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The Epic of Beowulf. The First English Poem (Maybe). Summary:. Beowulf, the title character and hero, goes to Denmark to help the king slay a monster, Grendel , who’s been terrorizing the kingdom. Beowulf kills Grendel and his mother.
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The Epic of Beowulf The First English Poem (Maybe)
Summary: • Beowulf, the title character and hero, goes to Denmark to help the king slay a monster, Grendel, who’s been terrorizing the kingdom. • Beowulf kills Grendel and his mother. • Beowulf goes home to Sweden (Geatland), where he rules for 50 years. • He takes on a dragon, which he kills, but he is killed in the process. • Beowulf’s men celebrate his noble death and send him off in grand fashion.
Background: • Original manuscript produced between 975 and 1025 • The oral tradition was probably hundreds of years older • In 1731, the manuscript was damaged by a fire in London, but most of it survived. • The old manuscript is stored at the British Library. • The story is fictional, but some of the characters are probably based on real kings and other prominent figures from the era.
Poetic Elements: • Epic: a long poem • Beowulf is over 3,000 lines. • Epic hero (archetype): • Beowulf has physical strength, high morals, and is a great warrior • Epic boast: • As the epic hero, Beowulf brags about his conquests. • Catalogue: • The list of treasures Beowulf wins • In Media Res • The story begins “in the middle” of the action • Alliteration: repetition of beginning sounds • Poems from the oral tradition had to sound catchy so scops could remember the lines. • Kennings: metaphorical compound phrases • “whale-road” = a term for the ocean
Christian & Pagan Elements • Pagan: any non-secular ideology that is not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish • Beowulf is an indication of the overlap between surviving pagan religions/beliefs and the spread of Christianity • Grendel is the spawn of Cain (Christian) • The emphasis on material goods as a reward (Pagan)
Visual… • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWmiv9uIXQk • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A9rFt7ITy4 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gGkf5_NQNY
The Wrath of Grendel • Annotations: • Who is Grendel? • What is the setting for this epic poem? • What conflict is exposed? • What evidence exists to show the blending of Christian and pagan ideologies? • What literary elements are present?
The Coming of Beowulf • Annotations • Who is Beowulf? • How do poetic elements such as diction, imagery, and alliteration enhance the aesthetic value? • How is the importance of paternal ancestry portrayed? (Who’s yer daddy?) • What was it like to be an Anglo-Saxon warrior? • What entries from your Power Point notes can you incorporate into your annotations?
The Battle with Grendel • Literary devices: imagery, diction, alliteration, foreshadowing, etc. • Christian and pagan influences • Make notes about how the battle progresses; paraphrase/summarize the events as they unfold.
The Monster’s Lair • Copy my annotations.
The Last Battle: • Annotate for the following. • Summarize key events • What makes Beowulf an epic hero? • Anglo-Saxon warrior culture- • Weaponry • Loyalty • Paternal ancestry • Grading criteria: • 3 annotations per page • Accurate notations • Notations are extensive- no entries consisting of only 2-3 words. Complete thoughts only. • Neat, legible writing
Beowulf: Writing Across Curriculum • How does the character, Beowulf, exemplify the traits of the epic hero archetype? • Length: 2 paragraphs • Textual evidence must be included in both paragraphs. • Due: end of class • Credit: 2 class work grades • Use the rubric to check your work. • Staple the rubric to the front of the essay.
