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Language and Poetics in Beowulf. Ms. Verranault English 12 Career Communications. Listen Up!. Listen to the sound clip and write down what you hear: What do you think is being said? Is the language familiar? What do you think about as you hear what is being said?
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Language and Poetics in Beowulf Ms. Verranault English 12 Career Communications
Listen Up! • Listen to the sound clip and write down what you hear: • What do you think is being said? • Is the language familiar? • What do you think about as you hear what is being said? • What are some of the features you hear as it is being spoken?
Old English • What you actually heard is an excerpt from a grammar handbook spoken in Old English. • Old English was the language spoken by Anglo-Saxons between 449-1100. It is also known as Anglo-Saxon English. • Was a form of now “Modern English” that was spoken in the northern parts of Britain and most of Scotland. • It is a West-Germanic Language and is very similar to the current and “modern” Icelandic language.
Evolution of English • Old English (449-1100) • Refer to handout (line 11) • Middle English (1100-1500) • Chaucer • That wes a goode king. • Modern English (1500-present) • Shakespeare!! • That was a good king.
Features of Old English • Because many of the Old English ballads and poems were copied down from oral traditions, Old English literature has some unique features…
Old English Features: Alphabet • Look at the picture of an manuscript of Beowulf. What do you notice about the document? • The Old English alphabet is a bit different from our own. It did not include the letters J, Q, or Z and included letters that we do not include today. For instance, “th” was indicated by “p”
Old English Features: Alliteration • Alliteration is the repetition of stressed sounds, particularly consonants from the beginning of words or syllables. • Old English poems contained this literary device because of the sound—oral traditions of the poems. • Poetically, alliteration can have a similar function as rhyme. • Can you think of any phrases that would be considered alliteration?
Old English Features: Compounding • Compounding: Old English poetry makes extensive use of compounding, the combining of two words to make a new word. An example would be the Old English word feorhseoc, which means life sick. • (feorh=life) and (seoc=sick) • Can you think of any words in Modern English that we make into compounds?
Old English Features: Kennings • Kennings are special forms of compounds because they are often metaphoric in meaning. For example, the kenning banhus (ban + hus), which literally means “bone-house” refers to a human body. Create your own kenning to share with the class.
Beowulf (1000 A.D.) • The author of Beowulf is unknown; however, many scholars believe the story was written by a Christian poet. • Beowulf is a heroic epic poem of 3,182 lines. • A genre of poetry. • Typically much longer than an average poem. • Retells the life and adventures of a heroic or mythological figure. • Can you think of any examples of any examples of an epic poem? • Because of its sheer size, it constitutes almost 10 percent of the known library of Old English.
Now Practice! • Working in groups, examine the worksheet of the prologue of Beowulf in Old English. • Circle letters that are different from Modern English. • Underline all places where alliteration occurs. • If you find any kennings or compounds, put a box around them • You may use the Modern English translation sheet to help you find compounds or kennings.
Found Poem • Once you have finished examining the prologue and we discuss your responses as a class, your group will be writing a poem of your own. • Using the Modern English translation of Beowulf, your group will need to circle words or phrases that you find interesting. • Once your group has completed the previous step, you will compose a 10 line poem, topic is of your groups’ choice, that incorporates words from the Modern English translation of Beowulf on each line. In addition your group will need to include: • At least two lines of alliteration (circle) • One kenning (Underline and write what it is a metaphor for) • Two compounds (Circle) Good Luck!!
Example Found Poem In days gone by Kings knew knights with courage and tribes had night-terrors about rampaging rough monsters. From coast to coast heroic campaigns were fought to destroy these human-destroyers. So that the people may flourish and live one good life troops were sent to rampage fearful foes. And after power had shifted and they were left without a leader only God could send comfort and greatness to His founding-children on this Earth.
