WHY READ BEOWULF?

• It is the oldest surviving English poem, so everything written since stems from it in some way!
• It is written in Old English, which is the basis for the English we speak today.
• The themes and characters apply to us today.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Written down around 1000 A.D.
Considering the Christian references, a monk probably wrote it down.

POLYTHEISTIC RELIGION

• Many gods (poly=many, theistic=belief in a god)
• Wodin (Odin)
• Donar (Thor)

MEAD HALL

Beowulf's name
"Beo" means bright
"wulf" means wolf

SETTING

THAT SETTING TODAY

SOME LITERARY TERMS

KENNING

• Two words known as a compound metaphor used to describe
• Example: whale-road (sea)
• Example: body-house (body)

ALLITERATION

• Repetition of consonant sound
• Example: "He moved quickly through the cloudy night, up from his swampland, sliding silently toward that gold shining hall."

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