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BEOWULFHonors English IVMr. Wardlow
•Although Beowulf is considered English literature, it is not set in England•Germanic tribes invaded present-day England in the fifth-century AD; they brought their stories with them
Background of Beowulf
Angles, Saxons, and Jutes
Germanic Tribes
Beowulf is a great warrior who comes to the aid of a group of people whose lives are in jeopardy. Later in his life, he becomes king.
Who is Beowulf?
Where is Beowulf from?
Beowulf is a Geat warrior who crosses the sea to come to the aid of the Danes.
Beowulf later returns to Sweden to succeed his uncle as king of the Geats.
The Geats are from present-day Sweden.
Above is a picture of the only surviving manuscript of Beowulf.
Major Issues of Beowulf
Beowulf: Setting Issues
The narrative is set in pre-Christian past. However, England had become Christian by the time it was composed
Setting—late 5th to early 6th century (400-500) AD
Composition date—most scholars believe that it was composed sometime between 8th and 10th century (700-900) AD
Because of these facts, there are elements of Christianity and paganism in Beowulf
As we read and discuss Beowulf, you should also consider these issues …
Beowulf: Major Issues
Think about …
What is the attitude of the poet to Beowulf?
Is this poem a monster tale?
Based on your reading of Beowulf, what qualities or values did the Anglo-Saxons admire?
Is Beowulf a type of Christ-figure?
Think about …
Symbols and their importance. What do the following items symbolize? Herot Grendel (esp. the claw and the head) the lair of Grendel and his mother the dragon’s hoard
Critical Terms
Beowulf
Consider for the following as you read …
Epic: a long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero
Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds. Anglo-Saxon poetry consists of two half lines featuring alliteration separated by a caesura
Caesura: pause in a line of poetry, usually in the middle of the line
Critical Terms (cont.)
Wyrd: Anglo-Saxon word which refers to a mixture of fate and happening in Beowulf
Wergild: literally, “man-payment,” a term referring to the payment made to the family of a slain kinsman intended to prevent them from taking revenge against the slayer
Dom: refers to the fame which pagan Germanic heroes sought to gain for themselves on earth
Critical Terms (cont.)
Kenning: a poetic device used by Anglo-Saxon poets. It is a descriptive expression, often metaphoric, employing compound terms; e.g. “ring-giver” for king, “heaven’s candle” for sun, and “whale-road” for sea.
Comitatus: a Latin term describing the military bonds for Anglo-Saxon society. The comitatus consisted of a lord and his warriors who show fierce loyalty to him. The lord-warrior bonds were cemented by gift-giving.
it was not only spoken, it was sung!
Before Beowulf was written …
The scops (pronounced “shopes”) were both composers and storytellers who traveled from court to court and village to village. People would gather around to hear the stories recited and chanted and sung. Simply put, the scops were entertainers.
The Anglo-Saxon tradition of the scop
Characteristics
The Epic
The following are characteristics of most epics:
Hero, usually male, is of noble birth; often of legendary importance
Hero’s character traits reflect ideals of his society
Hero performs courageous and sometimes superhuman deeds
Action of the hero often determine the fate of the nation or a group of people
The following are characteristics of most epics (cont.):
The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation
The poet uses formal and serious language
Major characters often deliver long speeches
The following are characteristics of most epics (cont.):
Plot complicated by supernatural beings and may involve a dangerous journey through foreign lands
The poem reflects timeless values such as courage and honor
The poem treats universal themes such as good and evil or life and death
Connect Beowulf to your life …
Turn to p. 30 in your text
Read the Connect to Your Life paragraph
Think of the qualities that make people heroes in your life
Beowulf!And now ….
“A powerful monster living in the darkness”
Open your book to p. 33
Grendel
Review ll. 1-29 What are the
origins of Grendel?
What kind of inverse values and ethics does Grendel embody?
Anglo-Saxon literary culture, all monstrous beings descended from Cain, perhaps reflecting the strong taboo against kin-slaying so important in Anglo-Saxon law and culture.
The Danes
Review ll. 15 ff
Who is the king of the Danes?
What is Herot?
What does Grendel have for breakfast?
A couple of Danish!
Grendel attacks!
Review ll. 30 ff. How many men
does he eat? How long does
Herot remain deserted?
What is Hrothgar’s reaction?
Grendel attacks!
Review ll. 89 ff.
Why does
Grendel not
attack Hrothg
ar’s throne
?
Describe what
Hrothgar’s
council did in
order to drive away
Grendel.
Grendel interlude
The strongest of the Geats
Review ll. 104 ff. Beowulf and
thirteen of his bravest warriors cross the sea to aid the Danes
Who is Wulfgar?
