The Lost Token of YouthThink of a treasured item/possession that you had as a child, but for whatever reason, is now

just a memory.

Despite it being lost to the past, some part of you continues to long for its return.

Write down this item and explain why it was so important to you.

Do-Now

SWBAT identify key literary devices, mood, and purpose in Anglo-Saxon elegiac poetry.

1. Mini-Lecture: Anglo-Saxon Literature 2. Class Reading/Discussion: “The Seafarer”

Learning Objective

AGENDA

Complete analysis of “The Seafarer” HomeworkReminders

Early Anglo-Saxon Literature•Began with spoken verse and chants•Two types of literature

▫Anglo-Saxon Prose▫Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Anglo-Saxon Prose•The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles

▫Historical journals written and compiled in monasteries

▫Written in Old English•History of the English Church and People

▫Provides history of England from Roman invasion to 700s

▫Written in Latin▫Romans primary Contribution to the Anglo-Saxon

culture

Anglo-Saxon Poetry•Heroic Poetry:

▫Celebrates achievements of warriors▫Beowulf

•Elegiac Poetry ▫Grieves over loved ones or loss of the past▫“The Wife’s Lament”

Elegy•Elegy (n.): poem mourning the death of

loved ones and/or the loss of the past•Listen carefully to the song “Someone Like

You” by Adele.▫What is the singer grieving over? ▫Describe the mood of the song. How does it

make you feel?▫How might this song be an example of an

elegy?

The Anglo-Saxon Storytelling• Little writing was preserved as the written

language was still being developed• Storytelling was the oral tradition • Scops (Bards): traveling poets who

captivated audiences with long narrative poems often accompanied by music

• Scops were hired entertainers • Lyres: stringed instrument that

accompanied poetry readings• The term bard would later be synonymous

with poet; Shakespeare was known as “The Bard”

Literary Devices• Anglo-Saxon lyrics were written to be

memorized and recited easily• Poems contained six key literary

elements:▫ Alliteration▫ Assonance▫ Caesura▫ Compounding▫ Kenning▫ Variation

Alliteration• Alliteration: Repetition of initial

consonant sounds, especially at the beginning of words or stressed syllables

▫ Mr. Brennan bought bags of balloons for the birthday bash.

• Write your own example in your notebook.

Assonance• Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds

in unrhymed, stressed syllables

• Write your own example in your notebook.

I knowthis rose is onlyan ink-and-paper rosebut see how it grows and goeson growingbeneath your eyes

From “A Rose for Janet” by Charles Thomlinson

Kenning•Kenning: Two-word poetic renaming of people, places, and things. ▫Whales’ home:

sea▫Nation builder:

teacher•Write your own example in your notebook

Kenning•Sky Candle (the sun)•Swan-Road (the sea)•Light of battle (sword)•Battle sweat (blood)

•See Worksheet

Caesura• Caesura: (Latin: "a cutting") A break or

pause in a line of poetry where the speaker could pause for breath, usually at the half-line.

• Sometimes shown through punctuation

• “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” ▫ From “How Do I Love Thee” by Elizabeth Barrett

Browning

Compounding•Compounding: the combining of two words to make a new word. ▫Gardena ("Spear-Danes”)

(gar = spear, Dena = Danes)

•Write your own example in your notebook

Variation•Variation: restatement of a concept or term using different words. ▫The nobleman's son then passed

the steep rocky cliffs, the narrow path,the narrow single-file path, an unknown way,precipitous headland, the homes of many water-monsters.

•Write your own example in your notebook

Anglo-Saxon Poetry In preparation for our reading of Beowulf, we will analyze an Anglo-Saxon poem, which will highlight the blending of the

•Germanic warrior culture and

•the Christian value system

The Seafarer

“The Seafarer”•Author is anonymous•Also discovered in The Exeter Book

▫Largest collection of Old English poetry in existence

▫Compiled in the late 10th century (c. 975)•Read and annotate the poem carefully•Pay particular attention to how the poem

shifts in the second half•Respond to the questions at the end

“The Seafarer”•Theme

▫Man and the Natural World mercy of the elements

▫Sadness/Loss▫Transience (nothing is permanent)

happiness and life's joys are fleeting, everything, including all of creation, passes away with time

▫Isolation/Exile Anglo-Saxon worriers did not identify as a citizen

of a country, rather as a follower of a king/lord

“The Seafarer”•Allusions Germanic warrior culture and Christian value system

▫“Fate” – people recently converted to Christianity and still hold some of their pagan beliefs including those of predestination and a lack of free will.

▫“Heaven” – Christian heaven; that the person who arrives there is to be rewarded.

“The Seafarer”•mead: (n.) liquor from fermented honey &

water

•admonish: (v.) advise; caution

•Sentinel: (n.) a soldier or guard whose job is to stand and keep watch

•rancor: (n.) ill will

“The Seafarer”• Imagery

▫“My feet were cast in icy bands, bound with frost, with frozen chains ... Hunger tore at my sea-weary soul...Alone in a world blown clear of love, hung with icicles.” (8-17) describes fear/loneliness using sensory images

▫“The death noise of birds instead of laughter, the mewling of gulls instead of mead...” (21-22) Describes loneliness/depression using auditory

images

“The Seafarer”•Alliteration

▫“This tale is true, and mine. It tells” (1)▫“To the open ocean, breaking oaths” (64)▫“With love or with hate but never with harm”

(112)

•Assonance▫“How the sea took me, swept me back” (2)▫“Even from hatred and rancor, of bravery” (75)

“The Seafarer”•Kennings

▫“death-noise” (21) = cries▫“the coldest seeds” (32) = hail▫“summer’s sentinel” (53) = cuckoo ▫“whales’ home” (60-61) = sea▫“hosts of Heaven” (80) = angels▫“givers of gold” (83) = kings▫“creator of Earth” (124) = God

• Remember, if it’s not a metaphor, it’s not a kenning