Beowulf

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Beowulf 700(?)
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Beowulf

• This epic poem marks the beginning of English
  literature.
• It was recited by scops for about 300 years
  before it was written down.
• Only one original manuscript of the complete
  3,128-line poem survives.
• It has lasting historical significance as a
  record of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in
  England.

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Beowulf

• Although the action takes place in 6th century
  Scandinavia, the poem is unmistakenly English.
• Beowulf is the oldest Anglo-Saxon epic poem in
  existence.
• There is a blend of Christian and pagan beliefs
  in the poem.

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Beowulf

• In 1936 Tolkien saw Beowulf as more than a
  historical account of the Anglo-Saxons. He saw
  is as poetry thus, the modern Beowulf
  scholarship was born.
• Tolkiens The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
  series were shaped by Beowulf.
• Additionally, John Gardner wrote Grendel the
  battle from Grendels point of view.

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Beowulf

• Recited originally in Old English, the poem is
  based on legends of various Northern Europeans
  who migrated to England.
• The story is simple Grendal was terrifying the
  Danes, so Beowulf sails from his native Geatland
  (southern Sweden) to save the day in two battles.
  Beowulf is the hero to end all heroes.

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King Beowulf
Beowulf returns to Geatland and after King
Higlac's death becomes King of the Geats. As an
old man he fights a third heroic battle against a
dragon and saves his people.
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Characters in Beowulf

• Hrothgar King of the Danes
• Grendal a monstrous man/beast
• Beowulf a future king of the Geats and a great
  hero
• Higlac King of the Geats and a relative of
  Beowulfs
• Wiglaf Beowulfs nephew
• Wyrd the goddess of FATE

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Anglo-Saxons What did they admire in their
warriors?

1. Good sportsmanship
2. Endurance
3. Loyalty to king
4. Athletic prowess
5. Bravery
6. Respect for each other
7. Action and fighting

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Qualities of the Heroic Ideal

• Skill
• Courage
• Royal generosity

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An aside

• Pagans did not believe in an afterlife, so having
  ones name live after ones death was as close to
  immortality as one could get.

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Heroic Paradox

• By dying gloriously one may achieve immortality
  therefore, a hero depended on the poet/bard/SCOP
  for his fame.

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Beowulf Rambo
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Anglo-Saxon poetry - ID

• What the poem has that most Anglo-Saxon poems
  also have --
• Caesura pause in a line
• Alliteration joins the 2 parts of the line
  divided by the caesura
• Kennings metaphorical phrases, a colorful
  indirect way of naming something (whales home
  sea)

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Reading Poetry in general

• Dont stop at the end of a line, stop at the
  punctuation mark. The end of the line has to do
  with the beat of the line it has nothing to do
  with the meaning of the line. Reading to the
  punctuation mark is called enjambment.