BEOWULF and Anglo-Saxon Britain

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BEOWULFand Anglo-Saxon Britain
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The Anglo-saxon invasion (449 C.E.)

• Rome had control of Britain from 55 B.C.E. 409
  C.E.
• There the Roman empire developed
• - Roads and public baths
• - Hadrians Wall
• - Christianity
• The Roman empire was too weak to
• sustain itself in so many territories and
• withdrew from Britain in 409 C.E.

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Hadrians Wall
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The Anglo-saxon invasion (449 C.E.)

• Britain was left with a weak government and open
  to invasion.
• British king Vortigern first invited the Angles
  and Saxons (of Germany) to help fight the Picts
  and Scots.
• In 449 C.E., the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain
  by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (of Denmark) was
  successful and quickly the Anglo-Saxon culture
  became the norm in Britain.

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The Anglo-saxon Control (449 - 1066 C.E.)

• Britain was renamed England after the Angles.
  Their language replaced Latin as the dominant
  language.
• The Celt leaders resisted for as long as they
  possibly could. They retreated into Wales and
  settled there.
• Anglo-Saxon rule was not unified at first. It
  had individual principalities each with their own
  king. This was changed by King Alfred of
  Wessex.

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Alfred the Great (ruled 871-899 C.E.)

• King Alfred of Wessex united the Anglo-Saxons to
  fight off the Danes (Vikings from across the
  North Sea). The Danes plundered and destroyed
  everything in their path but eventually settled
  in NE and Central England.
• Alfred was able to unify England thanks to the
  reemergence of Christianity. It gave them all a
  common system of morality and a connection.
• The Vikings continued to attack on-and-off until
  1066 C.E., but unified England put up a good
  fight.

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Anglo-Saxons The way of the Warrior

• The 1939 Discovery of Sutton Hoo
• Loyalty is the base of the Anglo-Saxon culture.
  
• Christianity was accepted simultaneously with the
  old Norse mythology.
• Arts were not a large focus, but bards (known as
  scops) were as respected as warriors.
• Monks and the Book of Kells
• Anglo-saxon rule was ended in 1066 with the
  Norman invasion.

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Book of Kells
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BEOWULFThe History and the Language
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The History of Beowulf

• The oldest surviving epic poem in the English
  language written specifically in West Saxon Old
  English.
• Somewhat based on truth, figures such as King
  Hygelac have been identified as real people.
• May have been an elegy to the unknown king of
  Sutton Hoo.
• Takes place around 500C.E. in Denmark and Sweden.

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The History of BeowulfA Timeline

• 700-900 C.E. Beowulf is composed by Anonymous
• 1000 C.E. Monk scribes make the Beowulf
  manuscript, likely the Christian elements of the
  poem are inserted at this time.
• 1563 C.E. Englishman Laurence Nowell acquires
  scribes' manuscript after the Catholic monastery
  is demolished.
• 1731 C.E. After years of changing owners, the
  manuscript is damaged in a house fire and then
  becomes a part of the British museum so it
  remains preserved.

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The Language of Beowulf

• Beowulf is written in unrhyming verse, without
  stanzas, with a caesura (pause) in the middle of
  each line.
• Each part is called a hemistich, which is half a
  line of verse. A complete line is called a stich.
  Each hemistich contains two stressed (accented)
  syllables and a varying number of unstressed
  (unaccented) syllables.
• Old English With a Space for the Caesura
  Translation
• Hwæt! We Gar-Dena         in geardagum,
  oldþeodcyninga,         þrym
  gefrunon,
• ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon.

