Tuesday, April 23, 2013

History of the Anglo-Saxon Culture

History of the Anglo-Saxon Culture

Sometime between 400 and 600 AD, people groups from what is now Germany as well as lower Scandinavia migrated to Briton. The Angles, Saxons, Jutes and possibly even the Franks sailed across the thin strip of sea between continent and island. They settled there, building simple wooden houses in agricultural villages. Men were the leaders of the households, while the women were considered second class citizens. Life was particularly hard for women due to the high mortality rate of mothers giving birth. The men chose a dangerous lifestyle, however, because they were almost always warring with their neighbors. The most common weapons they used were spears and round shields, with only the wealthiest carrying swords. A militaristic society, Anglo-Saxon culture greatly valued bravery, loyalty and prowess in battle. When they were not at war, the warriors enjoyed feasts and entertainment at a mead hall in the center of the village. They developed their own styles of art, architecture and pottery and eventually a written language that laid the foundation for the modern English language. The Anglo-Saxons brought their pagan religions with them to Britain but Christian missionaries converted many of them, giving the few writings that survived the centuries a somewhat Christian perspective. As time passed, the newcomers engaged in tribal feuds with the Britons and among themselves, eventually producing seven dominant kingdoms on the island: East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex, and Wessex. Viking invasions soon stamped out all of them but Wessex, led by Alfred the Great. Over time, this sect conquered the invaders and all the surrounding peoples to remain in power until the Norman invasion and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
 "Photo of the Sutton Hoo helmet temporarily located in room 1 of the British museum. Cite.


What is a Hall?









Websites on Anglo-Saxon Culture
Anglo-Saxon Life and Culture

BBC History

Resources for Medieval Studies

Anglo-Saxon Culture: an online guide

Beowulf Quotation Analysis


Beowulf Quotation Analysis
The following quotes are excerpts from Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf.

Weapons - p.33, l.432-42
"'I have heard moreover that the monster scorns
in his reckless way to use weapons;
therefore, to heighten Hygelac's fame
and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce
sword and the shelter of the broad shield,
the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand
is how it will be, a life-and-death
fight with the fiend. Whichever one death fells
must deem it a just judgement by God.'"
These words were bravely spoken by Beowulf following his declaration to destroy the gruesome Grendel. In King Hrothgar's hall, Hereot, the mighty Geat refuses to use weapons to defeat the monster.  Here he claims that his power remains not in man's swords and shields, but in God's sovereignty.  But taking a deeper look, we find that the author may have also intended to hint that the Beowulf sought not man's armor, but the "Armor of God", described in Ephesians 6.  A reason why Beowulf would want to wear spiritual armor as opposed to man-made armor is because, as a leader, he would need to stand against distractions which would lead him away from glorifying God.  In Beowulf's last battle, against the dragon, he seems to have lost his trust in the Almighty.  This is symbolized as he wears man's armor and therefore loses the battle and perishes–he trusts his own way of doing something.

Lives Centered on Fame - p.45, l.659-61
"'Be on your mettle now, keep in mind your fame,
beware of the enemy. There's nothing you wish for
that won't be yours if you win through alive."
Through these words, spoken by Hrothgar to Beowulf, one may sense the common source of motivation for men of this time.  Informingly, the king reminds Beowulf, as the time came to wait for Grendel's return, that he should be strong in spirit by remembering his renown and his reward should he defeat the monster.  The strive for fame and glory contradicts the constant crave demonstrated by Beowulf to give glory to his Creator.  But the author makes it clear that Beowulf remains loyal, at least for the earlier part of his life, to God through his sadistic battles.
"...the Geat placed complete trust
in his strength of limb and the Lord's favour" p.45, l.670

