Beowulf

Anglo-Saxon England A.D. 449-1066

No written records before Anglo-Saxons Culture was based on savage tumult, superstition, and constant uproar Natives live in battle with one another

Celts
Moved in around 500 BC Britons lived in Britain Gaels settled on Ireland Farmer/Hunter society organized into clans with chieftains were fiercely loyal Religion
Druids (priests) Stonehenge Settled feuds and offered sacrifices and prayers Memorized and recited long epic poems Old King Cole King lear Many customs remain knock on wood; Christmas and Easter celebrations

Roman Conquest
55 BC Julius Caesar invaded declared GB conquered & went home 43 AD Claudius Caesar established camps which became permanent towns Romans introduced the art of warfare, paved roads, and Christianity 407 AD Roman Empire crumbling returned home to defend what was left of the empire

Anglo-Saxon Invasion
Germanic Tribes fishermen & farmers The Angles, the Saxons, & the Jutes Legend of King Arthur
fought 12 battles defeating Anglo-Saxon troops Became known as the once and future king

Warriors took over and settled down Tribal Units eventually 7 main kingdoms
King Earls Freeman thanes or barons Churls/serfs

Anglo-Saxon Religion
Pagan polytheism (multiple deities) & dragons
Tui god of war & sky Woden chief of gods Thunor god of thunder & lightening Fria Wodens wife

Wyrd fate controlled everything as opposed to free will Abandoned with the adoption of Christianity

Christianity
Romans brought Christianity to Celts and left it with them when the empire fell Roman Church fell with the empire Celts thrived 597 Roman Church sent St. Augustine to Britain and set up Canterbury Monastery By 650 most of England was Christian Education and literature thrived under Christianity
Schools started Monks transcribed manuscripts and books Anglo-Saxon warlike streak was tempered with learning and culture

Danish Invasion
Scandinavias rising population with limited farmland People went in search of new lands & riches Vikings destroyed monasteries and killed and burned enter villages
Berserkers insane Viking warriors

All but Wessex (ruled by Alfred)fell to Danelaw

Alfred the Great, only Great b/c fought the Danes Danelaw to North and East- Saxon law to the South Pushed education and learning Began the translation from Latin to Anglo-Saxon Began the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle ( record of Anglo-Saxon life

Danish Contribution
Began to settle into life of farming and trading Communication not difficult because both languages are Germanic

Danelaw as established by treaty in 878 AD

Danish Invasion of calories and fat grams But ohhh sooo good!

2nd Danish Invasion

Danes returned and took more territory forced Saxons to select Dane kings 1042 Edward, the Confessor - Return to Alfred the Great descendents
Very religious king Norman (French) Cousin to William, Duke of Normandy (the Conqueror). Further weakened Saxon power

1066 William became the Conqueror took England

Anglo-Saxon Literature
Druids kept long poems about kings & heroes by oral tradition Alphabet called Runes - used for buildings and markers but few could read or write Poems recited on special occasions by Scops or gleeman (assistants) hours or sometimes days to recite an entire poem
Recited with harp & often with a sing/song rhythm to help with memorization

Celtic languages + Latin + Germanic languages = Old English

Beowulf: sole surviving manuscript British Library Cotton MS Vitellius A. XV, f.132 Copyright The British Library Board

Types of Verse
The replica of the Sutton Hoo lyre in the British museum A twelve string gut strung harp, made of Ash and Lime

Only 30,000 lines still exist found in four poems Two Types
Elegaic sorrowful laments that mourn the deaths of loves ones and loss of the past Heroic recounts battles/victories of great warriors

Beowulf
Epic, long heroic poem 3,182 lines. 1st to be composed in English (Old English to be exact) Present text dates to before the Danish raids (composed 8th century, written down in the 11th century) Expressed the values of a warrior society Unknown author

Anglo-Saxon Prose
All important prose was composed in Latin (History of the English Church and People Venerable Bede The use of Old English began with Alfred, the Greats use in The AngloSaxon Chronicle historical journals written and compiled in monasteries

A page from the [C] text of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This entry is for 871, a year of battles between Wessex and the Vikings.