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BEOWULFPrologue Part 5lines 1-370
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Terminology Vocabulary

• Kenning a condensed metaphor, typically a
  hyphenated compound word that characterizes a
  person, place or thing. A type of epithet. Ex
  whale-road, treasure-giver
• Comitatus - the basic idea that everyone protects
  the king at all costs even if it means a warrior
  giving up his own life
• Interlacing twisting and knotting imagery of
  this era, it represented a concept that nothing
  in the Anglo-Saxon period was independent.
  Everything depended on everything else whether
  agricultural, cultural, personal, or any other
  way.
• mead - An alcoholic liquor made by fermenting a
  mixture of honey and water
• thane - One who in Anglo-Saxon times held lands
  of the king or other superior by military service
  

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Lines 1-370

• The legacy of Dane Shield Sheafson
• Patriarchal lineage
• On the water / foundling and founder
• Great-grandfather of Hrothgar
• Herot Danish king Hrothgars mead hall
• Ring-bearing, drinking, and songs for the
  loyalty of thanes
• Symbol of law and order amidst chaos
  (light vs. darkness)
• Grendel
• Descendant of Cain
• Symbolic destroyer of order
• Beowulf
• Position as the nephew of the Geatish
  king Hygelac
• His atmosphere of bravery as he presents
  himself to the
  Danish watchman and herald Wulfgar.

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Review Questions

• 1. What is the theme found in this passage?
• His fathers warriors were wound round
  his heart
• With golden rings, bound to their
  prince
• By his fathers treasure. So young
  men build
• The future, wisely open-handed in
  peace,
• Protected in war so warriors earn
• Their fame, and wealth is shaped with
  a sword. (l. 20-25)
• 2. Why hasnt Hrothgar rid Herot of Grendel in
  twelve years?
• 3. Why does the sentry personally lead Beowulf
  and his men to Herot after hearing their reason
  for coming to Denmark? Why does Wulfgar do the
  same?

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BEOWULFPart 6 - 12Lines 371835
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Terminology Vocabulary

• foil - a character that contrasts with another
  character (usually the protagonist) in order to
  highlight various features of the main
  character's personality
• wergild - a death-price paid to compensate the
  kin of anyone a warrior has killed
• ring-hoard - the 'treasury' of a nation or
  people often made up literally of gold formed
  into large rings, sometimes linked together.

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Lines 371-835

• Edgethos debt
• Debt owed to Hrothgar over the death of
  Hathlaf
• Beowulfs intentions
• Unferths allegations
• The swimming challenge with Breca true
  heroism
• Unferth as a foil to Beowulf
• Welthow womanly symbol of sincerity
• Versus Grendel
• Calm and clear-minded, Beowulf prepares
• Fear from Grendels perspective
• Overpowering strength and the trophy

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Review Questions

• 1. How does Hrothgar know of Beowulf?
• 2. What is Beowulfs response to Unferths
  taunts?
• 3.Why does this statement please Welthow?
• My purpose was this to win the goodwill
• Of your people or die in battle, pressed
• In Grendels fierce. Let me live in
  greatness
• And courage, or in this hall welcome
• my death! (lines. 634-638)
• 4. Why does Beowulf meet Grendel bare-handed?

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BEOWULFPart 13 - 18Lines 836-1250
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Terminology Vocabulary

• scop a bard, a musician who sings stories of
  heroism
• wyrd - fate
• torque a metal collar or neck-chain

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Lines 836-1250

• The Scop and his Tales
• Sigmund and the dragon
• Hermod
• Finn, king of the Frisians
• Rewards and acclaim
• Hrothgar adopts Beowulf in his heart as a
  son
• Beowulfs modesty over not killing
  Grendel
• Treasures
• Welthow presents the torque
• Mention of her sons

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Review Questions

• 1. What is the song of Siegmund?
• 2. Who is Hermod?
• 3. What is the song of Finn?

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BEOWULFPart 19 - 23Lines 1251-1650
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Terminology Vocabulary

• bulwark a strong wall raised for protection and
  defense
• fetters - anything that confines or restrains
• surging - moving with a violent, heaving,
  swelling motion

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Lines 1251 - 1650

• Grendels mother attacks
• A blood feud revisited
• Fear of no patriarchal lineage
• The death of Esher and Beowulfs charge. (l.
  1384-1389)
• The importance of armor
• Fighting deep within the lake
• Beowulf descends, beyond mortal limits
  deep into hell
• A light amidst darkness and evil
• Unferth fails, wielding of the giants
  sword
• Beheading of a corpse
• Only the Geats remain believing in
  Beowulfs victory

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Review Questions

• 1. Why is it frightening to the Danes and Geats
  that Grendels father is not known?
• 2. How may the lake containing Grendels mother
  and her lair be described?
• 3. How does Unferths behavior toward Beowulf
  change now?

