Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - INTRODUCTION to EPIC POETRY

INTRODUCTION
to
EPIC POETRY
Senior English
Early Literary
Influences &
Historical Events
Epic of Gilgamesh
2500 BC
 11 Clay Tablets (story)
12th Tells of his ruling the netherworld
 Most important epic poem in human
history
 Various adventures of hero-king
searching for immortality
 An account of the flood
 Characters
Gilgamesh (2/3 god & 1/3 human)
Enkidu (wild man)
Summary of
Gilgamesh
 Meets Enkidu (BBF)
 1st trip to Land of Cedaes to kill
Humbaba
 Later slays the Bull of Heaven
 Angers gods=suffering
 Seek Utnapishtim & finds heartache
 Returns to Uruk and writes his story
Bible
4000 BC- 77 AD
 Judeo-Christian “God”
 Contains the Old & New
Testaments
 Missionaries & Crusades
 Holy Grail
 Referenced in a lot of literature
Homer
800 BC
 Did he exist?
 Creator of the Epic Poems The
Iliad and The Odyssey
 Most likely a minstrel
 Traveling singer/storyteller
 Poems were oral for centuries
before written down
The Trojan War
1184 BC/ 800 BC (written)
 Main topic of The Iliad by Homer and
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latter The Aeneid by Virgil
Achaeans vs. Trojans (10 yrs.)
Helen of Troy abducted by Paris
Achilles obtains from war in 10th yr.
kills Hector the Trojan Prince
Wooden horse
City captured Helen returned to
Menelaus
The Odyssey
800 BC
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Tale of Odysseus
10 yrs. in Trojan War
10 yrs. to get home
Presumed dead wife Penelope fighting
off suitors
 Consists of 24 books
More about this one later…
Naturalis Historia,
1st Encyclopedia
77 AD
 Written by Gaius Plinius Cecilius
Secundus (a.k.a. Pliny the Elder)
 37 Book
1st has preface & tables of
contents
List of authorities
 Published 1st 10 himself
 Very little revision if any
The Adventures of
Beowulf
650 AD
 1st Epic Poem written in English,
Old English
 Author Unknown
 Adventure of a great
Scandinavian warrior
 1 manuscript survived the
monastery destruction by Henry
VIII (more on this latter)
Historic Background
 Geats & Danes
 Accurately reflects the time period
(6th century)
 Angles , Saxons, & Jutes
 Germanic Code
Comitatus- of loyalty
•Sworn loyalty to king = gifts
 Feudal System
Historic Background
Cont.
 Women were thought of as holy
Belief in fate
 Biblical references relate to Old
Testament
 Author most likely Christian
 Scops- composers & storytellers
Geneology of Geats,
Danes, and Swedes
Main Characters
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Beowulf
Dragon
Grendel & Mother
Higlac
Hrothgar
Shild
Unferth
Welthow
Wiglaf
Time and Place
 Set in Denmark and Geatland
 6th Century
 Herot- mead
hall
What is Epic Poetry?
 Long narrative poem
 Written in an elevated style
 Celebrates the deed of a
legendary hero or god
Literary Devices
 Alliteration-- repetition of of
similar sounds especially initial
consonant or stressed syllable (eg.
“Shild’s strong son” [23, line 19])
 Metaphor- comparison between
two similar things
 Simile- Comparison using “like or
as”
Literary Devices
Cont.
 Epithet- brief phrase characterizes
a person place or thing (eg. “the
Lord or all Life”, “the Rule of
glory,” “the Lord of heaven and
earth”)
 Kenning- two-word metaphorical
name for something (eg. “searoad” for ocean [30, line 239])
Literary Elements
 Internal Conflict- Struggle that
takes place within the mind of a
character who is torn between
opposing feelings and desires
 External Conflict- When a
character struggles against some
outside force… Person, nature,
society, or fate.
Journal
Life is full of conflicts. For each
of the types of conflict write a
paragraph that gives details about
your personal experience.
Vocabulary Into. &
Part
Origin, define word,
part of II
speech, different
forms of word, and write a sentence using it
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Liegemen (intro.)
Liegelord (intro.)
Anon (intro.)
