Unit One: Unit One: From Legend to HistoryFrom Legend to History

Anglo-Saxon LiteratureAnglo-Saxon Literature

What did Anglo-Saxons Value?What did Anglo-Saxons Value? ReligionReligion

Religion helped unify the cultures.Religion helped unify the cultures.Religion gave them a similar identity.Religion gave them a similar identity.

LeadersLeadersTheir successes were honored with epithets.Their successes were honored with epithets.

Land and PowerLand and PowerThey continually invaded and conquered to They continually invaded and conquered to acquire more land. (land = power)acquire more land. (land = power)

Bravery/Prowess/TrustBravery/Prowess/TrustHonored heroes with gifts, oaths of allegiance, or Honored heroes with gifts, oaths of allegiance, or power of leadership (and eventually legacy of lit.)power of leadership (and eventually legacy of lit.)

BeowulfBeowulfThe First The First

“English” Epic“English” Epic

Refresh Your Reading SkillsRefresh Your Reading Skills

Use context clues and marginal notesUse context clues and marginal notes Consider the cultural connectionsConsider the cultural connections ParaphraseParaphrase SummarizeSummarize Apply literary terms Apply literary terms

Prepare to take notes over the first Prepare to take notes over the first chapter,“The Monster Grendel.” chapter,“The Monster Grendel.”

Divide Your Paper into Divide Your Paper into Two Columns under the titleTwo Columns under the title

“The Monster Grendel.”“The Monster Grendel.”

ParaphraseParaphrase SummarySummary

““The Monster Grendel”The Monster Grendel”

ParaphraseParaphraseA monster in the darkness growls impatiently against the A monster in the darkness growls impatiently against the

scop’s song, a song that reminds mankind how God scop’s song, a song that reminds mankind how God created the Earth, separated land from oceans, created the created the Earth, separated land from oceans, created the sun and moon, and inhabited it with natural beauty and sun and moon, and inhabited it with natural beauty and people who loved it then as they do now. Just like their people who loved it then as they do now. Just like their forefathers, Hrothgar’s men lived happily until this monster, forefathers, Hrothgar’s men lived happily until this monster, Grendel, stirred. Grendel, who haunts the moors and the Grendel, stirred. Grendel, who haunts the moors and the wilderness, lives in a hell on earth as an outcast. He is a wilderness, lives in a hell on earth as an outcast. He is a distant descendent of Cain, man’s first murderer who was distant descendent of Cain, man’s first murderer who was banished by God and eventually bred evil in the world. banished by God and eventually bred evil in the world. Cain’s descendents became the spirits, fiends, goblins, and Cain’s descendents became the spirits, fiends, goblins, and other forms of evil that forever oppose God’s Will and are other forms of evil that forever oppose God’s Will and are continually defeated.continually defeated.

““The Monster Grendel”The Monster Grendel”

SummarySummary

Grendel, a descendent of Cain’s Grendel, a descendent of Cain’s demon spawn, growls in anger while demon spawn, growls in anger while the scop recounts Grendel’s wicked the scop recounts Grendel’s wicked heritage for Hrothgar’s men.heritage for Hrothgar’s men.

Conclude your notes for pages 21-Conclude your notes for pages 21-23 independently. Check your 23 independently. Check your work with a classmate when work with a classmate when

announced.announced.

Now it’s time to transition from Now it’s time to transition from reading for general comprehension reading for general comprehension to reading with critical thinking skills to reading with critical thinking skills

such as:such as:application of cultural details application of cultural details

and and recognition of literary devices.recognition of literary devices.

Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

Epic and Epic Conventions (6)Epic and Epic Conventions (6)a.a. Opening statement of the theme;Opening statement of the theme;b.b. Appeal for supernatural help in the telling of Appeal for supernatural help in the telling of

the story (an invocation);the story (an invocation);c.c. A beginning A beginning in medias resin medias res;;d.d. Long lists, or catalogs, of people and things;Long lists, or catalogs, of people and things;e.e. Accounts of past events; Accounts of past events; f.f. Descriptive phrases such as kennings, Descriptive phrases such as kennings,

Homeric similes, and Homeric epithets (such Homeric similes, and Homeric epithets (such as “wide-wayed city” and “clear-voiced as “wide-wayed city” and “clear-voiced heralds” in the heralds” in the IliadIliad))

Additional Literary DevicesAdditional Literary Devices(Apply the terms in bold print; (Apply the terms in bold print; define all terms as homework)define all terms as homework)

EpicEpic Epic conventionsEpic conventions EpithetEpithet AllegoryAllegory AllusionAllusion ArchetypeArchetype

CaesuraCaesura KenningKenning AlliterationAlliteration Lyric PoetryLyric Poetry Narrative PoetryNarrative Poetry ScopScop

Discussion of “The Monster Grendel”Discussion of “The Monster Grendel”Recognizing and ApplyingRecognizing and Applying

Cultural ConnectionsCultural Connections The narrator’s word choices make reference to The narrator’s word choices make reference to

two types of people. Who are they? (cultural two types of people. Who are they? (cultural connection)connection)Answers: pagans and ChristiansAnswers: pagans and Christians

Which belief system or heritage influences the Which belief system or heritage influences the narrator? narrator? Answer: a Christian influenceAnswer: a Christian influence

Describe the narrator’s tone (or attitude) toward Describe the narrator’s tone (or attitude) toward the subject of God?the subject of God?Answer: “God” is spoken of with reverence, Answer: “God” is spoken of with reverence, helping us to see he is a Christian, and perhaps helping us to see he is a Christian, and perhaps more modern, narrator who wrote down the epic.more modern, narrator who wrote down the epic.

““The Monster Grendel”The Monster Grendel”Recognizing and ApplyingRecognizing and Applying

Literary Terms Literary TermsSummarySummary

Grendel, a descendent of Cain’s demon Grendel, a descendent of Cain’s demon spawn, growls in anger while the scop spawn, growls in anger while the scop recounts Grendel’s wicked heritage for recounts Grendel’s wicked heritage for Hrothgar’s men.Hrothgar’s men.

Scop/Cultural Element (lines 4-5, p. 21) “the Scop/Cultural Element (lines 4-5, p. 21) “the harp’s rejoicing/Call and the poet’s clear songs, . . harp’s rejoicing/Call and the poet’s clear songs, . . .”.”

Cain and Abel, God: Christian elements (lines 21-Cain and Abel, God: Christian elements (lines 21-23) “[Grendel parents are descendents] of Cain, 23) “[Grendel parents are descendents] of Cain, murderous creatures banished/By God . . .”murderous creatures banished/By God . . .”

““The Almighty” (line 24); “the Lord’s Will” (line The Almighty” (line 24); “the Lord’s Will” (line 28-29): Christian elements28-29): Christian elements

Now Modify Your Notes.Now Modify Your Notes.Rename the columns with the Rename the columns with the

headings listed.headings listed.“The Arrival of the Hero”“The Arrival of the Hero”

SummarySummary Literary TermsLiterary Terms …… …… ……

““The Arrival of the Hero”The Arrival of the Hero”

SummarySummary Literary TermsLiterary Terms

““Unferth’s Challenge”Unferth’s Challenge”

SummarySummary Literary TermsLiterary Terms

““The Battle with Grendel”The Battle with Grendel”

SummarySummary Literary TermsLiterary Terms

““The Monster’s Mother”The Monster’s Mother”

SummarySummary Literary TermsLiterary Terms

Now that you understand how to Now that you understand how to read Anglo-Saxon literature and read Anglo-Saxon literature and

how to apply literary terms, you are how to apply literary terms, you are capable of tackling college-level capable of tackling college-level reading and writing assignments.reading and writing assignments.

Well done!!!Well done!!!