Beowulf

1. Beowulf The Beginning of English Literature A Heroic Epic Epic- narrative poems that stress the battle between good and evil, superhuman feats of valor, and loyalty to one’s king and leader.

2. The Importance of Beowulf • Longest surviving poem that’s written in Old English • The poem is profoundly human • Consists of the tribal history of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes • Describes a history of pride, loud talk, drunken violence, spies, raids and bloody battles.

3. Poetic Qualities • Original is 3,000 lines long • Written in unrhymed alliterative lines • Alliteration- the repetition of initial sounds at the beginning of words following each other immediately or at short intervals • Examples: "lady lounges lazily“/ sweet smell of success/ a dime a dozen/ bigger and better/ jump for joy

4. Anglo-Saxon Ideals • They were warriors and seamen • Extreme loyalty existed between these warriors and their king • Love for glory and fame • Honored the Truth

5. Anglo-Saxon Warriors Athletic, Strong, Seafaring, Adventurous

6. Mead-Hall • Warriors gathered in front of their king to drink, boast, tell stories, receive treasures from the king • This is where the scop would sing stories (poems) • The hall offered safety but there was a constant fear of an invasion from other tribes • This fear created a sense of paranoia and doom in society • Symbol of Success, Power, Pride, Loyalty

7. Mead-Hall --symbolized victory in war/it was like a banquet hall– Used for parties and celebrations Mead- a fermented liquor made from honey -----used at banquets and celebrations

8. Religion • These people believed FATE ruled human destiny and were resigned to the fact that death was a certainty • Fate was also called Wyrd • Pagan ideals were important because life was often hard and uncertain - They did not believe in life after death - Heroic human will and courage allowed individuals to control their own response to fate

9. Overview of Plot • Beowulf is about a hero who becomes the leader of his people • He goes to help the Danish people defeat a monster that is tormenting them • The action is extraordinary and the hero is larger than life.

10. Literary Devices In Beowulf 1. Allusion-a reference in a literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or another work of literature. Allusions are often indirect or brief references to well-known characters or events. Example: The giants who fought with God were repaid by the flood.

11. Literary Devices In Beowulf 2. Kenning- a short description of a thing used in place of the thing's name (metaphoric comparison- usually a hyphenated or compound word) Example: King- ring-giver Ship- sea-rider Devil- shepherd of evil/ guardian of crime • Metaphor- comparison between two otherwise dissimilar objects (I hit a homerun on that test)

12. Literary Devices In Beowulf 3. Simile- A comparison made between two things using the words “like” or “as.” The comparison must be between two essentially unlike things. Example:He is fast aslightning.

13. Literary Devices In Beowulf 4. Imagery- Words or phrases that create pictures or images in the reader's mind. Images can also relate to the other senses. Example: 1. His face turned bright red and he seemed to be holding his breath right before he fumed and charged like an angry bull across the crowded auditorium.