Do now: In your notebooks, answer the following prompt:

Transcription

1 Wednesday, November 12, 2014 Do now: In your notebooks, answer the following prompt: What is a hero? Explain your definition and give examples.

2 Thursday, November 13, 2014 Do now: In your notebooks, answer the following prompt: What is courage? How would most people today define courage?

3 Beowulf Themes Good vs Evil Identity Strength and Skill Wealth Religion Violence Courage Mortality The Supernatural Traditions & Customs

4 Beowulf Motifs/Symbols Motifs Monsters The Oral Tradition The Mead Hall Symbols The Golden Torque (Rewards) The Banquet (Celebration)

5 Beowulf Author Very little is known about the author Male Educated Upper Class Anglo-Saxon / Christian

6 Beowulf Information Poem was composed (created) in the 8th century Although it is English in language and origin, the poem does not deal with Englishmen, but their Germanic ancestors (Danes & Geats) The Danes are from Denmark & the Geats are from modern day Sweden

7 Beowulf Info (cont d) Some of the original poem was destroyed in the Ashburnham House Fire, causing a number of lines to be lost forever (1731) The poem is circular in that it starts out with a young warrior, he grows old, another young warrior saves the day, etc. (comes full circle)

8 Beowulf Info (cont d) Beowulf s people are the Geats Hrothgar s people are the Danes Beowulf reigned as king for 50 years According to legend, Beowulf died at the age of 90 years old Beowulf takes place in Scandinavia

9 Beowulf s Origin So why wasn t it written down in the first place? This story was probably passed down orally for centuries before it was first written down. It wasn t until after the Norman Invasion (1066) that writing stories down became common in this part of the world.

10 Beowulf s Origin So what s happened to the manuscript since the 11 th century? Eventually, it ended up in the library of this guy. Robert Cotton ( )

11 Beowulf s Origin Unfortunately, Cotton s library burned in Many manuscripts were entirely destroyed. Beowulf was partially damaged. The manuscript is now preserved and carefully cared for in the British Museum.

12 Beowulf Manuscript (Note the burn marks on the top and sides the manuscript was severely damaged in the fire)

13 Kennings The Poetry in Beowulf Like we discussed earlier, there are a few things to watch out for a. Compound metaphor (usually two words) b. Most were probably used over and over For instance: hronade literally means whaleroad, but can be translated as sea

14 The Poetry in Beowulf More kennings from Beowulf: banhus = bone-house = body goldwine gumena = gold-friend of men = generous prince beaga brytta = ring-giver = lord beadoleoma = flashing light = sword

15 The Poetry in Beowulf 1. Alliterative verse A few more things to watch out for a. Repetition of initial sounds of words (occurs in every line) b. Generally, four feet/beats per line c. A caesura, or pause, between beats two and four d. No rhyme

16 The Poetry in Beowulf Alliterative verse an example from Beowulf: Oft Scyld Scefing sceapena praetum, Monegum maegpum meodo-setla ofteah; Egsode Eorle, syddan aerest weard.

17 Setting: Beowulf s Time and Place Although Beowulf was written in English, it is set in what is now Sweden, where a tribe called the Geats lived. The story may take place as early as 400 or 500 A.D.

18 Setting: Beowulf s time and place Europe today Time of Beowulf

19 How We Date Beowulf Some Important Dates: 521 A.D. death of Hygelac, who is mentioned in the poem 680 A.D. appearance of alliterative verse 835 A.D. the Danish started raiding other areas; after this, few poets would consider them heroes SO: This version was likely composed between 680 and 835, although it may be set earlier

20 Anglo-Saxon Life Life was one of relentless hardship Life consisted of hunting, fishing, sailing and feasting (when the work was done) The land was covered by dark forests, full of wild beasts and savage men Women were well-respected

21 Anglo-Saxon Life (cont d) Land was divided into districts called shires Chief industries included trading, shipbuilding and agriculture Anglo-Saxons played chess, told stories, danced, sang, competed in games, partied and feasted for fun

22 Anglo-Saxon Society Tribal society with kinship bonds and a heroic code of behavior bravery loyalty to one's lord, one's warband (comitatus), and one's kin willingness to avenge one's warband or lord at all costs death preferable to exile. generosity of lord to thanes and of hero to warband and lord--gift-giving heroism (i.e., great deeds) brings honor, eternal fame, and political power

23 Anglo-Saxon Values Loyalty Fighting for one s king Avenging one s kinsmen Keeping one s word Generosity -- gifts symbolize bonds Brotherly love -- not romantic, but familial love Heroism Physical strength Skill and resourcefulness in battle Courage Public reputation, not private conscience

24 Anglo-Saxon Women Women make peace, bearing children who create blood ties Women pass the cup at the mead-hall, cementing social bonds Women lament loss, don t avenge

25 Anglo-Saxon Religion Mix of pagan and Christian values-- often in conflict. Pagan (secular or non-religious) lineage vs. Christian lineage Eternal earthly fame through deeds vs afterlife in hell or heaven honor & gift-giving vs. sin of pride (hubris) revenge vs pacifist view (forgiveness) Wyrd (Anglo-Saxon "Fate") vs God's will, etc.

