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Beowulf Context

Beowulf Context. Beowulf: Context Review. Composed in England by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet (c. 750) Set in Scandinavia just before Anglo-Saxon migration (c. 520) Celts reside in England during 1st century BC ; pegan Romans ( from Italy) invade in the 55 BC ; Christian

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Beowulf Context

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  1. Beowulf Context

  2. Beowulf: Context Review • Composed in England by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet (c. 750) • Set in Scandinavia just before Anglo-Saxon migration (c. 520) • Celts reside in England during 1st century BC; pegan • Romans (from Italy) invade in the 55 BC; Christian • Angles & Saxons (from Germany) invade in the 5th century; pagan • Vikings(from Scandinavia) invade in the 8th century; pagan • Normans(from France) invade in the 11th century; Christian

  3. What’s the difference?

  4. Tensions Between Value SystemsHeroic Code, Paganism, and Christianity • Anglo-Saxon invaders experienced a large-scale conversion to Christianity • Though a pagan story, Beowulfwould be told by a Christian poet (poet attempts to attribute Christian thoughts/motives to characters, who frequently behave in un-Christian ways, leading to inconsistencies) • Heroic code maintains that honor is gained during life through deeds, while Christianity asserts that glory lies in the afterlife. • Warrior culture dictates that it is always better to retaliate than to mourn, while Christianity advocates peace and forgiveness.

  5. Review: What is the definition/purpose of epic poetry? Epic poetry is used to portray significant cultural information about the people who created them (religion, gender roles, VALUES, morals, fears, etc.) What is the definition/purpose of HERO’s JOURNEY (monomyth)? The heroic journey is that which occurs in ALL mythical stories, where the hero learns the truth about his world and himself through a journey symbolizing the search for individual identity and the culture’s concept of the idealized member of society.

  6. Beowulf as an Epic Hero: Anglo-Saxon Values • Comitatus: Oath of Camaraderie ~ Loyalty, Generosity, Friendship • Wergild: Revenge & Kinship ~ Justice, Revenge, Family • Fame and Reputation ~ The Nine Noble Virtues

  7. Comitatus Oath Comitatus: relationship between a ruler and his warriors requiring that the thane vow to defend a lord to the death, while in return, the lord provides protection and a share of his wealth. * * * * • Chieftainof the comitatus(small war band) is surrounded by warriors, his comites(companions), who’ve sworn to defend him with their lives. • May seem like a typical warrior defending master relationship, but with each providing services to the other, there is a great deal of camaraderie • The chieftain (or gold-giver) showed symbolic measure of a man's worth by the amount of gold he offered.

  8. Wergild: Revenge & Kinship Wergild: monetary compensation for somebody slain, the value placed on every human being and every piece of property in Anglo-Saxon times. * * * * • Aman's kin were his strongest support in everyday affairsIf killed, it was the duty of his kinsmen to avenge him (eye for an eye) Alternative • Wergild (man-payment) could be accepted by the kindred of the slain man without loss of face because each man's life had a set money value according to his rank and standing in society

  9. Value of Fame • Fameor Praise was the final goal of the heroic life • The Anglo-Saxons had an incomparable sense of the transience and pointlessness of mortal life, only a man's name lived on • Elements that make up the heroic ideal can be seen in the patronymics and cataloging of the Danish kings in the first few paragraphs of Beowulf.

  10. Fame and Pride • The warriors of Beowulf seek fame through feats of bravery in the face of danger, an utter disdain for death; this is emphasized by boasting • The quest for fame can easily succumb to pride. • Fame involves becoming great in order to bring strength/power to one’s people through generosity and community • Pride involves greed, selfishness, and a desire to be great at any cost.

  11. How might the search for fame conflict with these values? Loyalty Hard Working

  12. Seamus Heaney • Irish poet • Considered the most important poet in Ireland since Yeats • Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995 for his translation of Beowulf

  13. Agenda Characters & Setting

  14. Read: Heorot is Attacked

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