Anglo

Anglo-Saxon Poetry Essay The Anglo-Saxons were the population In Brutal partly descended from the Germanic tribes who migrated from continental Europe and settled the south and east of the island beginning In the early fifth century A. D.. The Anglo-Saxon period denotes the period of English history after their initial settlement through their creation of the English nation and up to the Norman conquest. The are revered for their literature and poems, still treasured today. Just by reading their literature, we can get a good understanding of how ideas were expressed back then. Their poems tell us about Anglo-Saxon culture, their views on 3. The hero, often a deem-god, possesses distinctive weapons of great size and power, often heirlooms or presents from the gods. 4. The hero must undertake a long, perilous Journey, often involving a descent into the Underworld, testing his endurance, courage, and cunning. 5. Although his fellows may be great warriors (he may have a committals, or group of noble followers with whom he grew up), he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt. 6. Whatever virtues his race most prizes, these, the epic hero as a cultural exemplar, possesses in abundance. 7. The concept of ARet (Greek for bringing virtue to perfection) is crucial to understanding the epic protagonist. 8. The hero gains little honor by slaying a lesser mortal, but only by challenging heroes like himself or adversaries of superhuman power. 9. The two great epic adversaries, the hero and his antagonist, meet at the climax, which must be delayed as long as possible to sustain maximum interest. 10. The heros epic adversary is often a god-despiser, one who has more respect for his own mental and physical abilities than for the power of the gods. The adversary might also be a good man sponsored by lesser deities, or one whom the gods desert at a crucial moment. 1 1 . The hero may encounter a numinous phenomenon (a place or person having a vine or supernatural force) such as a haunted wood or enchanting sorceress whose strength, cunning, and divine assistance he must use to overcome obstacles Old English heroic poetry is the earliest extant in all of Germanic literature. It is thus the nearest we can come to the oral pagan literature of Germanic culture, and is of such inestimable value as a source of knowledge about many aspects of Germanic society. The traditional epics (also called primary epics or folk epics) were shaped by a literary artist from historical and legendary materials which had developed out of the oral traditions of his nation during a period of expansion and warfare. To this group are ascribed the Iliad and Odyssey of the Greek Homer, and the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf . The literary or secondary epics were composed by sophisticated craftsmen in deliberate imitation of the traditional form. One such example is Virgins Latin poem the Manned, which later served as the chief model for Millions literary epic Paradise Lost. Virgil and Milton wrote secondary or literary epics in imitation of the earlier primary or traditional epics of Homer. They adopted many of the conventions of Homers work, including he invocation of a muse, the use of epithets, the listening of heroes and combatants, and the beginning in medias rest which refers to the notion of action beginning in the middle of critical moments. An epic or heroic poem falls into one of two patterns, both established by Homer: the structure (and allegory to life) may be either war or Journey, and the hero may be on a quest or pursuing conquest. Features of legend building evident in epic include the following: 1 . The heros near-invulnerability; 2. The heros fighting without conventional weapons (as in Beowulf wrestling Greened); 3. The heros inglorious youth; 4. The heros auspicious birth, an attempt at the reconstruction of the early life of a notable adult; 5. Transference of the deeds and events associated with one hero to another of similar name. Such events would include the gods arming a hero ( a metaphor for wondrous strength so great it must have seemed to have divine origins) and the hero is descending to the Underworld ( a metaphor for facing and) 6. Historical inclusiveness: the poem presents a whole culture although the action is localized, flashbacks and inset narratives geographical and chronological scope to include the whole oft culture heroes; 7. The hero is a dramatic protagonist in each scene of a play the stage Milton employed the epic machinery of Homer and Virgil while their ethos from that of the man of action to that of the man of and love. In attempting to make this shift, Milton was surely race heroic poem is essentially non-Christian since it is based on the physical action, a warrior and military leader. Although an epic original (primary), it must be unified in plot and action, and not Coming to heroic poetry, Anglo-Saxon in particular, the focus s primary epic these epics were composed without the aid of w to a musical accompaniment. Thus, the composition of the oral cause it was constructed for recreational purposes. They are structure the episodes can be detached from the whole and separate poems or stories. The heroic ideal suggests that the e epic are more concerned with their own personal self-fulfillment the personal concept of heroism, and the self-fulfillment and id hero. The national concept is secondary. The language in the o repetitious use of stock phrases and descriptions to aid its oral tending toward pleasing the ear rather than the eye. Focus is p spoken word. The movement tends to be cyclical, encompassing return. The primary epics were developed in cultures that had sectional identity or unity: Greek city-states, for instance. Exam include: the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the most essential