  • Invoke a muse
  • Muse inspiration provided by the gods
  • Plot begins in medias res
  • In medias red In the middle of the action
  • Serious tone
  • Not necessary to have all on these, but need most
    at least

11
Possible OER
  • Evaluate a story youve read or seen as an epic
    story.
  • O! Brother, Where Art Thou?
  • Epic hero Ulysses Everett McGill
  • Quest To seek the treasure
  • Valorous deeds Singing the song, escaping the
    sheriff, saving Tommy from the KKK, et al.
  • Divine intervention the flood
  • Great events Helping elect Pappy ODaniel as
    governor of Mississippi instead of the KKK head
    dragon
  • Literary epic Cohen brothers wrote it in 2001
  • Invokes a muse at the beginning
  • Begins in the middle of the story as they escape
    jail
  • Serious tone? Notsomuch.

12
Beowulfs Name
  • Beowulfs father Edgetho
  • In most cases, the son is named after the father
  • Don
  • Donald (son of Don)
  • McDonald (son of son of Don)
  • McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don)
  • Proves Beowulf is own individual with own powers
    and abilities (and more important than his
    father)
  • Beo Bear
  • Bears are known as Great Protectors in Norse
    mythology
  • Strong
  • Wulf Wolf
  • Wolves are also great protectors, but are also
    cunning and speedy
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