The EPIC Before we Read
What Genre of literature is Beowulf? Brief outline of Beowulf: Beowulf is an EPIC poem. It s main character is Beowulf, a warrior with high standing who battles a brutal and bloodthirsty monster. Beowulf embarks on a quest to aid a neighboring kingdom by defeating the hideous monster, Grendel. Beowulf s superhuman strength is shown when he fights the savage Grendel with his bare hands and wins! Beowulf s EPIC tale is considered a Folk Epic in Anglo- Saxon history.
What is Anglo Saxon? Anglo Saxons were the descendants of three Germanic peoples: Angles Saxons Jutes These groups migrated to England from Northern Germany in the 5 th Century. Who is the author of Beowulf? The author of Beowulf is unknown.
What is an epic? An EPIC tale usually consists of a male on a journey yet he is constantly being thrown off course by an outside source Characteristics of an epic A physically impressive hero A mixture of the known physical world A quest or journey undertaken in search of something of value The involvement of supernatural forces Glorification of the hero at the end A basis in a specific culture or society
Elements of an EPIC: Epic hero: The central character of an epic. Quest: A long and dangerous journey. Valorous deeds: Actions that demonstrate the hero s courage. Divine intervention: The hero gets help from a god or another supernatural force who takes an interest in his quest. Great events: Important events from the history or mythology of a nation or culture often provide the themes and backdrop of the epic narrative.
How does an Epic start? An epic opens by stating the subject or purpose, followed by an invocation of a muse (a spirit thought to inspire an artist) or supernatural force who would help to tell the story. What is Media Res? Media res is Latin for in the middle of things. In other words, the reader joins the story in the thick of the action.
How were EPICS told? ORAL STORY TELLERS were used. They were minstrels, or scops. These individuals travelled around England telling their stories. Poems and stories were told via song. The ORAL STORY TELLER had a store of formulas ready in his memory. He knew formulas for describing the arrival and greeting of guests, the eating of meals, and the taking of baths. Descriptions of characters or places were often made up on the spot, made to fit a specific rhythm or meter. An example of today s oral story tellers:
Imagery in Beowulf Epic poetry is filled with rich, descriptive language about exciting action. Paraphrasing: To determine the MAIN IDEA of a passage you can paraphrase it identify key details and restate them in your own words. This will help you understand the long, involved sentences.
Who is the impressive hero? Beowulf What is the physical world? Anglo Saxon Europe
Supernatural forces Glorification of the hero at the end A basis in a specific culture or society Gods and Goddesses Fantasy Creatures Killing Grendel with his bare hands Men being strong, fighting for their villages and surrounding villages
Who is someone you feel is a true hero? Explain what s/he did to make you feel this way.
K W L What I KNOW about Beowulf and the Epic What I WANT to know about Beowulf and the Epic What I learned about Beowulf and the Epic
1. Reparation 2. Solace 3. Purge Write down the definition, pronunciation, part of speech and a sentence using the word correctly. 4. Writhing 5. Massive 6. Loathsome
The EPIC A study before reading English IV/ IV Honors Mrs. Foor
Beowulf is not a pagan poem. There are no pagan gods, no idols, no wanton human sacrifices. Anglo-Saxon England had long since been Christianized when Beowulf was composed, but the epic is primarily concerned with social, not religious, issues. Still, if not overtly Christian, Beowulf s close identification with ancient Hebraic ways of life marks it as very much an Old Testament poem. Almighty God, clearly and repeatedly evoked, operates ethically and holds humans to high moral standards. The creation story of Genesis is beautifully paraphrased. Hell is cited as the home of evil; the Abel and Cain tale is mentioned explicitly. And just as evil is punished, good prevails. The message is that men must learn to behave responsibly, and t love and be faithful to one another, exactly as Beowulf has shown that they can. Page 37 of text book
Beowulf sets sail to aid the Danish King Hrothgar in his fight against the monster Grendel. A terrifying swampland creature whose eyes burn with gruesome light. Grendel has been terrorizing Hrothgar s great banquet hall, Herot, for 12 years!!! The battle between Beowulf, a young warrior of great strength and courage, and Grendel, his bloodthirsty foe, is the first of three major battles that are fought in this long poem.
The tales in Beowulf originate from a time when stories and poems were passed along by word of mouth. In Anglo-Saxon England, traveling minstrels, called scops, captivated audiences with long narrative poems. These poems changed and grew at they were passed from one scop to another. Beowulf was told and retold in this fashion throughout England for hundreds of years. In the 11 th Century, the epic was finally written down.
Who would you want to save and rescue your home? Why did you choose this person? Who are modern day warriors and are they involved in an epic? Why? (Give 3 responses and examples) Answer below.
In Beowulf, a brave hero battles swamp-dwelling monsters that threaten a kingdom. Think of a movie or book in which a modern hero defeats an evil person or creature that menaces society. Briefly describe the nature of the threat and the form that it takes.