The Epic, Epic Hero, and
Beowulf
Anglo-Saxon England
Epic Hero
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Superhero
Brave, strong, good
Usually high social status
Important in his people’s history
“Larger-than-life” (Superman, ex)
Embodies the ideals of his people
The Epic Tale
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LONG narrative poem
Formal language
Tells the story of the Epic Hero
Most not written; told by storytellers,
called scops (shopes), and gleemen (or
“singers of tales”), probably
accompanied by music
• Very few complete written epics survive
Plots of Epics Involve
• Supernatural events
• Long time periods; Distant journeys
• Life & death struggles between good and
evil
• Hero: ALWAYS REPRESENTS GOOD
• Forces that threaten the people: ALWAYS
REPRESENT EVIL
• Defeat of evil determines fate of nation
The Anglo-Saxon Epic Hero:
• Anglo-Saxon ideals for hero:
-courage
-physical strength
-loyalty to tribe or king
-wisdom
-supreme self-confidence
Beowulf
• Set in: 6th or 7th century (500s-600s a.d.)
“Imagine a time when tribes from Europe regularly
raided one another’s shores to loot and burn
each other’s settlements; when great warriors
feasted, drank, and bragged of their bloody
conquests in huge mead halls…; when kings
bestowed riches upon their brave warriors to
retain their allegiance; when people believed in
monsters and dragons” (Glencoe British
Literature, 43).
Beowulf
• Place: NOT ENGLAND
• Set in Scandinavia
• Involves:
The Geats-tribe from southern Sweden
The Danes-tribe from Denmark
Why is it considered English?
• Scandinavians were part of the AngloSaxons
• When Anglo-Saxons settled in a place,
their stories came with them
More on Beowulf’s History
• Oldest known English literary work
-A scop probably first wrote Beowulf down
in 700s
-Oldest known, surviving manuscript was
written 300 yrs. later by unknown author
Beowulf: Names
• Hrothgar: King of the Danes
• Grendel: monster that terrorizes Danes
• Beowulf: from family of Kings of Geats;
hero
• Grendel’s mother: seeks revenge
on Danes
• Herot: name of Hrothgar’s mead hall
• Hrunting: Beowulf’s sword
Poetic Devices in Beowulf
Scops and gleemen needed poetic devices to help
remember tales and give stories greater impact
1. Alliteration: repetition of similar consonant sounds
(Ex: miserable, mighty men tormented)
2. Caesura: an obvious pause in a line of poetry, usually
found near middle of line, w/ 2 stressed syllables
before and 2 after. Indicated with //.
(Ex: A prince of the Geats// had killed Grendel)
3. Kenning: An imaginative phrase that takes the place
of a single noun (Ex: whale-road=sea; lifehouse=body)
Literary Elements in Beowulf
• Foreshadowing: hints about what’s to
come. Ex from Beowulf:
“But fate, that night, intended/
Grendel to gnaw the broken bones/
Of his last human supper…” (293295)
*Look for another example of foreshadowing
as you read; write down the line numbers*
Vocabulary for Beowulf
• Lament (n): an expression of sorrow, OR a
song or writing that mourns a death
(V): to express sorrow
• Forged (v): formed or shaped; made
• Shroud(n): burial cloth
• Infamous (adj): famous for something bad;
notorious
• Writhing (v): twisting in pain
• Spawned (v): born
• Lair (n): den of a wild animal
• Reparation (n): payment to make up for a
wrong or injury; indemnity
• Linden (adj): wooden
• Scabbard (n): case that protects the
blade of a sword
• Hilt (n): a sword’s handle