Beowulf

ANONYMOUS

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

Anglo-Saxon Period
The

Anglo-Saxon period
ranges from 449-1066.
It ends with the Battle of
Hastings where the French,
under the leadership of
William the Conqueror
invaded England.

Anglo-Saxon Period

The Anglo-Saxon period is the earliest recorded time

period in English history.

Anglo-Saxon Literature
Few people read in this period
Oral tradition was performed and/or
sung by a Bard (Scop) from memory in
Old English
This is why there are often
several versions of the
same story.
Scops poet/minstrels
Authors were unknown

Anglo-Saxon Culture

Belief in fate (Wyrd)

Accumulated treasures amount to

success

Fame and fortune zealously sought after

Loyalty to ones leader crucial

Importance of pagan, Germanic, and

Christian ideals to people whose lives
were often hard and uncertain

Anglo-Saxon Culture

Fierce, hardy life of warrior

and seamen

Strength, courage,
leadership abilities
appreciated

Boisterous yet elaborately

ritualized customs of the
mead-hall

Expected the hero to boast

Anglo-Saxon Ideals
Codes of Conduct

Good defeats evil

Wergild--restitution for murder or

expect revenge from victims
relatives

Boasts must be backed with

actions.

Fate is in control

Fair fights are the only honorable

fights

Anglo-Saxon values
Loyalty
Fighting

for ones king

Avenging ones
kinsmen
Keeping ones word
Generosity -- gifts
symbolize bonds
Brotherly love -- not
romantic love

Anglo-Saxon values
Heroism
Physical

strength
Skill and resourcefulness
in battle
Courage
Public reputation, not
private
conscience

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.

Background Information

30,000 lines of Anglo-Saxon poetry

survive today

3, 182 (10%) of the lines are from

Beowulf

Setting - Denmark and Sweden

Author - Unknown, probably a

monk

Composed in the 7th or 8th century

Oldest surviving English poem

Elements of Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Chant-like effect of the four-beat line
Alliteration (Then the grim man in green
gathers his strength)
Caesura-pause or break in a line of
poetry
(Oft to the wanderer
weary of exile)
Kenning-metaphorical phrase used
instead of a name (battle-blade and
ring-giver)
Epithet-description name to characterize
something (keen-edge sword)
Hyperbole-exaggeration

Literary Devices
Allusion: Biblical, Germanic oral tradition,
Norse myth and legend, historical AngloSaxon 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-road=sea)
Scop: Anglo-Saxon composers and
storytellers (like minstrels or bards)

Some terms youll want to know

scop
A bard or story-teller.
The scop was responsible for
praising deeds of past
heroes, for recording history,
and for providing
entertainment

Some terms youll want to know

comitatus
Literally, this means escort
or comrade
This term identifies the
concept of warriors and
lords mutually pledging their
loyalty to one another

Some terms youll want to know

thane
A warrior
mead-hall
The large hall where the
lord and his warriors
slept, ate, held
ceremonies, etc.

Some terms youll want to know

wyrd
Fate. This idea crops up a
lot in the poem, while at
the same time there are
Christian references to
Gods will.

Some terms youll want to know

elegy
An elegy is a poem that
is sad or mournful. The
adjective is elegiac.
homily

A homily is a written
sermon or section of the
poem that gives direct
advice.

Mead Hall

Some terms youll want to know

epic
Beowulf is an epic poem.
This means it has a largerthan life hero and the
conflict is of universal
importance. Theres a
certain serious that
accompanies most epics.

2 Types of Epics
1.

Folk Epic

2.

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 Epic

Known author
(E.g. Paradise Lost, by John Milton is a
literary epic because we know who
wrote it.)

Characteristics of an epic:

The hero, generally male, is of

noble birth or high position

The heros character traits reflect

important ideals of his society

The hero performs courageous

deeds that reflect the values of the
times

His actions determine the fate of

many

Characteristics of an epic
continued:

The setting is vast

Written in formal diction with a serious

tone

Characters have long, formal speeches

Heros journey (slides to follow)

Poem reflects timeless values (courage,

etc)

Treats universal themes (good vs. evil,

etc.)

