Anglo-Saxon
(Beowulf)
Review
Background
Composed around 700 A.D.
The story had been in circulation as an oral narrative for
many years before it was written.
► The action of the poem takes place around 500 AD
► Poet is reviving the heroic language, style and values and
pagan values of ancient Germanic oral poetry
► The poem deals with ancient Germanic forebearers, the
Danes and the Geats
► Only a single manuscript of the poem survived the AngloSaxon era. In the 1700’s it was nearly destroyed in a fire
► It was not until 1936 when the Oxford scholar J.R.R>
Tolkien published a paper on the poem that it became
popular.
(who knows who this is?)
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The Beowulf Poet
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The poet is Christian
The poem reflects established
Christian tradition
Allusions to the Old Testament
Beowulf is a Redeemer who is
sent by God to save man from
sin
The price of salvation is life
itself
Correspondences between
Beowulf’s death and the death
of Christ
Heroic Values in Beowulf
► Relationship
between
king and his warriors
► The king rewards his
warriors with gifts
► If a kinsman is slain,
obligation to kill the
slayer or obtain
payment (wergeld) in
compensation
Conflict Christian Values and Heroic
Values
► This
tension is at the
heart of the poem
► Pagan history and
myth are made to
point to a Christian
moral
► Beowulf is poised
between two value
systems
The Character of Beowulf
► He
fights for personal
honor, but is
committed to service
to his own people (his
thanes) and humanity.
► A superhuman who
remains recognizable
► Contrast old and
young Beowulf
► Beowulf as savior
Themes
► Good
vs. Evil
► Fate
► The
Importance of
Establishing Identity
► Tension between
Heroic Code and
Christianity
► Significance of
artifacts
► The past
Important Elements of
the Poem
► Elegaic
tone
► Heroic poem
► Contrasts
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Christian and pagan
Youth and old age
Rise and fall of nations
Joy and sorrow
Fate and God’s will
Violence
Irony
Anglo-Saxon Period: 55 B.C. to A.D 1066
Early conquests (before A-S period):
Iberians-built Stonehenge (monoliths on Salisbury Plain); brought Stone Age weapons to Britain
Celts—farmers and hunters organized into clans with a king (called a chieftain); Druids presided over religious
rituals and memorized and recited long, heroic poems
Two Celtic Tribes:
Brythons (Britons) settled on Britain
Gaels settled on Ireland
► Roman Conquest (start of A-S period):
Julius Caesar wrote of his raids on islands—first recorded history of Britain (55 BC)
Emperor Claudius drove tribes into Wales and Scotland
Hadrian built wall to protect n-ern border Britain
*Romans ruled Brit for ~400 yrs
► III. A-S Conquest—fierce warriors, skilled seamen:
Divided into 3 groups: Angles, Saxons, Jutes—they drove Celts into Wales
Celts is where we get King Arthur legend
Angles took over lower Brit—they became the English
► A-S England:
Recorded Beowulf (1st English epic poem)
Tribal society ruled by warring kings—protected by thanes (fighting men who pledged allegiance to him)
King rewarded w treasure
People gathered royal structures for safety (lg #s); main structure (mead hall)
Scop—singing poet for entertainment Bretwaldas—system of ruling kings to reduce chaos
Christianity—crucial for development of A-S culture—advanced writing
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Viking Era: Denmark, Norway area—Vik raided Brit 780s (opposed by Alfred the Great)
AG est 1st Eng navy
AG fortified towns as burhs (bergs). . . . aka suburbs. . . . grid pattern
AG studied/translated Latin works, inclu Bede’s history of England into A-S
► VI. Contributions of A-S to Eng—they were the 1st Englishmen!!
Provided its language
Began its literature
Est traditions in law, government, religion
► Beginning of Eng poetry and lit—4 characteristics
Love of adventure
Emphasis/importance of honor
Awe of NATURal beauty
Delight in manipulating words (kennings, A-S riddles)
*A-S prose was utilitarian (should serve a purpose) rather than imaginative, consisting
of histories, lives of the Saints, sermons
► VIII. Kennings--key poetic device of A-S
metaphor of 2 words or phrases INdirectly naming something
Ring-giver—the king
Life-house—the body
Swan road—the calm sea, current
Whale’s home—sea, ocean
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Sutton Hoo
► Burial
site discovered in 1939
► Important links to Anglo-Saxon world and Beowulf
► Remains of a boat were discovered and large
burial chamber containing numerous artifacts
► Artifacts suggest a distinctly Christian element
intermingled with pagan ritual.
► Episodes in Beowulf now have tangible
archaeological violence to add creditability to the
blend of customs in the text.
Sutton Hoo Images
Themes of Beowulf
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Fame and Glory – What is the difference between the two?
Self versus the Wyrd
Fortune – What is the purpose of amassing great fortune and fame? What
ideal does this uphold in the Anglo-Saxon world?
What makes a hero?
What do weapons and armor say about the individual?
Epic of extreme contrasts.
Struggle of human-kind.
The Manly Virtues – all are seen in this poem.
Comitatus - community of warriors - die to save prince or king. Strict
loyalty code.
Interlacing Poetry - like a Celtic Knot.
Hospitality and loyalty to host and guest.
Pride as a sin - Hrothgar warns Beowulf about this - does Beowulf fall into the
trap?
Heroic Code - tragic