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BEOWULF
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Anglo-Saxon Period
• The Anglo-Saxon period is the earliest
recorded time period in English history.
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• 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.
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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
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THE STORY OF BEOWULF
• Beowulf marks the beginning of English
literature
• Beowulf is one of the earliest known pieces
of literature known in the English language;
written in Old English
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Contains specific Motifs
• Motifs – a motif is a recurring theme or
image in a work of literature
• Biblical and Christian Allusions
• Pagan Customs
• Social Customs
• Traits of the Warrior
• Beowulf Boasts
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• The story of Beowulf wasn’t written
down until about 700 AD by “The
Beowulf Poet” who is unknown. He
wrote down the poem which for many
years had been only sung or spoken.
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• Scholars believe “The Beowulf Poet” was
most likely a Christian monk, thus adding a
Christian perspective.
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• There is only one original Beowulf
manuscript existing today. It is in the
British History Museum in London.
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BEOWULF is an EPIC poem.
• EPIC – a long, narrative poem that
relates the great deeds of a larger-
than-life hero who embodies the
values of a particular society.
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Examples of other EPICS are…
• Greek “Illiad” and
“Odyssey” – Homer
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The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings – Tolkien
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And of course there’s the EPIC
HERO!!!!
• EPIC HERO – must undertake a quest to
achieve something of tremendous value to
himself and his society
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SUMMARY OF EPIC
FEATURES:
• A long narrative poem
• Larger than life hero; often with super-human 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
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This EPIC poem of
BEOWULF is often divided into
3 sections; it is about Beowulf’s
3 epic battles w/ evil.
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…the Battle with
Grendel
• (Grendel represents evil)
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…the Battle with Grendel’s
Mother
(She also represents evil.)
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…the Battle with the Dragon
(It not only represents evil but also greed.)
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Just in case you wanted to know,
Beowulf himself represents good:
• loyalty
• valor
• selflessness
• sense of justice
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Beowulf: Where does it take
place?
• Geatland and
Denmark
(Modern Denmark
and Sweden)
Map of Baltic Region of Scandinavia Map of Baltic Region of Scandinavia
and the Viking Invasions (700and the Viking Invasions (700--800)800)
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Note:
None of the action takes place in England!!!
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The Scary, Horror Movie
“Where”
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More specifically…
Beowulf takes place in a “once upon a time world” which taps into “three archetypal sites of fear.”
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1. The barricaded night house /
Mead Hall (Grendel)
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2. The infested underwater lair
(Grendel’s Mother)
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The Reptile-taunted rocks of a
wilderness and cave (Fire
Breathing Dragon)
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I like to think of them this
way, in terms which may
mean more to your or my
generation:
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Our bed on a stormy night when
we are alone in the house (where
we should feel safe.)
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A murky lake or a beach where
Jaws takes place.
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The dark recesses of the earth: a
cave, or even your own dark
basement!!!
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WHY?
Why do we read Beowulf?
• It’s a very creative, imaginative, poetic
masterpiece.
• It gives us insight into the origins of the British people, the culture, who, through seafaring conquests, founded the world we currently live in.
• It gives us insight into the origins of our language.
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Why do we read it?
• It gives us insight into all people everywhere and throughout time – birth, death, fame/success/glory, honor,
friendship, conflict, home, country, adventure, spirituality
– all of these things transcend English literature and matter to all people)
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Why do we read it?
• It’s scary and gets us to think about our
own worst fears
• It’s a VERY important piece of
literature historically (This is the
“because we have to” reason!!)
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Characteristic features of
Anglo-Saxon Literature
• Alliteration
• Kennings
• Caesura
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Alliteration
•The repetition
of beginning
consonant sounds
in lines of poetry
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Kenning
• Kenning – a metaphorical phrase used to
replace a concrete noun
• Ex: sea = whale’s home
• Ex: battle = spear play
• It is like a mini-riddle
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Caesura
• – a natural pause in the middle of a line of
poetry.
• 2 part line – each line is separated by a
pause or break in the middle of the line;
each part generally has 2 strong beats.
•(Put simply, it is a dramatic pause in the middle of a line.)
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Caesura example:
Then the Scylding warrior savage and grim,
Seized the ring-hilt and swung the sword
Struck with fury despairing of life
Thrust at the throat broke through the bone rings:
The stout blade stabbed through her fated flesh.
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Elegy
• An elegy is a poem that mourns the death
of a person or laments something lost.
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Epithet
• An epithet is an adjective or other
descriptive phrase that is regularly used to
characterize a person, place, or thing.
• Examples:
– Richard the Lion-Hearted
– King Alfred the Great
– America the Beautiful
– The Lord of all Life
– The Ruler of Glory