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HELP! I need somebody!. Think of a time when you helped someone in need or someone helped you OR a time when you did NOT render help and wish you had. Give a brief summary of the incident then answer the following analysis questions: What was your/their motivation (why was help rendered?)?
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HELP! I need somebody! • Think of a time when you helped someone in need or someone helped you OR a time when you did NOT render help and wish you had. Give a brief summary of the incident then answer the following analysis questions: • What was your/their motivation (why was help rendered?)? • What was the result? • What would have happened if help was not rendered? • Did anyone else offer help? Why/why not?
Origins Unknown author; possibly one Christian author in Anglo-Saxon England Unknown date of composition (roughly 8th-11th Century CE)
Conflict Christian Values and Heroic Values • This tension is at the heart of the poem • Pagan history and myth are made to point to a Christian moral • Beowulf is poised between two value systems
Mix of pagan and Christian Values • Fate vs. choice of good and evil • Mythological monsters vs. references to God and Jesus • Beowulf was a war leader of the Geats, a group of people in what is now southern Sweden • Hrothgar was king of the Danes
The Epic Hero Defeats his enemies using Physical strength Skill as a warrior Nobility of character Quick wits Is not modest – boasting is a ritual Embodies the ideals and values of his people Is eager for fame Because the Germanic tribes believed death was inevitable, warriors sought fame to preserve the memory of their deeds after death A man of high social status whose fate affects the destiny of his people
Old English • Beowulf was written in Old English, an early form of English • Old English was spoken in the Middle Ages from about 6th century to 11th century CE • In 1066, William the Conqueror successfully invaded England, bringing his Norman French language with him; the nobility began to speak French, and gradually Old English evolved into Middle English (1100-1500): “Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote/The droghte of March hath perced to the roote” • Modern English has been spoken since the Renaissance – Shakespeare is NOT Old English; he is Early Modern English
Elements of an Epic • Recounts a journey • Main character is a hero • Exaggerations are used • The setting covers multiple nations • Gods and the like are included in the plot • Story begins in the middle of things (in medias res) • Journey to the underworld • Use of the number 3 • Typical theme of good vs evil • Long narrative poem
Literary Devices • Allusion: Biblical, Germanic oral tradition, Norse myth and legend, historical Anglo-Saxon kings (eg. King Offa of Mercia) • Alliteration (eg. Scyld’s strong son) • Epic poetry: a long narrative poem written in elevated style which celebrates the deeds of a legendary hero or god. • Scop: Anglo-Saxon composers and storytellers (like minstrels or bards) • Kenning: two-word metaphorical name for something (eg. whale-road=sea)
Kennings • A kenning is a poetic renaming for a simpler, more concrete noun; for example, storm of swords is a kenning for • Examples of modern day kenning: gas guzzler Battle SUV = Old Car
Warrior Code • Comitatus: Germanic code of loyalty • Thane: warrior – swears loyalty to the king for whom they fought and whom they protected • Kings: generous, protected thanes • Reputation: thanes were expected to be loyal, brave, courageous; kings were expected to be generous and hospitable • Wergild: “man-payment”; a fee paid to the family of a slain man to atone for his murder and to prevent the family from seeking revenge.
2 Types of Epics • Folk • Told out loud first (usually by scops) • Unknown author • Unknown dates • (E.g.—Beowulf is a folk epic because we don’t know who wrote it) • Literary • Known author • (E.g.– Paradise Lost, by John Milton is a literary epic because we know who wrote it.)
Themes • Good vs. Evil • Forces of darkness—irrational and menacing—are always at work in society • Life is a continuing struggle • Actions speak louder than words • Judge the greatness of a human by the greatness of his deeds and noble ancestry • Help thy neighbor • To be loyal is to selflessly make sacrifices for a loved one.