Hrothgar's Wisdom - p.117-121, l.1698-1768
"Then everyone hushed
as the son of Halfdane spoke this wisdom.
'A protector of his people, pledged to Uphold
truth and justice and to respect tradition,
is entitled to affirm that this man
was born to distinction. Beowulf, my friend,
your fame has gone far and wide,
you are known everywhere. In all things you are eventempered,
prudent and resolute. So I stand firm by the promise of
friendship
we exchanged before. Forever you will be
your people's mainstay and your own warriors'
helping hand.
Heremod was different,
the way he behaved to Ecgwala's sons.
His rise in the world brought little joy
to the Danish people, only death and destruction.
He vented his rage on men he caroused with,
killed his own comrades, a pariah king
who cut himself off from his own kind,
even though Almighty God had made him
eminent and powerful and marked him from the start
for a happy life. But a change happened,
he grew bloodthirsty, gave no more rings
to honour the Danes. He suffered in the end
for having plagued his people for so long:
his life lost happiness.
So learn from this
and understand true values. I who tell you
have wintered into wisdom.
It is a great Wonder how Almighty God in His magnificence
favours our race with rank and scope
and the gift of wisdom; His sway is wide.
Sometimes He allows the mind of a man
of distinguished birth to follow its bent,
grants him fulfilment and felicity on earth
and forts to command in his own country.
He permits him to lord it in many lands
until the man in his unthinkingness
forgets that it will ever end for him.
He indulges his desires; illness and old age
mean nothing to him; his mind is untroubled
by envy or malice or the thought of enemies
with their hate-honed swords. The whole world
conforms to his will, he is kept from the worst
until an element of overweening
enters him and takes hold
while the soul's guard, its sentry, drowses,
grown too distracted. A killer stalks him,
an archer who draws a deadly bow.
And then the man is hit in the heart,
the arrow flies beneath his defences,
the devious promptings of the demon start.
His old possessions seem paltry to him now.
He covets and resents; dishonours custom
and bestows no gold; and because of good things
that the Heavenly Powers gave him in the past
he ignores the shape of things to come.
Then finally the end arrives
when the body he was lent collapses and falls
prey to its death; ancestral possessions
and the goods he hoarded are inherited by another
who lets them go with a liberal hand.
"O flower of warriors, beware of that trap.
Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part,
eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride.
For a brief while your strength is in bloom
but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow
illness or the sword to lay you low,
or a sudden fire or surge of water
or jabbing blade or javelin from the air
or repellent age. Your piercing eye
will dim and darken; and death will arrive,
dear warrior, to sweep you away.'"
After having completely defeated Grendels' mother and Grendels head now displayed in Hereot, King Hrothgar commends Beowulf and shares his own wisdom.  The aging king points out differences and struggles for kings–he most certainly desires Beowulf to take the narrow road here.  He gives the example of King Heremond, a man who surpassed the pleasure of leadership and character for his own personal indulgences.  Similar to King Solomon, this king gave up good to indulge in evil–a warning which King Hrothgar proved assertive in advising against. 

Grendel - p.9, l.99-114
"So times were pleasant for the people there
until finally one, a fiend out of hell,
began to work his evil in the world.
Grendel was the name of this grim demon
haunting the marches, marauding round the heath
and the desolate fens; he had dwelt for a time
in misery among the banished monsters,
Cain's clan, whom the Creator had outlawed
and condemned as outcasts. For the killing of Abel
the Eternal Lord had exacted a price:
Cain got no good from committing that murder
no because the Almighty made him anathema
and out of the curse of his exile there sprang
ogres and elves and evil phantoms
and the giants too who strove with God
time and again until He gave them their reward."
This is near the beginning of the story when the background of Herot is narrated.  Here, Grendel begins to wreak havoc on the country of Dene.  The main idea of this passage is basically this: The beast is a dreadful, malevolent monster who malignantly marauds the masses through the mucky marches.  This may sound like poetry, but looking deeper, we see that this fiend did not simply pop out of a magic cloud of monsters.  The vagabond has a story and an origin: Cain's clan.  In the preceding passage, his origin is quite directly described.
There is also possible symbolism in the characters of Beowulf and Grendel: Grendel/Satan came and destroyed a beautiful thing (creation/Heorot); next, a mighty hero (Beowulf/Jesus) comes; He binds and destroys the dragon (Grendel/Satan).
Although the rest of Beowulf's story would not align with the prophecies in the Bible, there is a redemptive theme here.







