1. Anglo-Saxon and Beowulf Background

2. Background Information
30,000 lines of Anglo-Saxon poetry survive today
3, 182 (10%) of the lines are from Beowulf
Setting - Denmark and Sweden
Author - Unknown, probably a monk
Composed in the 7th or 8th century
Oldest surviving English poem

3. Anglo-Saxon Culture Belief in fate (Wyrd)
Accumulated treasures amount to success
Fame and fortune zealously sought after
Loyalty to one’s leader crucial
Importance of pagan, Germanic, and Christian ideals to people whose lives were often hard and uncertain

4. Anglo-Saxon Culture Fierce, hardy life of warrior and seamen
Strength, courage, leadership abilities appreciated
Boisterous yet elaborately ritualized customs of the mead-hall
Expected the hero to boast

5. Anglo-Saxon Ideals Codes of Conduct
Good defeats evil
Wergild--restitution for murder or expect revenge from victim’s relatives
Boasts must be backed with actions.
Fate is in control
Fair fights are the only honorable fights

6. Epic Poem Long narrative poem that recounts the adventures of a hero.
Elevated language
Does not sermonize
Invokes a muse
Begins in media res
Mysterious origin, super powers, vulnerability, rite of passage

7. The Epic Hero
Actions consist of responses to catastrophic situations in which the supernatural often intervenes.
Code of conduct forces him to challenge any threat to society
Destiny discovered through a series of episodes punctuated by violent incidents interspersed with idyllic descriptions.

8. Elements of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Chant-like effect of the four-beat line
Alliteration (“Then the grim man in green gathers his strength”)
Caesura-pause or break in a line of poetry (“Oft to the wanderer weary of exile”)
Kenning-metaphorical phrase used instead of a name (“battle-blade” and “ring-giver”)
Epithet-description name to characterize something (“keen-edge sword”)
Hyperbole-exaggeration

9. Title of Epic Poem Anglo-Saxon word Beo means “bright” or “noble”
Anglo-Saxon word wulf means “wolf”
Beowulf means bright or noble wolf
Other sources say Beo means “bear”

10. How we date Beowulf Some Important Dates:
521 A.D. – death of Hygelac, who is mentioned in the poem
680 A.D. – appearance of alliterative verse
835 A.D. – the Danish started raiding other areas; after this, few poets would consider them heroes
SO: This version was likely composed between 680 and 835, though it may be set earlier

11. The Poetry in Beowulf 1. Alliterative verse
Repetition of initial sounds of words (occurs in every line)
b. Generally, four feet/beats per line
c. A caesura, or pause, between beats two and four
d. No rhyme

12. The Poetry in Beowulf 2. Kennings
a. Compound metaphor (usually two words)
b. Most were probably used over and over
For instance: hronade literally means “whale-road,” but can be translated as “sea”

13. More Kennings Other kennings from Beowulf: “bone-house” = body
“gold-friend of men” = generous prince
“ring-giver” = lord
“flashing light” = sword

14. Setting: Beowulf’s time and place
Insert: Time of Beowulf
Europe today

15. Some terms you’ll want to know
scop
A bard or story-teller.
The scop was responsible for praising deeds of past heroes, for recording history, and for providing entertainment

16. Terms: Thane and Mead-Hall
A warrior
mead-hall
The large hall where the lord and his warriors slept, ate, held ceremonies, etc.

17. Term: Wyrd
wyrd
Fate. This idea crops up a lot in the poem, while at the same time there are Christian references to God’s will.

18. Main Characters

19. Beowulf Epic hero Geat (from southern Sweden)
Nephew of Higlac (King at story’s start)
Sails to Denmark to help Hrothgar

20. Hrothgar Danish king Builds Herot (banquet hall) for men
Tormented by Grendel for 12 years
Loses many men to Grendel
Joyless before Beowulf’s arrival

21. Grendel Referred to as demon and fiend Haunts the moors (swampy land)
Descendant of Cain
Feasts on 30 men the night of 1st attack

22. Grendel’s Mother Referred to as she-wolf Lives under a lake
Challenges Hrothgar when she kills one of his best men

23. Fire Dragon Lives in Beowulf’s kingdom Wakes up when thief steals cup
Guards countless treasures

24. Works Cited
Intro to Beowulf