Introduction to the Old English Period of British Literature

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Introduction to the Old English Period of British
Literature

• (450-1066 A.D.)

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Beowulf

• Author Unknown
• Epic a long narrative poem
• detailing a heros deeds.

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The Manuscript

• Passed down through word of mouth by storytellers
  known as scops (pronounced she-ops)
• Probably recited to harp music
• Was written down at 1 point many mysteries
  remain surrounding text

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The Manuscript

• Events in the poem take place between late 5th
  century early 7th century
• Composed in Old English or Anglo-Saxon
• Considered earliest major work of English poetry
• A single manuscript exists, now in British
  Library in London
• Caught fire in 1731, left pages burned and
  brittle

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Original Style

• 3,000 lines long
• Unrhymed, four-beat alliterative lines called
  alliterative verse
• Title added later, no title included in
  manuscript

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Anglo Saxon Society

• Lived in tribes
• Kings were decided by deeds, not last names
• Spoke Old English
• Pagans before adopting Christianity
• Pagans strong nature presence strength of
  warrior
• Anglo Saxons mixed both beliefs Beowulf
  contains traces of both beliefs

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Anglo Saxon Society

• Migration of people from present day Germany to
  present day England

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Anglo Saxon Society

• People Living on the British Isles
• Picts Pre-Celtic
• Britons Celtic
• Gaels Celtic
• Roman armies conquered the Britons
• Romans introduced cities, stone roads, written
  scholarship, and Christianity.
• Romans abandoned Britain

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Anglo Saxon Society

• Even when they adopted Christianity, they valued
  heroic ideals and traditional values
• Culture valued human contact, family, virtue, and
  a good story
• Valued heroic code over tribal loyalties
• Feared humiliation and loneliness
• Desired richness, power, and valued heroic
  actions of warriors

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An Overview

• Story of noble warrior, Beowulf
• Becomes King of Geats
• Fights 3 major battles (Grendel, Grendels
  Mother, Dragon)
• He travels from Scandinavia (modern day Sweden)
  to Heorot (in modern day Denmark)
• Pronounced hair-ut

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Heroic Code

• Warriors
• Strength, courage, loyalty
• Kings
• Generous to his thanes (warriors)
• Show hospitality
• Strong political leader
• Anyone can become king
• Society
• A good reputation

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Protagonist

• Poem's Hero Beowulf
• a mighty warrior from the land of the Geats
  (modern day Sweden)
• arrives in modern day Denmark (home of
  Spear-danes or Danes)
• noble, courageous, bold, and stronger by far than
  any other living mortal

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Beowulf Continued

• Arrives to build his reputation
• Important to Anglo Saxons
• When he arrives to Heorot, he has already
  defeated seamonsters

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Antagonists

• Grendel
• nightmarish creaturehalf-beast, half-manthat
  strikes at night
• Born with dark heart and dark spirit
• Born out of chaos from the lineage of the
  biblical Cain (who killed his own brother)
• Kings balance out chaos

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Antagonists Continued

• Grendel's mother
• Disgusting creature
• Lives in swamp with her son
• Fire-breathing dragon
• Dragons believed to be former kings who were
  greedy
• Dragon is opposite of good king (ie Beowulf)

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Other Characters

• King Hrothgar (Dane)
• Hroth benefit of gar spear
• Who Beowulf travels to help
• Wiglaf (pronounced weeg-lauf)
• Wig war/fight
• Young thane originally from Sweden (was a
  prisoner) loyal to Beowulf in his last battle
• Edgetho (pronounced ej-thoe)
• Beowulfs father who died when he was young

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Tribes

• Danes
• Hrothgar and his thanes
• Geats
• Beowulf and his men
• Wulfing
• Tribe Hrothgar made peace with for Beowulfs
  father

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Themes

• Establishing Identity (Family Lineage vs.
  Individual Reputation)
• Good vs. Evil
• Strong Warrior vs. Strong King

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Translations

• Thane warrior
• Mead-hall built by King Hrothgar. Place for men
  to gather, eat, drink mead (like beer), and tell
  stories
• Wyrd fate
• Scop (pronounced she-op) oral storyteller
  often to harp music provided entertainment and
  education sang or chanted stories
• Hrunting sword

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Beginning the story

• Heorot is the mead-hall King Hrothgar built his
  men after much military success
• Enjoyed prosperity there for a long time
• Until Grendel, monster who lives in the
  swamplands just outside Heorot, becomes angered
  by their celebrations
• He has been terrorizing Heorot for 12 years
  Hrothgars men defenseless against him

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Meanwhile..

• Beowulf is well-known hero of Geatland
• not far from Denmark the land of Danes
• He heard of the terror Grendel caused
• He brought 14 of his bravest men to help
• Traveled by sea to Denmark

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(No Transcript)
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Characteristic of an Epic Poem its Hero
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Anglo Saxon Literature

• Anglo-Saxon poetry used several devices,
  including
• Metaphors a comparison without like or as
• Similes a comparison using like or as
• Alliteration repetition of the initial consonant
  sound in a line of poetry
• Caesura a pause in a line of poetry
• Repetition
• Kennings a descriptive phrase or compound word
  that substitutes for one word
• Stories were often filled with violence and gore
• Most stories were about heroic warriors
  prevailing in battle
• Characters were driven by fate (wyrd) and their
  courage was tested

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Characteristics of Epic Poem

• Setting is vast scope, often involving more than
  1 nation
• Plot is complicated by supernatural beings or
  events and may involve a long, dangerous journey
• Poem reflects timeless values (ex courage,
  honor)
• Poem treats universal themes (ex life and death
  good and evil)
• Major characters often deliver long, serious
  speeches
• What are some examples of present day epics?
• Lord of the Rings
• Star Wars

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Characteristics of Epic Hero

• Is of noble of birth or high position often of
  great historical or legendary importance
• Character traits reflect important ideals of his
  society
• Performs courageous (sometimes superhuman) deeds
  that reflect the values of the era
• Actions of hero often determine the fate of a
  nation or group of people