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English 30B > Beowulf > Flashcards

Beowulf Flashcards

(doesn't include funeral stuff) (54 cards)

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1
Q

Scops

A

Told stories/poems. From village to village to spread information. Stories told in communal banquet hall. Keepers of tribal history

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2
Q

Beowulf written in what year?

A

500 or 700

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3
Q

Epic Poem

A

a long narrative (storytelling poem that recounts, in grave and stately language, the achievements of a hero who usually embodies his civilization’s ideals

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4
Q

What is important about Beowulf?

A

Generally considered the earliest major work of English poetry
Longest of the many surviving poems written in Old English, earliest surveying English epic
Various elements were probably passed down through oral tradition
Good place to study British Lit because it is so old
Excellent example of “The Hero’s Journey” (Pattern of events that can be found in storytelling, in every culture and time period, which is why the pattern is super important)

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5
Q

History of the original manuscript

A

Exists in a single Anglo-Saxon manuscript, now owned by the British Library in London
The manuscript was originally created by two scribes
The manuscript containing the poem was damaged in a fire in 1731, leaving pages burned and brittle
The remaining pages were lasted into frames in 1845 to protect them
Because of fire damage, age, and application to frames, part of the pages have become obscured

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6
Q

Setting

A

Denmark/Sweden

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7
Q

Beowulf

A

bee wolf = bear

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8
Q

Hrothgar

A

Glory spear

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9
Q

Gar-Denas

A

Spear Danes

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10
Q

Hereogar

A

Army spear

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11
Q

Hrothmund

A

Glory and kingdom

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12
Q

Ectheow

A

Sword servant

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13
Q

Wergild

A

payment to slain man’s family to atone for passed, make sure the family doesn’t seek revenge

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14
Q

Wyrd

A

fate

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15
Q

ARCHETYPE

A

Can be an image, theme, symbol, idea, character type, or plot pattern
Seen in myths, dreams, literature, religion, fantasies, folklore
Carl Jung first applied the term to literature. Recognized universal patterns in all stories and mythologies regardless of culture or historical period
Hypothesized that part of the human mind contained a collective unconscious shared b all members of the human species, a universal, primal memory

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16
Q

Common Archetypes

A 
Light vs Darkness
Innate Wisdom vs educated Stupidity
Water vs Desert
Nature vs Mechanistic World
Fire and Ice
The Tower
The Magic Weapon
Fog
The Castle
The Maze
The Crossroads
Heaven vs Hell
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17
Q

Red as an archetype

A

blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder

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18
Q

Blue as an archetype

A

Highly positive, security, tranquility, spiritual purity

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19
Q

Green as an archetype

A

Growth, hope fertility

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20
Q

Yellow as an archetype

A

enlightenment, wisdom

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21
Q

White as an archetype

A

light purity, innocence, timelessness (negative: death, horror, supernatural)

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22
Q

Black as an archetype

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A

darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy

23
Q

3 as an archetype

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A

light, spiritual awareness, unity (holy trinity), male principle

24
Q

4 as an archetype

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A

associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons, female principle, earth, nature, elements

