1. Journal must be at least 2/3 of the page!
September 29, 2015
In your journal, respond to the following:
What is a hero? Explain your definition and give examples.
Why is a reputation important? What factors influence a reputation?
What does it mean to be loyal? Tell about a time you were loyal or someone was loyal to you.
Journal must be at least 2/3 of the page!

2. A-Z List
Solo Listing (5 minutes). Use the following questions to generate responses:
Major works that you have read while in high school
Major authors you have read while in high school (Homer, Shakespeare…)
Any poetic technique, literary device, or figurative language an author uses for effect (simile, metaphor…)
Ways that we analyze literature. What are we reading for? (theme, author’s purpose…)
**Once time is called, underline the last word you wrote for each letter. Count your total words.**

3. A-Z List Reading 2. Collaborative Listing (10 minutes).
Leader starts, work clockwise
Each person share their words.
Everyone adds words to their list.
**When time is called, count the extra words added.

4. Look over your “Revenge Opinionnaire”
September 30, 2015
Complete the “Revenge Opinionnaire” you received at the door. Write your answers on the next free page in your journal.
Look over your “Revenge Opinionnaire”
What is your position on revenge?

5. Translating the Poem VanBenthuysen, “The Seafarer” – Lines 18a-33a
Þǣr ic ne gehȳrde būtan hlimman sǣ
īscaldne wǣg. Hwīlum ylfete19 song
20 dyde ic mē tō gomene, ganetes20 hlēoþor
ond huilpan21 swēg fore hleahtor wera,
mǣw22 singende fore medodrince.
Stormas þǣr stānclifu bēotan;23 þǣr him stearn24 oncwǣð
īsigfeþera; ful oft þæt earn25 bigeal,
25 ūrigfeþra26; ne27 ænig hlēomǣga
fēasceaftig ferð frēfran28 meahte.
For þon him gelȳfeð lyt, sē þe āh līfes wyn
gebiden in burgum, bealosīþa hwōn,
wlonc ond wīngāl, hū ic wērig oft
30 in brimlāde bīdan sceolde.
Nāp nihtscūa; norþan snīwde;29
hrīm hrūsan bond; haegl fēol on eorþan,
corna caldast.

6. Anglo-Saxon and Beowulf Background

7. Background Information
Beowulf is the oldest poem in the English language, so everything written since Beowulf stems from it in some way.
The story of Beowulf encompasses common themes that we still see in English literature today: Loyalty, Reputation, Revenge, etc.

8. Background Information
Beowulf is the oldest surviving English poem. It’s written in Old English (or Anglo-Saxon), which is the basis for the language we speak today.
Some of the historical contexts are real, yet the main character and the story are fictional. Some of the Swedish and Danish royal family members were actually real.
The only copy of the manuscript was written sometime around the 11th century A.D. (1000’s), however…

9. The actual poem probably dates from the 8th century (700’s) or so, and…
The story may be set even earlier, around 500 A.D.
There are a lot of Christian references in the poem, but the characters and setting are Pagan…this means a monk probably translated it.
Pagan= a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.

10. Period Dress

11. 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

12. Anglo-Saxon Culture

13. Anglo-Saxon Culture Accumulated treasures amount to success
Fame and fortune zealously sought after
*Battle was the favorite pastime
Loyalty to one’s leader crucial
King was the strongest warrior
-not heredity; it depended solely on being able to win battles, gain lands, treasures, and slaves to give to his supporters.

14. Anglo-Saxon Culture
Importance of pagan, Germanic, and Christian ideals to people whose lives were often hard and uncertain
Religion was not spiritual – it was a means of success for material things (victory, harvest)
Home was of great importance and it was sought after to protect.
Heroism and Heroic deeds were very important to the people.

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

16. 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

17. Epic Poem
Long narrative poem that recounts the adventures of a hero. (This story was probably passed down orally for centuries before it was first written down)
Elevated and poetic language
Does not sermonize
Invokes a muse
Begins in media res (in the middle of things)
Mysterious origin, super powers, vulnerability, rite of passage
Examples: Odyssey by Homer, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by Tolkien

18. 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.

19. 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

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

21. 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”

22. 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

23. Setting: Beowulf’s time and place
Although Beowulf was written in English, it is set in what is now Sweden, where a tribe called the Geats lived.
The story may take place as early as 400 or 500 A.D.

24. STOP

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

26. Terms: Scop A bard or story-teller.
The scop was responsible for praising deeds of past heroes, for recording history, and for providing entertainment

27. Term: Comitatus Literally, this means “escort” or “comrade”
This term identifies the concept of warriors and lords mutually pledging their loyalty to one another

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

29. Mead Hall

30. 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.

31. Terms: Elegy and Homily
An elegy is a poem that is sad or mournful. The adjective is elegiac.
A homily is a written sermon or section of the poem that gives direct advice.

32. Main Characters

33. Main Characters

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

35. 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

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

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

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