Beowulf

Introducing the Epic

Literary Focus: The Epic Hero

The Poetry of Beowulf: Caesuras, Alliteration, and Kennings

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Beowulf

• the first great work of English national literature.

• the epic story of the hero Beowulf, who fights the demonic monster Grendel.

Beowulf is

Beowulf Introducing the Epic

Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia.

Places

Scholars think Herot

might have been built

on the coast of

Zealand, in Denmark.

Scandinavia

Britain

Beowulf Introducing the Epic

Places

Herot: the golden

guest hall built by

King Hrothgar where

warriors gathered to

celebrate.

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Beowulf Introducing the Epic

The epic hero is the

central figure in a long

narrative that reflects the

values and heroic ideals of

a particular society.

An epic is a quest story on

a grand scale.

Beowulf Literary Focus: The Epic Hero

Quickwrite

Make the Connection

Write about a contemporary hero, real or fictional, and the challenges he or she faces. Describe your hero, and then briefly analyze him or her using these questions: •What sort of evil or oppression does your hero confront? •Why does he or she confront evil? What’s the motivation? •For whom does your hero confront evil? •What virtues does your hero represent?

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Beowulf Quickwrite

Beowulf Literary Focus: The Epic Hero

Beowulf is one of ancient England’s heroes.

King Arthur

Joan of Arc

Other times and other cultures have had other heroes.

In modern America, the hero may be a real person or a fictional character.

Beowulf Literary Focus: The Epic Hero

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Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura, or rhythmic pause, to create unity.

ða com of more under misthleoþum Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.

Line divided into two parts by a caesura.

Locate the caesura in these lines:

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Here are the same lines in modern English from Burton Raffel’s translation:

Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura.

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration.

Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds in words close together.

The emphasis on the w sound in this line from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 creates a melancholy tone.

And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste.

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:

Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:

Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

The kenning is another poetic device that was used by the oral poet.

Examples of kennings from Beowulf:

gold-shining hall= Herot guardian of crime = Grendel strong-hearted wakeful sleeper = Beowulf cave-guard and sky-borne foe = dragon

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Kenning: a metaphorical phrase or compound word used to name a person, place, thing, or event indirectly. A kenning enhances the literal meaning of the words. A kenning gives the listener an idea of how the words connect to an idea or concept that is richer and more emotionally complex.

Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Create modern-day kennings for things you see around you.

giver of words word-wand

? ?

? ?

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Beowulf The Poetry of Beowulf

Beowulf is an oral epic passed from bard to bard.

Harpist-bards told the familiar story for audiences in the communal halls at night.

Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village in West Stow, England, with communal hall on the left.

Written down between 700 and 750.

Beowulf Background

Who wrote it down?

• scenery described resembles Northumbria (northeastern England)

Theory:

The poet who wrote Beowulf down may have been a Northumbrian monk.

Evidence:

• Christian elements in epic

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Beowulf Background

Beowulf Introducing the Epic

Beowulf: nephew of Higlac, king of the Geats.

Hrothgar: king of the Danes.

Wiglaf: a Geat warrior, one of Beowulf’s select band and the only one to help him in his final fight with the dragon.

People

Beowulf Introducing the Epic

Grendel: man-eating monster who lives at the bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake.

Monsters

Grendel’s mother: water-witch who seeks revenge.

Dragon: giant fire-breathing serpent whom Beowulf fights in Part Two of the epic.

Vocabulary

Previewing the Vocabulary

resolute adj.: determined.

vehemently adv.: violently

infallible adj.: unable to fail or be wrong

furled v.: rolled up.

lavish adj.: extravagant

assail v.: attack

extolled v.: praised

Beowulf Vocabulary

Which Word……

1. is often used in reference to a flag?________

2. describes someone who is stubborn?________

3. describes how someone might argue about a subject he or she feels strongly about?___________

4. is a synonym for praised? __________

5. describes someone who cannot fail?_________

6. describes someone who gives generous gifts?________

7. is another way of saying attack? ________

Previewing the Vocabulary: Activity

resolute furled extolled assail vehemently lavish infallible

furled

resolute

vehemently

extolled

infallible

lavish assail

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Beowulf Vocabulary