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BeowulfEnglish 11 CP
What is an epic? A long narrative poem that tell of the
adventure of heroes
Originally survived as oral tradition
Based on historical fact
Told by scops or bards for education and entertainment
Characteristics of an epic
The hero (generally male) is of noble birth and legendary importance
Character traits reflect ideas of society
Courageous (superhuman) deeds
Actions determine fate of nation or group of people
Vast setting
Characteristics of an epic
Formal diction and serious tone
Long, formal speeches
Plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve a long and dangerous journey through foreign lands
Timeless values – courage and honor
Universal themes – good and evil/life and death
Alliteration A figure of speech in which consonants,
especially at the beginning of words, or stressed syllables, are repeated
In Old English alliteration was essential
Kenning A descriptive phrase or compound word that
substitutes for a noun
Associated with Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon poetry
“the Almighty enemy”
“sin-stained demon”
Helped to establish tone and reinforce essentials of character and setting
Beowulf After the fall of the Western Roman Empire to
Germanic tribes in 5th century A.D.
Chaotic period of political unrest and economic/cultural decline
Life was dominated by bloody warfare which drove many Northern Europeans to abandon their homes for foreign shores Britian – Angles, Saxons, Jutes – “Anglo-Saxon”
Beowulf Takes place on the European mainland
Danes (Denmark)
Geats (Sweden)
Crosses the sea to aid the Danes then returns to Sweden to become king of the Geats
Historical Background
BeowulfHrothgar
Beowulf’s Battles1. Beowulf battles Grendel
2. Beowulf battles Grendel’s
mother
3. Beowulf battles an unnamed
dragon
Values Loyalty
Deeds of great strength and
courage
Protection of others
Entertainment People gathered in “mead halls”
Large wooden buildings where they feasted, drank mead, and listened to tales of heroic achievement
Old English Text Beowulf is the most famous of the early
Germanic (those who took over when the Roman Empire fell) heroic poems to survive
Written in Old English Strong rhythm, each line divided into two
parts by a pause (caesura)
Old English TextMoððe word fræt-- me þæt þuhte
wrætlicu wyrd þa ic þæt wundor gefrægn,
þæt se wyrm forswealg wera gied sumes,
þeof in þystro, þrymfæstne cwide
ond þæs strangan staþol. Stælgiest ne wæs
wihte þy gleawra þe he þam wordum swealg.
http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/english/oldenglish/45.html