Beowulf
All About Epics….
Historical Background
Literary Devices
Characters & Plot Points
Significant Themes
Archetypes within the
Text
Beowulf, the epic
• Epic as a literary genre: a long narrative
poem that recounts (tells) the adventures of a
legendary hero
• 4 key parts or conventions: epic hero, quest,
valorous deeds, & divine intervention
•Unknown author- time frame ranging from the
6th to 10th century- written down around 1000 AD
(approximate, somewhat debatable)
•Composed in what is referred to as Old English
Setting: Beowulf’s time and place
Europe today
Insert: Time of Beowulf
Anglo-Saxon Poetry & Literary
Devices
Alliteration- repetition of initial consonant
sounds (aid memorization; enhance
imagery)*
Assonance- repetition of internal vowel
sounds within a line of poetry
Caesuras- rhythmic breaks in the middle of a
line where the reciter would pause
Kennings- poetic renaming of something
Elegy- lyric poem mourning a loss
Anglo-Saxon Poetry & Literary Devices
“So the living sorrow of Healfdane’s son/
Simmered….- Alliteration
“in the darkness, growled in pAIn, impAtient- -Assonance
“I make this song about me full sadly- Caesuras
“shepherd of evil, guardian of crime- Kennings
- “The days are gone/ When the kingdoms of the
earth flourished in glory…” - Elegy
Key Characters/Names
Beowulf
Grendel
Herot
Hrothgar
Healfdane
Geats
Higlac
Edgetho
Unferth
Hrunting
Wiglacf
Wextan
Beowulf- protagonist & epic hero
Grendel- one of the antagonists
Herot- name of the mead hall
Hrothgar- king of the Danes, enlists Beowulf’s help
Healfdane- Hrothgar’s dad
Geats- refers to the people of Sweden; Beowulf’s people
Higlac- king of the Geats; Bewoulf’s lord and uncle
Edgetho- Beowulf’s dad
Unferth- Danish warrior who had questioned Beowulf’ s bravery
Hrunting- Beowulf’s mighty sword
Wiglaf- brave soldier who stands by Beowulf as he dies
Wextan- Wiglaf’s dad
The Wrath of Grendel
The overall mood changes very quickly as the
poems opens…
Grendel’s violence is swift and devastating.
Allusion- reference in a literary work to
another person, event, place, etc. Note the first
significant biblical allusion: “born of Cain”indicates Grendel’s evil origins- one of the first
Christian references in the poem.
Others: “Almighty” “Fate” “God” “He”
The Wrath of Grendel
Herot stands deserted for “twelve winters of
grief.”
“ sorrow heaped” & “misery leaped”personification
Pagan allusions: sacrifices made to “old stone
gods” in the hopes of preventing more killings
in Hrothgar’s kingdom…..
The Coming of Beowulf
Our epic hero chooses 14 of his closest
comrades to accompany him to Denmark to
conquer Grendel. Notice that this marks the
start of his great quest. He has not been asked
to do this, but as an epic hero, he seeks honor
and great fame.
Reader meets the Danish watchman.
Beowulf chooses to not use his powerful
sword.
The Battle with Grendel
Pay close attention to the many instances of
kennings throughout this epic.
Notice the realism of the imagery surrounding
the battle between Beowulf and Grendel as
Grendel’s arm is snapped off and he is left to
limp away and just bleed to death….
The arm becomes a badge of honor,
“a terrible trophy…” (kenning)
The Monster’s Lair & The
Battle with Grendel’s Mother
Grendel’s mother seeks revenge for her son’s
death, killing Hrothgar’s friend.
Christian element: Grendel’s mother lives in a
dark underworld similar to Hell.
Bewoulf “longed for fame.” Notice that “Fate”
is also a key part of his warrior code. He
understands and accepts that death is always a
possibility. After defeating the “water witch,” he
becomes a great hero, ruling Geatland for 50 yrs.
The Monster’s Lair & The
Battle with Grendel’s Mother
Pay close attention to the role of divine
intervention in the outcome of the epic battles:
Grendel cannot/will not touch Hrothgar’s
throne as it is “protected by God.” Also, a
ridiculously heavy sword that has been blessed by
giants appears out of nowhere, helping him kill
Grendel’s mother. Beowulf’s mail shirt, too, seems
to have received some sort of blessing from God.
The Last Battle & The Spoils
Notice that both Grendel’s and Beowulf’s death
are foreshadowed. Death and “Fate” are always
discussed alongside one another, too…
Grendel’s death: “fate, that night, intended Grendel
to gnaw the broken bones of his last human supper.”
Beowulf’s death: “Beowulf uttered his final boast….
“And for the first time in his life that famous prince
fought with fate against him…”
The Spoils & The Farewell
Beowulf accepts death with great honor and
humility- key characteristic of an epic hero.
Other key characteristics of epic heroes: great
physical strength, impressive family history or
lineage, tremendous bravery and fearlessness, honor,
natural leader
Reader is introduced to Wiglaf, the only comrade
who is loyal to Beowulf, refusing to abandon him as
the dragon kills him.
The Farewell, continued
Wiglaf ensures that Bewoulf’s memory is honored
as it should be: a tower is built in honor of our
epic hero. Also, notice how he ‘baptizes’ or
conducts ‘last rites’ upon Beowulf before ensuring
his proper burial.
Themes and Important Aspects
Good vs. Evil
Religion: Christian and Pagan influences
The importance of wealth and treasure
The importance of the sea and sailing
The role of family ancestry
Fate
Loyalty and allegiance
Heroism, heroic deeds, and dying with honor
Archetypes in Literature
Archetype: a constantly recurring symbol or motif
found across all genres- literary, cinematic.
Archetypes produce a deep emotional response in
readers. Think of them as the
‘building blocks’ of storytelling.
Carl Jung, a prominent early 20th
century psychoanalyst, coined this
term.
Archetypes in Beowulf
Situation as an Archetype• Beowulf’s quest, his task of conquering evil
numerous times
• the Fall- Beowulf’s arrogance in fighting the
dragon
• Battle between good and evil
Archetypes in Beowulf
Character as an Archetype• Beowulf himself as the hero
• Grendel’s mother as ‘the creature of nightmare’
• The Loyal Comrade- Wiglaf (reflects the hero’s best
qualities)
• The Scapegoat- Grendel’s rage is directed at
Hrothgar.
Symbol as Archetype• Notice the use and placement of light, darkness, and
fire in the epic…..