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)
Beowulf:
Background Information
The oldest surviving piece of AngloSaxon literature
Author unknown
– Probably written by one man
– Lived in what is now England
– Was highly skilled in poetic
technique
– Was thoroughly familiar with the
traditions and legends of early
Germanic culture
Composed between the mid-seventh
century and the end of the tenth
century (A.D. 700-1000)
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
Anglo-saxon
Storytellers
An Anglo-Saxon storyteller was called a scop (pronounced shop) in Anglo-Saxon lands.
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
Prepositional Phrases
Possessives
"hell-forged"
"banquet-rich“
"ring-giver"
"mead-cup"
"she-wolf"
"Shelter of warriors"
"shapes of darkness"
"shepherd of evil"
"tormentor of their days"
"journey into darkness"
"ocean's/Furrows"
"God's bright beacon"
"Heaven's high arch"
"Geats'/Brave prince"
"hell's captive"
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 “run-on” of
meaning from the first half line to
the second.
– “A prince of the Geats / had killed
Grendel.”
Translation from old English
Beowulf was written in Old English so it has to be translated
into Modern English for us to read it.
Here is a sample of the text in Old English:
– Cōm on wanre niht
scrīðan sceadugenga. Scēotend swæfon,
þa þaet hornreced healdan scoldon –
ealle būton ānum. þæt wæs yldum cūþ,
þæt hīe ne mōste, þā metod nolde,
se scyscaþa under sceadu bregdan;
Our reading will come from the translation by Burton Raffel.
Burton Raffel
Seamus Heaney
Gareth Hinds
Robert Nye
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.
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.
Epics
Epics were originally sung 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)
Epic Heroes
Characteristics of an Epic Hero:
The epic hero is a mythical
character who is strong,
courageous, morally upright,
and driven by the desire for
glory.
He faces enormous obstacles
in these pursuits, usually some
force or character that
represents evil
Even if he loses his life, he is
victorious in his pursuit of
glory.
– 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
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.
When, Where, and Who?
Setting
– When?
The 6th Century
– Where?
Scandinavia
Characters
– The people are the Geats from southern
Sweden and the Danes from Denmark
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 is a monster with human
qualities that has been terrorizing
Herot for twelve years.
Herot is a banquet hall in
Denmark built by the Danish king
Hrothgrar
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
– More like a palace
– Symbolizes the Scyldings’
(Danish people) success
and mankind’s joy
– 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.