26 Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms Map from C. Warren Hollister, The Making of England, p. 64

27 Sutton Hoo Sheds light on a period of English history Focused on margin between myth, legend, & historical documentation Sutton Hoo (near Woodbridge) In English county of Suffolk The site of two 6th- and early 7th-century cemeteries Ship nearly 80 feet long Laden with treasures and everyday equipment (even if it is everyday equipment made of gold) Window into the early Anglo-Saxon world

28 Sutton Hoo Site was used when Rædwald (ruler of the East Angles) held senior power among the English people Played a dynamic part in the establishment of Christian rulership in England Most likely the person buried in the ship Site has been vital in understanding the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of East Anglia and the whole early Anglo-Saxon period

29 Sutton Hoo One finding contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artifacts of outstanding art with historical and archaeological significance, now held in the British Museum in London Purse Lid

30 Sutton Hoo Photos from British Museum

31

32 Sutton Hoo A whetstone is a sharpening stone used for knives and other cutting tools A scepter is a symbolic ornamental staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch

33 Sutton Hoo

34 alliteration (n) repeating the beginning sound in a phrase Purposely included in epics so that they could be memorized and then retold by bards easily Notice how the following consonant sounds (b, f, h, s) are repeated at the beginning in the following passage: Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings, leader beloved, and long he ruled in fame with all folk, since his father had gone away from the world, till awoke an heir, haughty Healfdene, who held through life, sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad.

35 ancestral (adj) belonging to, inherited from, or denoting an ancestor(s) Ex: Now many an earl of Beowulf brandished blade ancestral Beowulf s sword, Hrunting

36 Anglo-Saxon(s) (n) a member of one of the Germanic peoples, the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, who settled in Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries.

37 assonance (n) words with similar vowel sounds creating internal rhyming Ex: Round about; folk awoke Dylan Thomas's "Do not go gentle into that good night" is a great example: "Old AGE should burn and RAVE at close of DAY; Rage, rage, against the dying of the light. Notice how the long a sound is repeated.

38 athelings (n) a prince or lord in Anglo- Saxon England

39 avenger (n) one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense

40 bane (n) a cause of great distress or annoyance A person or thing that ruins or spoils Gambling was the bane of his existence.

41 banish (v) to send someone away from a country or place as an official punishment forbid, abolish, or get rid of (something unwanted) Ex: Banish his fear by building a larger barricade.

42 barrow (n) a large mound of earth over a grave A burial mound

43 Battle of Hastings & Battle in which William the Conqueror, also known as the Duke of Normandy, defeated the Saxons under Harold II, leaving England vulnerable for the Norman Conquest, which was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army of Norman, Breton, and French soldiers led by Duke William II Norman Conquest

44 Battle of Hastings & Norman Conquest (cont d) Largely removed the native ruling class, replacing it with a foreign, French-speaking monarchy, aristocracy, and clerical hierarchy Brought about a transformation of the English language and the culture of England

45 Battle of Hastings & Norman Conquest (cont d) Had a huge impact on the people and their culture, the country and the world, ultimately deciding the future of the English language

46 boastful (adj) showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one s achievements, possessions, or abilities

47 bridle (n) the headgear used to control a horse, ocnsisting of buckled straps to which a bit and reins are attached (v) to put a bridle on a horse

48 bucklers (n) a small round shield held by a handle at arm s length (usually worn on the left arm) (v) to shield or defend with a buckler

49 byrnies (n) coat of mail A long (usually sleeveless) tunic of chain mail formerly worn as defensive armor Flexible armor worn during the Middle Ages made of interlinked metal rings

50 caesura (n) a pause marking a rhythmic point of division in a melody Ex: Oft to the wanderer -- weary of exile A pause or interruption near the middle of a line

51 chainmail (n) coat of armor Armor made of small metal rings linked together Worn by knights and soldiers in the Middle Ages

52 comitatus Literally, this means escort or comrade (n) a bond between a king and a warrior based on the king s rewards and the warrior s loyalty This term identifies the concept of warriors and lords mutually pledging their loyalty to one another

