Introduction to Literture

A. What is literature

• 1. Definition: Literature is the art of language and words (letters). It is a very special language that says more and says it more powerfully and/or beautifully than ordinary language– Why do we read?

• To learn, to understand, and to eventually become wise.

• To become more fully human• To “get the most” out of life

•

--Literature: the stories and writing from those who have experienced life and which were written to show us the power, the complexity, the wonder and the suffering of human experience.

The universality of human experience across time and culture

literature as art—form and content

B. The Three Levels of Literature

• 1. The surface level--

B. The Three Levels of Literature

1. The Surface Level

2.

3. The Thematic Level

B. The Three Levels of Literature

1. The surface Level

2.

3. The Thematic Level--the psychological

--the social --the universal

B. The three levels of literature

1. The surface level

2. Techniques

3. Thematic level—psychological --social --universal

C. The Personality of England

1. Timeline of British Literature and Thought

449 1066 1492 1660 1790 1830 1914 1945

l____l_____l_____l___l___l___l___l___ Anglo- Medieval Rennais. Reason Rom. Victor. Mod. Anxiety Saxon

2. Britain’s Island Personality

• Strongly independent nationally (isolated, proud)

• Individual freedom—Anglo-Saxon heritage (Western idea of the worth of the individual)

• Strongly traditional – class system (medieval), mistrust of the merchant class, still maintains a royal family into the 21st century

Anglo Saxon Literature

I. Anglo Saxon Literature (449—1066)

A. Introduction—Historical and Philosophical Background

1. Germanic invasions (Britons [Celts] conquered by Romans—Romans leave—Germanic barbarians invade a. Angles

b. Saxons c. Jutes

I. Anglo Saxon Literature

2. Primitive Heroic Ideal a. Ideal of Kingly behavior

b. The Warrior ideals

c. Goal—win enduring fame

3. Christianity and Written Culture Arrive a. 597—Augustine (no, not that one)

arrives in England and brings writing and a new morality

--earlier Celts and Romans had been Christians

4. The Venerable Bede5. Alfred, King of the West sAxons (871—

899)

4. Old English Poetry a. written literature in England begins in

7th century b. Before that—the scop c. Mead, mead halls, and mead hall

lifestyle

d. The Spirit of Old English Poetry dark world; little humor; warrior life style (no “romantic” poetry)

but—OE poetry had --extraordinary intensity --ironic understatement --subtle and intense depiction of the nature or reality—no sentimentality—wyrd (fate)

5. Types of Anglo Saxon Literature a. heroic epic—long narrative whose

main character is THE EPIC HERO --great bravery --super human ability --generosity

b. Elegiac lyrics—express thoughts and feelings—reflects the past (e.g. _______)

c. Riddles—guessing games --shows Anglo Saxon love of

6. Style of Literature—AS Literary Techniques

alliteration

kenning

caesura

rhythm

B. Beowulf

1. Introduction a. Great epic poem of the Anglo Saxon

age b. English writing about their Germanic

forebears c. originally oral (scops) but written down

later (early 700s) by a Christian (the “Beowulf poet”)

d. Beowulf is a profound mixture of two sets of values

1. Anglo Saxon Heroic Ideal

2. Christian morality and God

2. Meanings in Beowulf

a. Surface level

b. Not just about feuds but about a deeper sense of evil—what does Beowulf say

about evil? --the symbolism of the monster

2. Meanings in Beowulf (con’t.) C. What does Beowulf say about the Heroic Ideal?

--bravery is the instrument by which the hero realizes himself

--Hrothgar compared to Beowulf—shows what?

--Beowulf meets his doom but not before he shows his ______________

2. Meanings in Beowulf

d. Philosophical level

--what does Beowulf say about fate (wyrd)?

--the chance universe --sense of doom, knowledge of death --bravery and courage

2. Meanings in Beowulf

e. Psychological / archetypal level

1. The hero’s journey (the monomyth)

2. What does Beowulf say about being human?

3. Setting and Characters

a. Herot—

b. Hrothgar—

c. Beowulf—

d. Grendel

3. Setting and Characters

e. Grendel’s mother—

e. Swamp--

f. Dragon—

g. Wiglaf--

4. Network of Symbols

See Handout Sheet and discuss

5. Conclusion

The Anglo Saxon people, like all people, were much like us, dealing with—

--a dangerous and seemingly uncaring world--what being human means--what living with bravery and honor means--battling the monsters that endanger usThey were our grand—parents who lived in

difficult times with pride and courage.