1. Beowulf Notes

2. Contributions Of Anglo-Saxons 1. Heroic Qualities Bravery Bravery Loyalty Loyalty Sternness Sternness Warlike Warlike Love of Glory Love of Glory 2. Worshipped ancient Germanic Gods Tiu = God of War & Sky (Tuesday) Tiu = God of War & Sky (Tuesday) Woden = Chief of Gods (Wednesday) Woden = Chief of Gods (Wednesday) Fria = Wodens Wife/ goddess of home (Friday) Fria = Wodens Wife/ goddess of home (Friday) Valhalla- heaven Valhalla- heaven 3. Pagan Beliefs Life was believed to be in the hands of fate (Wyrd = Goddess of Fate) Life was believed to be in the hands of fate (Wyrd = Goddess of Fate) Ruling warlords descended from gods Ruling warlords descended from gods Sought revenge & treated household cruelly Sought revenge & treated household cruelly 4. Runic Alphabet

3. Literary Devices Oral Tradition (Characterizations of Anglo- Saxon Poetry) Used for memorizing Used for memorizing Strong rhythm Strong rhythm (a good beat) Alliteration Alliteration – Repetition of initial consonant sound – (like a tongue twister) Parallelism/ Anaphora Parallelism/ Anaphora – Repetition of a grammatical pattern – “It is I who …” “It is I who …” Caesura Caesura – A pause in the middle of a poetic line Kennings Kennings – Metaphorical phrase – One thing is spoken of as if it were something else – “that long sleep” – “sky-candle” – “whale-road” – “foamy-throated sea-stallion” Unrhymed Verse Unrhymed Verse – If it rhymes, it isn’t AS poetry

4. A scop would perform the poems at victory celebrations. He would be accompanied by a musician called the gleeman. The celebrations would be held in large banquet halls called “ Mead-halls ” Mead was a honey-like alcoholic beverage enjoyed by AS warriors. An Anglo-Saxon warrior was also called a thane.

5. BEOWULF Epic Poetry ( epos- “word speech”) Epic Poetry ( epos- “word speech”) – Long narrative poem about a hero or heroic deeds/ written in a dignified style National Epic National Epic – Epic poem relating the deeds of a hero of a particular people – Helps people define their values, mores, social systems, and relationships

6. RELATION TO LIFE Mystery Probed: Life’s Direction What are we called to do?What are we called to do? What are our goals?What are our goals? What is the good life?What is the good life? What kind of life worth fighting for?What kind of life worth fighting for? What does it mean to live life heroically?What does it mean to live life heroically? Who are our heroes?Who are our heroes? Essential Questions:

7. Conventions of Epic Poetry Begins in medias res Begins in medias res Invocation of the muse Invocation of the muse Statement of theme or purpose Statement of theme or purpose Supernatural intervention Supernatural intervention Epic questions- answered by the poet Epic questions- answered by the poet Formal, long speeches Formal, long speeches Epic Catalogues of names (warriors, ships, armies) Epic Catalogues of names (warriors, ships, armies) Repetitions of epithets & kennings Repetitions of epithets & kennings Action= heroic deeds and journey Action= heroic deeds and journey Epic Similes- lengthy comparisons Epic Similes- lengthy comparisons

8. Epic Hero Traits Performs great, superhuman deeds Performs great, superhuman deeds Nation’s fate rests on outcome of hero’s adventures Nation’s fate rests on outcome of hero’s adventures Representative of most admired traits of culture Representative of most admired traits of culture Descends into lower regions during quest Descends into lower regions during quest Remains mortal (not a god) Remains mortal (not a god) Boasts of accomplishments Boasts of accomplishments Extremely generous & loyal Extremely generous & loyal

9. EPIC GENRE: ESSENTIAL ACTION Mimesis = imitation of an actionMimesis = imitation of an action Action = movement of the spiritAction = movement of the spirit the call / the goalthe call / the goal Ind’l in isolation Living for himself Has powers but does not know what they are for the battle / the strugglethe battle / the struggle Discovery of purpose Acceptance of heroic task (journey and/or battle the establishmentthe establishment Part of a community Result: Leaves a legacy

10. Beowulf Notes Setting is 6 th century Scandinavia (present day Sweden and Denmark) Setting is 6 th century Scandinavia (present day Sweden and Denmark) Author is unknown because the story passed through oral tradition Author is unknown because the story passed through oral tradition Juxtaposes both Pagan and Christian elements Juxtaposes both Pagan and Christian elements

11. Characters of Beowulf Hrothgar: King of the Danes (Denmark) Hrothgar: King of the Danes (Denmark) Grendel: a monster who terrorizes the Danes Grendel: a monster who terrorizes the Danes Higlac: Beowulf’s king (King of the Geats - Sweden) Higlac: Beowulf’s king (King of the Geats - Sweden) Beowulf: A Geat who comes to help the Danes Beowulf: A Geat who comes to help the Danes Herot: The greatest of all Mead Halls in the land of the Danes Herot: The greatest of all Mead Halls in the land of the Danes Unferth: one of Hrothgar’s men Unferth: one of Hrothgar’s men Brecca: a friend of Beowulf’s when he was a young man Brecca: a friend of Beowulf’s when he was a young man

12. Create Annotation Chart 3 columns: landscape view 3 columns: landscape view –Literary devices –Epic hero traits –Epic conventions For each numbered section of the reading, you are responsible for adding ONE quotation in ANY of the three categories. Simply write the page and line number(s) for the quotation and briefly explain it. For each numbered section of the reading, you are responsible for adding ONE quotation in ANY of the three categories. Simply write the page and line number(s) for the quotation and briefly explain it.