Beowulf

1
Beowulf

• Background and Introduction

2
Invasion of the British Isles

• 800-600 B.C. Celtic invasion Brythons (Britons)
  in Britain and Gaels in Ireland (clan culture)
• 55 B.C.- Roman invasion (establishment of towns,
  introduction to Christianity)
• 407 A.D. Romans leave British Isles
• 5th Century (449 A.D.) Anglo-Saxon invasion
  (Germanic tribes). Celts flee but leave Christian
  customs

3
Viking Invasion

• 9th Century
• Norse invade Scotland, Wales, Ireland
• Danes invade southern England
• Anglo-Saxons maintain power and
  Christian values against
  pagan Vikings
• 871 A.D. Alfred the Great establishes Saxon rule,
  promotes rebirth of learning and culture
• 1066 A.D. Anglo-Saxon rule falls to Normans
  (North men, Vikings) with death of King Edward

4
Anglo-Saxon Period

• Anglo-Saxon England was born of warfare,
  remained forever a military society, and came to
  its end in battle. - J. R. Lander
• In a society dominated by aggression, what would
  you expect to be the Anglo-Saxon attitude toward
  family life, the role of women, art, literature,
  ethics and work?

5
Anglo-Saxon Civilization

• Persons of rank received with grave courtesy
• Ruler generous to those who remain loyal
• Everyone aware of shortness of life passing of
  all things in the world
• Impersonal, irresistible fate determined most of
  life (Wyrd or Fate)
• Heroic human will courage allowed individuals
  to control their own response to fate

6
Characteristics of an Epic Hero

• Is significant and glorified
• Is on a quest
• Has superior or supernhuman strength,
  intelligence, and/or courage
• Is ethical
• Risks death for glory or for the greater good of
  society
• Performs brave deeds
• Is a strong and responsible leader
• Reflects the ideals of a particular society

7
Anglo-Saxon Poetics

• Alliteration repetition of consonant and vowel
  sounds at the beginning of words
• Assonance- repetition of vowel sounds inside the
  words
• Caesura a natural pause or break in the middle
  of the line of poetry and joined by the use of a
  repeated vowel or consonant sound
• Out of the marsh // from the foot of misty
• Hills and bogs // bearing Gods hatred
• Grendel came // hoping to kill
• Anyone he could trap // on this trip to high
  Herot

8
Anglo-Saxon Poetics

• Kennings a metaphorical phrase used to replace
  a concrete noun. Ready made descriptive compound
  words that evoke vivid images
• Kennings are formed by prepositional phrases
  possessive phrases compound words

Prepositional phrase Giver of
knowledge Possessive phrase mankinds
enemy Compound word sea path
9
Beowulf

• Composed by single Christian author for a
  Christian audience (probably a Northumbrian monk)
• Sometime in the 8th -11th centuries (700-750)
• Only manuscript available dates from the year
  1000 discovered in the 18th century
• Epic poem handed down through oral tradition
• Depicts a world from early 6th century
• Comitatus Germanic code of loyalty
• Thanes warriors swearing loyalty to kings in
  return for land, treasures

10
Old English

• Old English is also known as Anglo-Saxon
• 449-1100
• Runic alphabet
• http//www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/timelines
  /language_timeline/index_embed.shtml
• http//faculty.virginia.edu/OldEnglish/Beowulf.Rea
  dings/Beowulf.Readings.html