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Beowulf: History, Religion, Readings of Poetry

Explore the history and religion behind Beowulf, read classic examples of poetry, and delve into the influence of different languages on this ancient epic. Enjoy this link to learn more!

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Beowulf: History, Religion, Readings of Poetry

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  1. Beowulf

  2. Beowulf Danelaw (Vikings/Norse) Where Old English and Norse mixed Alfred the Great

  3. Indo-European Group of Languages European Celtic Slavic Germanic Latin Irish Russian Danish Scottish Polish Dutch Welsh English French Spanish Italian Beowulf DanishDutch English

  4. Beowulf

  5. Beowulf

  6. Beowulf

  7. Beowulf • History • Religion • Readings of Poetry • Classic examples Enjoy this link!

  8. Beowulf • 449 A.D.: Angles, Jutes, and Frisians invade Britain • Arturius = King Arthur? • 12 words left from original Britons • Huge ditch separates A/S from Wales; saves Welsh language

  9. Beowulf 793 A.D.: Danes invade A/S and begin “The Dark Ages”

  10. Beowulf Alfred the Great (of Essex?) • Was pushed into SW corner of England where defeated Danes, saving A/S language. • Commissioned A/S Chronicle • Encouraged arts/literature

  11. Beowulf • 1066 A.D.: Duke William of Normandy (Viking Duke in northern France) defeats King Harold • He brings French into English resulting in “Middle English”

  12. Resulting Literature Beowulf • A/S words: the, this that, through--and more, including the days of the week. • A/S literature deals with themes of heroism, transcience of life, and dignity in defeat • Latin and Greek influence

  13. Beowulf • History • Religion • Readings of Poetry • Classic examples Enjoy this link!

  14. Beowulf Religion Theories "F.A. Blackburn’s “The Christian Colouring in the Beowulf”: 1. Christian heard pagan stories and used them. 2. Christian used old lays as his material. 3. Heathen used old stories or old lays; later revised by Christian.

  15. Religion Theories Beowulf • Christian elements: • 1. Biblical allusions: Cain, Abel, flood. • 2. Disapproval of heathen ideas (see intro. to Danes) • 3. References to Christian doctrines: heaven, hell, Day of Judgement (10 cases) • 4. Allusions to Christian God (53 cases) • Tweaked to be Pagan? Vice-versa? • Unlike pagan “The Wanderer” or “The Seafarer,” w/ Christian “warnings” tacked onto ending, Beowulf has Christian elements throughout.

  16. Beowulf Religion Theories • Marie Padgett Hamilton’s “The Religious Principle”: Beowulf is about righteous living with reprobate(s) on earth. Wyrd is pagan concept given Christianized meaning. • While Christian, there is little Christian doctrine. (References are only Old Testament and easily refigured from pagan equivalents.)

  17. Beowulf Religious BackgroundNoah and the Flood (lines 1148-1157) • “Giants” (KJV Bible)/“Nephilim” (New International Version Bible) • Monster theories: • Offspring of “Sons of God” and “Daughter of Men?” • Separate race? • God angry, so flood (22’ higher than highest mountains): • Noah’s Ark: H x L x D: 45’ x 450’ x 75’, respectively • 150 days after rains, ark landed in Ararat (Turkey) • Noah’s family/animals left ark 375 days after entering.

  18. Classic Poems • Beowulf (epic) • “The Wife’s Lament” (lyric) • “The Seafarer” (lyric) • “The Ruin” (lyric) • Riddles (monk’s mental recreation) Click on image above to learn about The Exeter Book

  19. The Exeter Book“a big English book about every sort of thing, wrought in song” • First Bishop of Exeter, Loefric, presented it to the cathedral library in ~1070 A.D. • Copied by a scribe earlier in ~975 A.D., it’s wide range of A/S poems: • “The Wife’s Lament” (RARE love lyric) • “The Ruin” • 95 verse riddles • Lyric poetry: short, focused on an emotion • Was beer mat, cutting board, burned with firebrand (last 14 pages) No poem titles given

  20. Beowulf Epic Recipe • Rulers • Evil Creatures • Heroes • Landmarks • Timeline

  21. Beowulf Internet Activity The Anglo-Saxon Village The Beowulf Electronic Project

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