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Beowulf
The First English Epic
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TSW…

Analyze Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon poem, for its influence on
English Literature and importance to the Anglo-Saxons.
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Standards
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Agenda
1.
Bellwork – Write your definition of a
hero on a piece of paper with an
example.
2.
Lecture – Anglo-Saxon
History/Background
3.
Lord’s Prayer in Old English
4.
Exit Ticket – Pop Quiz
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Opening scene from Beowulf
First 5 minutes.
Questions:
1.
What did the scene look like? (visual)
2.
Who do you think Hrothgar was?
Justify.
3.
What do you think will happen?
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Anglo-Saxon History/Background
Why
study?
The U.S. cultural heritage
has been profoundly
influenced by English
Literature, Language, and
Law.
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Invasions British Isles
Romans
Angles
& Saxons
Vikings
Normans
th Century B.C.
The
Celts
–
4
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•tall, blonde warriors
•Sometimes called “Britons”
•Religion:
•Pagans – worshipped spirits
(everywhere – trees, water, stones,
nature, etc.)
•Druids=priests
•Performed animal & human
sacrifices
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The Celts
Celtic
legends
Values
important
Stories full of:
1.
2.
3.
Strong women
Magic
Imagination
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Anglo-Saxon History – Invasion!

Roman invasion and settlement. Ca. 50 A.D.
•100 years for
Romans to
conquer Celts
•Several
hundred years
rule
•Brought some
Christianity
•Built roads,
Hadrian’s Wall.
•Left no
government.
Hadrian’s Wall
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Anglo-Saxon History – Invasion!

Angles and Saxons and
Jutes

Series of invasions

Drove out Celts

Language became
dominant

Renamed Engla-land =
England
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Anglo-Saxon History
 Anglo-Saxon
Life/Religion
 Close allegiances between leaders and
followers
 Leaders
earned positions
 Earned fame through war
 Religion

gods for warriors - polytheism
 Odin (father), Thor (son)

Encouraged ethics & qualities like:
Bravery
2.
Friendship
3.
Loyalty
Death, poetry, magic were important parts of society.
1.
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Viking Invasion - Christianity and King
Alfred
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Christian missionaries sent from Rome and Ireland at same time of
Viking raids. 3 EFFECTs:
1.
Britain linked culturally to Europe (think Roman Catholic Church)
2.
Provided common faith & system of morality
3.
Helped King Alfred unify A-S against Viking invaders.
Fierce Viking invasions in 8th and 9th centuries.
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
Alfred the Great brought A-S together to protect:

Culture

Churches

People
Vikings continued to invade until A-S & Vikings were overthrown by
William Conqueror in 1066 (Normans).
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King Alfred
Promoted
learning
Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle – running
history of England written in Old
English (OE), not Latin.
First time that OE had been
promoted.
Monasteries
– fostered learning &
preserved literature
Copied Latin & Greek classics and
works of OE, like Beowulf
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English – An evolving language
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av-37L0G8lw
Paired activity:
1.What language (if any) does it
sound like?
2.Could you pick out anything
familiar? What?
3.Why do think the language
changed?
4.Do you think language changes
today? Justify your answer.
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Old English – The Lord's Prayer
Old English
Fæderureþuþeeart on heofonum;
Si þinnamagehalgod
to becumeþin rice
gewurþeðinwilla
on eorðanswaswa on heofonum.
urnegedæghwamlicanhlafsyle us todæg
and forgyf us uregyltas
swaswa we forgyfaðurumgyltendum
sinnedagainst-us
and ne gelædþu us on costnunge
ac alys us of yfelesoþlice
Literal Translation
Father our thou that art in heavens
be thy name hallowed
come thy kingdom
be-done thy will
on earth as in heavens
our daily bread give us today
and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those-who-haveand not lead thou us into temptation
but deliver us from evil. truly.
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Exit Ticket – Anglo-Saxons Quiz

