- Introduction
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- Task
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Before the scribes came to Britain, the stories of epic heroes were passed down orally from generation to generation by the tribal historians called scops. Their job was to memorize the tales of the past, since no one could read or write. These scops usually sang or chanted the stories accompanied by a harp, keeping the stories alive from generation to generation until the scribes came along to ensure that their heroes would be remembered.
Beowulf is the greatest literary work that has survived from the Anglo-Saxon age, and it is considered the beginning of English literature. In the poem-story, both pagans and Christians are present. The character of Beowulf is a blending of old pagan legends and Christian beliefs. In the text you will see how the belief in Wyrd was often confused with Christian doctrine.
The author is unknown and because of the many Christian references historians believe he may have been an early Christian; however, the Christian references may have been added later by monks when they copied the manuscript.
Beowulf was composed as an oral poem sometime around the eighth century and was kept alive by the scops until sometime in the late tenth century when a scribe wrote down the story. The manuscript has survived over the years, despite a fire that destroyed some of it. The surviving manuscript consists of 3,200 lines comprising some 80 to 90 printed pages.
Beowulf was a Geat. It is possible that Beowulf, or someone his story is based on, really did live because the Geat King Higlac and the Danish King Hrothgar, characters in Beowulf, were real-life sixth century kings.
Read Can You Understand Old English? to learn more about the poem and the language. Now, try reading the line below.
"Pæt wæs god cyning."
- This quote is from Beowulf in old English.
- Do you have a guess of any words from that line?
- Look at the translation passage first. Does anything come to mind?
- Now look at the Old English passage. Were you correct?
- I bet you can see a little resemblance of the meaning--at least one
word.
You will find Anglo-Saxon poetry filled with three main elements:
1. Alliteration - A figure of speech in which consonants, especially at
the beginning of words, or stressed syllables, are repeated
2. Caesura - A break or pause in a line of poetry, dictated, usually, by
the natural rhythm of the language
3. Kenning - A figurative, usually compound expression used in place
of a name or noun, especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry;
for example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle.
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