beowulf: the beginning of english literature

BeowulfBeowulf::The Beginning of English The Beginning of English

LiteratureLiterature

Beowulf’s Name Beowulf’s Name

Beowulf’s father– EdgethoBeowulf’s father– Edgetho– In most cases, the son is named after In most cases, the son is named after

the father the father DonDon Donald (son of Don)Donald (son of Don) McDonald (son of son of Don)McDonald (son of son of Don) McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don)McDonaldson (son of son of son of Don)

Proves Beowulf is own individual with Proves Beowulf is own individual with own powers and abilities (and more own powers and abilities (and more important than his father)important than his father)

Bear Bear WolfWolf

The background The The oldest oldest pagan epic poempagan epic poem written in English written in English more more

than 1200 years agothan 1200 years ago AnonymousAnonymous and composed in the first half of the 8th and composed in the first half of the 8th

centurycentury It is based on a It is based on a Scandinavian SagaScandinavian Saga orally transmitted orally transmitted

It deals with a time following the initial invasion of It deals with a time following the initial invasion of England by England by Germanic tribesGermanic tribes in 449 (5th~6th Cent.) in 449 (5th~6th Cent.)

It contains It contains Christian elementsChristian elements probably added by the probably added by the scholar who wrote it down; the pagan deities are scholar who wrote it down; the pagan deities are removedremoved

The storyThe story

It derives from folk-talesIt derives from folk-tales

It is a blend of legend and historyIt is a blend of legend and history

It contains precise references to real It contains precise references to real historical events and tribal struggleshistorical events and tribal struggles

The characters

The Geats (The Geats (BeowulfBeowulf; his retainer ; his retainer WiglafWiglaf))

The Danes (The Danes (King King HrothgarHrothgar))

GrendelGrendel ( the monster) ( the monster)

GRENDEL’S MOTHER

The fire-breathing dragonThe fire-breathing dragon

Mythical elementsMythical elements

A fantastic worldA fantastic world

MonstersMonsters

DragonsDragons

Imaginary creaturesImaginary creatures

Geats and Geats and DanesDanes

Beowulf was a war Beowulf was a war leader of the leader of the Geats, a group of Geats, a group of people in what is people in what is now southern now southern SwedenSweden

Hrothgar was king Hrothgar was king of the Danesof the Danes

THE SETTINGTHE SETTING

•Palace of Heorot

•Gautland

THE PLOTTHE PLOT

Two stories unified by the presence Two stories unified by the presence of the same heroof the same hero

The first: Beowulf is a young hero The first: Beowulf is a young hero going to help Hrothgar, king of the going to help Hrothgar, king of the DanesDanes

The second: Beowulf in his old age The second: Beowulf in his old age as king of the Geats in Gautlandas king of the Geats in Gautland

SOCIAL LIFESOCIAL LIFE

It reveals a way of life ruled by It reveals a way of life ruled by simple laws:simple laws:

Eating Eating DrinkingDrinking FightingFighting HuntingHunting Listening to the Scop during the Listening to the Scop during the

feastsfeasts

Features of the timeFeatures of the time

The generosity of the lordThe generosity of the lord The fidelty of the subjectsThe fidelty of the subjects The sense of honourThe sense of honour The duty to help people in needThe duty to help people in need ViolenceViolence

The values of warrior society in the poem

LoyaltyLoyalty and kinship and kinship

The need to take The need to take revengerevenge

Physical Physical strengthstrength and and couragecourage

The search for The search for gloryglory in this life in this life

Their main tools were the Their main tools were the weaponsweapons personalized personalized with names, a precious heritage with names, a precious heritage

FateFate

The presence of natureThe presence of nature

Cold Scandinavian countriesCold Scandinavian countries Unpleasant wintersUnpleasant winters Spring hailed with joySpring hailed with joy Rough and stormy northern seaRough and stormy northern sea Biting windsBiting winds Black poolsBlack pools Gloomy marshesGloomy marshes Forests and cavesForests and caves

The general atmosphereThe general atmosphere

GloomyGloomy FierceFierce MelancholicMelancholic SolitarySolitary A strong sense of doomA strong sense of doom Stoic resignationStoic resignation

Christian elements

• BeowulfBeowulf= = good good struggling against struggling against evilevil He prays He prays the Creatorthe Creator of all things, the ruler of all things, the ruler

of the Heavensof the Heavens God’s God’s WILLWILL, identical with FATE ( , identical with FATE ( Wyrd Wyrd ))• Reference to the Reference to the Old Testament:Old Testament:• Heorot = symbol of the worldHeorot = symbol of the world• The Danes = mankindThe Danes = mankind• The lake = hellThe lake = hell• Grendel’s mother = the devilGrendel’s mother = the devil• The sword = the crossThe sword = the cross

