BEOWULF

What is it?

Epic poem

in Old English

at the end of the 7th century

Characters

Beowulf

Scandinavian hero

Native of Greatland

Courangeous,generous,strong,cunning,fearless,wise,moral and good

Hrothgar

The king of Danes

Grendel

Half-Human monster

Grendel's Mother

Plot

Hystorical context

The Roman Empire had ruled much of the world.

Civil wars

Visigoths and Vandal forced Roman to abandon the lands.

Jutes,Saxons and Angles

Anglo-Saxon culture

Angle-Lond= England

Religions

Norse mythology

The gods Thor

Odin and Freya

Six days of the week

Pagan and Christianity

Why do we still read it?

Oldest epic in English

Monks

First English epic hero

Beowulf

The oldest English dragon-slayer

Early use of literary devices

Metaphor

Irony

Foreshadowing

Understatement

Alliteration

A record of Anglo-Saxon culture

Common language

Hero's code of values

Physical strength, oratory skill

Comitatus, Wyrd

Confidence, justice/vengeance

Wergild, persult of glory

Lineage, respect for enemies