Intro Unit 1 Intro Unit 1

Part 1 – Tests of Courage

Part 2 – Reflections of Everyday Life

Part 3 – Attempts at Perfection

In reading great literature, I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. ~

C.S. Lewis novelist & essayist

ObjectivesUnderstand the following literary terms:Understand the following literary terms:•EpicEpic•Stock EpithetStock Epithet•KenningKenning•CaesuraCaesura•Identify alliteration and appreciate its Identify alliteration and appreciate its effectseffects

•Make judgments about Beowulf as an Make judgments about Beowulf as an epicepic•Recognize theme – Recognize theme – tests of couragetests of courage•Recognize shared characteristics of Recognize shared characteristics of cultures through readingcultures through reading•Recognize themes across culturesRecognize themes across cultures

Tests of CourageThe Anglo-Saxon and medieval

periods were ones of turmoil and change – times when peoples courage was frequently put to the test. Amid this turmoil, the tests of courage often took the form of physical challenges, such as confronting a dreaded foe or battling to survive on the high seas.

Other tests of courage involved spiritual or emotional challenges, such as standing up for one’s religious beliefs or enduring the absence of a loved one.

As we read this part of Unit One, try to place yourself in the distant past and imagine how you would respond to similar challenges.

http://www.silenceopensdoors.com/tag/grendel/

The Epic•An epicepic is a long narrative poem that celebrates a hero’s deed. The earliest epic tales survived for centuries as oral traditions before they were written down.

•They came into existence as spoken words and were retold by poet after poet from one generation to the next.

•Most orally composed epics date back to preliterate periods – before the cultures that produced them had developed written forms of language.

•Many epics are based on historical fact, so that their public performance by poets (known in different cultures by such names as scopsscops and bardsbards) provided both entertainment and education for the audience.

The Epic•One characteristic feature of oral poetry is the repetition of certain words, phrases, or even lines. Two of the most notable examples of repeated elements are stock epithets stock epithets and kenningskennings.

•Stock epithetsStock epithets are adjectives that point out special traits of particular persons or things. In Homer, stock epithets are often compound adjectives, such as the “swift-footed” used to describe Achilles.

•KenningsKennings are poetic synonyms found in Germanic poems, such as the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf. Rather than being an adjective, a kenning is a descriptive phrase or compound word that substitutes for a noun. For example, in Beowulf “the Almighty’s enemy” and “sin-stained demon” are two kennings that are used in place of Grendel’s name.

Literary AnalysisAlliterationAlliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Poets frequently use alliteration to emphasize particular words or images, heighten moods, or create musical effects. In words of the oral tradition, alliteration was also used to aid memorization. In his, translation of Beowulf, Burton Raffel has used alliteration to suggest the sound and style of the Old English poem.

The ancient bblade bbroke, bbit intoThe monster’s skin, drew bblood…

Look for other examples of alliteration as you read the excerpts from Beowulf.

Literary AnalysisOld English poetry has a strong rhythm, with Old English poetry has a strong rhythm, with each line divided into two parts by a pause, each line divided into two parts by a pause, called a called a caesuracaesura. .

In the Old English text printed here, the caesuras are indicated by extra space in the lines. In his translation, Burton Raffel has often used punctuation to reproduce the effect of the caesuras.

Old English version Modern English versionða com of more under misthleoþum Out from the marsh,, from the foot of mistyGrendel gongan, godes yrre bær; Hills and bogs,, bearing God’s hatred,mynte se manscaða manna cynnes Grendel came,, hoping to killsumne besyrwan in sele þam hean. Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.

The hero’s…The hero’s…•generally a male, is of noble birth or high position and generally a male, is of noble birth or high position and often of great historical or legendary importanceoften of great historical or legendary importance•traits reflect important ideals of his societytraits reflect important ideals of his society•performs courageous – sometimes even superhuman – performs courageous – sometimes even superhuman – deeds that reflect the values of the era. deeds that reflect the values of the era.

