Beowulf – Epic poem of O.E
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According to modern scholars, dated around 750
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Oldest surviving English Epic of the Teutonic people.
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Anonymous Anglo-Saxon Poet.
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Type: Heroic poetry.
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Begins with, “Yes, we have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes’ kings in the old days–how the princes of that people did brave deeds.”
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Narrative: Omniscient 3rd person narrator.
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Dialect: West Saxon
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Contained in the Nowell Codex manuscript Collection
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Theme: Continental German
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Three major trials:
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Battle with a monster: named Grandel
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Followed by an attack by Grendel’s Mother
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Years later: confronted by a dragon
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Characters:
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Beowulf: King of Geates and son of Ecgtheow, who sailed to Denmark to rid King of Denmark Hrotgar from monster Grendel.
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King Hrothgar: King of Danes.
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Wealhtheow: Hrothgar’s wife, Queen of Danes.
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Aeschere: Hrothgar’s trusted adviser and friend, whom Grendel’s Mother kills.
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Grendel: Monster, He is guided by human emotions and impilses.
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Dragon
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Heorot: in Beowulf, is a place of King Hrothgar.
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The last Battle in Beowulf takes place in Greatland, where Beowulf has become King.
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After 50 years from killing Grandel, he killed a dragon before death.
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In the 1990s two major poets Scot Edwin Morgan and Irishman Seamus Heaney retranslated it into modern English, Heaney’s translation became a worldwide bestseller.
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In “Beowulf,” what is wergild? Blood-price
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Kevin Kiernan produced The Electronic Beowulf (1982)
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Seamus Heaney translated Beowulf in 1999
