Beowulf: The Earliest English Epic

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Beowulf The Earliest English Epic

• A Presentation for
• English 2332
• Dr. Brenda Cornell

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Introduction

• Type of literature Literary Epic (Review
  definition from glossary and notes on Gilgamesh).
  It is our earliest example of the epic in
  English Literature.
• Composition date c. 750-1100 C. E.
• Authorship Anonymous, known simply as the
  Beowulf poet. The original story was passed
  down by oral tradition from the Germanic tribes
  at some point during the 10th century, it was
  written in English (Anglo-Saxon) by an author
  whom some scholars believe to have been a
  Christian because of some Christian elements in
  the poem.

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Beowulf as Hero

• Beowulf has all of the characteristics of the
  epic hero
• High position
• Proven record of bravery and personal glory
• Loyalty to king and country
• Unselfish values, high morals

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Specific Epic Hero Qualities of Beowulf

• 1. Mightiest Man on Earth
• 2. Canny boat pilot/captain
• 3. Strength of thirty men in each hand
• 4. Extraordinary appearance
• 5. Monster-slayer
• 6. Excellent swimmer (5 nights in the
  deepdefeated Breca)
• 7. Believes in fighting fair Fought
  Grendel alone and unarmed, fought Grendels
  mother and dragon alone
• never took advantage of an enemy, fought
  honorably).
• 8. Keeps oaths (Everett Beowulf).

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Antagonists

• The poem relates Beowulfs struggles against the
  three enemies of the Danes Grendel, a monster
  Grendels mother and a dragon. The
  illustrations below are approximate because we
  have no exact descriptions of Grendel and
  Grendels mother. John Gardners comic novel,
  Grendel, shows a comic fascination with the
  monster, who may slightly resemble Gollum, in The
  Lord of the Rings. To provide a stage for
  Angelina Jolie, Hollywood has recently portrayed
  Grendels mother as a beautiful temptress.

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The Supernatural

• Because of the amazing nature of the heros
  deeds, the supernatural is often involved in his
  conquests.

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Language

• The language of the epic has a formal and
  elevated tone.
• It is metaphorical, using a special type of
  combined metaphor called a kenning. A kenning
  uses two common nouns to form one figurative
  metaphor. An example is whale-road, meaning
  sea.
• Beowulf is written in unrhymed blank verse (the
  most formal of all styles and the style of
  Shakespeares plays).

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Setting

• The setting of a literary epic is vast and
  imposing, a place of importance and beauty, so as
  to symbolize the universe. It is a microcosm
  tiny world within a macrocosm vast world.
  In Beowulf, the setting is Heorot, the mead-hall
  (fellowship hall, where wine is enjoyed) of the
  court of Hrothgar, King of the Danes. It is here
  that the hero encounters and defeats his
  antagonists.

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The Hall of Heorot
Depiction of Heorot (HrothgarsKing of the
DanesMead Hall) Cited in Everett, Beowulf.
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Beowulfs Motivation Why fight the monsters?

• Here are the reasons stated in the poem
• 1. Loyalty to his father, Ecgtheow, who was a
  friend to Hrothgar.
• 2. Loyalty to Danes, friends of the Geats
• 3. To bring his king and uncle Hygelac glory,
  fame, and treasure
• 4. To win personal glory, fame, and treasure
• 5. To bring God glory and honor

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Conclusions

• Beowulf is significant and influential as the
  first literary epic in English. The poem carries
  on the traditions begun by Gilgamesh, The Exodus,
  The Iliad and The Odyssey, and The Aeneid.
• This poem continues to be taught as a
  masterpiece it also continues to inspire the
  imaginations of writers and filmmakers alike.

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Works Cited

• Davis, et. al. The Bedford Anthology of World
  Literature. Volume II. NY St. Martins, 2004.
• Everett, Joshua. Beowulf. Killeen Central
  Texas College, 2007.