Beowulf: The Beginning of English Literature

Beowulf’s Name Beowulf’s father– Edgetho Beowulf’s father– Edgetho –In most cases, the son is named after the father  Don  Donald (son of Don)  McDonald (son of son of Don)  McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don) Proves Beowulf is own individual with own powers and abilities (and more important than his father) Proves Beowulf is own individual with own powers and abilities (and more important than his father)

Bear Bear Wolf Wolf

The background The oldest pagan epic poem written in English more than 1200 years ago The oldest pagan epic poem written in English more than 1200 years ago Anonymous and composed in the first half of the 8th century Anonymous and composed in the first half of the 8th century It is based on a Scandinavian Saga orally transmitted It is based on a Scandinavian Saga orally transmitted It deals with a time following the initial invasion of England by Germanic tribes in 449 (5th~6th Cent.) It deals with a time following the initial invasion of England by Germanic tribes in 449 (5th~6th Cent.) It contains Christian elements probably added by the scholar who wrote it down; the pagan deities are removed It contains Christian elements probably added by the scholar who wrote it down; the pagan deities are removed

The story It derives from folk-tales It derives from folk-tales It is a blend of legend and history It is a blend of legend and history It contains precise references to real historical events and tribal struggles It contains precise references to real historical events and tribal struggles

The characters

The Geats (Beowulf; his retainer Wiglaf)

The Danes (King Hrothgar)

Grendel ( the monster)

GRENDEL’S MOTHER

The fire-breathing dragon

Mythical elements A fantastic world A fantastic world Monsters Monsters Dragons Dragons Imaginary creatures Imaginary creatures

Geats and Danes  Beowulf was a war leader of the Geats, a group of people in what is now southern Sweden  Hrothgar was king of the Danes

THE SETTING Palace of Heorot Gautland

THE PLOT Two stories unified by the presence of the same hero Two stories unified by the presence of the same hero The first: Beowulf is a young hero going to help Hrothgar, king of the Danes The first: Beowulf is a young hero going to help Hrothgar, king of the Danes The second: Beowulf in his old age as king of the Geats in Gautland The second: Beowulf in his old age as king of the Geats in Gautland

SOCIAL LIFE It reveals a way of life ruled by simple laws: It reveals a way of life ruled by simple laws: Eating Eating Drinking Drinking Fighting Fighting Hunting Hunting Listening to the Scop during the feasts Listening to the Scop during the feasts

Features of the time The generosity of the lord The generosity of the lord The fidelty of the subjects The fidelty of the subjects The sense of honour The sense of honour The duty to help people in need The duty to help people in need Violence Violence

The values of warrior society in the poem Loyalty and kinship Loyalty and kinship The need to take revenge The need to take revenge Physical strength and courage Physical strength and courage The search for glory in this life The search for glory in this life Their main tools were the weapons personalized with names, a precious heritage Their main tools were the weapons personalized with names, a precious heritage Fate Fate

The presence of nature Cold Scandinavian countries Cold Scandinavian countries Unpleasant winters Unpleasant winters Spring hailed with joy Spring hailed with joy Rough and stormy northern sea Rough and stormy northern sea Biting winds Biting winds Black pools Black pools Gloomy marshes Gloomy marshes Forests and caves Forests and caves

The general atmosphere Gloomy Gloomy Fierce Fierce Melancholic Melancholic Solitary Solitary A strong sense of doom A strong sense of doom Stoic resignation Stoic resignation

Christian elements Beowulf= good struggling against evil Beowulf= good struggling against evil He prays the Creator of all things, the ruler of the Heavens He prays the Creator of all things, the ruler of the Heavens God’s WILL, identical with FATE ( Wyrd ) God’s WILL, identical with FATE ( Wyrd ) Reference to the Old Testament: Reference to the Old Testament: Heorot = symbol of the world Heorot = symbol of the world The Danes = mankind The Danes = mankind The lake = hell The lake = hell Grendel’s mother = the devil Grendel’s mother = the devil The sword = the cross The sword = the cross

The typical mounds

LANGUAGE

Origins  Unknown author; possibly one Christian author in Anglo- Saxon England  Unknown date of composition (roughly 8 th -11 th Century CE)

Beowulf’s first page

ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS

BEOWULF : OLD ENGLISH Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning! ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned, geong in geardum, þone god sende folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning! ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned, geong in geardum, þone god sende folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat

Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura, or rhythmic pause, to create unity. ða com of more under misthleoþum Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean. Line divided into two parts by a caesura. Locate the caesura in these lines: Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Here are the same lines in modern English from Burton Raffel’s translation: Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot. Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura. Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Wessex dialect Wessex dialect High poetic diction High poetic diction Old English verse highly musical Old English verse highly musical Long lines divided in two halves Long lines divided in two halves A pause in the middle of the lines A pause in the middle of the lines The two halves held together by allitteration The two halves held together by allitteration No rhyme No rhyme

The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration.alliteration. Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Techniques ALLITTERATION ALLITTERATION “He rippled down the rock, writhing with anger” “He rippled down the rock, writhing with anger” KENNING KENNING “The hoard-guardian” (the guardian of the treasure = the monster) “The hoard-guardian” (the guardian of the treasure = the monster)

the swan-road the swan-road the whale-road the bent-necked wood the ringed prow the ringed prow The Ship KENNINGS from the poem Beowulf The Sea The Sea

The Sword KENNINGS from the poem the storm of swords the leaving of the file battle-lightning The Battle

the ring-giver the dispenser of treasure The Dragon Ray Winstone as Beowulf in Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, 2007 the twilight-spoiler KENNINGS from the poem The Lord/King

The Feud = the tragic waste The Feud = the tragic waste Themes A system of revenge is repeated in the poem: feud  peace  feud The eternal conflict between dark and light, good and evil The eternal conflict between dark and light, good and evil Fate Fate Courage as the quality that can stand against Fate. Courage as the quality that can stand against Fate.

2 Types of Epics 1. Folk –Told out loud first (usually by scops) –Unknown author –Unknown dates –(E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t know who wrote it) 2. Literary –Known author –(E.g.– Paradise Lost, by John Milton is a literary epic because we know who wrote it.)

3 Epic Conventions 1. Invoke a muse –Muse– inspiration provided by the gods 2. Plot begins in medias res –In medias red– “In the middle of” the action 3. Serious tone Not necessary to have all on these, but need most at least Not necessary to have all on these, but need most at least

Reading / Language Arts Reading / Language Arts Literary Criticism: Literary Criticism: Analyze how a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period. (Historical Approach) Analyze how a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period. (Historical Approach)