1. BEOWULF

2. Beowulf Background Info.
Epic poem: long, narrative poem usually concerned with a hero, heroic deeds, and a difficult and important task or journey, often uses real historical figures/events as backdrop
Epic hero: central figure in a long narrative that reflects the values and heroic ideas of a particular society

3. Written in Old English (Anglo-Saxon) between 600 and 700 AD then passed down through oral recitations
Such recitations included various bards and listeners who retold the story to embellish, add, subtract some elements (i.e. Beowulf is a combination of Anglo-Saxon legends, originally from a “pagan” religion, but we’ll find many Christian elements in the poem, due to the monks who copied the manuscripts)

4. First page of Beowulf in Old English (from the manuscript in the British Museum).

5. Poetic Devices to Look For…
Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds throughout a line or stanza
“A foundling was he when he first lay friendless; fate later brought him solace as he waxed in power and flourished in wealth, until folk who lodge on the whale-paths near and far heeded his decree and gave him tribute—that was a good king!”
Notice repetition of “f” and “w” sounds
Purpose tied to original oral traditions, as emphasis was placed on these repetitive sounds for memorization, and entertainment

6. Kennings: compound words comparable to modern metaphors and euphemisms (stand for something else)
For example, the term whale-paths indicates the oceans, wave-rider is a boat or ship, and ring-giver, folk-friend, or friend to the people stands for a king
Kennings identify nouns, but they also give the reader/listener a picture to attach, and they’re multi-syllabic so they sound special

7. Reoccurring Symbols and Themes
Fame/glory: No history books and documentaries, heroes and kings wanted to live on in song, and only way of doing this was accomplishing great deeds in lifetime worthy of legendary songs – destiny/fate
King: shield, shelterer, protector of people
Leadership and wisdom: develop over time through experience and mistakes
Monsters: Grendel and his mother represent evil and hell, outsiders from human society

8. Beowulf Essential Questions:
How does the story of Beowulf reflect Anglo-Saxon ethics?
How does the story of Beowulf reflect the model of an “epic hero journey/quest”?
What similarities does Beowulf have to modern heroes? What does this tell us about human nature and Western history?

9. Characters Beowulf (nephew of Higlac, son of Edgetho)
Hrothgar (son of Healfdane)
Grendel and Grendel’s mother
Unferth
Welthow (wife of Hrothgar)
Wiglaf

10. Places & Things Herot Hall
Underwater lair of Grendel and Grendel’s mother
Denmark (Hrothgar’s people the Danes, from modern NE Denmark)
Geatland/Gotaland (Beowulf’s people the Geats, from modern SW Sweden)
Hrunting (sword)

11. Artists’ depictions of Herot Hall

12. Other character references (kennings!)
Hrothgar references:
shield of the Danes/of the people
helmet/crown of the Danes
friend of the Scyldings
son of Healfdene
chief of Ing’s descendants
lord of the Ingwines
white-haired gold-friend of men
Beowulf references:
son of Ecgtheow
ring-giver (later in the book, when he returns home and becomes king)
Unferth references:
Hrothgar's orator
Ecglaf's son/son of Ecglaf