Beowulf

Long Narrative Poem that celebrates a hero’s deeds

Many are based in historical fact

Drew on existing songs and legends, which they could embellish or combine with original material

What is an Epic?

Anglo-Saxon Helmet

Date back to preliterate periods• Passed down orally by way of Bards. They

would sing or chant the story

Repetition of words, phrases, or linesReflect universal themes such as ‘good

and evil’ or ‘life and death’Reflect universal themes such as courage

and honorPlot is complicated by supernatural

beings/events and may involve long and dangerous journeys through foreign lands.

Characteristics of an Epic

Epithets: adjectives that point out special traits of particular persons or thingsExample: “Swift-footed” to describe

AchillesKennings: poetic synonyms; rather

than an adjective, it is a descriptive phrase or compound word that substitutes for a nounExample: “The Almighty Enemy” and

“sin-stained demon” to refer to Grendel in Beowulf

Also, major characters will deliver long formal speeches

Characteristics continued….

Often male and of noble birth or high position

His character traits reflect important ideals of his society

Performs courageous (often superhuman) deeds that reflect the values of that era

Characteristics of the Hero

Germanic-speaking tribes of N. Europe were driven from their lands by warfare.Angles, Saxons, and Jutes

They settled on the island of Britain where the established what is now called Anglo-Saxon civilization

For entertainment, they would father in mead halls where they feasted and drank mead and listened to hales of heroic achievement

Birth of the Beowulf Epic

Most famous poem early Germanic heroic poem to survive

Dates from between 8th and 10th centuries, after the Anglo-Saxon conversion to Christianity

Passed down orally for decades before being written down

The oldest written manuscript was written in an Anglo-Saxon dialect during the 10th century.

Beowulf

Takes place in European mainland, among two related tribes:The Danes of what is now DenmarkThe Geats of what is now Sweden

Warrior culture that celebrated loyalty and deeds of great strength and courage

Beowulf Continued…

Loyalty and respect to their lords, alwaysEmphasizes courage and honorVengeance

Fellows tribesmen were expect to avenge others’ injury or death. Failure to do so would be shameful

TreasureIf a warrior performs a valuable service for his

lord, he is richly rewarded with treasures.

Heroic Code