Beowulf & Anglo-Saxon Times Notes
British Lit, 6.0
Directions: As you read in the text and view the power point, fill in the notes on this sheet. You will be
responsible for understanding these notes for homework, essays, and tests/quizzes.
Anglo-Saxon Period
The Anglo-Saxon period: _____________________________________________________________________________________.
o
Few people ______________________________ in this period.
o
Literature and learning was _______________ – pieces performed and/or sung by a _______________ from memory
in ___________________ ___________________________________________.
For thought: Why would there be so many versions of the same story?
o
________________________________ were unknown.
The Story of Beowulf
Beowulf is one of the earliest known pieces of literature in the English language; written in ____________________________
________________________________________________.
Beowulf wasn’t written down until about ________________________________ by “The Beowulf Poet” who is unknown. He
wrote down the poem which for many years had been only _________________________________ or
______________________________________.
Scholars believe “The Beowulf Poet” was most likely a __________________________________________, thus adding a
_____________________________________ perspective.
There is only one original Beowulf manuscript existing today. It is located in ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________________ in London.
Beowulf is EPIC! (epic poem, that is)
What is an epic? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
o
For thought: What are some other epics you are familiar with?
In every epic is an EPIC HERO, who must undertake a _____________________________________________ to achieve
something of tremendous value to himself and his _____________________________________________.
Beowulf & Anglo-Saxon Times Notes
British Lit, 6.0
Traditional Features of an Epic:
o
o
o
o
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Motif - a recurring theme or image in a work of literature:
o
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
o
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
o
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
o
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
o
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
o Biblical references & Archetypes (As you read, list in your notes.)
o Christianity vs. Pagan beliefs (As you read, list in your notes.)
o Anglo-Saxon Themes in Beowulf (As you read, list in your notes.)
The Structure of the Poem
The EPIC poem of Beowulf is often divided into 3 sections; each addressing the traditional battle between _____
and _____.
…the Battle with Grendel (he represents___________________________).
…the Battle with Grendel’s Mother (She also represents ____________________________).
…the Battle with the Dragon (It not only represents evil but also________________________).
o
After reading, list BEOWULF’s character traits below.
__________________________________________
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
_________________________________________
The Setting of Beowulf
Geatland and Denmark (Modern _______________________________________ and _______________________________________)
*Note: None of the action takes place in ______________________________________________!!!
Beowulf & Anglo-Saxon Times Notes
British Lit, 6.0
The Importance of Setting: The Scary, Horror Movie “Where”
Beowulf takes place in a “once upon a time world” which taps into “three archetypal sites of ________________________.”
The barricaded night house / mead hall (_________________________________)
The infested underwater lair (____________________________________________________)
The Reptile-taunted rocks of a wilderness and cave (__________________________________________)
I like to think of them this way, in terms which may mean more to your or my generation:
o
o
o
Our bed on a story night when we are alone in the house (where we should feel safe.)
A murky lake or a beach where Jaws takes place.
The dark recesses of the earth: a cave, or even your own dark basement!
WHY? Why do we read Beowulf?
o
It’s a very creative, imaginative, poetic ____________________________________________.
o
It gives us insight into the origins of the ___________________________________ people, the culture, who,
through seafaring conquests, founded the world we currently live in.
o
It gives us insight into the origins of our _________________________________________.
o
o
It gives us insight into _________________ _________________________________ everywhere and throughout time
(time, birth, death, fame/success/glory, honor, friendship, conflict, home, country, adventure,
spirituality – all of these things ______________________________________ English literature and matter to all
people)
It’s a challenge and we love a good challenge!!!
o
It’s ___________________________ and gets us to think about our own worst_________________________________.
o
It’s a VERY important piece of _____________________________________ historically (This is the “because we
have to” reason!!).
Beowulf & Anglo-Saxon Times Notes
British Lit, 6.0
Characteristic features of Anglo-Saxon Literature
Alliteration - the repetition of _______________________ ________________________ __________________________ in lines of
poetry
_____________________________________________ – a metaphorical phrase used to replace a concrete noun
Ex: teacher = knowledge-giver
Ex: sea = ___________________________________________
Ex: battle = ________________________________________
It is like a _________________________________riddle or play on words.
Caesura – a __________________________________________________________ in the middle of a line of poetry.
2 part line – each line is separated by a ______________________ or _________________________ in the middle of the line;
each part generally has 2 strong beats.
Caesura example: Put a smiley face where there is a separation. 
Then the Scylding warrior
savage and grim,
Seized the ring-hilt
and swung the sword
Struck with fury
despairing of life
Thrust at the throat
broke through the bone rings:
The stout blade stabbed
through her fated flesh.
Comitatus (define in your own words) -