SUMMARY OF EPIC FEATURES

A long narrative poem
Larger than life hero; often with superhuman characteristics
Concerns eternal human problems like the
struggle between good and evil
Presented in a serious manner using
elevated (poetic) language
Hero represents widespread national,
cultural, or religious values

Other Epics
Gilgamesh (Babylonian, unknown)
The Odyssey (Greek, Homer)
The Iliad (Greek, Homer)
The Aeneid (Roman, Virgil)

The Poetry in Beowulf

A few things to watch out for

1. Alliterative verse
a. Repetition of initial sounds of
words (occurs in every line)
b. Generally, four feet/beats per line
c. A caesura, or pause, between
beats two and four
d. No rhyme

Setting: Beowulfs time and place

Although Beowulf was written in
English, it is set in what is now Sweden,
where a tribe called the Geats lived.
The story may take place as early as
400 or 500 A.D.

Setting: Beowulfs time and place

Europe today

Beowulfs Provenance
What we dont know:
who wrote it
when exactly it was
written
how much, exactly, is
based on historical truth

Beowulfs Provenance
What we do know:
Beowulf is the oldest surviving English
poem. Its written in Old English (or AngloSaxon), which is the basis for the language
we speak today.
Some of the characters in the poem
actually existed.
The only copy of the manuscript was
written sometime around the 11th century
A.D. (1000s), however

The actual poem probably dates from

the 8th century (700s) or so, and
The story may be set even earlier,
around 500 A.D.
There are a lot of Christian references in
the poem, but the characters and setting
are Paganthis means a monk probably
translated it.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the

beginning of words that are close together in a poem.

Hrothgars

men lived happy in his

miserable,

mighty men tormented

hall.

The Poetry in Beowulf

A few things to watch out for

Alliterative verse an example from

Beowulf:
Oft Scyld Scefing sceapena praetum,

Monegum maegpum
Egsode Eorle,

meodo-setla ofteah;

syddan aerest weard.

Kenning

Kennings are special kinds of metaphors that use

compound words, prepositional phrases, or possessives
to name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly.
Compound
Words

"hell-forged"
"banquetrich
"ring-giver"
"mead-cup"
"she-wolf"

Prepositional Phrases

Possessives

"Shelter of warriors" "ocean's/Furrows

"
"shapes of
darkness"
"God's bright
beacon"
"shepherd of evil"
"Heaven's high
"tormentor of their
arch"
days"
"Geats'/Brave
"journey into
prince"
darkness"
"hell's captive"

The Poetry
in
Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
Other kennings from Beowulf:
banhus = bone-house = body
goldwine gumena = gold-friend of men =
generous prince
beaga brytta = ring-giver = lord
beadoleoma = flashing light = sword

You can Create modern-day kennings for things you

see around you.

giver of words
word-wand

The Poetry in Beowulf

A few things to watch out for

Litotes
A negative expression; usually an
understatement
Example:
Hildeburh had no cause to praise the Jutes
In this example, Hildeburhs brother has
just been killed by the Jutes. This is a
poetic way of telling us she hated the Jutes
absolutely.

Beowulf

Epic hero

Geat (from
southern Sweden)

Nephew of Higlac
(King at storys
start)

Sails to Denmark to
help Hrothgar

Hrothgar

The aging king of

the Danes

Welcomes Beowulfs
assistance in facing
Grendel

Built Herot (his giant

mead-hall) to
symbolize the
kingdoms success,
civilization, and joy

Grendel
Referred to as
demon and fiend
Haunts the moors
(swampy land)
Descendant of
Cain
Feasts on 30 men
the night of 1st
attack

Grendel

An enormous ogre or
demon-like creature
A descendent of the
biblical Cain
Adam and Eve had two
sons, Cain and Abel.
Cain killed Abel out of
jealousy.
Despises mankinds joy
Menaces Hrothgar and the
Danes for twelve years
before facing Beowulf in
battle

Grendels Mother

Referred to as shewolf

Lives under a lake

Challenges
Hrothgar when she
kills one of his best
men

Grendels Mother

Not as powerful as
her son, but still a
formidable foe

Lives with her son

Grendel in a cave
beneath a swampy
lake (or mere)

In her cave is a
magical, giant
sword

Fire Dragon

Lives in Beowulfs
kingdom

Wakes up when
thief steals cup

Guards countless
treasures

1.

