• long narrative poem•

• reveals values & history• fact, folklore & magic• serious tone & grand language•

• hero undertakes a great quest • which relates to society’s values

• Beowulf’s Genre = Epic• Epic – long narrative poem• Epic’s were the first ‘history books’!• Your goal is to separate fact from fiction as

you read Beowulf.• Therefore, you need to know the facts

(Anglo-Saxon History)

• Must battle a great monster• Must pay homage to a god/gods

(Fate/Wyrd)• Has Superhuman strength / skill / wit• Of Noble birth or rises to nobilty

(sometimes a mystery)• Although superhuman, he is mortal• Usually has a great weapon

EQ: What role does history & culture play in an epic?Scop – Anglo-Saxon Poet - Memorized epic poems and delivered them at the Mead Hall - ‘Preserved’ the souls of past warriors

• Our language and literature today is greatly inspired by the warring tribes of Early England

• Beowulf is considered the first work in English

• (400 - 700 A.D. )• It is an Anglo-Saxon epic

poem• Epics contain a given group’s

culture and history

• Actually this term is used to describe a culture composed of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Geats• They were Germanic tribes –“guns for hire” – mercenaries• Hired by the Romans• They stay in Britain after the Romans leave.

•Tribal Life – small clans; armies (loyalty and strength most important)• Violent society, but loyalty is important. • Killing a fellow member of one’s tribe was the worst possible crime •Those who committed this crime paid a wergild.

Religion:Anglo-Saxons = pagan beliefs• Woden – (Odin) – primary god• Thunor (Thor) – friend to man; controlled sky; thunder (royals’ god)• Tiw – north star; war god• Freya (Frigg) – goddess of love; feast; beauty• Loki – god of cunning (shape-shifter)

Religion: Impact in Modern English• Sunday -- Sun's day• Monday -- Moon's day• Tuesday -- Tiw's day• Wednesday -- Woden's day• Thursday -- Thor's day• Friday -- Freya's day• Saturday -- Saturn's day (adopted Roman god)

• Druids – Pagan priests/shamans • (Anglos mix with Britons – Druids)

– Feasts, ceremonies, magic, animism– Druids painted their bodies blue before battle– Human / animal sacrifice and effigy

– Extremely spiritual and violent– Limited concept of an afterlife – need fame to live on = “momento mori”– Reputation = eternal life

EQ: What role does history & culture play in an epic?Memento Mori – ‘remember death’

• no afterlife; therefore, achieve immortality by accomplishments • (preserve soul) through reputation

Adoration – to regard with the utmost esteem, love, and respect; to honor and idolize

• The goal of Anglo Saxon society was to attain adoration and fame in order to obtain immortality

• Methods = poem, statue, jewelry, memorial,…

Wyrd - Fate or personal destiny• "to become or to be due”• similar to karma • an Anglo-Saxon’s ‘reputation’

The Tree of Life (souls)

Mead Hall - center of civilization (symbol)• Socializing• History preserved (scop – oral poet)• Reputations built (brag; give gifts)• Sign of tribe’s strength; safe place (sleep)

Comitatus - Germanic code of loyalty

• Thanes (warriors) swore loyalty • King generous in return (give treasure / land)• Kings praised for generosity and hospitality. • Warriors praised for courage and loyalty

Warfare:• Dominated lifeComitatus:• Remain on battlefield (after King’s defeat)• Thane pledged life to the king (bravery)• King rewarded thanes with treasure

(generosity)• Loyalty; oath = basis for social order

• Riddles – beauty in mystery = quickness of mind = intellectual strength

• Boast – confidence was very important must be able to back up claims

Christianity vs. Pagan • Christian allusions in the poem result from transcription by a Christian monk

• Anglo’s originally pagan; changed to Christianity after 600 A.D

Notable Names:Bede:• Founds monastic group (strict)• Writes ‘Ecclesiastical History’•

• Rumored as a miracle worker

• Escapes assassination attempt (twice!)