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Anglo-Saxon Literature

450-1066. Anglo-Saxon Literature. Characteristics of Anglo-Saxon Poetry:. No rhyme Alliteration – repetition of consonant sounds Caesura – a rhythmical pause in the middle of a line Four beats per line Mixture of Christian and pagan elements

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Anglo-Saxon Literature

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  1. 450-1066 Anglo-Saxon Literature

  2. Characteristics of Anglo-Saxon Poetry: • No rhyme • Alliteration – repetition of consonant sounds • Caesura – a rhythmical pause in the middle of a line • Four beats per line • Mixture of Christian and pagan elements • Kennings – specialized metaphors of comp0und words

  3. Beowulf • 3182 lines as opposed to over 15,000 • Epic – long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero whose actions affect the fate of a nation • Iliad, The Odyssey • Anglo-Saxon heroic ideal: • Glorified by the people he saves • extremely Ethical • Monsters are defeated • Superior Strength

  4. Characters in Beowulf • Beowulf – epic hero; a Geat • Brecca – Beowulf’s friend & competitor • Higlac – Beowulf’s uncle & feudal lord • Grendel – man-eating monster • Unferth – skilled warrior of Hrothgar; jealous of Beowulf • Hrunting – Unferth’s sword used by Beowulf • Hrothgar – King of the Danes (Denmark) • Geats – Beowulf’s tribe (Sweden) • Grendel’s mom – she-wolf; water-witch • Herot – Hrothgar’s golden mead hall • Wyrd – pagan goddess of fate • Wiglaf – Beowulf’s loyal warrior; fights the dragon

  5. Universal Theme • The central idea or insight of a work of literature • NOT the same thing as the moral • Often implied • What is the theme of Beowulf?

  6. Imagery

  7. Motive • Grendel – • Beowulf – • Grendel’s mother –

  8. Symbolism • Grendel & Grendel’s mother – • Grendel’s and Grendel’s mother’s lair – • Herot –

  9. Christian elements

  10. Pagan elements

  11. “The Head of Humbaba” from Gilgamesh • Gilgamesh – the king of Uruk; eager for fame • Enkidu – Gilgamesh’s friend; faithful and dedicated • Humbaba – evil; deformed giant and forest guardian • HEROIC IDEAL? WHY or WHY NOT?

  12. “The Seafarer” • Exeter Book – a manuscript of miscellaneous Anglo-Saxon poems dating from 940 AD, copied in 975 AD, and preserved at Exeter Cathedral in England

  13. Examples of… • Kenning • Imagery • Elegaic mood (a sense of sadness over the grimness of earthly life) • alliteration

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