BeowulfBeowulf::The Beginning of English The Beginning of English
LiteratureLiterature
Beowulf’s Name Beowulf’s Name Beowulf’s father– EdgethoBeowulf’s father– Edgetho
– In most cases, the son is named after In most cases, the son is named after the father the father DonDon Donald (son of Don)Donald (son of Don) McDonald (son of son of Don)McDonald (son of son of Don) McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don)McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don)
Proves Beowulf is own individual with Proves Beowulf is own individual with own powers and abilities (and more own powers and abilities (and more important than his father)important than his father)
Bear Bear WolfWolf
The background The The oldest oldest pagan epic poempagan epic poem written in English written in English more more
than 1200 years agothan 1200 years ago AnonymousAnonymous and composed in the first half of the 8th and composed in the first half of the 8th
centurycentury It is based on a It is based on a Scandinavian SagaScandinavian Saga orally transmitted orally transmitted
It deals with a time following the initial invasion of It deals with a time following the initial invasion of England by England by Germanic tribesGermanic tribes in 449 (5th~6th Cent.) in 449 (5th~6th Cent.)
It contains It contains Christian elementsChristian elements probably added by the probably added by the scholar who wrote it down; the pagan deities are scholar who wrote it down; the pagan deities are removedremoved
The storyThe story It derives from folk-talesIt derives from folk-tales
It is a blend of legend and historyIt is a blend of legend and history
It contains precise references to real It contains precise references to real historical events and tribal struggleshistorical events and tribal struggles
The characters
The Geats (The Geats (BeowulfBeowulf; his retainer ; his retainer WiglafWiglaf))
The Danes (The Danes (King King HrothgarHrothgar))
GrendelGrendel ( the monster) ( the monster)
GRENDEL’S MOTHER
The fire-breathing dragonThe fire-breathing dragon
Mythical elementsMythical elements A fantastic worldA fantastic world
MonstersMonsters
DragonsDragons
Imaginary creaturesImaginary creatures
Geats and Geats and DanesDanes
Beowulf was a war Beowulf was a war leader of the leader of the Geats, a group of Geats, a group of people in what is people in what is now southern now southern SwedenSweden
Hrothgar was king Hrothgar was king of the Danesof the Danes
THE SETTINGTHE SETTING
•Palace of Heorot
•Gautland
THE PLOTTHE PLOT Two stories unified by the presence Two stories unified by the presence
of the same heroof the same hero The first: Beowulf is a young hero The first: Beowulf is a young hero
going to help Hrothgar, king of the going to help Hrothgar, king of the DanesDanes
The second: Beowulf in his old age The second: Beowulf in his old age as king of the Geats in Gautlandas king of the Geats in Gautland
SOCIAL LIFESOCIAL LIFE It reveals a way of life ruled by simple It reveals a way of life ruled by simple
laws:laws: Eating Eating DrinkingDrinking FightingFighting HuntingHunting Listening to the Scop during the Listening to the Scop during the
feastsfeasts
Features of the timeFeatures of the time The generosity of the lordThe generosity of the lord The fidelty of the subjectsThe fidelty of the subjects The sense of honourThe sense of honour The duty to help people in needThe duty to help people in need ViolenceViolence
The values of warrior society in the poem
LoyaltyLoyalty and kinship and kinship
The need to take The need to take revengerevenge
Physical Physical strengthstrength and and couragecourage
The search for The search for gloryglory in this life in this life
Their main tools were the Their main tools were the weaponsweapons personalized personalized with names, a precious heritage with names, a precious heritage
FateFate
The presence of natureThe presence of nature Cold Scandinavian countriesCold Scandinavian countries Unpleasant wintersUnpleasant winters Spring hailed with joySpring hailed with joy Rough and stormy northern seaRough and stormy northern sea Biting windsBiting winds Black poolsBlack pools Gloomy marshesGloomy marshes Forests and cavesForests and caves
The general atmosphereThe general atmosphere GloomyGloomy FierceFierce MelancholicMelancholic SolitarySolitary A strong sense of doomA strong sense of doom Stoic resignationStoic resignation
Christian elements
• BeowulfBeowulf= = good good struggling against struggling against evilevil He prays He prays the Creatorthe Creator of all things, the ruler of all things, the ruler
of the Heavensof the Heavens God’s God’s WILLWILL, identical with FATE ( , identical with FATE ( Wyrd Wyrd ))• Reference to the Reference to the Old Testament:Old Testament:• Heorot = symbol of the worldHeorot = symbol of the world• The Danes = mankindThe Danes = mankind• The lake = hellThe lake = hell• Grendel’s mother = the devilGrendel’s mother = the devil• The sword = the crossThe sword = the cross
The typical moundsThe typical mounds
LANGUAGELANGUAGE
OriginsOriginsUnknown author; Unknown author; possibly one possibly one Christian author in Christian author in Anglo-Saxon EnglandAnglo-Saxon EnglandUnknown date of Unknown date of composition (roughly composition (roughly 88thth-11-11thth Century CE) Century CE)
Beowulf’s first pageBeowulf’s first page
ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTSILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS
BEOWULF : OLD ENGLISHBEOWULF : OLD ENGLISH Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum, Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþenasceaþena þreatum, þreatum,
monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, egsode egsode eorlas.eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde, ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning! gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning! ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned, ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned, geong in geardum, þone god sende geong in geardum, þone god sende folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat
Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura, or rhythmic pause, to create unity.
