BEOWULF

Beowulf Background Info. Epic poem: long, narrative poem usually

concerned with a hero, heroic deeds, and a difficult and important task or journey, often uses real historical figures/events as backdrop

Epic hero: central figure in a long narrative that reflects the values and heroic ideas of a particular society

Written in Old English (Anglo-Saxon) between 600 and 700 AD then passed down through oral recitations

Such recitations included various bards and listeners who retold the story to embellish, add, subtract some elements (i.e. Beowulf is a combination of Anglo-Saxon legends, originally from a “pagan” religion, but we’ll find many Christian elements in the poem, due to the monks who copied the manuscripts)

First page of Beowulf in Old English (from the manuscript in the British Museum).

Poetic Devices to Look For… Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds

throughout a line or stanza “A foundling was he when he first lay friendless; fate later

broughthim solace as he waxed in power and flourished in wealth, until folkwho lodge on the whale-paths near and far heeded his decree andgave him tribute—that was a good king!”

Notice repetition of “f” and “w” sounds Purpose tied to original oral traditions, as emphasis was

placed on these repetitive sounds for memorization, and entertainment

Kennings: compound words comparable to modern metaphors and euphemisms (stand for something else) For example, the term whale-paths indicates the

oceans, wave-rider is a boat or ship, and ring-giver, folk-friend, or friend to the people stands for a king

Kennings identify nouns, but they also give the reader/listener a picture to attach, and they’re multi-syllabic so they sound special

Reoccurring Symbols and Themes Fame/glory: No history books and

documentaries, heroes and kings wanted to live on in song, and only way of doing this was accomplishing great deeds in lifetime worthy of legendary songs – destiny/fate

King: shield, shelterer, protector of people Leadership and wisdom: develop over time

through experience and mistakes Monsters: Grendel and his mother represent evil

and hell, outsiders from human society

Beowulf Essential Questions: How does the story of Beowulf reflect Anglo-

Saxon ethics? How does the story of Beowulf reflect the

model of an “epic hero journey/quest”? What similarities does Beowulf have to

modern heroes? What does this tell us about human nature and Western history?

Characters Beowulf (nephew of Higlac, son of Edgetho)

Hrothgar (son of Healfdane)

Grendel and Grendel’s mother

Unferth Welthow (wife of Hrothgar) Wiglaf

Places & Things Herot Hall Underwater lair of Grendel and Grendel’s

mother

Denmark (Hrothgar’s people the Danes, from modern NE Denmark)

Geatland/Gotaland (Beowulf’s people the Geats, from modern SW Sweden)

Hrunting (sword)

Artists’ depictions of Herot Hall

Other character references (kennings!) Hrothgar references: shield of the Danes/of the

people helmet/crown of the

Danes friend of the Scyldings son of Healfdene chief of Ing’s descendants lord of the Ingwines white-haired gold-friend of

men

Beowulf references:

son of Ecgtheow ring-giver (later in the

book, when he returnshome and becomes king)

Unferth references: Hrothgar's orator Ecglaf's son/son of Ecglaf