Transcript Beowulf: The Beginnings of English Literature

Beowulf:
The Beginnings of English
Literature
Origins
Unknown author;
possibly one Christian
author in AngloSaxon England
Unknown date of
composition (roughly
8th-11th Century CE)
Literary Devices
Epic poetry: a long narrative poem written
in elevated style which celebrates the deeds
of a legendary hero or god.
Kenning: two-word metaphorical name for
something (eg. whale-road=sea)
Scop: Anglo-Saxon composers and
storytellers (like minstrels or bards)
Warrior Code
Comitatus: Germanic code of loyalty
Thane: warrior – swears loyalty to the king
for whom they fought and whom they
protected
Kings: generous, protected thanes
Reputation: thanes were expected to be
loyal, brave, courageous; kings were
expected to be generous and hospitable
Wergild: “man-payment”; a fee paid to the
family of a slain man to atone for his
murder and to prevent the family from
seeking revenge.
Old English
 Beowulf was written in Old English, an early
form of English
 Old English was spoken in the Middle Ages from
about 6th century to 11th century CE
 Modern English has been spoken since the
Renaissance – Shakespeare is NOT Old English;
he is Early Modern English
Elements of an Epic
1. Epic hero– an character with a trait or
characteristic that is valued by his society.
•
(E.g.– Superman’s bravery or valor)
2. Quest– A journey through which the character
or the reader learns something
3. Valorous Deeds– Doing something bravely.
Characters
• Beowulf
– The protagonist of the
epic
– His boasts and
encounters reveal him
to be the strongest,
ablest warrior of the
era.
– In his youth, he
personifies all of the
best values of the
heroic culture. In his old
age, he proves a wise
and effective ruler.
Characters
• King Hrothgar
– King of the Danes.
Hrothgar enjoys military
success and prosperity
until Grendel terrorizes his
realm.
– He is a father figure to
Beowulf and a model for
the kind of king that
Beowulf becomes.
Characters
• Grendel
– A demon descended
from Cain, Grendel
preys on Hrothgar's
warriors in the king's
mead-hall, Heorot.
Characters
• Grendel’s Mother
– An unnamed swamphag, Grendel's
mother has fewer
human qualities than
Grendel, but her
terrorization of Heorot
is because of
revenge—a human
motivation.
Characters
• The Dragon
– An ancient, powerful
serpent, the dragon
guards a horde of
treasure in a hidden
mound. Beowulf's
fight with the dragon
constitutes the third
and final part of the
epic.
Characters
• Wiglaf
– A young kinsman and
retainer of Beowulf who
helps him in the fight
against the dragon
while the other warriors
run away.
Characters
• Halfdane
– The father of Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, and an
unnamed daughter who married a king of the
Swedes, Halfdane succeeded Beow as ruler of the
Danes
• Wealhtheow
– Hrothgar's wife, the gracious Queen of the Danes.
• Unferth
– A Danish warrior who is jealous of Beowulf, Unferth
is unable or unwilling to fight Grendel, thus proving
himself inferior to Beowulf.