Beowulf arrives in the land of the Danes
Review ll. 141-93 Beowulf boasts! How will he fight
Grendel? Who ultimately
will decide the winner of the fight between Grendel and Beowulf?
Who is Edgetho?
Beowulf arrives in the land of the Danes
Review ll. 190 ff.
Hrothgar came to Edgetho’s rescue by sending treasures to Edgetho’s enemies, the Wulfings, thus buying peace between the tribes
Beowulf vs. Grendel!
The Battle
Beowulf battles Grendel!
See ll. 233-42. How is Grendel described; how is Herot different this time?
See ll. 248-57. How is Grendel described? What are his emotions?
See ll. 257-59. What will be Grendel’s fate?
Review ll. 268 ff. The battle has begun. How are Beowulf and Grendel described?
The battle rages on!
Why are the weapons of Beowulf’s men useless?
(see ll. 290-300) How does Beowulf
mortally wound Grendel?
(see ll. 337-340) Grendel goes to die
(l. 352)
Another monster lives, bent on revenge!
Grendel’s Mother
Grendel’s mother wants revenge!
Hrothgar’s best friend is
killed by
Grendel’s
mother!
(l. 410)
The lair of Grendel’s mother Ll. 397-409—
describe Grendel’s mother
L. 410-11—Grendel’s mother kills Hrothgar’s best friend Aeschere
Ll. 434-39: How do the forest animals react to the lake?
Ll. 444-49: Hrothgar’s request
Beowulf meets his match!
The Battle with Grendel’s Mother
Battle with Grendel’s Mother L. 455: How long has she ruled
the lake where she lives? Ll. 458-69:the struggle b/w
Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, inside a battle-hall
L. 480: Hrunting Ll. 513-25 Beowulf kills
Grendel’s mother Ll. 526-45: Beowulf mutilates
Grendel’s body
The Battle with Grendel’s Mother Ll. 549-55: the old Dane
warriors thought Beowulf was dead
Ll. 562 ff.: sword used to decapitate Grendel dissolves;
Ll. 578 ff.: Beowulf leaves the treasure at the lair; brings back Grendel’s head to Herot as a trophy
And the death of Beowulf
Beowulf’s Last Battle
Dragon interlude
Beowulf's Last Battle
Ll. 606-11: Beowulf is still boasting!
Ll. 613-32: Beowulf describes how he will fight the dragon
Ll. 665-70: Beowulf in a fight for his life!
Ll. 691-96: Beowulf’s followers flee
Ll. 708-35: Wiglaf scolds the fleeing warriors
But the legend lives on!
The Death of a Hero
The Death of Beowulf
Beowulf strikes at
the dragon again!
Beowulf is mortally wounded
in the neck.
Wiglaf strikes the
dragon and it is finally
killed.
Ll. 741-42: Does Beowulf have an heir?
L. 745: How long was Beowulf king?
Ll. 753: a reference to Anglo-Saxon views about kin-slaying
Ll. 754-61: What does Beowulf ask of Wiglaf?
Ll. 764-94: Wiglaf enters the dragon’s tower where all its treasures were stored
The Dragon’s Treasure
Ll. 764-94 Why is this
scene important? The Dragon
hoards all the treasure which goes against the idea of comitatus. Now that the dragon is dead, all the treasures can be shared
Death comes for Beowulf
l. 801: Do you think Wiglaf is a Christian?
ll. 805-19; 824-27: Beowulf’s dying words
l. 811: Wiglaf will be the next king
ll. 812-19: Beowulf’s dying wish
Christian elements in Beowulf
Review the death of Beowulf scene and find elements of Christianity.
Share with the class!
Wiglaf to the Beowulf’s men …
Lead your life
“branded with disgrac
e!”
L. 849: Wiglaf calls Beowulf’s men who ran “cowards”
Ll. 851-62: Wiglaf tells the men who ran that they have dishonored and disgraced the entire community
L. 865: Beowulf’s men weep as they see his body resting on the sand
Mourning Beowulf
• ll. 874-75: Beowulf’s ashes are placed in the tomb
• Ll. 880-83: All the treasures that were gained from the dragon’s lair were buried in the sand
• Ll. 885 ff.: Twelve of the greatest Geats rode and told of Beowulf’s greatness , said no better king had ever lived, no other man deserved as much praise
Literary Devices Activity
Beowulf
Find these examples in Beowulf
Alliteration
Kenning
Caesura
Hyperbole
Literary devices defined
Alliteration – the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of a word.
Kenning – metaphorical compound words or phrases substituted for simple nouns.
Caesura– a pause or break in a line of poetry.
Hyperbole – a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for effect.