The typical moundsThe typical mounds

LANGUAGELANGUAGE

OriginsOriginsUnknown author; Unknown author; possibly one possibly one Christian author in Christian author in Anglo-Saxon EnglandAnglo-Saxon EnglandUnknown date of Unknown date of composition (roughly composition (roughly 88thth-11-11thth Century CE) Century CE)

Beowulf’s first pageBeowulf’s first page

ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTSILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS

BEOWULF : OLD ENGLISHBEOWULF : OLD ENGLISH Hwæt! We Gardena         in geardagum, Hwæt! We Gardena         in geardagum,

þeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon, þeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon. hu ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing         Oft Scyld Scefing         sceaþenasceaþena þreatum, þreatum,

monegum mægþum,         meodosetla ofteah, monegum mægþum,         meodosetla ofteah, egsode egsode eorlas.eorlas.         Syððan ærest wearð         Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden,         he þæs frofre gebad, feasceaft funden,         he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum,         weorðmyndum þah, weox under wolcnum,         weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc         þara ymbsittendra oðþæt him æghwylc         þara ymbsittendra

ofer hronrade         hyran scolde, ofer hronrade         hyran scolde, gomban gyldan.         þæt wæs god cyning! gomban gyldan.         þæt wæs god cyning! ðæm eafera wæs         æfter cenned, ðæm eafera wæs         æfter cenned, geong in geardum,         þone god sende geong in geardum,         þone god sende folce to frofre;         fyrenðearfe ongeat folce to frofre;         fyrenðearfe ongeat

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:

BeowulfBeowulfThe Poetry of The Poetry of BeowulfBeowulf

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.

BeowulfBeowulfThe Poetry of The Poetry of BeowulfBeowulf

Wessex dialectWessex dialect High poetic dictionHigh poetic diction Old English verse highly musicalOld English verse highly musical Long lines divided in two halvesLong lines divided in two halves A pause in the middle of the linesA pause in the middle of the lines The two halves held together by The two halves held together by

allitterationallitteration No rhymeNo rhyme

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

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

BeowulfBeowulfThe Poetry of The Poetry of BeowulfBeowulf

Techniques

ALLITTERATIONALLITTERATION ““He He rrippled down the ippled down the rrock, ock, wwrithing rithing wwith ith

anger”anger”

KENNINGKENNING ““The The hoard-guardianhoard-guardian” ”

(the guardian of the treasure = the monster)(the guardian of the treasure = the monster)

the swan-roadthe swan-road        

the whale-roadthe whale-road

the bent-necked woodthe bent-necked wood the ringed prowthe ringed prow The Ship The Ship

KENNINGS from the poem

Beowulf

The Sea The Sea 

The SwordThe Sword

KENNINGS from the poem

the storm of swords

the leaving of the filethe leaving of the file

battle-lightning battle-lightning

The BattleThe Battle

the ring-giverthe ring-giver

the dispenser of treasurethe dispenser of treasure

The DragonThe Dragon

Ray Winstone as Beowulf in Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, 2007

the twilight-spoiler

KENNINGS from the poem

The Lord/KingThe Lord/King

The The FeudFeud = = the tragic wastethe tragic waste

Themes

A system of revengeA system of revenge is repeated in the poem: is repeated in the poem: feud feud peace peace feud feud

The eternal The eternal conflictconflict betweenbetween dark and light,dark and light, good and good and evilevil

FateFate

Courage Courage as as the quality that can stand against Fatethe quality that can stand against Fate..

2 Types of Epics2 Types of Epics

1.1. FolkFolk– Told out loud first (usually by scops)Told out loud first (usually by scops)– Unknown authorUnknown author– Unknown datesUnknown dates– (E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t (E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t

know who wrote it) know who wrote it)

2.2. LiteraryLiterary– Known authorKnown author– (E.g.– (E.g.– Paradise LostParadise Lost, by John Milton is a , by John Milton is a

literary epic because we know who wrote it.)literary epic because we know who wrote it.)

3 Epic Conventions3 Epic Conventions

1.1. Invoke a museInvoke a muse– Muse– inspiration provided by the gods Muse– inspiration provided by the gods

2.2. Plot begins in medias resPlot begins in medias res– In medias red– “In the middle of” the In medias red– “In the middle of” the

actionaction

3.3. Serious toneSerious tone

Not necessary to have all on these, Not necessary to have all on these, but need most at least but need most at least

Reading / Language ArtsReading / Language Arts

Literary Criticism:Literary Criticism:

3.12. Analyze how a work of 3.12. Analyze how a work of literature is related to the themes literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period. and issues of its historical period. (Historical Approach)(Historical Approach)