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BEOWULFPart 24-31Lines 1651-2199
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Terminology Vocabulary

• NONE!

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Lines 1651 - 2199

• The Shift from Brave Warrior to Mature Leader
• Rebirth from the water
• Hrothgar tells of evil King Hermod and
  the ways of a good ruler
• ETERNAL treasures, not worldly ones
• The Return Home
• Gratitude and spoils for everyone, even
  the watchman
• Thrith as a foil to Higd
• Beowulfs prediction of doom for Freaws
  wedding
• Presentation of gifts as honor, Beowulf
  humble and an honorable subject

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Review Questions

• 1. Identify these characters Higlac, Higd,
  Thrith
• 2. What does Beowulf foresee will happen with
  Freaws marriage? Why is this important?
• 3. What is the message of this quote said by
  Hrothgar
• O flower of warriors, beware of that
  trap. eternal rewards. Do not give way to
  pride. For a brief while your strength is in
  bloom but it fades quickly and soon there will
  follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or
  a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade
  or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your
  piercing eye will dim and darken and death will
  arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away. (l.
  1758-1768)

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BEOWULFPart 31-35Lines 2200 - 2601
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Terminology Vocabulary

• NONE!

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Lines 2200 - 2601

• How Beowulf Became King
• Death of Higlac
• Beowulfs loyalty to Herdred instead of
  taking the throne
• 50 years as a great king - ended the war
  with the Swedes, built a great hall, was
  well-loved
• Story Hrethels sons and the hunting
  accident
• The Dragon
• The origins of his treasure hoard
• Beowulfs pride and the tone of death
• Beowulf is losing, his men flee

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Review Questions

• 1. Do you consider Beowulfs decision to fight
  the dragon alone when he has little chance to
  win brave, irresponsible, or an inescapable
  destiny? Why?
• 2. Why does Beowulf lose when he battles the
  dragon?
• 3. How is comitatus broken in this section?

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BEOWULFPart 36-43Lines 2602 - 3180
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Terminology Vocabulary

• Barrow - a large mound of earth or rocks placed
  over the dead

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Lines 2602 - 3180

• Beowulfs Death
• Assisted in his final moments
• Giving a kingdom to Wiglaf
• The importance of treasure
• The chastised
• warriors
• Post-mortem
• The inevitable attacks from other lands
• The barrow
• Why the treasure was left with Beowulf

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Review Questions

• 1. Why does Wiglaf feel obligated to help
  Beowulf?
• 2. When Wiglaf returns from fulfilling Beowulfs
  request, what further request is made of him by
  Beowulf?
• 3. How may the Geatish kings funeral pyre be
  described?

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BEOWULFTRANSLATION
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ELEMENTS OF TRANSLATION

• Alliteration the repetition of stressed sounds,
  particularly consonants
• Kennings Kennings are a special form of
  compounding that are metaphoric in meaning.
• For example the kenning banhus (ban
  hus), literally "bone- house," refers to the
  human body
• Variation Another common stylistic feature of
  Old English poetry is the use of variation, which
  is the restatement of a concept or term using
  different words. A complex form of variation can
  be seen in the lines 1408 1411
• (The nobleman's son then passed
• the steep rocky cliffs, the narrow path,
• the narrow single-file path, an unknown way,
• precipitous headland, the homes of many
  water-monsters.)

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ELEMENTS OF TRANSLATION

• Versification Old English alliterative verse
  uses an accentual meter of four stressed beats
  and an undetermined number of unstressed beats
  per line. A typical Old English alliterative line
  consists of two half-lines separated by a strong
  caesura. The third stress of a line always
  alliterates with either the first and/or the
  second stress, and the fourth stress never
  alliterates.
• Readability Can the reader make sense of the
  translators format?
• MOST IMPORTANTLY! which of these elements do
  you think is most important to maintain in a
  translation? Do you think these should be
  secondary to a translation that is loose but
  makes the best use of the Modern English
  language? Should the words be translated
  literally despite the loss of alliteration and
  poetic verse? This should be what you consider
  when you choose the best translation.

