& Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Beowulf

King of the Geats,

Beowulf leaves home to help Hrothgar, King of the Danes

Alliterative VerseInstead of rhyme or

meter, Anglo-Saxon poetry relies on alliteration

Lines are divided into two halves with a caesura in the middle.The halves are

tied together by alliteration

Hwæt! We Gardena         in geardagum,þeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing         sceaþena

þreatum, monegum mægþum,         meodosetla

ofteah, egsode eorlas.         Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden,         he þæs frofre

gebad, weox under wolcnum,        

weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc         þara

ymbsittendra oferhronrade         hyran scolde, gomban gyldan.         þæt wæs god

cyning!

KenningsHelp with alliterationFunction is similar to

Stock Phrases in Greek Epics

Poetic, often repeated phrases to describe things Whale-road (Ocean) Slaughter-dew (blood) Spear-din (battle)

Can be combined for greater effect Slaughter dew worm dance

(bloody battle to the death)

Anglo-Saxon hallhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/stories_and_pastimes/

Christian ElementsThe inclusion of God or

Christ as the object of praise/worship. 53 times in the entire

poemBiblical allusions

The FloodThe concept of Grendel

as the descendant of Cain.The poet argues that

Grendel was, like all monsters, descended from the cursed son of Adam and Eve.

http://cookit.e2bn.org/historycookbook/28-325-Life-in-saxons-vikings.html

Norse Elements Role of Protection

Norse Society was based on loose political relationships.

A powerful warrior (a thane) would lead a group of warriors and their families.

Often hereditary, but loose A weak thane could easily lose

his warriors.

Warrior Culture. The final goal for every warrior

was to be defeated in battle. Death by old age was not

preferred Only warriors who were killed in

battle were accepted in Valhalla, the warrior “heaven” in Norse mythology.

http://pagan.wikia.com/wiki/Valhalla

LitotesFigure of speech in which

understatement is employed for rhetorical effect An idea is expressed by a

denial of its opposite, often employing double negativesTo say that something is

attractive, we might say it’s “not unattractive”.

Good= Not BadLike= Not unlikeOld= Not as young as she

used to be

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http://literaryzone.com/?p=143

EpithetsDescriptive terms

accompanying or occurring in place of a nameWilliam the

ConquerorStar Cross’d LoversDiscreet Telemachus

Often make use of repeated/stock phrases (clichés)

http://www.glogster.com/glog.php?glog_id=1704009&scale=54&isprofile=true

LofOld English for a man's

good name on others' lips 'fame, praise,' or dom,

loosely 'the good judgment of others,'

related to the verb 'deem‘

was the final goal of the heroic life.

It is no accident that the last word of the poem should be lof-geornost 'most eager for fame.'

http://meggardiner.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/beowulf/

Epic Hero Cycle Reasonably predictable series of events

that happen to heroes across cultures in poems like this.

General requirements of the epic hero cycle: A charge, from a god or someone else

to take on a quest/mission A test, to determine one’s worthiness

to complete the task A mentor, to guide the seeker in

his/her quest. Helpers (animal, human, or mystical)

to assist in the quest A Main Antagonist, often supernatural A Magical/Unreal World visited by

the hero that others are not able to enter

An Escape from the Quest, where the hero questions his commitment

A Resurrection, where the hero seems to return from death or a death-

http://waveguidefluorescentsensor.cold10.com/heros-journey-in-literature.php