Beowulf Part Two EPIC Chapter 1, Grade 12 California Standards Reading Standard 3.6 Analyze the way in which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth and tradition in literature. Reading Skills Tracing Recurring Motifs Beowulf insists upon going into battle alone.»when has he done so in the past? What does this motif suggest? Sacramento County Office of Education 1
Vocabulary Development Anglo-Saxon Affixes The words unscathed (I. 307) and unburdened (I. 310) share something as Anglo-Saxon as the story in which they are used:» They share the Anglo-Saxon prefix un-, which means not, lack of, or the opposite of. What do these two words mean? What are other un- words that you think describe Beowulf or this battle? Philosophy: Fate An important element of the Anglo-Saxon worldview was the concept of fate (wyrd). Specifically the Anglo-Saxons believed that a hero could postpone death through personal bravery but that fate eventually would win out. How does fate play a part in this battle? Culture: Comitatus According to the Anglo-Saxon code of the comitatus, warriors must defend their lord to the death. Some critics see the failure of Beowulf s men to come to his aid a catastrophic breach of comitatus as an ominous forecast of the demise of the Geats. Sacramento County Office of Education 2
Literary Focus Epic Hero Under the Anglo-Saxon code of comitatus, a leader rewarded his followers with gold and riches and expected loyalty in return. Based on this code, do you think that Wiglaf has the makings of an Anglo- Saxon epic hero?» Why or why not? Culture: Comitatus In a first reading, one wonders how Beowulf s request to see the treasure relates to the fact that he is thinking of his people. When you read on to II.411-418, the relationship becomes clear:» He wants to see the treasure to assure himself that he has provided for his people s welfare after he is gone. Culture: Comitatus Remember that it was important to dispense treasure as a symbol of the loyalty between a king and his people, according to the Anglo-Saxon code. Sacramento County Office of Education 3
Culture: Barrows A barrow can mean a hill as it does in I.288 of the epic, but it can also mean a mound of earth or stones that is erected over a burial site. The statements that the barrow will loom on the horizon (II.423-425) and visible from sea (II.423-425) mean that Beowulf s Barrow will be immense indeed. Literary Focus Epic Hero The early Anglo-Saxons did not believe strongly in the afterlife but in the glory or fame that lived on after death. According to this belief, how should people remember a hero who has died? Violence and widespread destruction were the hallmarks of a Viking raid. The warriors raped women, slaughtered monks and children, and often killed men by slitting the backbone so that their ribs sprang out, exposing their heart. Sacramento County Office of Education 4
The Vikings were greatly feared and hated by the early people of what is now Great Britain. Their main targets were monasteries. The Vikings first attacked the monastery in Lindisfarne in A.D. 793 and moved quickly onto the church at Jarrow:»By A.D. 795, they had also plundered Columba s monastery on Iona. The Vikings preyed upon these settlements because the monasteries had accumulated great treasure. Until A.D. 851, most Viking raids were hit-and-run. In that year, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, 350 ships destroyed Canterbury and caused more carnage than had every been heard of. The Vikings remained in Canterbury throughout winter. Sacramento County Office of Education 5
Although ruthless and violent, the Vikings had a softer side.» They loved their eddas or epic sagas, so much that they often brought their skalds, or court poets, to their battles to read verses for luck.» They also created beautiful gold and inlaid jewelry and fine tapestries. Sacramento County Office of Education 6