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Introduction to Beowulf

Introduction to Beowulf. College Prep English Mrs. Kazmaier. Epic Poem & Epic Hero. Elements of the Epic Main character is a hero. Hero is charged with a quest. Hero is tested. Mythical beings, magical animals, human helpers. Supernatural world-normal humans can’t go.

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Introduction to Beowulf

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  1. Introduction to Beowulf College Prep English Mrs. Kazmaier

  2. Epic Poem & Epic Hero • Elements of the Epic • Main character is a hero. • Hero is charged with a quest. • Hero is tested. • Mythical beings, magical animals, human helpers. • Supernatural world-normal humans can’t go. • Hero nearly gives up/appears defeated. • Resurrection. • Restitution.

  3. Beowulf • Literary Guide: Beowulf • Beowulf Audio

  4. Poetic Terms • Alliteration • Compounding • Kennings • Formulas • Variation • Versification

  5. Alliteration • Repetition of stressed sounds. • Usually consonants at the beginning of words or symbols. • Has a similar function as rhyme. • She sells seashells by the sea shore.

  6. Compounding • Combining two words to make a new word. • Meets needs of alliterative meter, as part of a formula, or to make a new word. • feorhseoc: “life-sick” (feorh=life, seoc=sick) • Gar-Dena: “Spear-Danes” (gar=spear, dena=Danes)

  7. Kennings • Special form of compounding • Metaphoric in meaning. • banhus = ban + hus= “bone-house” = human body • hronrad = hron + rad = “whale’s road” = sea • rodorescandel = “sky’s candle” = sun

  8. Formulas • Ready made phrases to fulfill metrical needs of a line. • Standard tool of an oral poet. • Some believe that use of formulas means the poem originated in the oral tradition. • Gives a poem a lofty and high traditional character. • Gombangyldan = “pay tribute” • geong in geardum= “young in the courtyard” • folce to frofre= “as a comfort to the people”

  9. Variation • Restatement of a concept or term using different words. • Reminds audience of important facts. • Allows poet to present an event or image from multiple perspectives • Providing additional information or shedding new light on events • Beowulf mapelode, bearnEcgpeowes(Beowulf spoke, the son of Ecgpeow).

  10. Versification • Beowulf is written in alliterative verse. • Uses alliteration as one of the major organizing principle of a poetic line. • Four stressed beats, undetermined number of unstressed beats per line • Two half lines separated by a caesura (strong pause). • Third stress of the line alliterates with the first and/or second stress. • Fourth stress never alliterates. • Oft ScyldScefingsceaþenaþreatum,monegummægþum, meodosetlaofteah,

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