BeowulfBeowulfBackgroundBackground

““Beowulf is to English what the Beowulf is to English what the Odyssey and the Iliad are to Greek Odyssey and the Iliad are to Greek

language and literature. The language and literature. The oldest piece of vernacular oldest piece of vernacular

literature of any substance not literature of any substance not only in England but the whole of only in England but the whole of

Europe; it breathes the whole Europe; it breathes the whole spirit of the northern Heroic Age.”spirit of the northern Heroic Age.”

~Beowulf scholar Michael ~Beowulf scholar Michael SwantonSwanton

What is What is BeowulfBeowulf??

The oldest piece of British LiteratureThe oldest piece of British Literature

An epic—a long poem, usually from an An epic—a long poem, usually from an oral tradition, which focuses on the oral tradition, which focuses on the deeds and adventures of a hero (deeds and adventures of a hero (The The Odyssey Odyssey is also an epic)is also an epic)

One of the first stories in English with a One of the first stories in English with a dragondragon

A story that focuses on heroic deeds, A story that focuses on heroic deeds, the rightful king, and fatethe rightful king, and fate

The PoemThe Poem BeowulfBeowulf is written by an Anglo-Saxon (more is written by an Anglo-Saxon (more

on them soon) but takes place in Scandinaviaon them soon) but takes place in Scandinavia

It tells the story of a warrior from Geatland, It tells the story of a warrior from Geatland, Beowulf, and his battles with 3 monstersBeowulf, and his battles with 3 monsters

Beowulf travels from Geatland Beowulf travels from Geatland (modern day Sweden) to assist (modern day Sweden) to assist the Danish King Hrothgar in the Danish King Hrothgar in ridding his kingdom of the ridding his kingdom of the man-eating monster, Grendelman-eating monster, Grendel

The Poem ContinuedThe Poem Continued After he valiantly kills After he valiantly kills

Grendel, Beowulf is then Grendel, Beowulf is then faced with Grendel’s faced with Grendel’s mothermother

Upon slaying her, Upon slaying her, Beowulf returns home to Beowulf returns home to Geatland to rule for 50 Geatland to rule for 50 yearsyears

He meets his death He meets his death while trying to defend while trying to defend his kingdom against a his kingdom against a fire-breathing dragonfire-breathing dragon

LanguageLanguage Beowulf is written in Beowulf is written in

Old EnglishOld English

It was composed It was composed between 700 and 950 between 700 and 950 ADAD

It is more than 3000 It is more than 3000 lines longlines long

More than 80% of our More than 80% of our words are derived words are derived from Old Englishfrom Old English

Language ContinuedLanguage Continued The poem contains The poem contains caesuracaesura- a - a

midline pause to help poets midline pause to help poets remember their linesremember their lines

The poem was originally told The poem was originally told orally and was not written orally and was not written down until much laterdown until much later

It also contains many It also contains many kenningskennings, or an epithet that is , or an epithet that is made up of two-word made up of two-word metaphors, usually connected metaphors, usually connected by a hyphenby a hyphen

(a dragon is a cave-guard or a (a dragon is a cave-guard or a hoard-guard, armor is war-hoard-guard, armor is war-gear or battle-dress) gear or battle-dress)

These are just a few These are just a few examples found in examples found in BeowulfBeowulf moder = mothermoder = mother Hond = handHond = hand Lif = lifeLif = life Man = manMan = man Hus = houseHus = house Eald = oldEald = old Swearde = swordSwearde = sword Londe = landLonde = land Worulde = worldWorulde = world Wundor = wonderWundor = wonder

Beowulf in Old English

The Oral TraditionThe Oral Tradition ScopScop

The poem was most The poem was most likely told by a likely told by a scopscop, , or oral poet who told or oral poet who told legendary stories to legendary stories to the aristocracythe aristocracy

The poem has several The poem has several digressions that tell digressions that tell the stories of famous the stories of famous rulers and warriors, rulers and warriors, many of which we only many of which we only have knowledge of have knowledge of from the text of from the text of BeowulfBeowulf

The manuscriptThe manuscript Only one copy still survivesOnly one copy still survives