53 Danes (n) Hrothgar s tribe or people From Denmark

54 din (n) a loud, unpleasant and prolonged noise The clashing of swords made an awful din. (v) to make a loud, upleasant, and prolonged noise

55 elegy (n) a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead poem that is sad or mournful The adjective is elegiac

56 Epic Hero Epic hero is the brave, noble warrior in an epic poem The heroes were always energetic, healthy-minded young men who were brave and did things for glory Not just for a reward

57 Epic Hero (cont d) Is significant and glorified Has superior or superhuman strength, intelligence, and/or courage Is ethical Performs brave deeds Risks death for glory or for the greater good of society Is a strong and responsible leader Reflects ideals of a particular society Is on a quest

58 Epic Poem Epic poem usually very, very looooooooooooooooooooooooong Developed orally (word-of-mouth) Scop (an Old English poet or bard) Celebrates the deeds of a hero (usually a man) Captures the culture and the religious values of the people Has a larger-than life hero

59 Epic Poem (cont d) Early epics were sung for many years before being written down Often neglects historical fact because it is based on myth and custom Composed of events in everyday life, but exaggerates the mystery and romance Conflict is of universal importance There s a certain seriousness that accompanies most epics

60 Important Factors in an Epic Hero battles forces that threaten his world Unknown beasts or invaders Told in a serious way, with elevated (or poetic) language Kenning two words that rename a person, place, or thing Caesura rhythmic breaks

61 erst (adv) long ago; formerly The friends whom erst you knew. An adverb is a word that modifies an adjective, verb or other adverb word group (i.e. gently, quite, then, there, etc.)

62 exiled (n) the state of being barred from one s native country, typically for political or disciplinary reasons (v) to expel and bar someone from his/her native country

63 fain (adj) pleased or willing under the circumstances The traveler was fain to proceed. (adv) with pleasure; gladly I am weary and would fain get a little rest.

64 fell (n) a thin tough membrane covering a carcass directly under the hide (v) to cut down a tree or to beat or knock down someone or something

65 fen (n) a boggy wetland or marsh a low land that is covered wholly or partly with water that has peaty alkaline soil and characteristic flora (sedges and reeds)

66 foreshadow (v) to give a suggestion of (something that has not yet happened) to represent, indicate, or typify beforehand The hero s predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.

67 forged (n) a place where objects are made by heating and shaping metal

68 fratricide (n) the crime of murdering your own brother or sister; a person who has committed this crime (adj) fratricidal the act of a fratricide

69 gable (n) a decorative triangularshaped roofing structure

70 gallows (n) a structure on which a criminal who has been sentenced to death is killed by being hanged

71 Geats (n) people of the tribe of King Hygelac From Geatland

72 gilded (v) to cover something with a thin layer of gold (adj) covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint wealthy ad privileged people

73 gorge (v) to gorge is to eat greedily (n) a narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it

74 haste (hasten) (n) to make haste is to move swiftly or quickly Excessive speed or urgency of movement or action; hurry Verb form of haste is hasten

75 heirloom (n) a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations

76 helm (n) a tiller or wheel and any associated equipment for steering a ship or boat (v) to steer a boat/ship (v) to cover or furnish with a helmet

77 heptarchy (n) a hypothetical confederacy of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of the seventh and eighth centuries

78 Herot (n) a mead-hall described in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf as the foremost of halls under heaven. Palace for King Hrothgar, a legendary Danish king of the sixth century Herot means hart a strong, old, male deer

79 hilt (n) the handle of a weapon or tool, especially a sword, dagger or knife

80 hoard (n) a hoard is a collection of valuables, sometimes buried in the ground (hidden)

81 hoary (adj) gray or white with age very old

82 homily (n) written sermon or section of the poem that gives direct advice A usually short talk on a religious or moral topic

83 insidious (adj) causing harm in a way that is gradual or not easily noticed Awaiting a chance to entrap

84 Kenning (n) a phrase replacing the name of a person, place or thing A metaphorical expression used in place of a noun Ex: Giver-of-Rings, whale-home, whale-road, bone-house, wordhoard, sea-road, bone-locks, thought-seat, sky-candle, waterropes, swan s-way

85 lamentation (n) an expression of great sorrow or deep sadness

86 largesse (n) the act of giving away money or the quality of a person who gives away money another word for generosity

87 liegemen (n) a devoted follower A vassal (aka a holder of land) who owes feudal service or allegiance to a nobleman

88 linden (n) a soft, light wood A tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant yellowish blossoms that had pale, soft timber used for carving and furniture

89 lineage (heritage) (n) lineal descent from an ancestor (pedigree) (n) heritage property that is or may be inherited or passed down through generations

90 malicious (adj) characterized by malice Intending or intended to do harm

91 maw (n) the jaws or throat of a voracious animal The mouth or gullet of a greedy person

92 mead (mead-hall) (n) an alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water (n) mead-hall a place in which to drink the mead (beer hall) The large hall where the lord and his warriors slept, ate, held ceremonies, etc. A feasting hall Herot the hart

93 mere (n) an expanse of standing water lake, pool

94 metaphor (n) a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to suggest that they are similar A direct comparison Asserts that a subject is on some point of comparison the same as another otherwise unrelated object Ex: He was drowning in paperwork.

