Beowulf Beowulf TrailerTrailer

Beowulf Beowulf – Key Facts  Originally written in ____________  _____ poem – Long narrative poem that celebrates a ______ deeds Beowulf – A Geat warrior (Sweden)  Anonymous author – __________ monk  Written AD  Story action ______ AD  Based on historical fact and _______ Hygelac led military raid ______ AD  Oral _______ – publicly performed by _______ or poet-singers (storytellers)  Story of Beowulf reflects ________________of the Anglo-Saxon society ( AD)

The 5-Ws Introduction to the Anglo Saxons  Hwa? Who were the Anglo Saxons?  Hwaet? What language did they speak?  Hwaenne? When in history did they live?  Hwaer? Where did they come from/go?  Hwi? Why study the Anglo Saxons?

Film Clip: “5 th Century Britain” (5 min.)

 Hwa? ______, ______, Jutes, and Frisians - Germanic-speaking ______  Hwaet? Spoke Old English languageOld English language  Major surviving _________________: Beowulf (600 AD) The Exeter Book (1000 AD)  Poets sang and were called ________  Hwaenne? _____ to 1150 AD  Period characterized by political unrest and bloody warfare amidst economic/cultural decline Period characterized by political unrest and bloody warfare amidst economic/cultural decline  Hwaer?  ____________ and other parts of Northern Europe  Hwi?  Origin of our culture: language, _________, hierarchies, _____, art, and musiclanguage

England Scotland Ireland France Denmark (Danes) Herot Hall Germany Northern Europe Sweden (further East)

Old English AD  claene  crypel  fisc  segl  graes  gyltig  brycg What do you think these words mean?

1. Se bat seglode fif dagas. 2. Bates segl is lytel. 3. Fif batas seglodon ofer brim. 4. Seglas bata sind lytel.  Experiment  Experiment Read 4 Old English Sentences. Translate the meaning on a sheet of paper.

HWÆT, WE GAR-DEna in geardagum, þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon! oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas, syððanærest wearð feasceaft funden; he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah, oð þæt him æghwylc ymbsittendra ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan; þæt wæs god cyning! Ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned geong in geardum, þone God sende Listen to the Opening Lines of Beowulf read in Old English

Anglo-Saxon Village

Anglo-Saxon Hall, likened to the Danes’ Herot Hall in Beowulf

Battle Helmets - The famous Beowulf Helmet recovered at Sutton Hoo

Religious Beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons  Pagan – ____theistic faith (non-Christian).  ________ – Persons ____ belonging to a widely-held ______ (i.e., Christianity)  Christianization of the _____________ __________ occurred in the 7 th century  Beowulf poet was a _______, although the poem’s 6 th century characters were _____  Beowulf poet uses _______ and references to the Christian God and the ________

Earthly Virtues  Virtues are the ______ in a society that the people wish to _________.  “Earthly” because they are organic and _____________________. With a partner, think about four truths that you feel humans in the modern world should adopt as their Earthly Virtues.

Anglo-Saxon Earthly Virtues   ________   Loyalty   _________

Household Tools of the Anglo-Saxons Knife and Sheath Pottery

Music of Anglo-Saxons Harp Whistles

Poetic Features of Anglo-Saxon Poetry  Alliteration  Caesura  Characterization  Epic  Kenning  Repetition

 Alliteration – Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Adds emphasis and musical effects to sung poetry.  Caesura – Extra space within lines of poetry. Adds a pause for breathing and comprehension.  Characterization – Process by which writer reveals character personality and motivation.  Epic- Long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero. Contains vast settings and supernatural figures.  Kenning - A descriptive phrase or compound word that creatively renames a noun.  Repetition – Repeating phrases, words, or lines. Supports listeners and adds emphasis.

Kennings: descriptive phrases or compound words that replace nouns.  “whale-road”- a kenning for the sea  “world-candle”-  “bone-house”-  “lock teaser”-  “sea-rider”-  “ring-giver”-  “battle-friend”-  “feast of vultures”-

Quickwrite  You have just been introduced to the culture of the Anglo-Saxon people who lived a thousand years ago.  How does what you have seen compare with today’s culture?  Focus on 2 or 3 elements (religion, language, arts) in a compare/contrast paragraph.