Literary ElementsThrough the story of Beowulf

Theme The controlling idea of a piece of

literature.

A unifying or dominant idea

Themes in Beowulf Greed for glory leads to downfall.

Greed for glory leads to heroism.

“The fight is not yours,/ nor meet for any but me alone/ to measure the might with this monster here/ and play the hero.”

Characterization The characteristics of a character

Physiological- what the character looks like

Sociological- the character’s background

Psychological- the character’s behavior

Characterization of Beowulf Physiological: strongest man of all

“[…] Higlac’s/Follower and the strongest of the Geats– greater/ And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world […]”

Sociological: loyal & has seen victory far and wide “Higlac’s Follower” & “I drove/ Five great giants into

chains, chased/ All of that race from the earth.” Psychological: reckless, brave, greedy for glory

“But Higlac’s follower remembered his final/ Boast and, standing erect, stopped/ The monster’s flight […]”

Conflict The opposing forces that come into

disagreement in a story

External & External Conflicts: Man vs. self Man vs. man Man vs. society Man vs. nature

Conflict in Beowulf Man vs. self

“ […] my hands/ Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life/ Against the monster.”

Man vs. man “The sage assumed that his sovran God/ he

had angered, breaking ancient law,/ and embittered the Lord.”

Also three battles could be considered here Man vs. society & man vs. nature

Three battles could be considered

Setting When and where a story takes place

Setting of Beowulf A changing world between Pagan and

Christian ideas– a world that is attempting to rid itself of the old, “evil” ways

Anglo-Saxon Period in the regions of modern-day Denmark and Sweden

“Hail/ To those who will rise to God, drop off/ Their dead bodies and seek our Father’s peace!”

Protagonist vs. Antagonist Protagonist: the leading character, hero,

or heroine of a literary work

Antagonist: the character or force that works against the hero or protagonist

Pro. & Ant. in Beowulf Beowulf vs. Grendel

Beowulf vs. Grendel’s Mother

Beowulf vs. Dragon

Plot The action of a literary work

Exposition: the act of explaining the setting and introducing the main characters & other literary elements at the beginning of a literary work

Rising Action: a related series of incidents that build towards the climax

Climax: THE POINT OF NO RETURN/ THE HIGHEST OR MOST INTENSE POINT IN THE STORY

Falling Action: the part of a story that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved

Resolution: the outcome of the story- the protagonist either gets what he/she wants or does not

Plot Triangle for Beowulf

Exposition: Beowulf is great/ Danes in trouble and need help

Rising Action: Beowulf kills Grendel & Grendel’s Mother/ is named King

Climax: Beowulf fights the Dragon and is injured

Falling Action: Wiglaf brings Beowulf the treasure

Resolution: Beowulf dies a hero and is buried in a funeral pyre

Point of View The perspective from which a story is

told

First person- “I” Second person- “you” “us” “we” Third person limited- “he” “she” but we

see one character’s thoughts Third person omniscient- “he” “she” but

we see all characters’ thoughts

Point of View of Beowulf Third person omniscient

“That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime,/ Knew at once that nowhere on earth/ Had he met a man whose hands were harder;/ His mind was flooded with fear […]”

“That mighty protector of men/ Mean to hold the monster till its life/ Leaped out, knowing the fiend was no use/ To anyone in Denmark.”

Motif A recurring subject, theme, idea, etc. in

a literary work

These motifs can also be symbolic, which can make them also symbolism

Motif in Beowulf Fate

“Fate will unwind as it must!” “But Wyrd denied it,/ and victory’s

honors.” “At home I bided/ what fate might come,

and I cared for mine own;/ feuds I sought not, nor falsely swore/ ever an oath.”