one, con this essay, Beowulf. Beowulf, a complete epic, is the oldest surviving Germanic epic longest and most important poem in Old English. It originated transmitted orally from one generation to the next; court poets the bearers of tribal history and tradition. The version of Oboe heros auspicious composed by a Christian poet, probably early in the 8th cent intermittent Christian themes contained within the epic, although themselves, are not integrated into what is essentially a pagan elaborate the heros fearless and bloody struggles against MO courage, honor, and loyalty as being the chief virtues in a world s-. Ere. TN s Beowulf is a solid and comprehensive example of native epic p alliterative unrushed rhythm. Though it is often viewed both as the archetypal Anglo-Saxon literary work and as a cornerstone of modern literature, Beowulf has a peculiar history that complicates both its historical and its canonical position within English literature. By the time the story of Beowulf was composed by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet around 700 AD. , much of its material had been in circulation in oar reiterative form for many ye ars. The Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian peoples had invaded the island of Britain and settled there several hundred years earlier, bringing with them several closely related Germanic languages that would evolve into Old English. Elements of the Beowulf storyincluding its setting and charactersdata back to the period before the migration. The action of the poem takes place around 500 A. D. Many of the characters in the poemthe Swedish and Danish royal family members, for examplecorrespond to actual historical figures. Originally pagan warriors, the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian invaders experienced a large-scale inversion to Christianity at the end of the sixth century. Though still an old pagan story, Beowulf thus came to be told by a Christian poet. The Beowulf poet is often at pains to attribute Christian thoughts and motives to his characters, who frequently behave in distinctly UN-Christian ways. The Beowulf that we read today is therefore probably quite unlike the Beowulf with which the first Anglo-Saxon audiences were familiar. The element of religious tension is quite commonplace in Christian Anglo- Saxon writings (The Dream of the Rood, for example), but the combination of a pagan story with a Christian narrator is fairly unusual. The plot of the poem concerns Scandinavian culture, but much of the poems narrative intervention reveals that the poets culture was somewhat different from that of his ancestors, and that of his characters as well. The world that Beowulf depicts and the heroic code of honor that defines much of the story, is a relic of pre-Anglo-Saxon culture. The story is set in Scandinavia, before the migration. Though it is a traditional storypart of a Germanic oral traditionthe poem as we have it is thought to be the work of a single poet. It was composed in England (not in Scandinavia) and is historical in its perspective, recording the values ND culture of a bygone era. Many of those values, including the heroic code, were still operative to some degree when the poem was written. These values had evolved to some extent, over the course of the intervening centuries and were continuing to change. The Crucible respond to Arthur Miller's play EssayWhereas the youthful Beowulf, having nothing to lose, desires personal glory, the aged Warthogs, having much to lose, seeks protection for his people. Though these two outlooks are somewhat oppositional, each character acts as society dictates he should given his particular role in society. While the values of the warrior become clear through Beowulf example throughout the poem, only in the poems more didactic moments are the responsibilities of a king to his people discussed. The heroic code requires that a king reward the loyal service of his warriors with gifts and praise. It also holds that he must provide them with protection and the sanctuary of a lavish mead-hall. Hoarders speeches, in particular, emphasize the value of creating stability in a precarious and chaotic world. He also speaks at length about the kings role in diplomacy, both with his own warriors and with other tribes. Beowulf own tenure as king elaborates upon many of the same points. His transition from warrior to king, and, in particular, his final battle with the drag reiterates the dichotomy between the duties of a heroic warrior and those of a king. In the eyes of several of the Seats, Beowulf bold encounter with the drag morally ambiguous because it dooms them to a kingliness state in which they re vulnerable to attack by their enemies. Yet Beowulf also demonstrates the sort restraint proper to kings when, earlier in his life, he refrains from usurping Hay throne, choosing instead to uphold the line of succession by supporting the appointment of Hagglers son. But since all of these pagan kings were great w in their youth, the tension between these two important roles seems inevitable ultimately irreconcilable. Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the texts major themes. The Oral Tradition Intimately connected to the theme of the importance of establishing ones idà ©e the oral tradition, which preserves the lessons and lineages of the past, and h spread reputations. Indeed, in a culture that has little interaction with writing, the spoken word can allow individuals to learn about others and make their Tories known. This emphasis on oral communication explains the prevalence bards tales (such as the Hero scoops relating of the Finishing episode) and warriors boastings (such as Beowulf telling of the Berea story). From a broad perspective, Beowulf itself contributes to the tradition of oral celebration of cue heroes. Like Homers Iliad and Odyssey, Beowulf was passed on orally over ma generations before being written down. The Mead-Hall The poem contains two examples of mead-halls: Hoarders great hall of Hero Denmark, and Hagglers hall in Eastland. Both function as important cultural institutions that provide light and warmth, food and drink, and singing and re Historically, the mead-hall represented a safe haven for warriors returning fro battle, a small zone of refuge within a dangerous and precarious external world continuously offered the threat of attack by neighboring peoples. The mead-h also a place of community, where traditions were preserved, loyalty was rear and, perhaps most important, stories were told and reputations were spread. Symbols Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract or concepts. Because ritual behaviors and tokens of loyalty are so central to pa Germanic culture, most of the objects mentioned in Beowulf have symbolic sat bayonets noun tenure as transition from warrior t. Reiterates the dichotomy morally ambiguous became vulnerable to attack dye TTL restraint p paper to kings throne. Root,s. En instead appointment of Hugely: ultimately irreconcilable Motifs drew recur r Inning star develop ant Inform the I Intimately connected to the oral trait. N. . which spread reputations, Indeed the spotÐ’Â «en nor d can all( stories knave. RL This meme bards tales (such as the warriors hosier,gas {cut perspective, Beowulf its her LEG Hornets Lila, generations before being The Mead-Hide The poem contemns two f Demander timid Hecklers Institutions that provide Historically. The mead-he continuously tottered the also a place of commune; nod, perhaps [ghost iron Symbols ar e bootees. Chi. Or concepts erases rite Germanic culture, most( just for the readers but also for the characters in the poem. The Golden Torque The collar or necklace that Halloween gives Beowulf is a s loyalty between her people and Beowulfand, by extension, symbolic object is reinforced when we learn that Hugely id furthering the ideas of kinship and continuity. The Banquet The great banquet at Hero after the defeat of Greened, re rider and harmony to the Danish people. The preparation the damaged mead-hall, which, in conjunction with the ban rebirth of the community. The speeches and giving of gifts, this societys interactions, contribute as well to the sense of Returning to the presentation and the transmitting of the SST placed upon the scoop. It is an Old English name for the pr harpist and poet-singer, normally a member of a royal houses shaper and conservator in England of Old Germanic poetic and honored class, sharing with his audience a critical inter commanded a mastery of the complex oral-formulaic mater prosody hardly comprehensible to lettered societies. His re than necromantic court verse: he was also a folk historian: a celebrations of heroic boldness and sacrifice, mingled with secular or Christian morality, have been preserved in later part of the Anglo-Saxon poetical corps.. It is likely that the try depended less upon the personality and talent of an individual formulaic materials with which he worked, the cooperative audience, and their common familiarity with traditional the to distinguish between the art of popular and courtly poet court glean and that perhaps of a chieftain who might TA a lay himself; or that of a warrior-singer whose function as incidental to his personal knowledge of a battle; or even the like Academe, who had no training as a singer, but who nevi art of narrative verse on Christian themes in what must have thoroughly traditional manner. The elegiac theme, a strong undercurrent in Beowulf, is cent Wanderer and The Seafarer. In these works, a happy past is precarious and desolate present. In this heroic poetry, all of greatness is measured less by victory than by perfect loyal extremity. Just for the readers but also for the char The collar or necklace that Halloween gal. loyalty between her people and Beowulf;; hemolytic object is reinforced when we lea furthering the ideas of kinship and concur The great banquet at Hero after the defy order and harmony to the Danish people. He damaged mead-hall, which, in conjunct rebirth of the community. The speeches this societys interactions, contribute as Returning to the presentation and the tram placed upon the scoop_ It is an Old English harpist and poet-singer, normally a met shaper and conservator in England of Lot and honored class, sharing with his audio commanded a mastery of the complex ROR prosody hardly comprehensible to letterer than necromantic court verse: he was alls elaborations of heroic boldness and sacra secular or Christian morality, have been part of the Anglo-Saxon poetical corps.. It depended less upon the personality and formulaic materials with which he worker audience, and their common familiarity to distinguish between the art of popular court glean and that perhaps of a chic a lay himself; or that of a warrior-singer v, incidental to his personal knowledge of a like Academe, who had no training as a is art of narrative verse on Christian theme: The elegiac theme, a strong undercurrent Wanderer and The Seafarer. In these word precarious and desolate present. In this retreats is measured less by victory dhal Taking into consideration an elegy as a genre common in world literature, and that very is condition and poetrys function, independence literatures, elegies are formally defined in Old English, elegy is more oaf mode or m of many types, all using the basic four-stress we see evidence that the poets Job as keep produced frequent occasions on which the in sadness. Like the biblical psalmist, however generalize the consequences of Times cord turning the poems into fleece, sad condemned are celebrated in the epic war songs: rings, and the great halls of kings.