Beowulf:
The Beginnings of English
Literature
Origins
Unknown author;
possibly one Christian
author in AngloSaxon England
Unknown date of
composition (roughly
8th-11th Century CE)
Literary Devices
Allusion: Biblical, Germanic oral tradition,
Norse myth and legend, historical AngloSaxon kings (eg. King Offa of Mercia)
Alliteration (eg. Scyld’s strong son)
Epic poetry: a long narrative poem written
in elevated style which celebrates the deeds
of a legendary hero or god.
Kenning: two-word metaphorical name for
something (eg. whale-road=sea)
Scop: Anglo-Saxon composers and
storytellers (like minstrels or bards)
Warrior Code
Comitatus: Germanic code of loyalty
Thane: warrior – swears loyalty to the king
for whom they fought and whom they
protected
Kings: generous, protected thanes
Reputation: thanes were expected to be
loyal, brave, courageous; kings were
expected to be generous and hospitable
Wergild: “man-payment”; a fee paid to the
family of a slain man to atone for his
murder and to prevent the family from
seeking revenge.
Geats and Danes
Beowulf was a war
leader of the Geats,
a group of people in
what is now
southern Sweden
Hrothgar was king
of the Danes
Old English
 Beowulf was written in Old English, an early
form of English
 Old English was spoken in the Middle Ages from
about 6th century to 11th century CE
 In 1066, William the Conqueror successfully
invaded England, bringing his Norman French
language with him; the nobility began to speak
French, and gradually Old English evolved into
Middle English (1100-1500): “Whan that Aprill,
with his shoures soote/The droghte of March
hath perced to the roote”
 Modern English has been spoken since the
Renaissance – Shakespeare is NOT Old English;
he is Early Modern English
Elements of an Epic
1. Epic hero– an character with a trait or
characteristic that is valued by his society.
•
(E.g.– Superman’s bravery or valor)
2. Quest– A journey through which the character
or the reader learns something
3. Valorous Deeds– Doing something bravely.
4. Divine Intervention– The hand of God (or
gods) help the hero, proving his value.
5. Great events– The hero has a hand in
something important in the history or
mythology of a culture.
2 Types of Epics
1. Folk
–
–
–
–
Told out loud first (usually by scops)
Unknown author
Unknown dates
(E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t know
who wrote it)
2. Literary
–
–
Known author
(E.g.– Paradise Lost, by John Milton is a literary
epic because we know who wrote it.)
3 Epic Conventions
1. Invoke a muse
– Muse– inspiration provided by the gods
2. Plot begins in medias res
– In medias red– “In the middle of” the action
3. Serious tone
•
Not necessary to have all on these, but
need most at least
Possible OER
• Evaluate a story you’ve read or seen as an epic
story.
– O! Brother, Where Art Thou?
• Epic hero– Ulysses Everett McGill
• Quest– To seek the treasure
• Valorous deeds– Singing the song, escaping the sheriff,
saving Tommy from the KKK, et al.
• Divine intervention– the flood
• Great events– Helping elect Pappy O’Daniel as governor of
Mississippi instead of the KKK head dragon
• Literary epic– Cohen brothers wrote it in 2001
• Invokes a muse at the beginning
• Begins in the middle of the story as they escape jail
• Serious tone? Notsomuch.
Beowulf’s Name
• Beowulf’s father– Edgetho
– In most cases, the son is named after the father
•
•
•
•
Don
Donald (son of Don)
McDonald (son of son of Don)
McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don)
• Proves Beowulf is own individual with own powers and
abilities (and more important than his father)
• Beo– Bear
– Bears are known as Great Protectors in Norse mythology
– Strong
• Wulf– Wolf
– Wolves are also great protectors, but are also cunning and
speedy