Anglo-Saxon and Beowulf

Abercrombie

SP 2014

- 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

All 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

The Bards• Scops

• Skilled storytellers

• Charged with preserving

culture through poetry and

music

• Oral history

• Provided hope for an

afterlife

• Elegy – poem of

mourning

• The oldest surviving

poem in the English

language

• Oral epic; handed

down by scops with

changes and

embellishments

• Some of the characters

actually existed

• Alliteration –

repetition of

consonant

sounds at

beginning of

words

• Used to help

bards easily

remember

poem

Kenning

a. 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” = body

goldwine gumena = “gold-friend of men” =

generous prince

beaga brytta = “ring-giver” = lord

beadoleoma = “flashing light” = sword

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

Imagine 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 Hero’s Journey

• 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

• 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

• 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

KNOWN

UNKNOWN

RefusaloftheCallOftenwhenthecallisgiven,thefutureherofirstrefusestoheedit.Thismaybefromasenseofdutyorobligation,fear,insecurity,etc.[Fear/Resistancetochange.]

SupernaturalAids(MeetingwiththeMentor)Oncetheherohascommittedtothequest,consciouslyorunconsciously,hisguideandmagicalhelperappears,orbecomesknown,andmaypresenttheherowithtraining,equipment,oradvicethatwillhelplaterintheirquest.[Overcomingfear] CrossingoftheFirstThreshold

Thisisthepointwherethepersoncrossesintothefieldofadventure,leavingtheknownlimitsofhisworldandventuringintoanunknownanddangerousrealmwheretherulesandlimitsarenotknown.[Committingtochange;CulturalDisassociation] BellyofTheWhale

Thebellyofthewhalerepresentsthefinalseparationfromthehero'sknownworldandself.Byenteringthisstage,thepersonshowswillingnesstoundergoametamorphosis.RoadofTrials

Theroadoftrialsisaseriesoftests,tasks,orordealsthattheheromustundergotobeginthetransformation.Oftentheherofailsoneormoreofthesetests,whichoftenoccurinthrees.

MeetingWiththeGoddessThisisthepointwhenthepersonexperiencesalovethathasthepowerandsignificanceoftheall-powerful,allencompassing,unconditionallovethatafortunateinfantmayexperiencewithhisorhermother.

WomanasTemptressInthisstep,theherofacesthosetemptations,oftenofaphysicalorpleasurablenature,thatmayleadhimorhertoabandonorstrayfromhisorherquest.[Experiencingnewconditions.]AtonementwiththeFather(InnermostCave/Approach)

Inthisstepthepersonmustconfrontandbeinitiatedbywhateverholdstheultimatepowerinhisorherlife.Inmanymythsandstoriesthisisthefather,orafatherfigurewhohaslifeanddeathpower.Thisisthecenterpointofthejourney.(Theheroandnewfoundalliesprepareforthemajorchallengeinthespecialworld)[Preparingformajorchange.]

Apotheosis(SupremeOrdeal)Whensomeonediesaphysicaldeath,ordiestothe

selftoliveinspirit,heorshemovesbeyondthepairsofoppositestoastateofdivineknowledge,

love,compassionandbliss.(Outofthemomentofconfrontingdeath/fearcomesanewlife.

[Bigchangewithfeelingsoflifeanddeath]

TheUltimateBoon(Reward)Theultimateboonistheachievementofthegoalofthequest.Itiswhat

thepersonwentonthejourneytoget.Allthepreviousstepsservetoprepareandpurifythepersonforthisstep.

[Acceptingconsequencesofnewlife]

RefusaloftheReturnHavingfoundblissandenlightenmentintheotherworld,theheromaynotwanttoreturntotheordinaryworldtobestowtheboonontohisfellowman.

TheMagicFlightSometimestheheromustescapewiththeboon,ifitissomethingthatthegodshavebeenjealouslyguarding.Itcanbejustasadventurousanddangerousreturningfromthejourneyasitwastogoonit.