When was Beowulf written?

2.

What is a hero? Explain your definition and give examples.

3. What is courage? How would most people today define courage?

4. What is an epic?
5. Define and give an example of a kenning. Write an original kenning about someone
you know.

6. In todays society we have our own monsters, who or what are they and what do
they represent?
7. List three modern fictional heroes and explain how their journeys fit the epic hero
cycle. How are they separated? What is their initiation? How have they been
changed?

Synopsis

For twelve years, Grendel has raided

Herot nightly, killing King Hrothgars
Danish warriors.
Beowulf, who has heard of Grendels
evil deeds, decides to come to the
aid of the Danes.
Hrothgar had once sheltered
Beowulfs father during a deadly
feud, and Beowulf wants to return
the favor.
Beowulf also hopes to enhance his
own reputation and gain treasure
for his king, Higlac.
Beowulf brings with him fourteen of his
finest men.

Synopsis

On the first night of the visit,

Hrothgar holds a feast in Beowulfs
honor.
Beowulf is insulted by a drunken
Dane named Unferth.
Unferth tells the crowd that Beowulf
was once beaten in a swimming
contest by an ordinary man named
Breca, thus he would certainly be
no match for Grendel.
Beowulf responds with dignity noting
that the two swimmers were
separated by a storm, and on the
fifth night of the contest Beowulf
slew nine sea monsters before finally
returning home
Unferth had been put in his place!
The Danes retire to safe sleeping
quarters; Beowulf and his Geats bed
down in Herot.

Synopsis

Angered by the joy of the

men in the mead-hall,
Grendel bursts in and kills
one of the Geats.
With the strength of 30
men in his hand grip,
Beowulf seizes the ogres
claw and rips it from its
shoulder socket.
The mortally wounded
beast flees to his mere
pool.
The claw trophy hangs
high under the roof of
Herot.

Synopsis

The Danes celebrate the next day

with a huge feast.
But Grendels mother is bent on
revenge.
That night she climbs into Herot to
retrieve her sons claw, and kills one
of the Danes.
Beowulf was sleeping elsewhere.
The next morning Hrothgar, Beowulf,
and several Danes and Geats follow
the mothers tracks into a dark,
formidable swamp.
Beowulf dives into the mere to seek
Grendels mother.

He carries with him a sword named

Hrunting, a gift from the chastised
Unferth.

Synopsis
First, Beowulf battles with strange
creatures.
Grendels mother then attacks and
hauls the Geat warrior to her dimly lit
cave.
Beowulfs gift sword Hrunting
fails to penetrate the ogres
hide.
Grendels mother tries to cut Beowulf
with a knife, but his mail (armor)
protects him.
Beowulf spots a giant magical
sword and uses it to kill her.

Synopsis

An unexplainable light illuminates the

cavern and reveals Grendels corpse and a
great deal of treasure.

Beowulf decapitates the corpse.

The magic sword melts to its hilt (handle).

Beowulf returns the surface carrying

Grendels head, but leaves the treasure.

Synopsis
After much celebration and gifts from
Hrothgar, Beowulf and his men return
home.
Later, Beowulfs king Higlac is killed in
battle. Higlacs son is also killed in a feud.
Beowulf is named King of Geatland and
rules for 50 years.
In his declining years, he must face one
more demon.

The End of Beowulf

A fiery dragon has become enraged

when a fugitive stole a valuable cup
from the dragons treasure-trove.
The dragon terrorizes the countryside
at night.
Beowulf insists on taking the dragon
alone, but his sword is no match for
the monster.
All of Beowulfs men flee to the
woods.
Only one of them, Wiglaf, goes to
Beowulfs assistance.
Beowulf is mortally wounded.
Dying, he leaves his kingdom to
Wiglaf.
His body is cremated in a funeral pyre
and buried high on a sea-side cliff
where passing sailors can see.
The dragons treasure is buried with
him.

Themes and Important Aspects

Good vs. Evil
Religion: Christian and Pagan influences
The importance of wealth and treasure
The importance of the sea and sailing
The sanctity of the home
Fate
Loyalty and allegiance
Heroism and heroic deeds