•The actions of the hero often determine the fate of a nation The actions of the hero often determine the fate of a nation or group of people. or group of people. •The setting is in vast scope, often involving more than one The setting is in vast scope, often involving more than one nation.nation.•The poet uses formal diction and a serious tone. The poet uses formal diction and a serious tone. •Major characters often deliver long, formal speeches.Major characters often deliver long, formal speeches.•The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve a long and dangerous journey.may involve a long and dangerous journey.•The poem reflects timeless values, such as courage and The poem reflects timeless values, such as courage and honor. honor. •The poem treats universal themes, such as good and evil or The poem treats universal themes, such as good and evil or life and death.life and death.

The Birth of the Beowulf EpicThe Birth of the Beowulf EpicAfter the fall of the Western Roman After the fall of the Western Roman Empire to Germanic tribes in the 5Empire to Germanic tribes in the 5thth century A.D., Europe entered a period of century A.D., Europe entered a period of political unrest and economic and political unrest and economic and cultural decline. cultural decline.

Many groups of Germanic speaking Many groups of Germanic speaking tribes (tribes (Angles, Saxons and JutesAngles, Saxons and Jutes) ) abandoned their homes due to the abandoned their homes due to the unrest and settled on the island of unrest and settled on the island of Britain, where they established what is Britain, where they established what is now called Anglo-Saxon civilization.now called Anglo-Saxon civilization.

Their famous tale of the great hero Their famous tale of the great hero Beowulf takes place on the European Beowulf takes place on the European mainland, among two related tribes, the mainland, among two related tribes, the Danes of what is now Denmark, and the Danes of what is now Denmark, and the Geats of what is now Sweden. Geats of what is now Sweden.

The Birth of the The Birth of the Beowulf Beowulf EpicEpicBeowulf is a Geat warrior who crosses the sea to Beowulf is a Geat warrior who crosses the sea to aid the Danes and later returns to Sweden to aid the Danes and later returns to Sweden to succeed his uncle Hygelac (the Higlac of this succeed his uncle Hygelac (the Higlac of this translation) as king translation) as king

of the Geats.of the Geats.

Although we cannot be sure Beowulf ever really Although we cannot be sure Beowulf ever really lived, we do know that Hygelac was a historical lived, we do know that Hygelac was a historical figure who led a military raid some time around the figure who led a military raid some time around the year 525. The action of Beowulf is presumably set year 525. The action of Beowulf is presumably set not long afterward.not long afterward.

500 A.D. Europehttp://www.firstboynton.com/

2011/07/01/early-middle-ages-500-1000-barbarians-the-papacy/

The Birth The Birth of the of the Beowulf Beowulf EpicEpicAt the time, Germanic societies At the time, Germanic societies had not adopted Christianity. had not adopted Christianity. Their warrior culture celebrated Their warrior culture celebrated loyalty and deeds of great loyalty and deeds of great strength and courage. For strength and courage. For entertainment, people gathered entertainment, people gathered in mead halls (bars) where they in mead halls (bars) where they drank and listened to tales of drank and listened to tales of heroic achievements. heroic achievements.

These tales were presented These tales were presented both in the form of epic poems both in the form of epic poems and in shorter verse narratives. and in shorter verse narratives.

Poet-singers called Poet-singers called scopsscops in in Anglo-Saxon society—recited Anglo-Saxon society—recited the poems in a chanting voice, the poems in a chanting voice, usually accompanying usually accompanying themselves on a harp. themselves on a harp.

http://misswealhtheow.blogspot.com/2009/05/folklore-of-south-west.html

BeowulfBeowulfEach night for 12 years, the monster Each night for 12 years, the monster Grendel has come out of the darkness to Grendel has come out of the darkness to terrorize the Danes. Beowulf, a young terrorize the Danes. Beowulf, a young prince of the Geats, travels to the Danish prince of the Geats, travels to the Danish shore and offers to kill Grendel with his shore and offers to kill Grendel with his bare hands. The Danish king Hrothgar bare hands. The Danish king Hrothgar gratefully accepts. gratefully accepts.

… …And so the And so the epic tale begins.epic tale begins.

http://www.freemoviedb.com/watch/8402/beowulf__grendel.html