Vocabulary Words
0 Reparation – noun
0 Something making up for a wrong or an injury
0 Solace – noun
0 comfort; relief
0 Purge – verb
0 Purify; cleanse
0 Writhing – adjective
0 Making twisting or turning motions
Vocabulary Words
0 Massive – adjective
0 Big and solid; bulky
0 Loathsome – adjective
0 Disgusting
Literary Elements
0 Epic – a long narrative poem, sometimes developed
orally, that celebrates the deeds of a legendary or
heroic figure. Epics are among the earliest forms of
literature.
Common Features of an Epic
0 The Hero battles forces that threaten the order of his
world .
0 The story is told in a serious manner, often in special,
elevated language
Literary Elements
0 Kennings – two-word poetic renamings of people,
places, and things, such as the kenning whales’ home
for the sea
0 Caesuras – rhythmic breaks in the middle of lines,
where the reciter could pause for breath
Kennings
0 There are many kennings in “The Battle with Grendel”
0 Kennings are descriptive, poetical expressions used
instead of the simple name of a person or thing. The
word comes from the Scandinavian words Kenne vith,
which mean “to name after”.
0
Kennings
0 Examples : “Shepard of evil”
0 “Guardian of crime”
0 “Higlac’s follower”
0 “Infamous killer”
0 “Almighty’s enemy”
0 “hell’s captive”
Why Kennings?
0 The primary purpose was to maintain the alliteration
required by Anglo-Saxon verse.
0 According to convention, one of the accented syllables
after the caesura, (a pause in a line of verse) has to
alliterate with at least one of the accented syllables in
the first half of the line.
Things to learn
0 How to paraphrase – identify the key details in a
passage and restate them in your own words
0 What is a legendary hero? He is a larger-than-life
character whose accomplishments are celebrated in
traditional tales. Beowulf’s boastful self-confidence,,
his feats of strength, and his victories in battle make
him a classic legendary hero
Paraphrase
0 “the monster’s thoughts were as quick as his greed or
claws”
0 This phrase could mean
0 “the monster has intelligence”
Paraphrase
0 So the living sorrow Healfdane’s son/Simmered, bitter
and fresh, and no wisdom/Or strength could break it;
that agony hung/On king and people alike…”
0 Could mean
0 Hrothgar felt an endless sorrow he couldn’t get rid of
Beowulf
0Wiglaf believes that he and his
fellow soldiers should help
Beowulf fight the dragon
because in the past they had
promised to repay Beowulf’s
kindness with their lives
Beowulf
0When Beowulf is dying, he
gives Wiglaf his gold necklace
to indicate that Wiglaf will be
the next ruler of Geatland
Beowulf
0 Caesura – example
0“Burns like a torch. No one knows
its bottom”
0Hint: it has a pause in the middle of
the line
Paraphrase
0 --then the sword/Melted, blood-soaked, dripping
down/Like water, disappearing like ice when the
world’s/Eternal Lord loosens invisible/Fetters and
unwinds icicles and frost…
0 Could mean
0 The sword melted like icicles do when God warms
them
Beowulf
0It is ironic that the Geats build a
tower to memorialize Beowulf
because they all deserted him in his
battle with the dragon
What does this mean?
0 …they could hack at Grendel/From every side, trying
to open/A path for his evil soul, but their
points/Could not hurt him.
0 The bold phrase could mean
0 That they were trying to kill Grendel by opening him
up and giving a way for his soul to be released
Beowulf
0 Called “noble protector of all seamen”, Beowulf is
know by his
0KENNING