A fugitive steals a cup from the dragon’s hoard. Explain. Note: The digital edition (4/1/2015) for this issue was released before the print edition. Likewise, it provides justification for There, they are challenged by the watchman on the shore. Note, for example, the alliteration in these lines from the prologue to Beowulf: “We’ve heard of Danish heroes /. Write. good and evil. —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow CHARACTER LIST Much of the early action takes place in Herot, a great mead hall, or banquet hall, where the wellloved and generous Danish king Hrothgar holds court. Note: The divisions that are used below do not form part of the actual poem. Beowulf is an epic poem originally told in the Old English between the 8th and 11th centuries. The Old English classic... Beowulf summary in under five minutes! What special qualities do these people possess? . The second part of Beowulf picks up after the first part ends, around line 1008 and extends through to about line 1924 or so. Beowulf is an epic poem of more than 3,100 lines originally written in Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) about a Scandinavian prince of the same name. THE GEATS Swerting Hrethel Herbald Hathcyn Higlac (m. Higd) daughter (m. Efor) THE DANES Shild Beo Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. daughter (m. Edgetho) Herdred BEOWULF Healfdane Hergar Hrothgar (m. Welthow) Halga Yrs (m. Onela) Hrethric Hrothmund Freaw (m. Ingeld) Hrothulf Herward THE SWEDES Ongentho Ohther Onela (m. Yrs) Eadgils 13 Eanmund Beowulf Study Guide Introducing the Poem One of the most important remains of AngloSaxon literature is the epic poem Beowulf. Beowulf grabs him by the claw and Grendel is helpless. Background The Exeter Book, a collection of Old English texts from which these riddles come, contains ninety-five such poems, suggesting the popularity of riddling in Anglo-Saxon society. Heaney’s translation has been hailed as “both direct and sophisticated, making previous versions look slightly flowery and antique by comparison. Background Rarely does poetry make the bestseller list. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. He's a descendant of Cain, cursed forever so that he may never know goodness or light. - Character Traits & Analysis, The Seafarer: Poem Summary, Themes & Analysis, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Study Guide, Common Core ELA - Literature Grades 9-10: Standards, Common Core ELA - Writing Grades 9-10: Standards, Common Core ELA - Language Grades 9-10: Standards, ILTS English Language Arts (207): Test Practice and Study Guide, FTCE English 6-12 (013): Practice & Study Guide, College English Literature: Help and Review, 10th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, AP English Literature: Homework Help Resource, AP English Language: Homeschool Curriculum, 9th Grade English Curriculum Resource & Lesson Plans, 11th Grade English Curriculum Resource & Lesson Plans, Create an account to start this course today. THE GLENCOE LITERATURE LIBRARY Study Guide for Beowulf A translation by Burton Raffel Meet the Geats, Danes, and Swedes of Beowulf B y the time that Beowulf was written down, Germanic tribes from Scandinavia and elsewhere in northern Europe had been invading England’s shores for centuries. Responding to the Reading 1. . As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 83,000 Good Warriors and Good Kings. ment ] n. expression of sorrow or grief (l. 128) loathsome [loth s? The epic poem begins with the lineage of Hrothgar, a descendant of the great hero king Shield Sheafson, who rose from being a nameless orphan to the king of the Spear-Danes. Gravity. Why or why not? rejoicing greatly (l. 1881) fetters [fet. surging [surj in ] adj. But Beowulf is as strong as thirty men and tears off Grendel's arm. 4. Though he is descended from the first king of Denmark and was a mighty warrior in his day, he is unable to deal with the monster that stalks his land. He sweeps through Herot, killing thirty men, eating some on the spot and bringing the other corpses home for a snack later. Explain. Chapter 1 Summary. Save your work for your portfolio. The victorious Beowulf hangs the monster's arm up in the mead hall. Think-Pair-Share With a partner, talk about someone who risked his or her life to help someone else. Beowulf was probably composed in writing by one man. .. Write. Beowulf Part 2. Support your opinion by quoting passages from both translations. What values would you suggest he hold dear? Grendel is a hideous monster who has been terrorizing Denmark for the last twelve years. The treasures found there were so much like those described in Beowulf that scholars suggest Beowulf may have been based, in part, on memories of the ancient burial. 