Epic Poetry
Long and told in a lofty language with a serious tone Settings include upper and lower worlds Celebrates the values of the society that produced it Begins in the middle of the action Epic Hero
Undertakes an extraordinary journey - Quest Is a great leader or of high station Embodies the values of the people he represents Does valorous deeds in battle

Beowulf Characters
Beowulf Geat warrior, son of Edgetho, nephew of Higlac Hrothgar King of the Danes Herot Danish mead hall Brecca Beowulfs childhood friend Grendel man-eating monster terrorizing the Danes descendent of Cain Unferth one of Hrothgars men owns Hrunting Welthow queen of the Danes Wiglaf Beowulfs cousin and a loyal soldier

Beowulf
The Wrath of Grendel

Christian vs Pagan influences Biblical Allusion

Reference to something from the Bible within another piece of literature

Theme Good vs Evil Almighty making the earth Christian influence from Monks Warriors celebrating in Herot Grendel
described as monster and demon Biblical allusion of Cain and Able to demonstrate bad guy status

Evil works under the cover of darkness

Darkness feeds our fears

Beowulf
The Wrath of Grendel

Grendel works in Herot for 12 years Doesnt touch Hrothgars throne

Divine Right king is chosen and therefore protected directly by God Grendel doesnt want any

Hells support, the heathens only way, Let them beware - all part of the mini-sermon delivered by the monk who wrote Beowulf down This chapter sets up Grendels power and brutality looks like the bad guy might just win It also prepares us for Beowulfs coming to the rescue

 Kenning long nickname another way of referring to a character without using his formal name
Healfdanes Son = Hrothgar

The Coming of Beowulf

Beowulfs introduction contrasts with Grendels strongest of the Geats greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world. Wise Ones eager for Beowulf to go Why?
Glory for Beowulf meant glory for all Geats

14 men chose to accompany Beowulf on a suicidal mission why?

Loyalty was important to Ang-Sax society

Danish watchers reaction

bristly but honest he stands as a protector and takes his job seriously Promises to guard ship (a sign of honor and respect for the Geats)

The Coming of Beowulf Identifies himself and his men by the glory of his father (glory important Ang-Sax value) Beowulf makes goal of friendship very clear Beowulf responds with confidence (important to Ang-Sax society) Geat armor
Mail Decorated with Boars heads symbols of strength, fearlessness, savagery, and danger to enemies

Beowulfs men leave most of their armor outside their meeting with Hrothgar
Sign of respect for the king Goal of building Hrothgars confidence

The Coming of Beowulf

Beowulf provides his warrior resume why?
To build Hrothgars confidence
Sent by his own people - they are confident in him Dripping with enemies blood 5 giants into chains eliminated all others Killed sea monsters

Shelterer of Warriors kenning Beowulf has a request

He & his men alone eliminate Grendel why?
He wants the glory for the Geats alone!

Beowulf states he will fight Grendel w/o weapons 2 reasons

Honor he wont use weapons against an unarmed enemy Loyalty he doesnt want to shame Higlac (his king)

Imagery using 5 senses to draw a mental picture or experience

smear torn scraps of skin , crunch on bones people love it! Like scary movies or road kill

Unferths Challenge
Unferth is introduced as jealous and angry His goal is to shame Beowulf by bringing up a swimming match Bw lost Bw responds clearly
1st accuses Unferth of being drunk and running off at the mouth Takes the opportunity to brag about strength
Carried sword while swimming

Bw chose to stay close to Brecca honor Storm seperated them & brought the monsters Bw attacked and defeated 9 monsters (sign of incredible bravery and strength)

Bw turns on Unferth
No tales of Unferths accomplishments He murdered his own brothers (huge no no because loyalty was so valued) If Unferth could walk the walk, Grendel wouldnt have been a problem for him

The Battle with Grendel

Archetypal Character a character type that is seen in different pieces of literature
The hero, the villain, the damsel in distress

Alliteration repetition of initial consonant sounds

silver sweet sound of song

Foreshadowing writer gives hints to upcoming events

never before nor afterfound his reception so harsh We know we are about to see a conflict

Grendel snapped the door open; tore its iron fasteners with a touch
Reminds us of Grendels amazing strength before the battle

Grendel walks into a buffet ! Grendel eats one Geat

Use of imagery drank blood Bolted him down

last human supper

foreshadowing

The Battle with Grendel

Grendel snatched for Beowulf
Reverse play and Grendel finds himself caught in a serious game of mercy

Shepherd of evil, guardian of crime

Kennings

Grendel wants to flee

Suggests he is weak and has never faced an equal opponent (lack of honor on Grendels part)

Description of battle interrupted by description of Herot 2 reasons

To continue to build the suspense To emphasize the violence of battle by demonstrating the strength of the setting

G screams terrify the Danes

The Battle with Grendel

Bws men try to help but man made weapons are useless
Bw is rewarded for his honor how?
He would have been destroyed if he had been counting on his sword

yet his time had come foreshadowing Bw rips Grendels arm completely from the socket
Demonstrating Bws amazing physical strength

Bw hangs the claw from the rafters of Herot

All for the Glory the claw is representative of his accomplishments

The Monsters Lair

Only Grendel and his mother
No father figure
Represents the absence of God

Mother has no name why?