Using notes from today, answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES:
1.
Name 3 peoples other than the Angles and Saxons who
invaded Great Britain during this time.
2.
Name at least two things King Alfred did to unify the
Anglo-Saxons.
3.
What is a BARD and why were they valued during this era?
4.
Generally, how were women treated in Anglo-Saxon
society?
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Beowulf Day 2 - Agenda
1.
Bellwork – read pages 18-20 in your
Literature book. Define epic and epic hero
in your notes.
2.
Discuss epic and epic hero.
3.
Pronunciation guide.
4.
Beowulf Parts 1-3.
5.
Reflection. – Student summary
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Handout Parts 1-3
We will read this portion together and answer the
questions.
Always follow along in the book. Be prepared to
answer questions.
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Beowulf – Day 3
The Beauty of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
1.
Bellwork – on an index card, write down some
conventions of modern poetry that you remember (i.e.
figurative language, sound devices, meter, types of
poetry)
2.
Audio Clip, Anglo-Saxon Poetry
3.
Notes – Kenning, Caesura, Alliteration
4.
Analyze Anglo-Saxon Riddles
5.
Gallery Walk
6.
Independent practice
7.
Exit Ticket/Reflection
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Essential Questions – Day 2
1.
2.
What can we learn from
the manuscripts and
literature of the AngloSaxons?
What are some of the
formal elements of AngloSaxon poetry?
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Audio Clip – Old English
Audio Clip – Riddle
45 in Old English,
Swarthmore
College
1.Are you able to recognize any
words this time? Why or why not?
2.Did you notice any kind of rhythm
to the poetry? Was it regular or
sporadic?
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Connections
Just
like modern poets, the AngloSaxon bards (scops) used
alliteration and other sound
devices to make their poetry
more pleasing to their listeners.
In fact, this is probably why we
use these conventions today.
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Notes – Conventions of AngloSaxon Poetry
1. Kenning
2. Caesura
3. Alliteration
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Notes = Kennings

Kennings – special metaphor made of compound words. A
favorite of Anglo-Saxon bards. Beowulf contains over 1,000
kennings (original).
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Earliest and simplest:
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“sky-candle” = sun
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“battle-dew” = blood
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“whale-road” = sea
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More elaborate: “foamy-throated sea-stallion” or “foamythroated sea stallion of the whale-road” = ship
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Modern-day kennings: “gas guzzler,” “headhunter,” “queen
bee,” “king of the hill”
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Well-known Anglo-Saxon
kennings:
Bone-house
=The human
Battle-light body
=Sword
Wave-floater
=Ship
Fish-home
=Sea
Seal bath
=Sea
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Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of
consonant sounds in words that are
close to one another. Alliteration may
occur
at
the beginnings of words, as in
“bright blue” or “kindcomment”
within
words, as in “jacket pocket”
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Alliterative Anglo-Saxons
 Instead
of rhymes, Anglo-Saxon oral poets used
alliteration along with carefully placed pauses to
add music and rhythm to their poems.
 Lines
of Anglo-Saxon verse often are divided into
two halves separated by a rhythmic pause, or
caesura.
ða com of more under misthleoþum
Grendelgongan, godesyrrebær;
myntese manscaða
manna cynnes
sumnebesyrwan in seleþamhean.
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Alliterative Anglo-Saxon
 Here
are the same lines in Burton Raffel’s modern
translation:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendelcame, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot
Punctuation produces pause effect of the caesura.
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Why use these conventions?
Anglo-Saxon poets and storytellers used alliteration
and kennings because these devices
 •aided
memory
 •created
sound effects
 •pleased
the audience
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Let’s analyze this riddle (#40)
I saw four things, in beautiful fashion
Journeying together. Dark were their tracks,
The path very black. Swift was its moving,
Faster than birds, it flew through the air,
Dove under the wave. Labored unresting
The fighting warrior, who showed them the way
All of the four, over plated gold
Can you
solve the
riddle?
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Gallery Walk
1.
Groups of 3
2.
Identify kenning, alliteration, and caesura.
3.
Solve the riddle, explain your reasoning.
4.
When your group is finished, pick up a
handout and begin working on the
independent practice.
5.
When all groups are finished, we will walk
around looking at the riddles.
6.
Use a sticky note to make
comments/corrections on other groups’
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Exit Ticket/Reflection
1.
Rate your learning today 1-5.
1= “I do not understand”,
3=“I understand, but couldn’t explain it”,
5=“I understand completely and could explain it to
someone else.”
Answer the essential questions on your index card:
1.
What can we learn from the manuscripts and
literature of the Anglo-Saxons?
2.
What are some of the formal elements of
Anglo-Saxon poetry?