CHAPTER 2

Survey of English and American

Literature
• The Epic Poem Beowulf
• Anglo-Saxon Poetry and the Oral
Tradition
 LEARNING
I CAN: TARGET
• Understand the essential literary works and themes of
the Old English era, emphasizing Beowulf,and Anglo-
Saxon poetry.
"BEOWULF
 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
• Beowulf is the first Masterpiece in English literature.
• Its author is unknown.
• Consists of 3,182 alliterative long lines
• The original audience and purpose of the work is also
unknown.
• Beowulf is the longest and greatest surviving Anglo-
Saxon poem
 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
• Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic in English
literature.
• An unknown bard (writer) composed it around the
7th or 8th century, and probably recited (said) it to
the accompaniment of harp (battle) music.
• The setting of the epic is the sixth century in what is
now known as Denmark and southwestern Sweden.
 MANUSCRIP
• By the tenth century, the words were first written in

T
Old English. This would be a foreign language to us,
although a few words are familiar: scyld (shield),
sweord (sword), Gode (God) and strong.
• Beowulf now exists in only one manuscript. This
copy survived a disastrous fire which destroyed the
library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571-1631).
 MANUSCRIP
T
• The Beowulf manuscript is now housed in the British
Library, London.
• The world of warriors in Beowulf is based on loyalty
and bravery, and combines pagan customs of
revenge with Christian faith in the will of God.
Above is the picture of the only surviving
 BEOWULF:
TITLE
• Anglo-Saxon word Beo means “bright” or “noble”
• Anglo-Saxon word wulf means “wolf”
• Beowulf means bright or noble wolf
• Other sources say Beo means “bear”
 BEOWULF:
• The narrative is set in pre-Christian past. However, England
had becomeSETTING
Christian by the time if was composed
• Setting-late 5th to early 6th century (400-500) AD
• Denmark and Geatland (a region in what is now Southern
Sweden
 LITERARY DEVICES &
• Wyrd: Anglo-Saxon word which refers to a
CRITICAL TERMS
mixture of fate and happening in Beowulf

• Wergild: literally, remuneration / "man payment" /

compensation to family of murdered warrior / victim to
avoid blood feuds
• Dom: refers to the fame which pagan
Germanic heroes sought to gain for
themselves on earth
 LITERARY DEVICES &
•CRITICAL TERMS
Thanes - retinue of fighting men gathered by the king
to protect him, warriors

• Mead - fermented drink made from water, honey, malt

and yeast

• Lay - short lyric or narrative poem to be sung; song,

tune
 LITERARY DEVICES &
CRITICAL TERMS
• Comitatus: a Latin term describing the military bonds
for Anglo-Saxon society. The comitatus consisted of a
lord and his warriors who show fierce loyalty to him.
The lord-warrior bonds were cemented by gift-giving.

• Allusion: reference in the work of literature to a

character, a place, or a situation from history,
literature, the Bible, mythology, scientific event,
BEFORE BEOWULF
WAS WRITTEN

it was not only spoken, it was

THE ANGLO -S AXON TRADITION
OF THE SCOP
The scops (pronounced
"shopes") were both composers
and storytellers who traveled
from court to court and village
to village. People would gather
around to hear the stories
recited and chanted and sung.
Simply put, the scops were
entertainers.
HE EPIC
THE EPIC
• Noble hero
EPIC
• Tells the traditions of the people and society
• Oral tradition
• Scops/Muse
• Hero of impressive stature, national and historical
importance
• Vast settings
• Deeds require Superhuman courage
• Supernatural forces; Gods, angels and demons are involved
HE EPIC
CHARACTERISTIC
S
THE FOLLOWING ARE
CHARACTERISTICS OF often
• Hero, usually male, is of noble birth; MOST EPICS:
of legendary
importance
• Hero's character traits reflect ideals of his
society
• Hero performs courageous and sometimes superhuman
deeds
• Action of the hero often determine the fate of the nation or
a group of people.
THE FOLLOWING ARE
CHARACTERISTICS OF
• The setting is vast in scope, often MOST
involving EPICS:
more than one
nation
• The poet uses formal and serious language
• Major characters often deliver long speeches

• The poem reflects timeless values such as courage and

honor
• The poem treats universal themes such as good and
evil or life and death
• Plot complicated by supernatural beings and may involve a
dangerous journey through foreign lands
HE EPIC
EPIC HERO
 EPIC HERO
• Central figure in a long narrative
• Reflects values of the society
• Beowulf is an ancient English hero but he is also an
archetype hero.
• Represents the community facing forces of darkness.
• Super physical strength
• Supremely ethical
HE EPIC PAGAN AND
CHRISTIAN
ELEMENTS
CHRISTIANITY
• God is mentioned by two of the main characters in the
poem: Beowulf and Hrothgar.