She is only a woman and is not as important

Description of Lair = hell-like place or our underworld setting

Steam Snakelike roots Black water

A deer would rather die on the banks than enter the water to save its own life
Bw will enter = bravery and his ultimate goal, his quest for Glory

The Battle with Grendels Mother

Bw asks Hrothgar to see to his men and send his treasure back to Higlac
Loyalty to his men and his king

Bw sank for hours

Uncommon strength and power

His chain mail protected him from her and other beasts Bw takes Hrunting (undefeated sword) - Why doesnt he fight barehanded?
Gs mom is female and not worthy of honorable actions

Enters the battle hall burning water same underworld setting His Sword is once again useless she is immune to man-made weapons Bw is getting creamed but continues to fight why?
His insatiable quest for glory and fame

The Battle with Grendels Mother

Da, Da, Da Dum!!!!
This is the part where it looks like the bad guy just might win! His chain mail saves him And of course, Holy God, who sent him victory hello Monk

Giants sword not man-made CHA CHING!!

So massive no ordinary man could have lifted it
Another example of Bws incredible strength

Chops off her nugget and leaves her body BW goes looking for Grendel

Writer reminds us of Grendels horrible crimes to keep us from disliking Beowulf for hunting a dead monster Grendel needs to deserve to have his head chopped off his dead body

The Battle with Grendels Mother

Danes left Bw for dead when the lake erupted into blood and fire Geats stayed without much hope to wait for Bw Bw returns with the sword handle (hilt) b/c the blade melted in the monsters blood He also brings back Grendels head
It takes four men to carry it Bw handles it alone another example of amazing strength

Bw ultimately brought peace to the lake

The Last Battle

Bw returns to Geatland
Becomes King and rules for 50 years

Thief steals a chalice from dragons treasure

Awakens dragon that begins burning and destroying villages in Geatland

Bw sees it as his responsibility to protect his people

Even as an old man he still seeks fame Still holding onto his defeat of Grendel

Dragon
Fire breathing & poisonous

till fate decides which of us pagan influence with idea of Wyrd Goes to face the dragon as a 70+ yr old man
Courage and strength

The Last Battle

Bw announces his presence with a battle cry
Courage and honor

Dragon coiled and uncoiled very serpent like - imagery Iron shield, not wood Why?
DUH! fire breathing dragon

fought with fate against him foreshadowing Bws death Sword again useless blade broke
Bws incredible strength

Dragon renews attack w/pain & fury

Cooking Bws grits

Only one soldier stands with him Wiglaf

Makes an eloquent speech about loyalty, courage, & honor

The Last Battle

Wiglafs words of encouragement designed to make Bw remember his ultimate goal Glory Bw uses broken sword to smash dragon in the head Dragon retaliates and bite Bw in the neck Wiglaf puts out dragons flame with his own sword Bw cuts dragon in half with his dagger
Fitting that Bw delivers the death blow why?
He is the hero of the story after all

Bw has received a mortal injury will die

We need him to die in battle to satisfy our need for closure to his life

Bws final words

Celebrates the peace and righteousness of his reign Never killed his own family members Asks Wiglaf to bring treasure to him.

The Spoils

Caesura when a sentence ends in the middle of a line of poetry

Line 792

Bw asks to see the treasure and is pleased that he sold his life for it Wiglaf moves quickly b/c he knows Bw is dying Bw thanks God Christian influence
Turns throne over to Wiglaf
Reward for his absolute loyalty Gives Wiglaf the necklace as a sign

The Farewell

Irony unexpected twist or outcome Geats build Bws tower (lighthouse)

Even in death Bw is protecting his people Ashes in the walls Treasure buried under the tower

12 of the bravest Geats rode around the tower celebrating their king
Ironic b/c they are the ones who abandoned him in the first place

Ending celebrates him as a worthy and uncommon king

Review
Kenning Caesura End-stop Foreshadowing Themes Setting/atmosphere Imagery Archetypal character Irony Biblical Allusion