BeowulfBeowulf

Beowulf timelineBeowulf timeline

Beowulf was written around 700 A.D. but the events took place between 515 -570 A.D. The story tells of a Germanic tribe, the Danes, who is routinely attacked by a monster, Grendel.

BeowulfBeowulf

The King of the Danes, Hrothgar, asks for help from neighboring tribes. Beowulf, of the Geats, responds and brings a band of warriors with him.

Who are the Danes?Who are the Danes?

The Danes were one of many Germanic groups living in Northern Europe in the years of the late Roman Empire. Around 500, The Swedes, Geats, Danes, and Jutes (all native to Scandinavia) were actively migrating to Britain.

Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons Three Germanic groups: the Jutes,

the Angles, and the Saxons became the dominant inhabitants of the island. The Germanic immigrants blended cultures with the existing British and became what we know as the Anglo-Saxons.

DatesDates1st century A.D- Romans conquer the

Britons (Celts)410- Romans leave the island of G.B.419- Jutes arrive, followed by Angles,

Saxons* During this time there were separate

kingdoms (Northumbria, Kent, Mercia, Wessex) These separate tribes banded together to fight the Norsemen (Vikings)

1066- Invasion by William the Conqueror of Normandy

Anglo-Saxon CultureAnglo-Saxon Culture

The early groups were pagan, worshipping the Earth and gods like Thor. However, because of St. Patrick in the 400s and Catholic missionaries in the late 500s, many of the Anglo-Saxons were exposed to Christianity, and by 700, most pagan practices were gone.

Religion in BeowulfReligion in Beowulf Beowulf remains

unique in that the poem is a mixture of Pagan concepts and Christian teachings.

Anglo-Saxon CultureAnglo-Saxon CultureThe German tribes who settled in Great

Britain also brought a “code” with them, with the strongest belief in loyalty.

• Loyalty within a family (protect kinsmen at all costs, revenge a crime against kin)

• Loyalty to a king (fight (and possibly die) for a king in return for treasures.)

Loyalty to familyLoyalty to family Because family

loyalty was so highly honored, marriages were often arranged between tribes as a way to bring peace. Husbands and wives had different roles, but were treated equally in marriage.

Loyalty to KingLoyalty to King War leaders (often kings) usually

had a band of warriors who would be loyal to the death. In return, kings would share treasure (jewelry, horses, cookware) that had been pillaged from battles. The higher the rank of the warrior, the greater the treasure.

Anglo-Saxon CultureAnglo-Saxon CultureWith this Germanic honor code, the most

shocking acts in their oral tales involve betrayal of these ties.

Grendel is said to be a descendent of the Biblical Cain. Cain betrayed his kinsman by murdering his brother, Abel.

Grendel’s mother seeks revenge for her son’s

death, and Beowulf sees this as completely justifiable.

Anglo-Saxon Culture- WrydAnglo-Saxon Culture- Wryd Wyrd (Old English for “fate”) is the

Anglo-Saxon word to mean the “the inescapable decree of the day of one’s death.” The Germanic peoples believes that if a warrior is fated to die, then he will die, but if he is not fated to die, then he will be courageous. Bold actions were favored over passive acceptance.

Anglo-Saxon Culture - WergeldAnglo-Saxon Culture - Wergeld A wergeld was a price set on a

person’s life for the purpose of compensating the victim’s family for their loss. The slayer was expected to pay the wergeld to avoid further punishment/obligation and to avoid a tribal war.

Beowulf ManuscriptBeowulf Manuscript

Who wrote Beowulf?Who wrote Beowulf?

The author of Beowulf is unknown but is believed to be an Anglo-Saxon poet. Scholars believe the true Beowulf manuscript had been changed by Christian monks who rewrote parts to incorporate religious morals into the story.

Who wrote Beowulf?Who wrote Beowulf?

Anglo-Saxon poetry was an oral art, much like the Greek oral traditions. Poems were sung, usually accompanied by a harp. Scop- the “professional poet” whose duty it was to be the “memory and historian of the tribe.”

The saga of the manuscriptThe saga of the manuscript

No one knows how many copies (if any) of Beowulf there were. Only one copy has survived. Scholars believed the surviving manuscript was originally in a monastery. During the Reformation in England, many monasteries were closed and private collectors took possession of large collections of books. Sir Robert Cotton had the original manuscript in his personal library.

The saga of the manuscriptThe saga of the manuscriptIn 1700, Cotton’s grandson donated the

entire library to the British government. In 1786, and Icelander, Grim Johnson Thorkelin, was searching though old manuscripts for anything pertaining to Danish history. Thorkelin was able to understand some of what he read and immediately hired sribes to make two copies. Beowulf was finally published in 1815.

Elements of BeowulfElements of Beowulf

AlliterationAlliterationBecause Old English poetry has no stanzic

form or rhyme, the poet used alliteration heavily to create a rhythm of phonetic sounds rather than a tune.

Nihtweorce gefeh,ellenmæþum. Hæfde East-DenumGeatmecga leod gilp gelæsted...

[He rejoiced in his night's work, the fame his courage won. The man of the Geats had fulfilled his boast to the East-Danes.]

KenningsKenningsA kenning is a metaphorical appellation

which is typically written as a two-word compound. The kennings use metonymy to create poetic language.

In the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and begin to pay tribute.

whale-road = ocean

CaesuraCaesura

CharactersCharacters

BeowulfBeowulf- Prince of the Geats/

nephew to King Hygelac

- epitomizes “hero code”- brave, loyal, generous

- fully accepts the fate of his own death (and is not afraid)

HrothgarHrothgar- King of the Danes- Beloved by his

people because of his generosity

- Builds mead-hall: Heorot

- Because of his age, he cannot fight off attacks from Grendel

GrendelGrendel- a monster who is half-man/half-fiend- lives in the bottom of a lake near

Heorot- despises human joy- has been attacking the Danes for

twelve years- is a descendent of Cain

WealtheowWealtheow- Wife to Hrothgar- considered a “generous” queen

because of the rewards she gives- younger than Hrothgar; probably

given in marriage as part of a peace treaty between two groups

UnferthUnferth- a “thylee”- a spokesman in a Danish court- feels intimidated by Beowulf’s presence- becomes drunk and challenges Beowulf- some scholars believe that Unferth’s name

means “anti-peace” (ferth = peace), but others contend the name Hunferth is clear in the original text, and someone changed it to fit the alliteration pattern because “H” would be silent

Wiglaf (WEE-lahf) Wiglaf (WEE-lahf) - young Geatish warrior- relative of Beowulf- helps Beowulf against the dragon

ProloguePrologueScyld Scefing

Beo

Healfdane

Hrothgar

Why the history?Many scholarsbelieve the poet wanted to create a historyin order to give credibility to his story- as would be in an oral tradition fashion. Throughout the poem, the poet is careful to avoid anachronisms to question the truth in his writings.