Beowulf700 AD

by Anonymous

EpicsEpic: A long narrative poem that tells the tale of

a society and its morals.

Epic Hero: The hero within the epic that must:

A. Go on a journey

B. Fight supernatural creatures

C. Posses and use a weapon only he or she can weild

D. Has an extra-ordinary ability (his grip and swimming/holding of his breath)

Epics ContinuedBeowulf is the one archetype that all heroes are

based on. He is the ideal that most authors base their own heroes on. He is the original super-hero.

The main characters and places are:

Beowulf- Geat Prince Grendel- Villian

Hrothgar- Danish King

Wiglaf- Second in command to Beowulf

Herot- Mead Hall

SummaryAnswer the following question in a summary

format:

What makes a great leader? Pick one or two qualities and then explain why in a summary. I will check it in 5-10 min.

BeowulfBeowulf starts “En Medias Res” or “In the

middle.”

The story begins after Grendel has been attacking Hrothgar’s land and Mead Hall (Herot) for 12 years killing 30 of his men.

Beowulf, the Geat (Sweedish) Prince has come to payback a “wergild” a blood pact. Even though there was no murder or killing, Beowulf is there to payback his father’s, Ecgtheow, blood oath/pact because of Hrothgar’s help to his father.

Beowulf ContinuedBeowulf arrives and Hrothgar’s men

automatically feel threatened. Hrothgar is a great ruler and his second in command, Unferth, questions Beowulf and tries to humiliate him. Beowulf answers back and explains why he abandoned his challenge with Brecca in the ocean because of the tempest (ocean storm) and sea monsters that began to attack them.

He then boasts he will defeat Grendel without weapons.

Beowulf ContinuedThis is where we will start reading- It is when

Beowulf arrives in Demark with 11 of his best men to help Hrothgar defeat Grendel- the descendant of Cain or the “Damned One.”