ða com of more under misthleoþum Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.
Line divided into two parts by a caesura.
Locate the caesura in these lines:
BeowulfBeowulfThe Poetry of The Poetry of BeowulfBeowulf
Here are the same lines in modern English from Burton Raffel’s translation:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of mistyHills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,Grendel came, hoping to killAnyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.
Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura.
BeowulfBeowulfThe Poetry of The Poetry of BeowulfBeowulf
Wessex dialectWessex dialect High poetic dictionHigh poetic diction Old English verse highly musicalOld English verse highly musical Long lines divided in two halvesLong lines divided in two halves A pause in the middle of the linesA pause in the middle of the lines The two halves held together by The two halves held together by
allitterationallitteration No rhymeNo rhyme
The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration.
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes
BeowulfBeowulfThe Poetry of The Poetry of BeowulfBeowulf
Techniques
ALLITTERATIONALLITTERATION ““He He rrippled down the ippled down the rrock, ock, wwrithing rithing wwith ith
anger”anger”
KENNINGKENNING ““The The hoard-guardianhoard-guardian” ”
(the guardian of the treasure = the monster)(the guardian of the treasure = the monster)
the swan-roadthe swan-road
the whale-roadthe whale-road
the bent-necked woodthe bent-necked wood the ringed prowthe ringed prow The Ship The Ship
KENNINGS from the poem
Beowulf
The Sea The Sea
The SwordThe Sword
KENNINGS from the poem
the storm of swords
the leaving of the filethe leaving of the file
battle-lightning battle-lightning
The BattleThe Battle
the ring-giverthe ring-giver
the dispenser of treasurethe dispenser of treasure
The DragonThe Dragon
Ray Winstone as Beowulf in Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, 2007
the twilight-spoiler
KENNINGS from the poem
The Lord/KingThe Lord/King
The The FeudFeud = = the tragic wastethe tragic waste
Themes
A system of revengeA system of revenge is repeated in the poem: is repeated in the poem: feud feud peace peace feud feud
The eternal The eternal conflictconflict betweenbetween dark and light,dark and light, good and good and evilevil
FateFate Courage Courage as as the quality that can stand against Fatethe quality that can stand against Fate..
2 Types of Epics2 Types of Epics1.1. FolkFolk
– Told out loud first (usually by scops)Told out loud first (usually by scops)– Unknown authorUnknown author– Unknown datesUnknown dates– (E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t (E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t
know who wrote it) know who wrote it) 2.2. LiteraryLiterary
– Known authorKnown author– (E.g.– (E.g.– Paradise LostParadise Lost, by John Milton is a , by John Milton is a
literary epic because we know who wrote it.)literary epic because we know who wrote it.)
3 Epic Conventions3 Epic Conventions1.1. Invoke a museInvoke a muse
– Muse– inspiration provided by the gods Muse– inspiration provided by the gods 2.2. Plot begins in medias resPlot begins in medias res
– In medias red– “In the middle of” the actionIn medias red– “In the middle of” the action3.3. Serious toneSerious tone
Not necessary to have all on these, but Not necessary to have all on these, but need most at least need most at least
Reading / Language ArtsReading / Language Arts Literary Criticism:Literary Criticism:
3.12. Analyze how a work of 3.12. Analyze how a work of literature is related to the themes literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period. and issues of its historical period. (Historical Approach)(Historical Approach)