Saturday, April 20, 2013

Beowulf Character List


Beowulf Character List

Protagonist:
  • Beowulf is the prince and hero of the Geats and savior of the Danes. In his  youth, he hears of King Hrothgar’s troubles with Grendel and decides to pursue honor and glory for his name by facing the monster. His courage, loyalty and prowess as a warrior are apparent as he fights and defeats Grendel, the beast's mother and finally a dragon. He earned great respect in the course of his pernicious life while paying homage to those over him. Additionally, his rule as king of the Geats was virtually unchallenged by competitors. Throughout the tale, Beowulf alternates between giving glory to God for his victories in battle and taking the credit for himself.
Antagonists:
  • Grendel is a grotesque monster directly descended from the line of Cain. His race is cursed by God because of Cain’s murder of Abel in the Biblical account. Raiding Heorot becomes his nightly activity. He is savage and merciless, the enemy of all good with an insatiable thirst for blood. Carrying men off from the halls by the dozens, Grendel wreaks great destruction and death on the Danes. Only in Beowulf does he find a formidable opponent, who inflicts a mortal wound on him and causes his death.
  • Grendel’s mother is a brooding monster from the same line who is consumed with revenge after her son is murdered. After she descends on the war-weary hall in her wrath, she returns to a watery mere; her home. With Beowulf in pursuit, she dives to the bottom, where he finds victory yet again by cutting her head off with an enchanted sword.
  • The Dragon is a foul, treasure-coveting beast. He has laid on an ancient hoard of gold for years. When he discovers a burglar has taken a miniscule part of his treasure, he burns the villages of the Geats to ashes. He is Beowulf’s final adversary and the wounds he gives Beowulf make an end of the old king, but the injuries he receives from Wiglaf and Beowulf kill him.
Main supporting Characters:
  • Shield Sheafson is the mighty king of the Danes who gives their people a great reputation. He is the great grandfather of Hrothgar.
  • Hrothgar is the king of the Danes at the time of the story. He the kind and generous king who builds the hall Heorot, but his reign is plagued by the savage monster, Grendel. When Beowulf comes to his aid, he does everything he can to help him and offers him lavish rewards if the Geat warrior succeeds. True to his word, Hrothgar loads Beowulf with gifts and even adopts him as a son after Beowulf defeats Grendel and his mother. Beowulf appreciates Hrothgar’s role as a father figure in his life and listens to his wisdom and advice.
  • Unferth is a retainer in Hrothgar’s court. At first he is antagonistic toward Beowulf out of jealousy, challenging his abilities and honor. After being put back in his place, he becomes helpful to Beowulf, even offering a celebrated sword to him for his fight with Grendel's mother.
  • Hygelac is the king of the Geats during Beowulf’s youth and prime. He raised Beowulf, and Beowulf proves fiercely loyal to him and gives him many of the treasures from victory. In return, he gives Beowulf property in his kingdom. He is killed in battle.
  • Wiglaf is one of the few men chosen to be in Beowulf’s personal company as he marches out to face the dragon. When the fight takes a turn for the worse, he is the only one of this elite group to run to his king’s aid. True to his king until the last moment, Wiglaf fights alongside Beowulf, wounding and helping to defeat the dragon. He carries out Beowulf’s last wishes exactly as he is told.

