Beowulf

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Beowulf
Feature Menu
Introducing the Epic Literary Focus The Epic
Hero The Poetry of Beowulf Caesuras,
Alliteration, and Kennings
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Beowulf
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BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Beowulf is

• the first great work of
• English national literature.

• the epic story of the hero Beowulf, who fights
  the demonic monster Grendel.

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BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
People
Beowulf nephew of Higlac, king of the Geats.
Hrothgar king of the Danes.
Wiglaf a Geat warrior, one of Beowulfs select
band and the only one to help him in his final
fight with the dragon.
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BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Monsters
Grendel man-eating monster who lives at the
bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake.
Grendels mother water-witch who seeks revenge.
Dragon giant fire-breathing serpent whom Beowulf
fights in Part Two of the epic.
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BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Places
Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia.
Scandinavia
Britain
Scholars think Herot might have been built on the
coast of Zealand, in Denmark.
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BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Places
Herot the golden guest hall built by King
Hrothgar where warriors gathered to celebrate.
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BeowulfLiterary Focus The Epic Hero
The epic hero is the central figure in a long
narrative that reflects the values and heroic
ideals of a particular society. An epic is a
quest story on a grand scale.
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BeowulfLiterary Focus The Epic Hero
Beowulf is one of ancient Englands heroes.
Other times and other cultures have had other
heroes.
King Arthur
Joan of Arc
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BeowulfLiterary Focus The Epic Hero
In modern America, the hero may be a real person
or a fictional character.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a
caesura, or rhythmic pause, to create unity.
Locate the caesura in these lines
ða com of more         under misthleoþum Grendel
gongan,         godes yrre bær mynte se
manscaða         manna cynnes sumne besyrwan    
    in sele þam hean.
Line divided into two parts by a caesura.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Here are the same lines in modern English from
Burton Raffels translation
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills
and bogs, bearing Gods hatred, Grendel came,
hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip
to high Herot.
Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the
caesura.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic
device of alliteration.
Grendel gongan,         godes yrre bær mynte
se manscaða         manna cynnes
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Alliteration the repetition of consonant sounds
in words close together.
And with old woes new wail my dear times waste.
The emphasis on the w sound in this line from
Shakespeares Sonnet 30 creates a melancholy tone.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffels
translation of lines 1-5
Out from the marsh, from the foot of
misty Hills and bogs, bearing Gods
hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he
could trap on this trip to high Herot.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffels
translation of lines 1-5
Out from the marsh, from the foot of
misty Hills and bogs, bearing Gods
hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he
could trap on this trip to high Herot.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
The kenning is another poetic device that was
used by the oral poet.
Examples of kennings from Beowulf
gold-shining hall Herot guardian of crime
Grendel strong-hearted wakeful sleeper
Beowulf cave-guard and sky-borne foe dragon
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Kenning a metaphorical phrase or compound word
used to name a person, place, thing, or event
indirectly. A kenning enhances the literal
meaning of the words. A kenning gives the
listener an idea of how the words connect to an
idea or concept that is richer and more
emotionally complex.
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf
Create modern-day kennings for things you see
around you.
giver of words word-wand
?
?
?
?
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BeowulfBackground
Beowulf is an oral epic passed from bard to bard.
Harpist-bards told the familiar story for
audiences in the communal halls at night.
Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village in West Stow,
England, with communal hall on the left.
Written down between 700 and 750.
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BeowulfBackground
Who wrote it down?
Theory
The poet who wrote Beowulf down may have been a
Northumbrian monk.
Evidence

• scenery described resembles Northumbria
  (northeastern England)

• Christian elements in epic

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Quickwrite
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BeowulfQuickwrite
Make the Connection

• Write about a contemporary hero, real or
  fictional, and the challenges he or she faces.
  Describe your hero, and then briefly analyze him
  or her using these questions
• What sort of evil or oppression does your hero
  confront?
• Why does he or she confront evil? Whats the
  motivation?
• For whom does your hero confront evil?
• What virtues does your hero represent?

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Vocabulary
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BeowulfVocabulary
Previewing the Vocabulary
resolute adj. determined. vehemently adv.
violently infallible adj. unable to fail or be
wrong furled v. rolled up. lavish adj.
extravagant assail v. attack extolled v. praised
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BeowulfVocabulary
Previewing the Vocabulary Activity
resolute furled extolled assail vehemently
lavish infallible

• Which Word
• is often used in reference to a flag?________
• describes someone who is stubborn?________
• describes how someone might argue about a subject
  he or she feels strongly about?___________
• is a synonym for praised? __________
• describes someone who cannot fail?_________
• describes someone who gives generous
  gifts?________
• is another way of saying attack? ________

furled
resolute
vehemently
extolled
infallible
lavish
assail
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