One of the most
important remains of
Anglo-Saxon literature
is the epic poem
Beowulf. Its age is
unknown; but it comes
from a very distant and
hoar antiquity . . . It is
like a piece of ancient
armor; rusty and
battered, and yet
strong.
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(American Poet)
I. Historical background
400-600 A.D. -- Angles,
Saxons, and Jutes
invade (Beowulf time setting)
410 A.D. – Rome
renounces control of Britain
521 A.D. – Hygelac
invades the Netherlands
597 A.D. – St. Augustine
625 A.D. – Sutton Hoo
700-950 A.D. -- Christian
monk composed the
poem
I. Historical background
400-600 A.D. -- Angles,
Saxons, and Jutes invade
(Beowulf is set here)
410 A.D. – Rome
renounces control of Britain
521 A.D. – Hygelac
invades the Netherlands
597 A.D. – St. Augustine
625 A.D. – Sutton Hoo
700-950 A.D. -- Christian
poet composed the poem
I. Historical background
400-600 A.D. -- Angles,
Saxons, and Jutes invade
(Beowulf is set here)
410 A.D. – Rome
renounces control of Britain
521 A.D. – Hygelac
invades the Netherlands
597 A.D. – St. Augustine
625 A.D. – Sutton Hoo
700-950 A.D. -- Christian
poet composed the poem
English Literature?
Even though Beowulf is the
oldest surviving English epic,
it is not set in England and its
characters are not English.
In the 400s, Germanic
peoples known as Anglo
Saxons invaded the territory
that would become known as
England
– They brought the story of
Beowulf with them.
The text of Beowulf shows
both Norse pagan belief and
Christianity, often in the same
line.
English Literature?
Pagan Concepts
elaborate Germanic seaburials, grand feasts in
the mead-halls, belief in
fate, material rewards.
Christian Concepts
reference to Cain (used in
connection to Grendel),
reference to the Flood,
“God’s will be done…”
Wyrd – Fate or acceptance of the
inevitable
Wyrd – Fate or acceptance of the
inevitable
Comitatus – Loyalty or responsibility
to the group/community
.
Wyrd – Fate or acceptance
of the
inevitable
Comitatus – Loyalty or responsibility
to the group/community
Wergild – “Man-gold”. A murderer
would be required to pay money to the
family, or face retribution.
Beowulf:
Background Information
The oldest surviving piece
of Anglo-Saxon literature
Author unknown
Existed through oral
tradition for an estimated
300 years – passed on
from one scop (shop) to
another
Written in what is now
called Old English
Only one complete
original manuscript
remains
II. The manuscript
Obtained by Sir Robert
Cotton
Bound in Cotton
Vitellius.
Damaged in fire in 1731
Currently at British
Museum
What did it sound like?
IV. Anglo-Saxon values
Loyalty
– Fighting for one’s king
– Avenging one’s kinsmen
– Keeping one’s word
Generosity -- gifts
symbolize bonds
Brotherly love -- not
romantic love
IV. Anglo-Saxon values
Heroism
– Physical strength
– Skill and resourcefulness
in battle
– Courage
Public reputation, not
private
conscience
Literary Devices
Anglo-Saxon scops relied on
certain poetic devices to aid
their memory and give their
poems structure and impact.
Three of these devices can be
found in Beowulf:
– Alliteration
– Kennings
– Caesura
Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant
sounds at the beginning of words that are
close together in a poem.
– “Hrothgar’s men lived happy in his hall.”
– “miserable, mighty men tormented”
Kenning
Kennings are special kinds of metaphors that use
compound words, prepositional phrases, or possessives to
name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly.
Compound Words
"hell-forged"
"banquet-rich“
"ring-giver"
"mead-cup"
"she-wolf"
Prepositional Phrases
Possessives
"Shelter of warriors" "ocean's/Furrows"
"shapes of darkness"
"God's bright
beacon"
"shepherd of evil"
"Heaven's high
"tormentor of their
arch"
days"
"Geats'/Brave
"journey into
prince"
darkness"
"hell's captive"
You can Create modern-day kennings for things you see
around you.
giver of words
word-wand
?
?
?
?
Caesura
An obvious pause in a line
of poetry.
In Old English poetry, it
usually comes near the middle
of a line, with two stressed
syllables before and two after,
often allowing little or no “runon” of meaning from the first
half line to the second.
– “A prince of the Geats / had
killed Grendel.”
Beowulf : The Epic Poem
Beowulf is an early Anglo-Saxon epic.
An epic is a long narrative poem that
recounts, in formal
language, the exploits of
a larger-than-life hero.
The epic hero is usually
a man of high social
status and is often important in the
history of his people.
Beowulf : The Epic Poem
Epic plots usually involve:
– Supernatural events
– Long time periods
– Life and death struggles
In epics, the hero always represents good
and the forces that threaten people represent
evil.
To overcome the people’s enemies, the hero
requires great physical strength.
Epic Heroes
Characteristics of an
Epic Hero:
– Is significant and
glorified
– Is on a quest
Has supernatural
strength, intelligence,
and courage
– Is Ethical
– Risks death for the
good of society
– Performs brave
deeds
– Is a strong and
responsible leader
– Reflects the ideas
and values of his
society
Epics
Epics were originally sang or
recited orally with musical
accompaniment.