Beowulf Vocabulary Quiz


Beowulf Vocabulary Quiz
1.      Anathema
          a.       a small hut or cottage
          b.      one who raids for plunder
          c.       one that is reviled or loathed
          d.      mist or drizzle

2.      Harrow
           a.       delayed, hindered or prevented
           b.      to inflict great torment or stress on
           c.       to utter in a wailing tone
           d.      make appropriate return for (a favor or service); reward

3.      Effulgent
           a.       covered with clotted blood
           b.      marked by shame or disgrace
           c.       lonely and abandoned, esp. through someone’s death or departure
           d.      shining brilliantly

4.      Fettle
          a.       a small hut or cottage
          b.      mist or drizzle
          c.       twilight; dusk
          d.      mental or emotional state; spirits

5.      Reconnoitre
          a.       to make a preliminary inspection of; esp. in order to gather military information
          b.      free from infirmity or illness; sound
          c.       to utter in a wailing tone
          d.      to inflict great torment or stress on

6.      Accoutrement
          a.       one who raids for plunder
          b.      an act of retaliation
          c.       the mouth, stomach, jaws, or gullet of a voracious animal
          d.      An ancillary item of equipment or dress

7.      Offing
          a.       extremely infectious, malignant or poisonous
          b.      free from infirmity or illness; sound
          c.       the part of the sea visible from shore that is very distant
          d.      to insult intentionally

8.      Overweening
          a.       presumptuously arrogant; overbearing
          b.      to satisfy; quench
          c.       lacking importance or worth; trivial
          d.      delayed, hindered or prevented

9.      Ignominious
          a.       lacking importance or worth; trivial
          b.      marked by shame or disgrace
          c.       extremely infectious, malignant or poisonous
          d.      lonely and abandoned, esp. through someone’s death or departure

10.      Sallied
          a.       rushed out or leaped forth suddenly
          b.      make appropriate return for (a favor or service); reward
          c.       to inflict great torment or stress on
          d.      to utter in a wailing tone
















1. c 2. b 3. d 4. d 5. a 6. d 7. c 8. a 9. b 10. a

Beowulf Vocabulary


Beowulf Vocabulary
Tholed—v.— Endure (something) without complaint or resistance; tolerate
Harrow—v.—to inflict great torment or stress on
Anathema—n.—one that is reviled or loathed
Bothy—n.—a small hut or cottage
Reaver—n.—one who raids for plunder
Bolstered—adj.—covered with clotted blood
Mizzle—n.—mist or drizzle
Reprisal—n.—an act of retaliation
Forestalled—v.—delayed, hindered or prevented
Keening—v.—to utter in a wailing tone
Ignominious—adj.—marked by shame or disgrace
Mere—n.—lake, pond or marsh
Requite—v.—make appropriate return for (a favor or service); reward
Hirping—v.—limping
Bereft—adj.—lonely and abandoned, esp. through someone’s death or departure
Effulgent—adj.—shining brilliantly
Sallied—v.—rushed out or leaped forth suddenly
Fettle—n.—mental or emotional state; spirits
Venerable—adj.—commanding respect by virtue of age, character, dignity or position
Incised—adj.—cut into a surface, engraved
Overweening—adj.—presumptuously arrogant; overbearing
Paltry—adj.—lacking importance or worth; trivial
Offing—n.— the part of the sea visible from shore that is very distant
Maw—n.—the mouth, stomach, jaws, or gullet of a voracious animal
Accoutrement—n.—An ancillary item of equipment or dress
Affront—v.—to insult intentionally
Gloaming—n.—twilight; dusk
Virulent—adj.—extremely infectious, malignant or poisonous
Slake—v.—to satisfy; quench
Reconnoitre—v.—to make a preliminary inspection of; esp. in order to gather military information
Hale—adj.—free from infirmity or illness; sound
Filigree—n. delicate and intricate ornamental work made of gold, silver or other fine twisted wire
Balk—v.—to stop short and refuse to go on

Friday, April 12, 2013

Beowulf Media

Beowulf Media

 Films


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_6gNXKOTbT8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Beowulf & Grendel (2005)



Beowulf Gallery


Beowulf Gallery
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