Meet the author of

BeowulfAnonymous

No one really knows who wrote the epic poem. What is known about the tale is that it was probably composed before the eleventh century by an Anglican poet in the vicinity of Northumbria (today’s Britain). The author did not sign or date the manuscript; records were not well-kept when the poem was written.

People who study the manuscript believe it was originally an oral poem that was eventually written and passed down in manuscript form.

•Beowulf is written in Old English.

•The poem describes the adventures of a great sixth century Scandinavian warrior. Most scholars agree that the poem was written before the eleventh century.

•Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem in British literature.

•Only one manuscript survived a devastating fire which destroyed the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton.

•The Beowulf manuscript is now on display in the British Library in London, England.

Sir Robert Bruce Cotton was an English politician and founder of the famous Cotton Library. Handsome devil, wasn’t he?

…and just think, without a typewriter or computer. It was ALL written by hand.

The refurbished Cotton Library still exists today!!!

•The Anglo-Saxons were pagans when they came to Britain.

• Pagans believed in multiple gods. However, as the Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain, they adopted the Christian religion.

•Religion was not for spiritual enlightenment; instead, it guaranteed tangible or material things.

•Anglo-Saxon society was divided into several social classes. At the top was the king - a war leader, who was expected to provide opportunities for battle. A successful king won the admiration and glory of his followers; an unsuccessful king might wake up dead one fine morning.

For example, an Anglo-Saxon might have prayed to a particular god for a plentiful harvest, and to another for victory in battle.

A pagan you say? A pagan was someone who worshiped many gods or did not believe in your one god.

So tell me again, why was it good to be king?

•When the Anglo-Saxons weren't fighting, their favorite pastimes were dice and board games such as chess. Elaborate, complicated riddles were popular; so was horse racing and hunting.

•During a feast or celebration, the most common entertainment was the harp; however, jugglers would juggle and jesters would jest.

•Traveling was common for battle or trade. Trade routes were risky. Travelers were advised to shout, blow horns, and make a lot of noise. If they did not, strangers were assumed to be outlaws, and could be killed without question.

This was how many of the tales in the Anglo-Saxon period were passed down… Scops or storytellers would sing of the hero’s great deeds.

And, do we even want to know what might happened if you won against a poor looser?

HEY!! DID YOU HEAR ME!! I AM A BUSINESSMAN ENROUTE TO…

Remarkably, Beowulf is the longest surviving epic poem. It is made up of over 3,000 lines! Only one original manuscript of Beowulf exists today.  During an excavation in the village of Sutton Hoo in Suffolk , England, a ship containing a huge treasure was found. It is thought to be the burial site of an early English king. Some of the items in the ship are similar to those items buried with Beowulf. Was the epic poem of Beowulf originally told to honor the king buried at Sutton Hoo ? The Anglo-Saxon word part Beo means “bright” or “noble”. The word part wulf means, wolf. So, Beowulf literally means “bright wolf” or “noble wolf”.

Now that was one LONG poem!

Try not to forget this fact. When you read the ending of the poem write down the items that were buried with Beowulf. Then you will know what items were found at Sutton Hoo.

Some translations of the word part “Beo” said it meant “bee” while “wulf” meant hunter. If this translation was correct Beowulf’s name literally meant “Bee hunter”.

Directions: Select the best answer to each question.

1. The epic poem of Beowulf was written by_________________. a) J.K. Rawling b) John Steinbeck c) anonymous

2. The poem describes the adventures of a great sixth century __________ warrior. a) Scandinavian b) English c) Irish

3. The Anglo-Saxons were _____________ when they came to Britain. a) wealthy b) Christians c) Pagans

Before the invention of the written language, and even before the start of widespread literacy, oral tradition was how a nation preserved its histories.

Do you remember Chinese whispers or the telephone game? They were games played by children on the playground or at parties. A phrase or sentence is passed from one player to another, by the time the message reaches the last person it is hardly recognizable. This is similar to oral tradition; however, those who told the stories, the scops, memorized every detail, and tried very hard not to alter the tale.

Today,  popular forms of storytelling in many cultures include novels, movies, television and other forms of technology.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away... Slower Hrothgar, I can only tap so fast!

Hey, did you hear the one about the traveling scop?

Try to imagine what it would be like in a world without a written language. How would you ensure your history was preserved?

1.Epics were originally meant to be sung or recited to music.

2.Deities (gods) and other supernatural beings often involve themselves in human matters.

3.The poem often has national interest and the hero favors the nation.

4.Epics were often inspired by national periods of turmoil, struggle and adventure.

5.Often, the main characters were larger than life. Its heroes were of huge stature and strength.

6. These heroes represented cultural ideals of endurance and cunning, fair play and

selflessness or chivalric self-sacrifice.

Sing, sing a song...

What kind of stories will you tell of your nation’s struggles?

With your classmates, choose a modern hero. Then, place him or her in a different era. How would that person look, what great feats would they accomplish? What qualities would be important?

7. Single combat was common in most epics. Most warriors fought with special, favored weapons.

8. The subject of the poem was revealed in the poem’s opening lines. Invocations were often used to open or close the poem.

9. A true epic was long and distinguished and the settings, widespread.

10. Since epics were composed to honor the deeds of heroic ancestors, such poems often favored royalty: peasants and servants were not important.

11. The action in the epic occurs in the past- generations earlier, when gods freely worked together with humans.

King Arthur had Excalibur. A Jedi knight had the force. What other heroes fought with special weapons?

An invocation you say? Now what in the world was an invocation? An invocation in an epic poem had the story teller calling upon a deity or spirit asking for divine help in the telling of the story.

So the old adage, “It’s good to be King”, was true? It was one of the only ways to ensure your family name lived on.

 12. The structure of a heroic epic poem falls into one of two categories: war or journey, with its hero on a quest. It can also speak of a hero following a conquest. Either way, the story portrays the hero to be larger than life. It does so by creating a hero who: a) is almost invincible b) fights without predictable weapons c) has a dishonorable youth d) has a favorable birth e) performs deeds that associate him with other heroes f) faces and overcomes death

The epic hero had to have a story to tell. What better way to get a story than to go on an adventure!

Think of those heroes we read about as children. Do they match some the characteristics found in this list?

Do you think the epics were worth preserving? How do we preserve our epic tales today?

Directions: Select the best answer to each question.

1.Before the invention of the written language, and even before the start of widespread literacy, __________ was how a nation preserved its histories.

a) oral tradition b) writing essays c) technology

2. Epics were composed to honor the _____________ of heroic ancestors. a) deeds b) religion c) weapons

3. Epics portray the hero to be_________________a) wealthy b) larger than life c) Pagans