1. Beowulf – an Introduction A “self-portrait of a culture” (our own culture?)

2. Origin and Setting Action is 6 th century Scandinavia Told in Old English between 500 and 1000 Beowulf, the Geat (Sweden) Danish King Hrothgar The monster, Grendel Herot (the mead hall) 3 mortal battles depicted in the epic poem

3. Terms Scops Epic The Iliad Kenning Caesura Sir Robert Cotton (1571-1631) Seamus Heaney Burton Raffel

4. Readings Today – pg. 36-41 Homework – pg 41-49 Be prepared to tell the plot in your own words In next class – pgs. 50 – 60 selected passages What “portrait” has been taken of Anglo- Saxon culture? What remains in our culture? Next – Medieval Ballads