Beowulf
The epic tale of one man’s journey to become a wonder… a legend...
a hero.
Epic Poetry
• An epic poem is a long
narrative poem celebrating the
adventures and
achievements of a hero...
epics
deal
with the traditions, myths
or history of a nation.
• An epic hero is usually a
person
of great strength, wit or skill
whose adventures contribute
Literary Terms to Know:
• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sound
• Hyperbole: Exaggeration
• Caesura: Long extended pause
– The lines contain caesuras to represent the pauses that
speakers normally use in everyday speech.
– Each line is divided into two parts called a hemistich (HEM e
stick), which is half a line of verse.
– A complete line is called a stich.
– Each hemistich contains two stressed (accented) syllables
and a varying number of unstressed (unaccented) syllables.
• Metaphor: Comparison without like or as
– Kennings: the poet creates a new compound word or phrase
to describe an object or activity.
• War-Gear: Armor
• Gold-Friend: Good Friend
Old English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L7VTH8ii_8
&feature=related
Background and History
• The manuscript containing the story of Beowulf was
discovered in England in the l600s.
• It is written in Old English, the language of the AngloSaxon invaders who settled in England between A . D .
450 and 600.
• Beowulf ‘s author is unknown.
• Although the manuscript dates from around 1000, the
poem was composed much earlier, sometime between 700
and 950.
• Certain references in the text suggest that the author
was a Christian who modeled the story after pagan tales
of German heroes of the past.
Background and History
• Beowulf is set in a much earlier time than the period in
which it was composed, and the action takes place in
Denmark and Sweden.
• The story reflects the warrior culture of ancient
Germanic peoples, among whom wars were common and
fighting was a traditional occupation.
• The king supplied his warriors with food, shelter, land,
and weapons. In return, they were bound by oaths of
loyalty and obedience to the king.
• The epic emphasizes values that were important to
Norse warriors, such as courage, loyalty to one's king
and comrades, and honor for those who fight and die
bravely.
Before Reading Beowulf…
• Understand how close Beowulf came to being forgotten. The
poem exists only as a part of one manuscript, which dates
from around 1000 C.E.
• Think about the language of the poem. Beowulf was originally
written in Old English. In Old English, this produced a
rhythmic quality that can still be seen in modern translations.
• Recognize the roots of the poem. Before Beowulf was written
down, it had been an verbal legend passed down for
generations. It's a story that was originally meant to be
told, not read
• Read the poem aloud. Beowulf was meant to be recited and
the words are supposed to be heard. While reading, allow
the rhythm of your voice to be guided by the words and to
build naturally.
• Remember, Beowulf is a story. As such, the story of a hero
who battles monsters, creatures of the sea, human enemies
and a dragon is an incredible story. Enjoy.
Danes & Geats
• The Danes were residents of
Denmark- they were a tribe of
soldiers loyal to their king who
provided for them.
• The Geats were Beowulf's clan - a
seafaring tribe residing in the
south of Sweden. As the poem
suggests, the Geats appear to have
been conquered and disappeared
into history.
Background
• Politics play a big part in the story of Beowulf. Hrothgar,
the king of the Danes, is suffering because a monster is
terrorizing his people. He can’t find a hero to defeat
the monster, Grendel.
• Beowulf is in debt to Hrothgar because when Beowulf’s
father Ecgtheow got in trouble in a war with the
Wulfings, the Geats sent him out of the country.
Hrothgar kept him accepted him into the Danish tribe,
and Ecgtheow swore his allegiance to him.
• Beowulf is a great warrior and Prince of the Geats.
When he hears of the monster, he volunteers to go
help for two reasons:
– He wants to help Hrothgar.
– He wants to increase his own glory.
Background
• Hrothgar built a big party hall called Heorot.
However, because of Grendel, his people are
getting killed instead of partying.
Your Task
• Read of the battle between Beowulf and
Grendel.
The Battle with Grendel.docx
Your Task Continued
• First write a two page analysis that determines whether Beowulf is
fighting for justice or honor. Use Times New Roman size 12 Font.
• Then, meet with your group members to construct your own fairy tale
adaptation.
– As a group decide if heroes fight for justice or honor
– Choose a fairy tale
– Create an adaptation of that story from the perspectives of:
• The hero
• The villain
• The realistic narrator
– The adaptations should be at least two pages in length, Times New Roman
font size 12
– Each adaptation should have a title and should link together with a common
theme or motif.
– Include the terms to know in your adaptations