beowulf test

folk epic

oral compositions passed on from storyteller to storyteller and have changed over time.

literacy epic

written compositions that are unchanged over time.

invocation

a formal plea for aid/help. this plea is usually to a deity or some other spiritual power.

in medias res

the action begins “ in the middle of things”

flashback

the epic begins in media res, then jumps to events that took place before the narrator’s current time and setting.

epic similes

elaborately extended comparisons relating heroic events to simple, everyday events using like as, so, and just as. also called Homeric Similes.

epithet

A descriptive phrase that presents a particular trait of a person or thing. It can be a quick aid to characterization.

Epic heroes -

live on after death/ a type of immorality

The Anglo-Saxon period ended with

The Battle of Hastings

the three Germanic tribes that invaded england

Angles, Saxon, and jutes

the Germanic dialects spoke by the tribe is known by

Anglo-Saxon

who added words from Old Norse to the language

Vikings

What three dialects did Old English have

West Saxon, Kentish, anglian

What conquest caused French words to be added to the language?

Norman conquest

who mostly wrote Beowulf?

A chirstan monk

the anglo-saxon period takes place during the —

dark ages

the major old English text survived in —

west Saxon

beowulf

a geat who comes to help the danes

Hrothgar

The danish king in need

unferth

bully turned friend

wiglaf

the only person who stayed

welthrow

Hrothgar’s wife

Hrunting

the sword unferth gave to beowulf