RescuefromWithoutJustastheheromayneedaidstosetoutonthequest,oftentimesheorshemusthavepowerfulguidesandrescuerstobringthembacktoeverydaylife,especiallyifthepersonhasbeenwoundedorweakenedbytheexperience.

[Newchallengeandrededication]

CrossingoftheReturnThreshold(Resurrection)Thetrickistoretainthewisdomgained,tointegrateitintoahumanlife,andfigureouthowtosharethewisdomwiththeworld.(Anothermomentofdeath/rebirth,butonamorecompletelevel.Heroresolvestheoriginalconflict.[Lastattempts,finaldangers;Growthatreintegration]

MasterofTwoWorlds(ReturnwiththeElixir)Achievingabalancebetweenthematerialandspiritual—theinnerandouterworlds.(Theheroreturnsbearingthetreasurethathasthepowertotransformtheworldastheherohasbeentransformed.

FreedomtoLiveMasteryleadstofreedomfromthefearofdeath,whichinturnisthe

freedomtolive.Thisissometimesreferredtoaslivinginthemoment,neitheranticipatingthefuturenorregrettingthepast.

[Mastery]

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OrdinaryWorld&CalltoAdventureWhileinmundanesituation,thehero'sjourneybeginsbybecomingawareoftheworldoutsidehisown.Hisjourneyisusuallygiventohimbyaheraldwhohelpstheherobyactingasaguideaintotheunknown.[Limited/Increasedawarenessofproblem.]

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INITIATION

DEPARTURRETURN

Joseph Campbell’s

MONOMYTH

Mr. Brennan World Literature

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Joseph Campbell’s

MONOMYTH


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.

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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

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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.

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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

With a

partner, list

the monomyth

elements of

Shrek.

1. Hero

2. Mentor

3. Threshold Guardian

4. Herald

5. Shapeshifter

6. Shadow

7. Trickster

8. Allies (sidekicks)

• The protagonist that answers the call of

duty and separates himself/herself from

the normal world.

• Sacrifices self for the sake of the journey

and its potential to help others.

• S/he accepts the challenge, goes on a

quest, and restores a balance.

• We experience the journey through the

eyes of the HERO.

• an older, wiser teacher

• serves as a role model or as hero’s conscience.

• They provide gifts of:

•Insight (information, understanding, knowledge, magic)

•Training (preparation for success)

•Motivation (you can do it)

Protects the special world and the

secrets it contains

Tests the hero and makes him/her pass

tests to prove worth, ability and

dedication

The mentor can act as a threshold

guardian.

The guardian is not necessarily an

antagonist or “bad guy.”

It will be me when some chick tries to

date my son. She’ll have to get through

me!

• Announces coming change and issues

challenges (go on a journey (Gandalf) or

discover the truth

• Could be a person (Gandalf to Bilbo/Frodo)

or an event or force (the reaping)

• The herald is like the match that starts the

fire.

• The herald ignites the hero’s journey.

• A character’s who assistance is not quite clear

• Could be a “shady” character that might help or might hurt (Say or Han Solo or Gollum)

• Keeps you on edge wondering what will happen

• Doesn’t have to physically change shape (like Jacob does in Twilight series)

• Could mislead or deceive; is cynical and sarcastic

• Keeps hero on guard

• A worthy opponent with whom the hero must struggle in a fight to the end

• must be destroyed or neutralized for journey to be complete

• Psychologically can represent the darker side of the hero’s own psyche.

• Hero’s enemies or villains often wear the shadow mask to destroy the hero and/or his cause

• Not always “bad” or “evil”—sometimes just the opposite of the hero(ine)

• Could be funny and make us laugh

• This character shows the absurdity of

the situation the hero is in

• Enjoys watching the status quo being

altered

• Shows how things are spinning out of

control

• Fills in gaps where hero is deficient

(skills or knowledge)

• Represents virtues of hero (could

be one sidekick or a team)

• Support system (vs. the mentor

who is more of a teacher)

• Allows hero to complete journey

Compare 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.

Anglo-Saxon and Beowulf

Education

Transcript of Anglo-Saxon and Beowulf