1 / 16

Beowulf : The Beginnings of English Literature

Beowulf : The Beginnings of English Literature. Origins. Unknown author; possibly one Christian author in Anglo-Saxon England Unknown date of composition (roughly 8 th -11 th Century CE) The story had been in circulation as an oral narrative for many years before it was written.

montrell
Download Presentation

Beowulf : The Beginnings of English Literature

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Beowulf:The Beginnings of English Literature

  2. Origins Unknown author; possibly one Christian author in Anglo-Saxon England Unknown date of composition (roughly 8th-11th Century CE) The story had been in circulation as an oral narrative for many years before it was written.

  3. Types of Epics • Folk • Told out loud first (usually by scops) • Unknown author • Unknown dates • (E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t know who wrote it) 2. Literary • Known author • (E.g.– Paradise Lost, by John Milton is a literary epic because we know who wrote it.)

  4. Epic Conventions 1. Invoke a muse • Muse– inspiration provided by the gods usually in the form of a beautiful woman or through music 2. Plot begins in the middle of the action • Serious tone

  5. Elements of an Epic • Epic hero– an character with a trait or characteristic that is valued by his society. • (E.g.– Superman’s bravery or valor) • Quest– A journey through which the character or the reader learns something • Valorous Deeds– Doing something bravely. • Divine Intervention– The hand of God (or gods) help the hero, proving his value. • Great events– The hero has a hand in something important in the history or mythology of a culture.

  6. Literary Devices • Allusion: Biblical, Germanic oral tradition, Norse myth and legend, historical Anglo-Saxon kings (eg. King Offa of Mercia) • Alliteration (eg. Scyld’s strong son) • Epic poetry: a long narrative poem written in elevated style which celebrates the deeds of a legendary hero or god. • Kenning: two-word metaphorical name for something (eg. whale-road=sea) • Scop: Anglo-Saxon composers and storytellers (like minstrels or bards)

  7. Literary Devices- The Supernatural Grendel and his mom. • “Grendel was the name of this grim demon haunting the marshes, marauding round the heat in a desolate fens he had dwelt for time and misery among the banished monsters, Cain’s Clan whom the creator had outlawed to condemned as outcasts.” (p.9) • “Then the prince of War-Geats, warming to this fight with Grendel’s mother, gripped her shoulder and laid about him in a battle frenzy: he pitched his killer opponent to the floor.” (p. 107) Dragon that guards the treasure. • “…until one began to dominate the dark, a dragon on the prowl from the steep vaults of a stone-roofed barrow where he guarded a hoard…” (p.151) Monsters in the lake. • “The water was infested with all kinds of reptiles. There were writhing sea-dragons and monsters slouching on slopes by the cliff, serpents and wild things such as those that often surface at dawn to roam the sail-road and doom the voyage.” (p.99)

  8. Geats and Danes • Beowulf was a war leader of the Geats, a group of people in what is now southern Sweden • Hrothgar was king of the Danes, in what it now Norway

  9. Beowulf’s Name Beo– Bear • Bears are known as Great Protectors in Norse mythology • Strong Wulf– Wolf • Wolves are also great protectors, but are also cunning and speedy

  10. The Character of Beowulf • He fights for personal honor, but is committed to service to his own people and humanity. • A superhuman who remains recognizable • Beowulf as a savior

  11. The Character of Beowulf • Strength - “Everybody said there was no honed iron hard enough to pierce him through, no time-proofed blade that could cut his brutal, blood-caked claw” (p.65-67) • Pride - “Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride.” (p. 121) Hrothgar puts Beowulf in check. • Honor - “There’s nothing you wish for that won’t be yours if you win through alive.” (p. 45) Beowulf will get so much glory if he kills Grendel. • Compassion/Bravery - “I give thanks that I behold this treasure here in front of me, that I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die.” (p.189) Even though he loves himself, he loves his people.

  12. Themes • Good vs. Evil • The Influence of Fate on one’s Life Outcomes • The Importance of Establishing an Identity that will be remembered throughout History • Tension between Heroic Code and Christianity • Significance of Artifacts and Historical Objects

  13. Conflict between Christian Values and Heroic Values • This tension is at the heart of the poem • Pagan history and myth are made to point to a Christian moral • Beowulf is poised between two value systems

  14. Heroic Values in Beowulf • Relationship between king and his warriors • The king rewards his warriors with gifts • If a kinsman is slain, obligation to kill the slayer or obtain payment in compensation

  15. Warrior Code • Comitatus: Germanic code of loyalty • Thane: warrior – swears loyalty to the king for whom they fought and whom they protected • Kings: generous, protected thanes • Reputation: thanes were expected to be loyal, brave, courageous; kings were expected to be generous and hospitable • Wergild: “man-payment”; a fee paid to the family of a slain man to atone for his murder and to prevent the family from seeking revenge.

  16. Modern Epics • Star Wars • Lord of the Rings • Harry Potter

More Related