Beowulf is an Old English epic poem about the hero Beowulf. It takes place in Scandinavia and is one of the earliest works of English national literature. The epic follows Beowulf as he fights Grendel, Grendel's mother, and later a dragon. The poem uses poetic devices like caesuras, alliteration, and kennings that were common in Old English poetry. It presents Beowulf as an ideal epic hero who embodies the values of his society through his heroic acts and deeds.

1. Beowulf
Introducing the Epic
Literary Focus: The Epic Hero
The Poetry of Beowulf: Caesuras, Alliteration, and Kennings
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2. Beowulf

3. •the first great work of English national literature.
•the epic story of the hero Beowulf, who fights the demonic monster Grendel.
BeowulfisBeowulfIntroducing the Epic

4. BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Beowulf:nephew of Higlac, king of the Geats.
Hrothgar:king of the Danes.
Wiglaf:a Geat warrior, one of Beowulf’s select band and the only one to help him in his final fight with the dragon.
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5. BeowulfIntroducing the Epic
Grendel:man-eating monster who lives at the bottom of a foul mere, or mountain lake.
MonstersGrendel’s mother:water- witch who seeks revenge. Dragon:giant fire-breathing serpent whom Beowulf fights in Part Two of the epic.

6. Beowulftakes place in Scandinavia.
Places
Scholars think Herot might have been built on the coast of Zealand, in Denmark.
Scandinavia
Britain
BeowulfIntroducing the Epic

7. Places
Herot: the golden guest hall built by King Hrothgar where warriors gathered to celebrate.
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8. The epic herois the central figure in a long narrative that reflects the values and heroic ideals of a particular society. An epic is a quest story on a grand scale. BeowulfLiterary Focus: The Epic Hero

9. BeowulfLiterary Focus: The Epic Hero
Beowulf is one of ancient England’s heroes.
King Arthur
Joan of Arc
Other times and other cultures have had other heroes.

10. In modern America, the hero may be a real person or a fictional character.
BeowulfLiterary Focus: The Epic Hero
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11. Beowulf was composed in Old English, which uses a caesura,or rhythmic pause, to create unity. ða com of more under misthleoþum Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær; mynte se manscaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean. Line divided into two parts by a caesura.
Locate the caesurain these lines:
BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf

12. Here are the same lines in modern English fromBurton Raffel’s translation:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendel came, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.
Punctuation reproduces pause effect of the caesura.
BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf

13. The Anglo-Saxon oral poet also used the poetic device of alliteration. Grendelgongan,godes yrre bær; myntesemanscaðamannacynnesBeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf

14. Find examples of alliterationin Burton Raffel’s translation of lines 1-5:
Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred,
Grendel came, hoping to kill
Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot.
BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf

15. The kenningis another poetic device that was used by the oral poet.
Examples of kennings from Beowulf:
gold-shininghall= Herot
guardian of crime= Grendel
strong-hearted wakeful sleeper= Beowulf
cave-guardandsky-borne foe= dragon
BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf

16. Create modern-day kenningsfor things you see around you.
giver of words
word-wand
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BeowulfThe Poetry of Beowulf