95 Middle English (n) English between the late 12 th 15 th centuries SAMPLE:

96 Modern English English after the late 15 th century Shakespeare is Early Modern English

97 moor (n) heath or tract of uncultivated land An expanse of open rolling infertile land A boggy area One that is peaty and dominated by grasses and sedges

98 mooring (n) securing a ship A place where a boat or ship can be anchored or moored

99 morale (n) the feelings of enthusiasm and loyalty that a person or group has about a task or job The team is playing well and their morale is high.

100 mortally wounded (n) a very severe and serious injury, whether accidental or inflicted intentionally, which leads directly to the death of the victim Death will not be instantaneous, but follows soon after

101 motif (n) recurring thematic element in a literary work

102 ( nickers

103 Old English English language from middle of the 5 th century to the beginning of the 12 th century

104 Beowulf Sample (Old English) Hwaet! Wē Gār-Dena þēodcyninga hū ðā æþelingas Oft Scyld Scēfing monegum mægþum egsode eorlas fēasceaft funden. wēox under wolcnum, oð þæt him æghwylc ofer hronrāde gomban gyldan. in geārdagum þrym gefrūnon, ellen fremedon. sceaþena þrēatum meodosetla oftēah, syððan ærest wearð Hē þæs frōfre gebād, weorðmundum þāh þāra ymbsittendra hyran scolde, Þæt wæs gōd cyning!

105 omnipotent (adj) all powerful a deity having unlimited power; able to do anyting

106 omniscient (adj) all knowing The story is told by an omniscient narrator.

107 onomatopoeia (n) the formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. Ex: Crunch the bones

108 perilous (adj) full of danger or risk A perilous journey awaited Beowulf.

109 personification (n) a figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form Ex: The tree limbs danced in the wind.

110 plaited (n) an arrangement of hair made by weaving three sections together braiding The horse had a plaited mane.

111 prologue (n) an introduction to a book, play, etc.

112 prosperous (adj) having success usually by making a lot of money

113 pyre (N) a bonfire for burning a dead body

114 recking (v) to be of account or interest To care for or to matter to

115 rune / runic (n) consisting or set down in an ancient alphabet used for writing Germanic script, especially in Germanic languages, most often of Scandinavia and Britain from about the 3 rd to 13 th centuries

116 scabbard (n) a sheath for a sword A protective case for a sword that covers the blade

117 scathe (n) injury or harm (v) to do harm to Scathing (adj) very harsh or severe

118 Scop (n) composers and storytellers of Anglo- Saxon poetry A bard or story-teller The scop was responsible for praising deeds of past heroes, for recording history, and for providing entertainment

119 scruples (n) morals or ethical considerations that restrain one s behavior and inhibits certain actions

120 sentinel (n) a person or thing that stands watch A sentry A lone sentinel kept watch over the fort.

121 simile (n) a comparison using like or as Ex: She is as fast as a cheetah

122 sinews (n) sendons or tendons Connects muscles to bones

123 skulk (v) to move stealthily or in a secret way, expecially because you are planning to do something bad

124 solace (v) to console or cheer (n) someone or something that gives a feeling of comfort to a person who is sad, depressed, etc. (a source of comfort) She seeks solace from her friends

125 symbol (n) something that represents an abstract idea

126 (n) claws talons

127 thane (n) an Anglo- Saxon lord, usually a high ranking warrior A feudal baron that holds lands and performs military service for the king

128 theme (n) the central idea(s) of a literary work

129 thrall (n) a servant slave A person in moral or mental servitude

130 treachery (n) harmful things that are done usually secretly to a friend or your own country An act of harming someone who trusts you

131 valor (n) courage, bravery, honor

132 vexed (adj) to be irritated or annoyed

133 wassail (n) an early English toast to someone s health

134 wergild (n) a fine paid to the relatives of a murdered person to free the offender from further obligations or punishment

135 woes (n) a feeling of great pain or sadness Problems or troubles

136 wroth (adj) intensely angry or highly incensed

137 wyrd (n) concept in Anglo- Saxon culture roughly corresponding to fate or personal destiny Fate This idea crops up a lot in the poem, while at the same time there are Christian references to God s will.