Post on 31-Aug-2014
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BeowulfAbercrombieSP 2014
The Celts- Among them were
the Britons- Religion was a form
of animism – saw spirits everywhere and they controlled all aspects of existence
- Priests – Druids were intermediaries
-FUN FACT: some think that Stonehenge was used by the Druids for religious rites having to do with lunar/solar cycles
Celtic WarriorsAll the Britons dye their bodies with woad, which produces a blue color, and this gives them a more terrifying appearance in battle. They wear their hair long, and shave the whole of their bodies except the head and the upper lip.
- Julius CaesarObligatory Braveheart Reference
Conquered by the Romans…for a second• The romans brought Christianity and roads, but
not much else. • By 409 A.D. they had evacuated their troops from
Britain. • Government was in shambles; the island was
invaded by a series of Germanic peoples• The Anglo-Saxons drove out the Britons who
retreated to Wales
Alfred the Great• King Alfred of Wessex aka
Alfred the Great (reigned 871-899)
• Led the Anglo-Saxons against the invasion of the Danes (fierce Viking peoples)
• Under him and Christianity, Anglo-Saxons united to protect their people, their culture and their church from the Danes.
Anglo-Saxon Society• Lived in close homesteads surrounding a communal court
sense of security Participatory rule by consensus
• 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 • Loyalty grew out of a need for protection• Bonded together under strong leaders
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 love• Heroism• Physical strength• Skill and resourcefulness in battle• Courage
• Public reputation, not private conscience
Anglo-Saxon Religion• Mix of pagan and Christian values--
often in conflict.•Pagan (secular (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.
Anglo-Saxon Religon• Woden – help humans
communicate with spirits; associated with burial rites.
• Thunor - Similar to Thor
• Dragon – protector of treasure; personification of “death the devourer” and guardian of the grave
Monasteries• Christianity provided another source of hope• Monasteries served as centers of learning• Preserved Latin and Greek classics• Mix of Christian and Pagan imagery in Beowulf indicates
that it was probably translated by a monk• Monks copied manuscripts by
hand in scriptoriums
For the non-Christian Anglo-Saxons, whose religion offered them no hope
of an afterlife, only fame and its commemoration in poetry could
provide a defense against death.
More than EntertainmentThe Bards
• Scops• Skilled storytellers• Charged with
preserving culture through poetry and music
• Oral history• Provided hope for an
afterlife• Elegy – poem of
mourning
Beowulf
Beowulf Fun Facts• The oldest
surviving poem in the English language
• Oral epic; handed down by scops with changes and embellishments• Some of the characters actually existed
Terms We Need to Know• Alliteration –
repetition of consonant sounds at beginning of words• Used to help bards easily remember poem
Caesura - a rhythmic pause within a line of verse
Kenninga. Compound metaphor (usually two words)b. Most were probably used over and over
For instance: hronade literally means “whale-road,” but can be translated as “sea”
Other kennings from Beowulf:
banhus = “bone-house” = bodygoldwine gumena = “gold-friend of men” = generous princebeaga brytta = “ring-giver” = lordbeadoleoma = “flashing light” = sword
Setting – The Mead Hall (called Herot)
Mead is a honey flavored
fermented drink.
The Hall was a central
gathering place where
warriors could feast, listen to
stories (entertainment), and sleep in
safety.
Hrothgar’s Hall is under attack by the monster Grendel
Putting yourself in the HallImagine that you live in this large wooden building (hall). There are no separate rooms for most people. There is no electricity. There is no plumbing. The only heat comes from the fireplace. How do you manage to do these daily activities:- Getting food- Washing clothes- Cooking and washing dishes- Staying warm (in winter) or cool (in summer)- Bathing and using the toilet- Sleeping arrangements- Entertainment
The MonomythThe Hero’s Journey
That’s totally epic…• Epic - A quest story on a grand scale• Epic hero – the central figure in a long narrative that
reflects the values and heroic ideals of a particular society
Epic hero traits• Is significant and glorified • Has superior or superhuman
strength, intelligence, and/or courage
• Is ethical • Risks death for glory or for the
greater good of society• Is a strong and responsible leader• Performs brave deeds• Reflects ideals of a particular
society• Is on a quest
Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth• Aka The Hero’s Journey, the
Quest Story, The Epic Cycle• First appeared in Campbell’s
book Hero with a Thousand Faces
• Monomyths (one myth) look surprising alike; archetypal
• A cyclical story • Hero undergoes a transformation
through stages• Offers a sacrifice to save the world
Draw something that lookslike this in your notes.Leave room on the outside For notes.
Return Departure
Initiation
Beowulf is called to adventure when he hears the stories of Grendel. Beowulf does not refuse the call, but embraces it as a
true Anglo-Saxon hero; the most honorable fate would be to find death in battle.
God offers Beowulf the strength to conquer Grendel without weaponry and the ancient heirloom to defeat his mother; Hrothgar offers wise advice; Unferth offers an ancient blade
Beowulf’s crossing the sea to Denmark is a threshold in which he commits to change and disconnects from his native culture
Beowulf separates himself from his men to travel alone in his decent into Grendel’s mother’s lair.
DEPARTUREDeparture
Beowulf’s journey comprises of three major trials; another trial includes his journey to reach Grendel’s mother’s lair,
which is protected by creatures.
Beowulf lacks female influence, perhaps due to Anglo-Saxon warrior culture; however, Wealhtheow gives
Beowulf a “torque of gold” for luck.
There is no temptress; perhaps, again, due to Anglo-Saxon warrior culture. Although it never overcame
him, his own pride could have tempted him from his never-ending glory.
Beowulf’s father figure can be represented by Fate/God, who Beowulf must accept as the
possessor of ultimate power. Father figure can also be seen as Hrothgar or
Hyglec, who Beowulf confronts to gain acceptance, and is embraced as a son
INITIATION
Initiation
Beowulf reaches the lowest point of his journey when he faces Grendel’s mother; for the first time we see, as does he, that he is not immortal; he changes his approach to battle. His men believe him to be dead, but he is victorious, ascends, and is reborn as a true hero. Beowulf brings back Grendel’s head and the hilt of the
giant sword back to Heorot; thus, ridding the Danes of monsters. While this serves as a literal boon, Beowulf has brought knowledge back that one can defeat monsters and revive salvation. A theme also echoed in the battle against the dragon.
INITIATION
Initiation
Beowulf does not falter and eagerly returns to Geatland.
Beowulf must defeat the dragon in order for his story to be told;
the story becomes the essential knowledge which empowers a
hero-centric war culture standing at the crux of Anglo-Saxon
religion
After being wounded, Beowulf receives help from his loyal thane, Wiglaf, who enables
Beowulf to defeat the dragon, claim treasure for his people,
and eventually sings the song of Beowulf.
Becomes master of Geatland & Denmark; of the super-natural world
through Christ and of the human world through his immortal tale. In defeating the dragon, Beowulf
retains his boon and crosses into the afterlife, but is resurrected in
the telling of his heroic tale.
Though Beowulf dies, he lives on forever; the ultimate boon becomes the story of Beowulf, the story of a hero. The tale doesn’t simply tell that dragons are
real, but that dragons can be defeated.
RETURN
Return
The Monomyth and Shrek
With a partner, list
the monomyth elements of
Shrek.
Shrek vs. BeowulfCompare and contrast the epic quest
elements of Shrek and Beowulf. Within your response should be an answer to the
following question: How are they each a reflection of the time period/culture.
(Beowulf Anglo-Saxon culture, Shrek as twenty-first century hero, or anti-hero as the case may be.) What universal themes
do each work reveal (use specific examples from each piece)?