3. “Beowulf” is part of the tradition of epic poetry that began with the poems of Homer and Virgil, and it deals with the affairs and deeds of brave men, but, like its classical models, it makes no attempt to portray a whole life chronologically from beginning to end. They find it in a stranger from across the sea, the hero Beowulf. Beowulf embodies all that is the Heroic Code. This hall has been carefully described in a pamphlet by Heyne. Shield Sheafson seized mead-benches From many a man, among his enemies; That terror of warriors flourished later, After his first rescue as foundling, Waxed under heaven, grew in honour, What was the result? 4. Explain why you feel as you do. 2. Beowulf Part 1: Summary & Analysis 7:22 Beowulf Part 2: Summary & Analysis 6:07 Beowulf Fighting the Dragon: Summary 5:50 The Geat woman who cries out in dread as the flames consume the body of her dead lord could come straight from a late-twentieth-century news report, from Rwanda or Kosovo; her [lament] is a nightmare glimpse into the minds of people who have survived traumatic, even monstrous events and who are now being exposed to a comfortless future. Recognizing Allusions Allusions are references in a work of literature to a well-known person, place, event, written work, or work of art. Explain. 2. Topics: Epithet, Kenning, Study Guide, Verse. All rights reserved. Menú principal. 2. Making Connections How does the portrayal of the monster in Grendel differ from the portrayal in Beowulf? It is like a piece of ancient armor; rusty and battered, and yet strong. rd le] adj. but he is unable to defeat the monster that stalks his kingdom. 2. . How do you know? Gravity. The narrator sets the heroic tone and introduces the setting through the founding character of Scyld Scefing; his most detailed early description is saved for Scyld's parting after death. The Geats try to stab him with their swords but they are unsuccessful in wounding him. So, Grendel leaves his lair and creeps up the hill to Herot. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Beowulf is accorded a hero’s burial. VOCABULARY PREVIEW exulting [i zult in ] adj. What is the solution to each riddle? Which words and phrases in the first riddle provide the best clues to the solution? Extending Your Response Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. z? Beowulf Lines 1-193 Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver Beowulf Study Guide Beowulf is the first surviving epic written in the English language. 7. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 4. The Danes, meanwhile, consider Beowulf as the greatest hero in Danish history. Grendel discovers the thanes sleeping in the hall. Share your story with your class. . \\ home \ Beowulf: Section 1. Choose roles and rehearse the broadcast; then videotape the production and play it for your class or, if you prefer, do a live performance. The Kenning As a Literary Device Another device that often appears in Old English poetry is the kenning, a descriptive figure of speech that takes the place of a familiar noun. Explain. Then read the story aloud to your class. Chapter 1 Summary. PLAY. Writing About Literature Heaney’s translation of Beowulf has been described as being more accessible than earlier versions of the poem. The genealogy of these tribes is shown below. Created by. Who gave him the sword? The beginning of Beowulf serves to highlight both the Heroic Code and the society these warriors lived in. 0 Beowulf Study Guide Name Date Class Dino Buzzati The Slaying of the Dragon Before You Read Focus Question Monster movies continue to draw large audiences. He asks Beowulf loudly if he is the same Beowulf who lost a swimming race against a man named Breca. If he's miserable, so will these thanes be. Grendel yells at the creature, stamps his feet, and throws stones at it, but the ram refuses to so much as acknowledge Grendel’s presence. Why? when Beowulf blows his horn, what rises up out of the Grendel lake? The epic makes no mention of Jesus and references to one omnipotent God are more Old than New Testament. VOCABULARY PREVIEW bolt [bolt] v. to break away from control; start and run off (l. 2888). Part One: Beowulf and Grendel 1 Following Scyld's death the kingship of the Danes passed to Scyld's son Beowulf [not the hero of this epic], then in turn to his son Healfdene, then to his son Hrothgar. How those princes did mighty deeds. Beowulf Introduction + Context. Briefly describe the dragon. How do you think Wiglaf would answer the question in the Focus Activity on page 24?