ABEOWULF Review

  1. The Anglo-Saxon warriors drove the Celts into the mountains.

The land became England. Its nickname was “Angle-land.”

  1. Alfred, the Saxon king of Wessex, known as “Alfred the Great,” brought peace to England by winning it back from the Danes. He had many literary texts and charters translated into Old English, such as the Bible.
  1. The Battle of Hastings was in 1066. Harold II became king when King Edward died. William of Normandy, France, went to war over the crown. William killed and mutilated the body of Harold and wascrowned king on Christmas day, known as William the Conqueror.
  1. The French brought feudalism and chivalry to England.

Feudalism- a system where land is given to lords from the king in exchange for support. Lords parcel out land to vassals for military duty.

Chivalry- a code where knights take an oath to be honorable, generous, brave, respectful to women, helpful to the weak, and loyal in battle to the king

  1. The 14th Century was in the Dark Ages. The Black Death killed 1/3 of the English people; there was war; conflict between popes caused the church to lose respect; feudalism was fading.
  1. Arabic numberals replaced Roman numberals. Buttons became common. Mechanical clocks appeared.
  1. Art forms, Amusements, and signs of the Enlightenment were:

Cathedral construction celebrating the glory od God

Elaborate and highly decorated manuscripts

Tournaments

Performances of Acrobats, storytellers, and musicians

Stained glass windows

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (year-by-year diary of world events

Riddles

  1. Archetypes of the Epic and the Epic Hero are Odysseus from The Odyssey, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Superman.
  1. When the hero boasts of his great physical strength to his enemies, he becomes committed to prove his courage.
  1. Epics were originally recited because few people could read.
  1. A hero’s character was determined by the ideals of his people; the hero reflected the traits most admired by his own culture. The Anglo Saxon hero illustrated courage, loyalty, tenacity, strength, duty, and cunning.
  1. A mead hall is a banquet hall named after the fermented honey wine drunk there.
  1. Kings bestowed riches upon their most loyal warriors to retain their allegiance.
  1. The Beowulf epic took place in the 6th or 7th Century in Scandinavia (Denmark).
  1. A scop is a storyteller. It is pronounced shope.
  1. The Beowulf epic is more than 1300 years old.
  1. Grendel hated the music and the beauty being enjoyed on earth.
  1. The writer alludes to the creation as recorded in the Bible; he mentions Cain and Able from Genesis; He talks about “the Lord’s will.” These are indications that the epic was recorded by Christian monks.
  1. Grendel represents evil and the Danes represent good.
  1. Grendel sneaks up on the men while they are asleep, snatches them up and slaughters them with his claws and teeth.
  1. Hrothgar is afraid that this attack might just be the beginning and that the monster will return.
  1. The only survivors were those who fled.
  1. Herot stood empty and stayed deserted for years, 12 winters.
  1. A kenning for Grendel is “mankind’s enemy.”
  1. God protected Hrothgar’s throne.