Name______
British Literature
Anglo-Saxon: Beowulf
Directions: As you view the power point, fill in the notes on this sheet. You will be responsible for learning and understanding these notes for homework, quizzes, and a test.
BEOWULF
Anglo-Saxon Period
· The ______period is the earliest recorded time period in ______history.
· Few people ______in this period
· Oral tradition – was performed and/or sung by a Bard (______) from memory in ______.
** This is why there are often several versions of the same story.
· Scops – ______/______
· Authors were ______
THE STORY OF BEOWULF
· ______ marks the beginning of English literature
· Beowulf is one of the earliest known ______in the ______language; written in Old English
· It contains specific Motifs
o Motifs – a motif is a recurring ______or ______in a work of literature
§ ______and ______Allusions
§ ______Customs
§ ______Customs
§ Traits of the ______
§ Beowulf’s ______
· The story of Beowulf wasn’t written down until about ______by
“The Beowulf Poet” who is unknown. He wrote down the poem which for many
years had been only ______or ______.
· Scholars believe “The Beowulf Poet” was most likely a ______, thus adding a ______perspective.
· There is only______original Beowulf manuscript existing today. It is in the ______Museum in London.
· BEOWULF is an ______ poem.
o _____ – a long, narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a
larger-than- life hero who embodies the values of a particular
society.
§ Examples of other EPICS are…
· Greek “______” and “______” – Homer
· ______and ______ – Tolkien
And of course there’s the EPIC HERO!!!!
· ______ – must undertake a quest to achieve something of tremendous value
to himself and his society
SUMMARY OF EPIC FEATURES:
· A ______, ______poem
· ______hero; often with ______characteristics
· Concerns eternal human problems like the struggle between ______
· Presented in a ______manner using elevated (______) language
· Hero represents widespread ______, ______, or ______values
· This EPIC poem of BEOWULF is often divided into 3 sections; it is about Beowulf’s ______.
o …the Battle with ______(Grendel represents______)
o …the Battle with ______(She also represents ______.)
o …the Battle with ______
(It not only represents evil but also______.)
· Just in case you wanted to know, Beowulf himself represents ______:
o ______
o ______
o ______
o ______
· Beowulf: Where does it take place?
o Geatland and Denmark (Modern ______and ______)
· Note: None of the action takes place in ______!!!
The Scary, Horror Movie “Where”
More specifically…
Beowulf takes place in a “once upon a time world” which taps into “three
archetypal sites of ______.”
o The barricaded night house / ______(______)
o The infested underwater ______(Grendel’s ______)
o The Reptile-taunted rocks of a wilderness and cave (Fire Breathing ______)
I like to think of them this way, in terms which may mean more to your or my generation:
o Our bed on a story night when we are alone in the house (where we should feel safe.)
o A murky lake or a beach where Jaws takes place.
o The dark recesses of the earth: a cave, or even your own dark basement!!!
WHY?
Why do we read Beowulf?
· It’s a very creative, imaginative, poetic ______.
· It gives us insight into the origins of the ______people, the culture, who, through seafaring conquests, founded the world we currently live in.
· It gives us insight into the ______of our ______.
· It gives us insight into ______everywhere and throughout time (time, birth, death, fame/success/glory, honor, friendship, conflict, home, country, adventure, spirituality – all of these things ______and matter to all people)
· It’s ______and we love a good challenge!!!
· It’s ______and gets us to think about our own worst______
· It’s a VERY important piece of ______historically
(This is the “because we have to” reason!!)
Characteristic features of Anglo-Saxon Literature
Alliteration - the repetition of ______in lines of poetry
______ – a metaphorical phrase used to replace a concrete noun
Ex: sea = ______
Ex: battle = ______
It is like a ______
Caesura – a ______in the middle of a line of poetry.
• 2 part line – each line is separated by a ______or ______in the middle of the line; each part generally has ______.
Caesura example: Put a smiley face where there is a separation.
Then the Scylding warrior savage and grim,
Seized the ring-hilt and swung the sword
Struck with fury despairing of life
Thrust at the throat broke through the bone rings:
The stout blade stabbed through her fated flesh.