Beowulf - Background Information and Anglo-Saxon History

Beowulf

The oldest surviving poem in the English language, transcribed around 1000 A.D. It was originally part of oral tradition from around 700 A.D.

Characteristic of an Epic Poem (1)

Written in episodes

Characteristic of an Epic Poem (2)

Extreme conflicts

Characteristic of an Epic Poem (3)

Deeds of superhuman strength and valor

Characteristic of an Epic Poem (4)

A quest or hero's journey

Characteristic of an Epic Poem (5)

demonstrates a culture's ideals and taboos

Characteristic of an Epic Poem (6)

Use of dramatic diction

Anglo-Saxon World View

A grim perspective characterized by harsh lives, hard work, and warfare.

Comitatus

Germanic code of loyalty - thanes/soldiers show loyalty to their king, and the king rewards them with land and treasure

Wyrd

The Anglo-Saxon concept of fate, where past actions determine future outcomes. (A person may be doomed and unable to escape this fate.)

Lof

The Anglo-Saxon word for glory or fame after death, believed to be achieved through stories told about warriors.

Thanes

Warriors who swore loyalty to their king.

Meadhalls

Feasting halls where mead, an alcoholic beverage, is consumed.

Scops

Anglo-Saxon poets and storytellers who relayed heroic tales; they were highly regarded within the culture.

Pagan Beliefs

Involves sacrifice to multiple gods and belief in wyrd(fate) controlling lives.

Christian Beliefs

Belief in one God and that God controls lives.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely placed words.

Kenning

A special type of metaphor made of a compound word or phrase to replace a single noun.

For example - "battle sweat" for blood

Apposition/Appositive Phrase

The placement of a noun next to another noun that it identifies or describes.

Example: ""a decade, ten winters of sorrow""

Example of Kenning

"Heaven's candle" for the sun.

Old English

The earliest recorded form of the English language, in which Beowulf was originally told and written.

Epic Poem

A lengthy narrative poem, often detailing heroic deeds and events significant to a culture.

Episodic structure

A characteristic of an epic poem where the narrative is divided into distinct episodes or events.

Deeds of superhuman strength and valor

A characteristic of an epic poem showcasing the hero's extraordinary abilities and bravery.

Quest Archetype

A common narrative pattern in epic poems where the hero embarks on a journey to achieve a significant goal.

Dramatic diction

The use of expressive and impactful language in epic poetry to enhance the narrative.

Anglo-Saxon World View

A perspective characterized by grim realities, harsh lives, and a lack of belief in an afterlife or a loving god.

Hygelac, Hrothgar

Characters in Beowulf who are believed to have actually existed

Burton Raffel

A modern translator of Beowulf, known for his 1963 translation.

Christianity and Paganism

Belief systems that existed simultaneously in the 6th - 8th centuries

Alfred the Great

Christian King who united the kingdoms and defended England against the Pagan Vikings

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Derived from Pagan words for darkness, war, thunder, and festivity

The Hero's Journey

A plot structure of twelve steps that a hero experiences on the path from the Call to Action to Crossing the Threshold to Sharing their Gift with the World

Runic alphabet

The Anglo-Saxon alphabet which is considered the "mother" alphabet to our modern English alphabet

weregild

Anglo-Saxon system of justice in which restitution is given in the form of payment for stealing property or injuring/ killing someone

(a more civilized option than blood revenge)

The end of the Anglo-Saxon era in England

1066 A.D. - The Battle of Hastings led by William the Conqueror of Normandy

Angles, Saxons, and Jutes

Three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain in the 5th century

Setting of the epic poem, Beowulf

Daneland and Geatland

(modern day Denmark and Sweden)

A Christian monk

the likely transcriber of Beowulf in approximately the year 1000 A.D.

manuscript of Beowulf

located in the British Library in London, England