25
7 as an archetype
the most potent of all symbolic numbers signifying the union of three and four, the completion of a cycle, perfect order, perfect number, religious symbol
26
Stages of a Hero’s Journey
Departure, initiation, road of trials, the innermost cave, return & reintegration into society
27
Stage 1: Departure
The hero is called to adventure, although he is reluctant to accept
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Stage 2: Initiation
The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining more mature perspective
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Stage 3: Road of trials
The hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance
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Stage 4: The Innermost Cave (The Belly of the Whale)
The hero descends into the innermost cave, an underworld, or some other place of great trial. Sometimes this place can be within the hero’s own mind. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way - physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally.
31
Stage 5: Return and Reintegration with Society
The hero uses his new wisdom to restore fertility and order to the land
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What Makes a Hero?
Special circumstance surrounding his/her birth Special qualities revealed in his/her youth Has a tragic flaw/weakness Status/place is challenged Goes on a quest Heroic death Hero is naive and inexperienced the hero mets monsters or monstrous men The hero has a strange, wise being as a mentor The hero yearns for the beautiful lady who is sometimes his guide/inspiration The hero must go on a jounrye, learn a lesson, change in some way, returns home The hero often crosses a body of water or travels on a bridge The hero is born and raised in a rural setting away from cities The origin of the hero is mysterious or the hero losses his/her parents at young age, being raised by animals/wise guardian Goes through a rite of passage/initiation, an event that marks a change from immature to more mature understanding of world Struggles fro something valuable and important Has help from divine or supernatural forces Has a guide or guides Undergoes some type of ritual or ceremony after his/her initiation The hero has a loyal band of companions Makes stirring speech to their companions
33
Hrothgar (character)
King of the Danes; builder of Herot
34
Welthow (character)
Hrothgar’s wife and queen
35
Unferth (character)
Hrothgar’s chief spokesman, jealous of Beowulf, tries to downplay Beowulf’s ability
36
Wiglaf (character)
Beowulf’s kinsman
37
ANGLO-SAXON HIERARCHY
``` King = expected to be generous to his loyal subjects Thanes = claimed kinship to founder of tries. They were expected to be loyal ```
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THE MEAD HALL
Large wooden structures where the king lived sometimes | Centre of Anglo-Saxon culture
39
Religion
The came to Britain with their own pagan beliefs They had firm belief in fate (wryd) They worshiped ancient Germanic gods like Tui, god of war and sky; Woden, chief of gods; Fria, Woden’s wife and goodness of the home Christianity had been introduced by the Romans and the Celts were converted Irish monks helped establish Christian hold on the island Scots were converted easily, and many monasteries were built in Scotland Roman celtic Saint Augustine arrives in 597 Saint Augustine was able to convert King Ethelbert of Kent; this led to the entire kingdom being The church promoted peace, helped unite the English people Brought education and written literature
40
ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE
Spread by scope who recited long epic poems. These poems were either heroic or literary These verses were easy to memorize Preliterate people
41
Comitatus
Code of loyalty, Germanic friendship structure that compelled kings to rule in consultation with their warriors. King had to be nice to them, and they would serve the King loyally
42
Herot
hart, means deer or stag
43
gabled
high pointed roof
44
Mid-earth
.
45
Land-dwellers
.
46
Cain and Able
(Cain??) killed his brother, included to show increasing influence of the church
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swan road
.
48
Weders
Geats
49
Parley
negotiation sort of, sort of like border customs
50
Types of Heros
Aristotelian Tragic Hero ex: Hamlet Classical Hero ex: Macbeth Romantic Hero ex: robin hood Modern Hero ex: death of a salesman - willy loman Hemmingway Hero ex: The old man and the sea - santiago Antihero ex: homer simpson literary hero ex: Beowulf
51
Jung's idea of literary hero
- based on Carl Jung’s theory of archetypes - world myths/heroes are all basically the same story, retold in infinite variation - Jung believed archetypes are reflections of the human mind - Our minds divide these character to play out the dram of our lives - Our minds divide stories into these categories, in life and in dreams
52
Stages of a Literary Hero
1. introduction in this ordinary world, provides contrast later 2. hero called to adventure, hero is presented with problem, challenge or adventure 3. Hero is reluctant at first, balks on the threshold of adventure for he fears the unknown 4. the hero is encouraged by wise man/woman, motivation is given 5. hero passes the first threshold - fully enters the new situation, is now committed and cannot return 6. hero encounters tests and allies, must pass challenges 7. hero finds a dangerous quest - may be underground, descend into hell, a labyrinth to rescue someone to get treasure 8. hero endures the supreme ordeal, faces certain death, on the brink of fight, critical moment 9. hero seizes the sword, having survived death/beaten monster/finds treasure/gets lady 10. road back, is pursued by vengeful forces from whom he has stolen 11. resurrection, hero emerges, transformed by his experience 12. return home with treasure/love
53
WHAT IS AN EPIC?
A long story in poem form Has a hero story of the hero’s travels and his fights with monsters, gods, and bad guys written in 3rd person originally sung, often to harp contain information about the culture that created them: religion, dress/ornaments, homes, weapons and war, roles of me and women, values, moral standards epics often contain clues to what the people who created them feared or did not understand (natural disasters, natural features, death, the heavens, storms
54
TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO
1. Has a larger than life quality 2. Is a natural leader of others 3. Is not emotionally connected to his/her followers, been thought they die for them or fights for them 4. Is appealing to opposite sex but rarely has an extended relationship 5. Defeats monsters and/or fights gods/very bad guys 6. Has good on their side 7. Is associated with light, strength, and values 8. Often stands alone in battle 9. Is smarter than everyone else, generally problem solver 10. Has weakness that often destroys them or leads to death/near death 11. Is on the move, travels to find adventure 12. Is a skilled fighter

English 30B (1 decks)

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