The Anglo-Saxon Period449-1066 A.D.

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wyrd

mead hall

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information from textbook

BeowulfBeowulf is the oldest surviving poem in the English language and was written in Old English and composed during the Anglo-Saxon time period.

The actual poem probably dates from the 8th century (700’s) or so, but…

The story may be set even earlier, around 500 A.D.

Why Study Beowulf?The story of Beowulf encompasses common themes that we still see in English literature today—

∙good versus evil ∙ the larger-than-life hero on a quest of national importance ∙ the importance of being loyal & generous ∙ protecting and building one’s reputation through valorous deeds ∙ problems associated with envy and the concept of wanting revenge (and the monsters that spite/hatred breed) ∙ fate (known as Wyrd) ∙ the sanctity of the home

Beowulf’s ProvenanceWhat we don’t know:

who wrote it—The story was more than likely written down by a monk, but who originated the story (and who first wrote it down) is a mystery.

when exactly it was written down—evidence suggests it was passed around orally for at least 300 years.

how much, exactly, is based on historical truth and how much is fiction—some characters in the poem actually existed, some details just make for a good story

How we date BeowulfSome important dates used to date Beowulf’s origin:

521 A.D. – death of Hygelac, who is mentioned in the poem

680 A.D. – appearance of alliterative verse

835 A.D. – the Danish started raiding other areas; after this, few poets would consider them heroes

SO: This version was likely composed between 680 and 835, though it may be set as early as 400 or 500 A.D.

Example of Old English, from Beowulf

1. Đā cōm of mōre under mist-hleoþum2. Grendel gongan, Godes yrre bær,3. mynte se mān-scaða manna cynnes4. summe besyrwan in sele þām hēan.5. Wōd under wolcnum, tō þæs þe hē wīn-reced,6. Gold-sele gumena gearwost wissse,7. fættum fāhne. Ne wæs þæt forma sīð8. þæt he Hrōþgāres hām gesōhte.9. Næfre hē on aldor–dagum ær nē siþð an10. heardran hæle heal-ðegnas fand.11. Cōm þā tō recede rinc sīðian12. drēamum bedæled. Duru sōna onarn13. fўr-bendum fæst syþðan hē hire folmum gehrān:14. onbræd þā bealo-hўdig, ðā hē gebolgen wæs,15. recedes mūþan. Raþe æfter þon16. on fāgne flōr fēond treddode,17. ēode yrre-mōd; him of ēagum stōd18. ligge gelīcost lēoht unfæger.

(Heaney 48.710-726)

Beowulf’s ProvenanceWhat we do know:

Beowulf is the oldest surviving English poem. It’s written in Old English (or Anglo-Saxon), which is the basis for the language we speak today. (Modern English is more like German than Old English, however.)

The only copy of the manuscript was written sometime around the 11th century A.D. (1000’s), but this is not the first manuscript.

Beowulf’s ProvenanceSo what’s happened to the manuscript since the

11th century?

Eventually, it ended up in the library of this guy.

Robert Cotton (1571-1631)

Beowulf’s ProvenanceUnfortunately, Cotton’s library burned in

1731. Many manuscripts were entirely destroyed. Beowulf was partially damaged.

The manuscript is now preserved and carefully cared for in the British Museum.

Setting: Beowulf’s time and placeAlthough Beowulf was written in English, it is set in what is now Sweden, where a tribe called the Geats lived.

Beowulf’s ProvenanceSo why wasn’t it written down in the first

place?

This story was passed down orally for centuries before it was first written down because…

It wasn’t until after the Norman Invasion (1066) that writing stories down became common in this part of the world.

Remember, most people could neither read nor write during 449-1066.

The large hall where the lord and his warriors slept, ate, held ceremonies, etc.

The Mead-hall

∙ pronounced /sh-ops/

∙ traveling minstrel who captivated audiences by singing or reciting long narrative poems

∙ commissioned by the early Germanic kings or soldiers to entertain them by reciting the poetry to the accompaniment of a harp or a similarly stringed instrument

∙ Their performances were usually short, but there were usually many lines of verse. (Beowulf itself is over 3000 lines long.)

∙ Because most of the historic events were recorded in poetry, they were carried by the scops to places far and near. By traveling with these stories, the scops helped to preserve the history of the Germanic people for generations later.

Scops &The Oral Tradition

Scops &The Oral Tradition

∙ Usually, they performed for great feasts, celebrations, or the homecoming of soldiers from war.

∙ The entertainment they provided was not meant to be relaxing; it was meant to produce thought and stern feelings.

∙ The scops were messengers of traditional morality.

∙ They used the poetry to motivate their listeners to live good and honest lives.

∙The word "scop" literally translates to "shaper" in modern English. They were the shapers of men's reputations in Anglo-Saxon culture.

Characteristics of an Epic1. Hero on a quest: often noble or semi-divine birth;

dangerous journey tests spirit; has a larger-than-life-hero who faces extraordinary feats that no other mortal could accomplish

2. Valorous deeds: acts reveal hero’s extraordinary qualities and reflects values cherished by his culture

3. Supernatural forces: gods and monsters often associated with the story (There are no gods in Beowulf)

4. Elevated style: use of lofty diction (full of complex words) to heighten the importance of the story

• The narrative often starts in medias res: in the middle. The action is already underway. There is no introduction to setting, characters, history.

• There is an episodic plot structure: just like a television show, there are multiple “scenes” of action.

More Epic Conventions

The Poetry in BeowulfA few things to watch

out forKennings

a. Compound word or phrase used in place of someone or something’s name (metaphor)

b. Helped eliminate the need to repeat the same words over and over due to the lack of language at the time

For instance: hronade literally means “whale-road,” but can be translated as “sea”

The Poetry in BeowulfA few things to watch

out forOther kennings from Beowulf:

banhus = “bone-house” = body

goldwine gumena = “gold-friend of men” = generous prince

beadoleoma = “flashing light” = sword

wyrd

The Anglo-Saxon concept of fate. This idea is seen many times in the poem, while at the same time there are Christian references to God’s will.

More Important Background Terms

Wyrd: The Weaving Analogy

Layers of past actions

Represents a time line

The threads already woven in cannot be changed, but the overall pattern is never fixed. Existing designs can be expanded into new forms. New designs can be added. Everything we do adds one more layer to the pattern.

The color of each horizontal thread as it is woven in will add to the pattern that is already established and influence the pattern that emerges.

Herot: The Mead HallThe Mead Hall Feast (Symbel) is the focal point of

Pre-conquest Anglo-Saxon society.

The guests at the feast are people in service to the leader and those whom he feels should know of his power. By breaking bread with him they offer their pledge of allegiance to his lands and causes. By giving them feasts, the leader literally makes a pledge of support and provision to his men, who in turn will be offered as support to the king. The King, who is often the feast's guest of honor, witnesses the feast and its display of resources and manpower, thus getting a good understanding of how much support the local leader can provide in time of war.