Beowulf

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Beowulf

• Anglo Saxon

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Example 1 God

• Page 115 I barley survived the battle
  underwater. I was hard-fought, a desperate
  affair that could have gone badly if God had not
  helped me, the outcome would have been quick and
  fatal.
• Page 15 The Almighty Judge of good deeds and
  bad, the Lord God, Head of the Heavens and High
  King of the World,

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Example 2 Victory Celebrations

• Page 67 Then the due time arrived for Halfdanes
  son to proceed to the hall, the King himself
  would sit down to feast. No group ever gathered
  in greater numbers or better order around their
  ring-giver.

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Blending of Religion

• The blending of Pagan and Christian ideas is a
  trait of Anglo-Saxon culture.

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Example 3 Blending Religion

• Page 13 Sometimes at pagan shrines they vowed
  offering to idols, swore oaths that the killer of
  souls might come to their aid and save the
  people. That was their way, their heathenish
  hope deep in their hearts they remembered hell.
  The Almighty Judge of good deeds and bad, the
  Lord God, Head of the Heavens and High King of
  the World, was unknown to them. Oh, cursed is he
  who in time of trouble has to thrust his soul in
  the fires embrace, forfeiting help he has
  nowhere to turn. But blessed is he who after
  death can approach the Lord and find friendship
  in the Fathers embrace.

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Example 4 Gifting

• Page 69 Then Halfdanes son presented Beowulf
  with a standard of gold as a victory gift, an
  embroidered banner also breast-mail and a
  helmet and a sword carried high,

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Example 5 Funeral

• Page 211 The Geat people built a pyre for
  Beowulf, stacked and decked it until it stood
  four square, hung with helmets, heavy
  war-sheilds, and shinning armor, just as he had
  ordered.

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How is Beowulf Poetic?

• Alliteration in Old English form- modges
  mere-faran, micel æfpunca, line 502
• It also follows a verse form

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How is Beowulf Heroic?

• It follows the heroic journey pattern
• - Beowulf is my name. If your lord and
  master, the most renowned son of Halfdane, will
  hear me out and graciously allow me to greet him
  in person, I am ready and willing to report my
  errand. lines 343-347 beginning of quest
• - On a height they kindled the hugest of all
  funeral pyres fumes of woodsmoke billowed darkly
  up, the blaze roared and drowned out their
  weeping, lines 3143-3146 return/completion
  

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How is Beowulf part of the Oral Tradition?

• It is part of the oral tradition because it was
  first written down in English in 1837. That
  means that it was handed down orally until then.
• Historical Evidence All of the historical
  evidence presented in the poem helps show the
  oral tradition in Beowulf.

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Impact of Anglo-Saxon language on todays language

• Many of the themes from Beowulf are still used in
  English literature today
• - The Heroic Journey

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How is Beowulf a Product of its Time?

• Shows the Anglo-Saxon culture
• - The poem shows how they all valued religion.
• - It also shows many of the cultural values of
  the time
• -Heroism

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Beowulfs influence on modern Literature

• The Epic Hero can be found in many different
  forms today
• - Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Jason
  Bourne, James Bond
• The Epic Hero has influenced more than just
  literature. It can also be found in tons of
  movies.