Origin

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Beowulf

• Why Beowulf?

• Origin

• Setting

• Poetic devices

• Terms

• Themes

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Why Study Beowulf?
1. Beowulf is the oldest epic poem in the
English language, so everything written since
Beowulf stems from it in some way
2. The story of Beowulf encompasses common themes
that we still see in English literature today
3. Beowulf
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Why Study Beowulf?
4. In some ways, it doesnt matter what you read,
but how you read it, sosince Beowulf came first,
you might as well start there.
5. Studying ______________________ improves your
understanding of modern English
6.
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Beowulfs Origin
What we dont know

• ____________wrote it

• _________ exactly it was written

• how much, exactly, is based on ___________________
  ____

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Beowulfs Origin
What we do know

• Its written in Old English (or Anglo-Saxon),
  which is the basis for the language we speak
  today.

• Some of the characters in the poem actually
  _____________________.

• The only copy of the manuscript was written
  sometime around the ___________ century A.D.
  (900s), however

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• The actual poem probably dates from the _________
  century (700s) or so, and

• The story may be set even earlier, around
  _________________

• There are a lot of Christian references in the
  poem, but the characters and setting are
  Paganthis means a _____________ probably
  translated it.

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Beowulfs Provenance
So why wasnt it written down in the first place?
This story was probably passed down orally for
centuries before it was first written down.
It wasnt until after the Norman Invasion
(____________________________________) that
writing stories down became common in this part
of the world .
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Setting Beowulfs time and place
Although Beowulf was written in English, it is
set in what is now _____________, where a tribe
called the ______________ lived.
The story may take place as early as 400 or 500
A.D. The characters are __________________
people, not Anglo-Saxon
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Setting Beowulfs time and place
Insert Time of Beowulf
Europe today
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How we date Beowulf
Some Important Dates
______A.D. death of Hygelac, who is
mentioned in the poem
______ A.D. appearance of alliterative verse
______ A.D. the Danish started raiding other
areas after this, few poets would
consider them heroes
SO This version was likely composed between 680
and 835, though it may be set earlier
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The Poetry in Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
1. Alliterative verse

1. R

b. Generally, four feet/beats per line
c. A caesura, or ____________, between beats two
and four
d. No rhyme
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The Poetry in Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
Alliterative verse an example from Beowulf
Oft Scyld Scefing sceapena praetum, Monegum
maegpum meodo-setla ofteah Egsode Eorle, syddan
aerest weard.
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The Poetry in Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many
tribes, A wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging
among foes. The terror of the hall-troops had
come far.
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The Poetry in Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
2. Kennings
a. Compound
b. Most were probably used over and over
For instance hronade literally means
whale-road, but can be translated as sea
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The Poetry in Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
Other kennings from Beowulf
banhus
goldwine gumena gold-friend of men generous
prince
beaga brytta
beadoleoma flashing light sword
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The Poetry in Beowulf
A few things to watch out for
3. Litotes

• A

• Example

Hildeburh had no cause to praise the Jutes
In this example, Hildeburhs brother has just
been killed by the Jutes. This is a poetic way
of telling us she hated the Jutes absolutely.
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Structure

• Consists of
• a prologue
• ________ sections (cantos)
• First three-fourths
• Final fourth Beowulf as an aged king of the Geats

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Some terms youll want to know
Gleeman (scop)
A bard or story-teller. The scop was responsible
for praising deeds of past heroes, for recording
history, and for providing entertainment
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Some terms youll want to know
comitatus
Literally,
This term identifies the concept of warriors and
lords mutually pledging their loyalty to one
another
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Some terms youll want to know
thane
mead-hall
The large hall where the lord and his warriors
slept, ate, held ceremonies, etc.
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Some terms youll want to know
wyrd
Fate. This idea crops up a lot in the poem,
while at the same time there are Christian
references to Gods will.
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Some terms youll want to know
epic

• Beowulf is an epic poem.
• Long story,
• Portraits of an entire culturebeliefs, legends,
  values, laws, arts, and ways of life of the
  people.
• Heroic epic main purpose is to tell the life
  story of a great hero.

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Some terms youll want to know
Apposition Grammatical form in which Grendel is
described as Till the monster stirred, that
demon, that fiend, Grendel
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Wergild

• Man-price
• Must pay if you kill a family member
• If debt is not paid,
• Battles and blood-feuds were common

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What makes a good King?

• Good King
• Great King

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Heroic Code of Behavior

• _____________
• _____________ to one's lord, one's warband
  (comitatus), and one's kin
• _________________ to avenge one's warband or lord
  at all costs death preferable to exile.
• __________________of lord to thanes and of hero
  to warband and lord--gift-giving
• __________________ (i.e., great deeds) brings
  honor, eternal fame, and political power

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Anglo-Saxon Values

• Loyalty
• Fighting for ones king
• Avenging ones kinsmen
• Keeping ones word
• Generosity -- gifts symbolize bonds
• Brotherly love -- not romantic love
• Heroism
• Public reputation, not private conscience

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Themes and Important Aspects

• Good

• Religion

• The importance of

• The importance of

• The sanctity of the

• Fate

• Loyalty and allegiance

• Heroism and heroic deeds

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Works Cited

• Literature and the Language Arts The British
  Tradition. Ed. Laurie Skilba et. al. St. Paul,
  MN EMC Corporation, 2001. Print.
• Reese, Spencer M. Introduction to Beowulf. Mr.
  Reeses Homepage. Memphis University School,
  2012. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.