beowulf background & literary devices beowulf is… the first great work of english national...

BeowulfBeowulfBackground & Background &

Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

Beowulf is…Beowulf is…• The first great work of English national The first great work of English national

literatureliterature

• The epic story of the hero, Beowulf, who The epic story of the hero, Beowulf, who fights the demonic monster, Grendel.fights the demonic monster, Grendel.

• Beowulf is an Beowulf is an epic heroepic hero. . • Reminder:Reminder: Epic heroes are central figures Epic heroes are central figures

in long narratives that reflect the values in long narratives that reflect the values and heroic ideals of a particular society. and heroic ideals of a particular society.

• Reminder: An Reminder: An epicepic is a quest story on a is a quest story on a grand scale.grand scale.

The BardThe Bard• Definition: Definition: aa : a tribal poet- : a tribal poet-

singer skilled in composing singer skilled in composing and reciting verses on heroes and reciting verses on heroes and their deeds and their deeds bb : a composer, : a composer, singer, or declaimer of epic or singer, or declaimer of epic or heroic verse 2: poet heroic verse 2: poet

• BeowulfBeowulf is an oral epic passed is an oral epic passed from bard to bard.from bard to bard.

•Harpist-bardsHarpist-bards told thetold the familiar familiar story story for audiences for audiences in the in the communal communal halls at night.halls at night.

Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village in West Stow, England, with communal hall on the left.

•Written down between Written down between 700 and 750700 and 750..

•Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia

•Scholars think Herot might have been built on the coast of Zealand, in Denmark

Scandinavia

Britain

Places

Who wrote it down?Who wrote it down?

• scenery described resembles Northumbria (northeastern England)

Theory:

The poet who wrote Beowulf down may have been a Northumbrian monk.Evidence:

• Christian elements in epic

Who wrote it down?Who wrote it down?

• Only a single manuscript of the Only a single manuscript of the poem survived the Anglo-poem survived the Anglo-Saxon era. In the 1700’s it was Saxon era. In the 1700’s it was nearly destroyed in a fire.nearly destroyed in a fire.

• It was not until 1936 when the It was not until 1936 when the Oxford scholar J.R.R. Tolkien Oxford scholar J.R.R. Tolkien published a paper on the poem published a paper on the poem that is became popular.that is became popular.

Heroic ValuesHeroic Values• Relationship between king and his Relationship between king and his

warriorswarriors• The king rewards his warriors with The king rewards his warriors with

giftsgifts• If a kinsman is slain, obligation to If a kinsman is slain, obligation to

kill the slayer or obtain payment kill the slayer or obtain payment (wergeld) in compensation(wergeld) in compensation

Conflict: Christian vs. Pagan ValuesConflict: Christian vs. Pagan Values

• This tension is at the heart of This tension is at the heart of the poemthe poem

• Pagan history and myth are Pagan history and myth are made to point to a Christian made to point to a Christian moralmoral

• Beowulf is poised between two Beowulf is poised between two value systemsvalue systems

ThemesThemes

• The Importance of The Importance of Establishing Establishing IdentityIdentity

• The Difference The Difference Between a Good Between a Good Warrior and a Warrior and a Good King Good King

• Good vs. EvilGood vs. Evil

• Strength & SkillStrength & Skill• FateFate• WealthWealth• ReligionReligion• ViolenceViolence• Tradition and Tradition and

CustomsCustoms

Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura, or rhythmic

pause, to create unity.

ða com of more under misthleoþum Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.

Line divided into two parts by a caesura.

Locate the caesura in these lines:

Literary Devices: Caesura(siz-you-rah)

Here are the same lines in modern English from Burton Raffel’s translation:

Out from the marsh, from the foot of mistyHills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,Grendel came, hoping to killAnyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura.

Literary Devices: Caesura

The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration.

Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes

Literary Devices: Alliteration

Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds in words close together.

The emphasis on the w sound in this line from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 creates a

melancholy tone.

And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste.


Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:

Out from the marsh, from the foot of mistyHills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,Grendel came, hoping to killAnyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.


a metaphorical phrase or compound word

used to name a person, place, thing, or event

indirectly.

Literary Devices: Kenning

Kennings: Their EffectKennings: Their Effect

A kenning enhances the A kenning enhances the literal meaning of the literal meaning of the

words. A kenning gives the words. A kenning gives the listener an idea of how the listener an idea of how the

words connect to an idea or words connect to an idea or concept that is richer and concept that is richer and

more emotionally complex.more emotionally complex.

Examples of kennings Examples of kennings from from Beowulf:Beowulf:

gold-shininggold-shining hallhall= Herot= Herotguardian of crimeguardian of crime = Grendel= Grendelstrong-hearted wakeful strong-hearted wakeful sleepersleeper = Beowulf= Beowulfcave-guardcave-guard andand sky-borne foesky-borne foe = dragon= dragon

Create modern-day kennings for things you see around you.

giver of wordsword-wand

??

? ?

Practice

beowulf background & literary devices beowulf is… the first great work of english national...

Documents