Monsters Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, the dragon

Symbolism Items or characters that represent

larger ideas and concepts

Symbols in Beowulf The Mead Hall- a place of unity and

celebration Beowulf’s chain mail- God’s grace/ the

“chosen one” Mead Cup- all soldiers drink from it =

the symbol of unity

Literary TechniquesThrough Beowulf

Allusions Referring to a famous person, place,

thing, etc. in a literary text

Allusions in Beowulf Several allusions to God and heaven:

“That was their way,/ And the heathen’s only hope, Hell/ Always in their hearts, knowing neither God/ Nor His passing as He walks through our world, the Lord/ of Heaven and earth […]

“God must decide/ Who will be given to death’s cold grip.”

Foreshadowing Hints in the text of what is to come

Foreshadowing in Beowulf “But fate, that night, intended/ Grendel

to gnaw the broken bones Of his last human supper. Human/ Eyes were watching his evil steps,/ Waiting to see his swift hard claws.”

Alliteration Two or more words begin with the same

sound

Alliteration in Beowulf “Long while of the day/ fled ere he felt

the floor of the sea./ Soon found the fiend who the flood-domain sword-hungry held these hundred winters,/ greedy and grim, that some guest from above,/ some man, was raiding her monster-realm.”

Assonance Rhyme in which the same vowel sounds

are used

Assonance in Beowulf “[…] Up from his swampland, sliding

silently […]” “Now Grendel’s/ Name has echoed in

our land: sailors have brought us stories of Herot, the best/ Of all mead-halls, deserted and useless when the moon/ Hangs in the skies […] Light and life fleeing together.”

Consonance Repetition of the same consonant

sounds anywhere in the word

Consonance in Beowulf “[…] if in thy cause it came that I/

should lose my life, thou wouldst loyal bide/ to me, though fallen, in father’s place!”

“Bloody the blade: he was blithe of his deed/ Then blazed forth light.”

“Tore its fasteners with a touch/ And rushed angrily over the threshold.”

Simile A comparison using like or as

Simile in Beowulf “Bright within/ As when from the sky

there shines unclouded/ Heaven’s candle.”

Metaphor Direct comparison that does not use like

or as but directly states that one thing is another

Metaphor in Beowulf Kennings and epithets are also metaphorical

“shepherd of evil, guardian of crime” “Prince of the Weders” “The Son of Ecgtheow” “The Geatish hero” “sky-candle” “long sleep” “whale road”

About the Dragon: “thus he moaned his woe,/ alone, for them all, and unblithe wept/ by day and by night, till death’s fell wave/ o’erwhelmed his heart.”

“God must decide/ Who will be given to death’s cold grip.”

Understatement Saying less than reality in order to

emphasize the emotion of a situation

Understatement in Beowulf When Grendel’s Mother refers to

Beowulf as her “guest from above” when he’s come to kill her

Personification Giving human qualities to inanimate

objects

Personification in Beowulf “Death’s cold grip” “Herot trembled”

Apostrophe Directly addressing a someone or

something that cannot respond either because it’s not living or is not present/ oftentimes a digression as a sign of desperation

Apostrophe in Beowulf “O mighty Lord!” “God, the Almighty, we call for you to

come”

Hyperbole Using extreme exaggeration for

emphasis

Hyperbole in Beowulf “Courageous men/ carried the head

from the cliff by the sea/ an arduous task for all the band,/ the firm in fight, since four were needed/ on the shaft-of-slaughter strenuously/ to bear to the gold-hall Grendel’s head.”

Beowulf’s feats– not realistic

Irony Three types:

Situational- when the opposite of what you expect to happen actually happens

Dramatic- when we know something a character does not know

Verbal- sarcastic sayings or understatement/ overstatement in speech

Irony in Beowulf Situational-- The giant’s sword hanging on the

wall “’Mid the battle-gear saw he a blade triumphant,/

old-sword of Eotens, with edge of proof,/ warriors’ heirloom, weapon unmatched”

Dramatic– the soldiers think Beowulf has died “To many it seemed/ the wolf-of-the-waves had

won his life.” Verbal- understatement/ Beowulf brags

“No small band of men had gathered to hear Beowulf’s boast.”