Brook (intro.)
Thane (intro.)
Fell (intro.)
Arms (intro.)
Laments (intro.)
Pyre (intro.)
Dulcet (Ln.36)
11. Winsome (Ln.40)
12. Lavish (Ln. 42)
13. Lusture / luster
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
(Ln.42)
Embellish (Ln. 43)
Malice (Ln. 49)
Vengeance (Ln. 56)
Atone (Ln. 58)
Meter (Ln. 59)
Grapple (Ln. 62)
Requital (Ln.62)
Villians
Journal Entry: Make a chart like the
one below and fill it in with
examples from today’s villians.
Villainous Enemies Powers/
Deeds
Abilitie
s
Plots
Part I-II Summary
 Genology of the ruling Danes
 Grendel awakes because of the
construction of Herot.
Description of
Grendel
 Adjectives, adverbs, and allusions play
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a vital role in the description of
Grendel.
Read the excerpt from book II
Highlight all the adjectives and adverbs
that pertain to the monster.
Write a description of the beast in
your own words using as many
adjectives and adverbs as you can.
Illustrate how you see Grendel in your
minds eye.
Wocabulary Part III
Origin, define word, part of speech, different
forms of word, and write a sentence using it
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reposing (Ln.4)
Surfeit (Ln. 11)
Sallying (Ln. 11.)
Repose (Ln. 25)
Grievous (Ln. 51)
Affliction (56)
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Earnestly (Ln. 61)
Shrines (Ln. 60)
Oppression (Ln. 63)
Heathen (Ln. 64)
Wax (Ln. 72)
Part III ?s
Read Part III & answer the
following:
1. What happens during Grendel’s
first visit to Hererot?
2. When does this occur? Describe
the scene.
3. How long does Grendel haunt
Herot?
Heroes
Journal Entry: Make a chart like the
one below and fill it in with
examples from today’s heroes.
Heroic
Deeds
Enemies Powers/
Abilities
Virtues
Part IV-XI Summary
 In Geatland Beowulf hears of
Grendel
 Sails with 14 men to Danish
Shore
 Wulfgar takes them to Hrothgar
Vocabulary Part XIOrigin, define word,XIII
part of speech, different
forms of word, and write a sentence using it
W
1.
2.
3.
XI
Implicitly(Ln.8)
Defiance (Ln.14)
Bereave (Ln. 19)
Ravished (Ln. 35)
5.
6.
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8.
XII
Welkin (Ln. 6)
Providence (Ln. 25)
Weaned (Ln. 70)
Resplendent (Ln. 72)
XIII
9. Mirth (Ln. 18)
10. Sinews (Ln. 26)
11. Fen (Ln. 28)
12. Marshes (Ln.28)
13. Prowess (Ln. 37)
Part XI-XIII ?s
 Beowulf and his men move into Herot for
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the night while Hrothgar sleeps peacefully.
What is Beowulf’s boast?
What do Beowulf’s men think of their
chances against Grendel?
How does Grendel respond when he comes
to Herot? Describe his reaction to seeing the
sleeping Geats.
What happens when Grendel reaches for
Beowulf?
Describe the struggles that ensues between
Beowulf and Grendel.
Part XII-XIII ?s Cont.
 What happens when Beowulf’s men
attack Grendel? Account for this
outcome to their efforts.
 At the conclusion of the battle between
Beowulf and Grendel, what transpires?
 On the morning following the battle,
describe the reactions of Hrothgar’s
people.
 Describe the lake into which Grendel
vanished.
Grendel
by John Gardner
 Book written from the perspective
of the monster
Journal
There are always two sides to every
story, now that you read an
excerpt from Grendel, do you
sympathize with the monster?
Why or why not? Did the story
change your perspective on
Beowulf?
Odysseus the Greek
Epic Hero
 A.K.A. Ulysses Roman Name
 As you read take notes on the key
points of the story; you will find
them necessary for an essay.
Essay
Write a 4-5 paragraph essay that
compares the two epic heroes that
you have read about in class. You
can approach the essay from many
angles some questions to consider:
1. Which hero do you think is better?
2. How do they fight and win their
battles?
3. What is their attitude like?