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Beowulf Study Guide
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Vocabulary Words Reparation – noun
Something making up for a wrong or an injury Solace – noun comfort; relief Purge – verb Purify; cleanse Writhing – adjective Making twisting or turning motions
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Vocabulary Words Massive – adjective Big and solid; bulky
Loathsome – adjective Disgusting
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Literary Elements Epic – a long narrative poem, sometimes developed orally, that celebrates the deeds of a legendary or heroic figure. Epics are among the earliest forms of literature.
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Common Features of an Epic
The Hero battles forces that threaten the order of his world . The story is told in a serious manner, often in special, elevated language
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Literary Elements Kennings – two-word poetic renamings of people, places, and things, such as the kenning whales’ home for the sea Caesuras – rhythmic breaks in the middle of lines, where the reciter could pause for breath
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Kennings There are many kennings in “The Battle with Grendel”
Kennings are descriptive, poetical expressions used instead of the simple name of a person or thing. The word comes from the Scandinavian words Kenne vith, which mean “to name after”.
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Kennings Examples : “Shepard of evil” “Guardian of crime”
“Higlac’s follower” “Infamous killer” “Almighty’s enemy” “hell’s captive”
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Why Kennings? The primary purpose was to maintain the alliteration required by Anglo-Saxon verse. According to convention, one of the accented syllables after the caesura, (a pause in a line of verse) has to alliterate with at least one of the accented syllables in the first half of the line.
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Things to learn How to paraphrase – identify the key details in a passage and restate them in your own words What is a legendary hero? He is a larger-than-life character whose accomplishments are celebrated in traditional tales. Beowulf’s boastful self-confidence,, his feats of strength, and his victories in battle make him a classic legendary hero
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Paraphrase “the monster’s thoughts were as quick as his greed or claws” This phrase could mean “the monster has intelligence”
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Paraphrase So the living sorrow Healfdane’s son/Simmered, bitter and fresh, and no wisdom/Or strength could break it; that agony hung/On king and people alike…” Could mean Hrothgar felt an endless sorrow he couldn’t get rid of
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Beowulf Wiglaf believes that he and his fellow soldiers should help Beowulf fight the dragon because in the past they had promised to repay Beowulf’s kindness with their lives
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Beowulf When Beowulf is dying, he gives Wiglaf his gold necklace to indicate that Wiglaf will be the next ruler of Geatland
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Beowulf “Burns like a torch. No one knows its bottom”
Caesura – example “Burns like a torch. No one knows its bottom” Hint: it has a pause in the middle of the line
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Paraphrase --then the sword/Melted, blood-soaked, dripping down/Like water, disappearing like ice when the world’s/Eternal Lord loosens invisible/Fetters and unwinds icicles and frost… Could mean The sword melted like icicles do when God warms them
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Beowulf It is ironic that the Geats build a tower to memorialize Beowulf because they all deserted him in his battle with the dragon
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What does this mean? …they could hack at Grendel/From every side, trying to open/A path for his evil soul, but their points/Could not hurt him. The bold phrase could mean That they were trying to kill Grendel by opening him up and giving a way for his soul to be released
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Beowulf Called “noble protector of all seamen”, Beowulf is know by his KENNING
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