Beowulf

1. BeowulfRay Winstone as Beowulf in Robert
Zemeckis’ Beowulf, 2007

2. • The oldest poem written in English more than 1200 years ago.
1. The background
Beowulf
• Anonymous and composed in the first half of the 8th century.
• It deals with a time following the initial invasion of England by
Germanic tribes in 449 (5th~6th Cent.).
• It contains Christian elements; the pagan deities are removed.
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3. • The Geats (Beowulf; his retainer, Wiglaf; the Eorls).
2. The characters
A scene of Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, 2007
Beowulf
• The Danes (King Hrothgar).
• The Swedes.
• Grendel, the monster.
• Grendel’s mother.
• The fire-breathing dragon.
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4. • Loyalty and kinship.
3. The values of warrior society in the poem
Beowulf
• The need to take revenge.
• Physical strength and courage.
• The search for glory in this life.
• The importance of fate.
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5. • Beowulf prays to the Creator of all things, the ruler of the Heavens.
4. Christian elements
Beowulf
• God's will: identical with fate (wyrd).
• Grendel: descendent of Cain.
• Reference to the Old Testament.
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6. • Kenning
“The hoard-guardian”
(the guardian of the treasure = the monster)
• Alliteration
5. Techniques
Beowulf
“He rippled down the rock, writhing with anger”
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7. • Elevated language
5. Techniques
Beowulf
“They extolled (praised) his heroic nature and exploits (deeds)
and gave thanks for his greatness”
• Long lists of leaders and warriors
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8. the swan-road
the whale-road
the bent-necked wood
the ringed prow
The Ship
6. KENNINGS from the poem
Beowulf
The Sea
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9. The Sword
6. KENNINGS from the poem
Beowulf
the storm of swords
Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831-1892), The last
stand of King Harald Hardrada at the Battle of
Stamford Bridge in 1066
the leaving of the file
battle-lightning
The Battle
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10. the ring-giver
the dispenser of treasure
The Dragon
Ray Winstone as Beowulf in Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, 2007
Beowulf
the twilight-spoiler
6. KENNINGS from the poem
The Lord/King
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11. • The Feud = the tragic waste.
7. Themes
Beowulf
A system of revenge is repeated in the poem:
feud  peace  feud.
• The eternal conflict between dark and light, good and evil.
• Fate
• Courage as the quality that can stand against Fate.
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