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Beowulf: Oldest English Epic & Anglo-Saxon Values

Explore the historical background, significance, and poetic devices of Beowulf, the oldest known piece of English national literature and a reflection of Anglo-Saxon culture. Learn about the epic's origins, setting, authorship, and vocabulary.

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Beowulf: Oldest English Epic & Anglo-Saxon Values

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  1. Beowulf

  2. Historical Background • 2000 BC – Stonehenge • 55 BC – Julius Caesar arrives in England • 1st century AD – Rome establishes control • 407 – Rome leaves • 400-600 - Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invade • 521 A.D. – Hygelac invades the Netherlands • 597 – Augustine arrives/brings Christianity • 600-850 – Struggle for power among Anglo-Saxon tribes • 850-1066 – Anglo-Saxons unite

  3. Code of Comitatus Loyalty Fighting for one’s king Avenging one’s kinsmen Keeping one’s word Heroism regardless of tribe Physical strength Skill and resourcefulness in battle Courage Reputation and Fame Aware life was short fame = immortality Generosity gifts symbolize bonds Anglo-Saxons as a People

  4. The Beowulf manuscript • Written in Olde English • Obtained by Sir Robert Cotton during 16th century • Damaged in fire in 1731 • Currently at British Museum • Available on “The Electronic Beowulf” CD

  5. What’s so special about Beowulf? Beowulf • is the oldest known piece of English national literature • is the first entire surviving epic (Hero’s Journey tale) written in English • Documents the values, questions, and attitudes of Anglo-Saxon people

  6. Beowulf Beowulf originated as an oral epic (between 700-750) that was passed from scop to scop. Harpist-bardstold thefamiliar story for audiences in the communal halls at night. Written down around 1000 by monks. Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village in West Stow, England, with communal hall on the left.

  7. Beowulf Who wrote it down? Theory: The poet who wrote Beowulf down may have been a Northumbrian monk. Evidence: • scenery described resembles Northumbria (northeastern England) • Christian elements in epic

  8. Beowulf Setting Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia. Scandinavia Britain Scholars think Herot might have been built on the coast of Zealand, in Denmark.

  9. Poetic devices in Beowulf • Alliterative verse • Same initial consonants • Line halved by caesura • Four stresses per line • Epithets: • Adjectives or Adjective phrases that point out attributes of a person or thing • Kenning: • A type of epithet or descriptive phrase that substitutes for a noun.

  10. BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf ða com of more         under misthleoþum Grendel gongan,         godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða         manna cynnes sumne besyrwan         in sele þam hean. Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura,or rhythmic pause, to create unity. Locate the caesura in these lines: Line divided into two parts by a caesura.

  11. BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot. Here are the same lines in modern English fromBurton Raffel’s translation: Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura.

  12. BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf Grendelgongan,godes yrre bær; myntesemanscaðamannacynnes The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration.

  13. BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot. Find examples of alliteration in Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:

  14. Beowulf vocabulary • Comitatus: Germanic warrior code of loyalty • Scop: poet in oral culture (“shaper”) • Preserves history • Entertains court • Spreads hero’s fame • Wergild: “man-price” • Substitute for violence • Wyrd: fate (to the POET = God’s will)

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