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Elements of EPIC POETRY
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ELEMENTS OF the EPIC

• Begins in in medias res, in the middle of
  things
• The epic hero archetype
• Dutifully follows his cultures code
  of honor.
• Importance placed upon his armor and
  arming
• Superhuman strength
• Faces trials and enemies
• Often tempted by women or chooses to
  remain celibate
• The form of the epic is verse -- marking it
  immediately as poetry.
• The language of epic poetry is often formulaic.
  Use of epithets (kennings), alliteration, and
  repetition helped to make these massive epics
  memorable enough to survive decades and centuries
  through purely oral tradition.

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ELEMENTS OF the EPIC

• The material of epic poetry is elevated it does
  not dwell on the banal details of life. The epic
  will take place during an age that exemplified
  heroism.
• Epic poetry tends to make mentions of catalogues
  and family histories. This includes long,
  detailed accounts of treasure, weapons, and
  lineage.
• Speeches are frequent.
• Restitution. Often this takes the form of the
  hero regaining his rightful place either on the
  throne or earning the respect and admiration of
  all.

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Gilgamesh
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Gilgamesh background

• Very loosely based on the Sumerian King Gilgamesh
  who rulled over Uruk, Sumer some time between
  2700 and 2500 B.C.E. Sumer is located between
  the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, and eventually
  became Babylon and is now Southern Iraq.
• Gilgamesh is two parts god and one part human.
  His human weakness, excessive pride, gives
  Gilgamesh the single weakness found in most epic
  heroes.
• What makes Enkidu his foil?
• The Mesopotamian pantheon of gods contained over
  1,000 deities. They were much like the Greek
  pantheon very human-like gods who quarreled,
  fell in love, and interfered with human affairs.

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Gilgamesh Questions

• 1. Summarize what happens in the cedar forest.
  Do events unfold exactly as Gilgamesh
  anticipated? Explain.
• 2. How do Gilgamesh and Enkidu help each other on
  their adventure? Are there any ways in which
  they hurt each other?
• 3. Enkidu repeatedly associates Humbaba with
  death. How does Gilgamesh characterize Humbaba?
  What are we told about Humbabas relationship
  with the gods?

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Homers Iliad
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Iliad background

• The Trojan War, according to most historians,
  took place in 13th-11th century B.C. around
  modern day Turkey.
• The Iliad came into existence around 8th-7th
  century B.C. in the oral form, making it the
  oldest extant (still existing) pieces of Greek
  literature today.
• Homer is the author of the Iliad. But many
  speculate whether he was a single man or a
  accumulation of many poets.
• The main themes of the Iliad are
• nostos homecoming
• kleos glory
• aristeia a warriors prowess
• the importance of the guest-host
  relationship

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Iliad Questions

• 1. How does Athena deceive Hector? Why does Zeus
  decline to save Hector?
• 2. What is Hectors dying request, and how does
  Achilles respond to it?
• 3. Consider the role of the gods in Book 22. How
  do they direct or influence events? Do you think
  their intervention turns the human characters
  into puppets, or do the humans still make choices
  that affect their fate? Why?

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Gardners Grendel
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Grendel vocabulary

• Sycophant - a self-seeking, servile flatterer
• Transmogrified - to change in appearance or form,
  esp. strangely or grotesquely.
• Dogmatism - Arrogant, stubborn assertion of
  opinion or belief.
• Nihilism - total and absolute destructiveness
  toward the world at large and including oneself
• Concrescence - The growing together of separate
  parts.
• Petulant - showing sudden impatient irritation
  over some trifling annoyance

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Grendel Characters

• Grendel
• Grendels mother
• The Shaper
• Unferth

• The Dragon
• Hrothgar
• Wealtheow
• Hrothulf and Red Horse
• Beowulf

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Themes

• Art as Falsehood
• The Power of Stories
• The Pain of Isolation

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Motifs and Symbols

• Seasons
• The Zodiac
• The Bull
• The Corpse