GRENDEL AS
LUCIFER
• Both are outcasts
• Perform a task for God
• Grendel is described as a son or descendant of Cain, a clear
Biblical reference
 • Strong nature presence
PAGAN • Strength of the warrior

• The poetry of Beowulf is densely packed and full of sounds.

• The subject matter deals with heroic adventures and

some fairy-tale themes (i.e. fire breathing dragons and big
scary monsters).

• It also deals with the nature of success and friendship in

Anglo Saxon times, as well as the final value to be found
 CHARACTERS
1. Beowulf – The protagonist and hero of the epic, a Geatish warrior who defeats monsters
and becomes king of the Geats.
2. King Hrothgar – The wise and aged ruler of the Danes, who seeks Beowulf’s help against
Grendel.
3. Grendel – A monstrous creature who terrorizes Hrothgar’s hall, Heorot, until Beowulf
defeats him.
4. Grendel’s Mother – A vengeful and powerful creature who seeks revenge for Grendel’s
death but is slain by Beowulf.
5. The Dragon – A fire-breathing dragon that attacks Beowulf’s kingdom; Beowulf fights it in
his final battle.
6. Wiglaf – A loyal warrior and Beowulf’s kinsman who helps him fight the dragon and later
becomes king.
7. Unferth – A Danish warrior who initially doubts Beowulf but later gives him a sword,
Hrunting, to fight Grendel’s mother.
8. Hygelac – The King of the Geats and Beowulf’s uncle.
9. Wealhtheow – Hrothgar’s queen, known for her wisdom and hospitality.
 THE EPIC
BEOWULF
3 PARTS
[Link] of Herot, Danish mead-hall of Hrotghar, the king,

from Grendel, the monster.

[Link] killing of Grendel's mother shown in her watery lair.

[Link] 50 years of peace, hero-king saves his people by slaying

the dragon but also dies in the attempt.

 SCYLD
SCEFING
The poem opens with a brief genealogy of the Scylding
(Dane) royal dynasty, named after a mythic hero, Scyld
Scefing.

Many years ago he came to them, the Danish people. They

found him on the beach in a boat no bigger than a shield, a
child without clothing, surrounded by treasure.
 SCYLD
SCEFING
No one knew who had sent him across the sea, but he lived
and grew and gained respect until they made him their King,
and all the tribes living nearby had to obey him.

No enemy dared to attack, and he gave gifts gladly to his

followers. He was a good King.
 PART 1-
Heorot (pronounced /hay oh roht) is a mead hall described in the
HEOROT
Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf as "the foremost of halls under
heaven."

It was built King Hrothgar.

Heorot means "Hall of the Hart" (male deer).

The Geatish (Swedish) hero Beowulf defends the royal hall and its
residents from the monster, Grendel.
 GRENDEL
For 12 years, a huge man-like ogre named Grendel, a descendant
of the biblical murderer Cain, has menaced the aging Hrothgar,
raiding Heorot and killing the king's thanes (warriors).

Grendel rules the mead-hall nightly.

He is jealous of the marry making and joys of the man as he is

not a part of the society.
 RESCUE
Beowulf, a young warrior in Geatland (southwestern Sweden),
comes to the Scyldings' aid, bringing with him 14 of his finest
men.

Hrothgar once sheltered Beowulf's father during a deadly feud,

and the mighty Geat hopes to return the favor while enhancing
his own reputation.
 UNFERTH
At a feast before nightfall of the first day of the visit, an
obnoxious, drunken Scylding named Unferth insults Beowulf and
claims that the Geat visitor once embarrassingly lost a swimming
contest to a boyhood acquaintance named Breca and is no match
for Grendel.

Beowulf responds with dignity while putting Unferth in his place.

In fact, the two swimmers were separated by a storm on the fifth

night of the contest, and Beowulf had slain nine sea monsters
 GRENDEL
ARRIVES
While the Danes retire to safer sleeping quarters, Beowulf and
the Geats bed down in Heorot, fully aware that Grendel will visit
them.

He does. Angered by the joy of the men in the mead-hall, the

ogre furiously bursts in on the Geats, killing one and then
reaching for Beowulf.