Beowulf

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Beowulf

• Introductory Research

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Introducing the Epic
Beowulf is

• the first great work of
• English national literature.

• the epic story of the hero Beowulf, who fights
  the demonic monster Grendel.

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Introducing the Epic
People
Beowulf nephew of Higlac, king of the Geats.
Hrothgar king of the Danes.
Wiglaf a Geat warrior, one of Beowulfs select
band and the only one to help him in his final
fight with the dragon.
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Introducing the Epic
Monsters
Grendel man-eating monster who lives at the
bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake.
Grendels mother water-witch who seeks revenge.
Dragon giant fire-breathing serpent whom Beowulf
fights in Part Two of the epic.
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Introducing the Epic
Places
Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia.
Scandinavia
Britain
Scholars think Herot might have been built on the
coast of Zealand, in Denmark.
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Introducing the Epic
Places
Herot the golden guest hall built by King
Hrothgar where warriors gathered to celebrate.
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Genealogies
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Genealogies
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Genealogies
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Anglo-Saxon Verse

• Beowulf was written in the tradition of
  alliterative verse, the style of poetry which the
  ancestors of the Beowulf-poet brought to England
  from their homelands in Scandinavia. The heroic
  poems were sung by trained singers, called scops,
  who sometimes composed them extemporaneously for
  the entertainment of the king and his warriors at
  celebrations in the mead-hall. The scops were
  honored by the Anglo-Saxon kings and people
  because they were the keepers of the history and
  mythology of their countrymen, since the
  Anglo-Saxons, until they became Christians, did
  not know how to read or write. A good scop spread
  the fame of his king by composing songs about the
  exploits in battle of the king and his warriors
  and comparing him to the ancient heroes of saga
  and song. Many warriors would flock to the
  mead-hall of a famous king to share in his glory.

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Anglo-Saxon Verse

• The characteristic style of Anglo-Saxon poetry
  consists of a line with four stressed syllables,
  a pause or caesura dividing the line into two
  half-lines, and no end-rhyme. The stressed
  syllables are alliterated, and there is no set
  number of unstressed syllables.
• The poet also uses a metaphor called a kenning.
  Kennings are descriptive comparisons, such as
  whale-road or sail-road for the sea,
  bone-chamber for the body, or candle of
  heaven for the sun.

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Anglo-Saxon Rhythm

• Find four strong beats (stressed syllables) in
  each line. Draw a slanted mark (/) over each. In
  the middle of the line, between the second and
  third strong beats, find a natural pause
  (caesura). Mark its position with paired up and
  down lines (//). Unstressed syllables are shown
  with a mark like an arc on the bottom of a
  circle, such as U. Mark the unstressed syllables.
  This is the rhythm of Anglo-Saxon poetry. It may
  help you to read the lines aloud.

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Anglo-Saxon Rhythm

• Lo! We have listened to many a lay
• Of the Spear-Danes fame, their splendor of old.
• Their mighty princes, and martial deeds!
• Many a mead-hall Scyld, son of Sceaf,
• Snatched from the forces of savage foes.
• From a friendless foundling, feeble and wretched,
• He grew to a terror as time brought change.
• He throve over heaven in power and pride
• Till alien peoples beyond the ocean
• Paid toll and tribute. A good king he!

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Anglo-Saxon Rhythm

• Is there any rhyme, either end rhyme or internal?
• Did you notice that often the stressed syllables
  in a line contain alliteration? Provide examples.
• What function does the alliteration seem to have?
• In the lines above, is there any particular
  number of unstressed syllables per line, or does
  the number seem to vary?

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Kennings

• The Anglo-Saxons apparently enjoyed word-play
  and were interested in cleverness with words. In
  Beowulf, as in other Anglo-Saxon poetry, a type
  of riddling metaphor called a kenning is used.
  Find the kennings explain what each means and
  why it is an apt comparison
• Beowulf spoke his byrny glittered,
• His war-net woven by cunning of smith
• They lay on the sea-bench slain with the sword
• The hell-thane shrieking in sore defeat
• But the bold one had found that the
  battle-flasher
• Would bite no longer,
• The foamy necked plunger plowed through the
  billows,

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Literary Focus The Epic Hero
The epic hero is the central figure in a long
narrative that reflects the values and heroic
ideals of a particular society. An epic is a
quest story on a grand scale.
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Elements of an Epic

• Epics are sometimes called heroic poems. They
  are long narratives about the adventures of
  larger-than-life characters. They tend to have
  these characterisics
• The hero is a great leader who is identified
  strongly with a particular people or society.
• The setting is broad and often includes
  supernatural realms, especially the land of the
  dead.
• The hero does great deeds in battle or undertakes
  and extraordinary journey or quest.
• Sometimes gods or other supernatural or fantastic
  beings take part in the action.
• The story is told in heightened language.

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Beowulf Background
Beowulf is an oral epic passed from bard to bard.
Harpist-bards 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.
Written down between 700 and 750.
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Beowulf Background
Who wrote it down?
Theory
The poet who wrote Beowulf down may have been a
Northumbrian monk.
Evidence

• scenery described resembles Northumbria
  (northeastern England)

• Christian elements in epic

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Beowulf Vocabulary
Previewing the Vocabulary
resolute adj. determined vehemently adv.
violently infallible adj. unable to fail or be
wrong furled v. rolled up lavish adj.
extravagant assail v. attack extolled v.
praised archetype n. pattern (character, plot,
image, or setting) that appears in literature
across cultures and is repeated through the ages
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Beowulf Vocabulary
Previewing the Vocabulary Activity
resolute furled extolled assail vehemently
lavish infallible

• Which Word
• is often used in reference to a flag?________
• describes someone who is stubborn?________
• describes how someone might argue about a subject
  he or she feels strongly about?___________
• is a synonym for praised? __________
• describes someone who cannot fail?_________
• describes someone who gives generous
  gifts?________
• is another way of saying attack? ________

furled
resolute
vehemently
extolled
infallible
lavish
assail
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Anglo-Saxon Riddle

• I am by nature solitary, scarred by spear and
  wounded by sword, weary of battle. I frequently
  see the face of war and fight hateful enemies.
  What am I?