At that time, very few people
could read.
Audiences were enthralled by
monsters, perilous journeys,
and fierce battles.
The Anglo-Saxons, in their
primitive and harsh
environment, demanded of their
heroes . . .
–
–
–
–
–
courage,
physical strength
loyalty to a tribal king
wisdom in guiding others
supreme self-confidence
The heroes in Beowulf meet
these qualifications.
Other Epics
Gilgamesh (Babylonian, unknown)
The Odyssey (Greek, Homer)
The Iliad (Greek, Homer)
The Aeneid (Roman, Virgil)
Who was Beowulf?
Beowulf was a brave
warrior who vanquished
evil monsters.
He embodies courage,
loyalty, and generosity.
He traveled to Denmark
from his home in
Geatland (now southern
Sweden) to slay
Grendel.
Grendel
An enormous ogre or
demon-like creature
A descendent of the
biblical Cain
– Adam and Eve had two
sons, Cain and Abel.
Cain killed Abel out of
jealousy.
Despises mankind’s joy
Menaces Hrothgar and the
Danes for twelve years
before facing Beowulf in
battle
Hrothgar
The aging king of
the Danes
Welcomes
Beowulf’s
assistance in facing
Grendel
Built Herot (his giant
mead-hall) to
symbolize the
kingdom’s success,
civilization, and joy
Herot
Hrothgar’s mead-hall
– Social,
governmental, and
emotional center of
the village
– Grendel delights in
raiding and
capturing it nightly
Mead
– honey-based wine
Grendel’s Mother
Not as powerful as
her son, but still a
formidable foe
Lives with her son
Grendel in a cave
beneath a swampy
lake (or mere)
In her cave is a
magical, giant sword
Synopsis
For twelve years, Grendel has
raided Herot nightly, killing King
Hrothgar’s Danish warriors.
Beowulf, who has heard of
Grendel’s evil deeds, decides to
come to the aid of the Danes.
– Hrothgar had once sheltered
Beowulf’s father during a deadly feud,
and Beowulf wants to return the favor.
– Beowulf also hopes to enhance his
own reputation and gain treasure for
his king, Higlac.
Beowulf brings with him fourteen of
his finest men.
Synopsis
On the first night of the visit, Hrothgar
holds a feast in Beowulf’s honor.
Beowulf is insulted by a drunken Dane
named Unferth.
Unferth tells the crowd that Beowulf
was once beaten in a swimming contest
by an ordinary man named Breca, thus
he would certainly be no match for
Grendel.
Beowulf responds with dignity noting
that the two swimmers were separated
by a storm, and on the fifth night of the
contest Beowulf slew nine sea
monsters before finally returning home
Unferth had been put in his place!
The Danes retire to safe sleeping
quarters; Beowulf and his Geats bed
down in Herot.
Synopsis
Angered by the joy of the
men in the mead-hall,
Grendel bursts in and kills
one of the Geats.
With the strength of 30
men in his hand grip,
Beowulf seizes the ogre’s
claw and rips it from its
shoulder socket.
The mortally wounded
beast flees to his mere
pool.
The claw trophy hangs
high under the roof of
Herot.
Synopsis
The Danes celebrate the next day
with a huge feast.
But Grendel’s mother is bent on
revenge.
That night she climbs into Herot to
retrieve her son’s claw, and kills one
of the Danes.
– Beowulf was sleeping elsewhere.
The next morning Hrothgar, Beowulf,
and several Danes and Geats follow
the mother’s tracks into a dark,
formidable swamp.
Beowulf dives into the mere to seek
Grendel’s mother.
– He carries with him a sword named
“Hrunting,” a gift from the chastised
Unferth.
Synopsis
First, Beowulf battles with strange
creatures.
Grendel’s mother then attacks and hauls
the Geat warrior to her dimly lit cave.
Beowulf’s gift sword Hrunting
fails to penetrate the ogre’s
hide.
Grendel’s mother tries to cut Beowulf
with a knife, but his mail (armor)
protects him.
Beowulf spots a giant magical
sword and uses it to kill her.
Synopsis
An unexplainable light illuminates the cavern
and reveals Grendel’s corpse and a great deal
of treasure.
Beowulf decapitates the corpse.
The magic sword melts to its hilt (handle).
Beowulf returns the surface carrying Grendel’s
head, but leaves the treasure.
Synopsis
After much celebration and gifts from Hrothgar,
Beowulf and his men return home.
Later, Beowulf’s king Higlac is killed in battle.
Higlac’s son is also killed in a feud.
Beowulf is named King of Geatland and rules for
50 years.
In his declining years, he must face one more
demon.
The End of Beowulf
A fiery dragon has become enraged when
a fugitive stole a valuable cup from the
dragon’s treasure-trove.
The dragon terrorizes the countryside at
night.
Beowulf insists on taking the dragon
alone, but his sword is no match for the
monster.
All of Beowulf’s men flee to the woods.
Only one of them, Wiglaf, goes to
Beowulf’s assistance.
Beowulf is mortally wounded.
Dying, he leaves his kingdom to Wiglaf.
His body is cremated in a funeral pyre
and buried high on a sea-side cliff where
passing sailors can see.
The dragon’s treasure is buried with him.
Turn to page 24