It is housed in the British It is housed in the British museummuseum

The copy is dated about 1000 The copy is dated about 1000 AD, before the use of the AD, before the use of the printing pressprinting press

It was hand-copied by monks It was hand-copied by monks in a monasteryin a monastery

It was nearly lost when King It was nearly lost when King Henry VIII closed all the Henry VIII closed all the monasteries, but it was saved monasteries, but it was saved by a collector and survived by a collector and survived the great London fires with the great London fires with minimal damageminimal damage

HistoryHistory

The poet is writing in the The poet is writing in the English period following English period following the collapse of the Roman the collapse of the Roman Empire (about 400 AD) Empire (about 400 AD) referred to as the Anglo-referred to as the Anglo-Saxon periodSaxon period

After the Romans left After the Romans left England, Northern England, Northern Germanic tribes began to Germanic tribes began to invade, the strongest invade, the strongest being the Angles, Saxons, being the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They and Jutes. They conquered the Celtic conquered the Celtic inhabitants of the island inhabitants of the island (about 500 AD).(about 500 AD).

History ContinuedHistory Continued

These groups set up small These groups set up small kingdoms or realms, which kingdoms or realms, which lived in constant fear of lived in constant fear of invasioninvasion

In the 8-9 c. the island was In the 8-9 c. the island was constantly warring with the constantly warring with the Vikings, who managed to Vikings, who managed to conquer most of England, conquer most of England, leaving only the West Saxon leaving only the West Saxon kingdomkingdom

This culture was marked with This culture was marked with a persistent fear of their a persistent fear of their group being swallowed up group being swallowed up and assimilated into another and assimilated into another culture. This fear is echoed culture. This fear is echoed in in Beowulf.Beowulf.

ThemesThemes Tribal warfareTribal warfare

The kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England The kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England live in constant fear of invasionlive in constant fear of invasion

A A revenge ethicrevenge ethic exist, an eye-for-an-eye exist, an eye-for-an-eye mentalitymentality

Princesses were given as Princesses were given as peace-weaverspeace-weavers; ; that is, they were given in marriage by their that is, they were given in marriage by their fathers to other rules to settle conflicts fathers to other rules to settle conflicts between kingdomsbetween kingdoms

The SwordThe Sword is more than just a weapon. It is symbolic is more than just a weapon. It is symbolic of past conquests, and is handed down from father to of past conquests, and is handed down from father to son. Swords in this era were very elaborate and often son. Swords in this era were very elaborate and often told the story of legendary family victories in scroll told the story of legendary family victories in scroll work and jewels.work and jewels.

More ThemesMore Themes WyrdWyrd

Meaning fate. For most Anglo-Saxon Meaning fate. For most Anglo-Saxon warriors, the ultimate wyrd was warriors, the ultimate wyrd was death. One of the ways for a warrior death. One of the ways for a warrior to escape death and gain immortality to escape death and gain immortality was to create a name for himself was to create a name for himself through heroic acts.through heroic acts.

These acts would allow the warrior’s These acts would allow the warrior’s name to live on in the stories of name to live on in the stories of others.others.

These heroic acts could prove a man These heroic acts could prove a man was meant to be king, or the was meant to be king, or the “rightful” king.“rightful” king.

More ThemesMore Themes Good vs. EvilGood vs. Evil

These monsters These monsters represent the ultimate represent the ultimate evil (Hint: look for the evil (Hint: look for the explanation as to where explanation as to where Grendel came from!)Grendel came from!)

Grendel and the other Grendel and the other monsters are only able monsters are only able to eat and terrorize at to eat and terrorize at nightnight

Grendel will not touch Grendel will not touch the thronethe throne

Guiding QuestionsGuiding Questions(Things to keep in mind while (Things to keep in mind while

reading)reading) Does Beowulf prove Does Beowulf prove

that he should become that he should become a king?a king?

Is he really a hero?Is he really a hero?

How are our stories How are our stories and fairy tales today and fairy tales today derived from this derived from this story?story?

What does Grendel What does Grendel represent? What is he represent? What is he allegorically?allegorically?