Language and Poetics
in Beowulf
Ms. Verranault
English 12 Career Communications
Listen Up!
Listen to the sound clip and write down what
you hear:
What do you think is being said?
Is the language familiar?
What do you think about as you hear what is being
said?
What are some of the features you hear as it is being
spoken?
Old English
What you actually heard is an excerpt from a
grammar handbook spoken in Old English.
Old English was the language spoken by Anglo-
Saxons between 449-1100. It is also known as
Anglo-Saxon English.
Was a form of now “Modern English” that was
spoken in the northern parts of Britain and most of
Scotland.
It is a West-Germanic Language and is very similar
to the current and “modern” Icelandic language.
Evolution of English
Old English (449-1100)
Refer to handout (line 11)
Middle English (1100-1500)
Chaucer
That wes a goode king.
Modern English (1500-present)
Shakespeare!!
That was a good king.
Features of Old English
Because many of the Old English ballads and poems
were copied down from oral traditions, Old English
literature has some unique features…
Old English Features: Alphabet
Look at the picture of an
manuscript of Beowulf. What
do you notice about the
document?
The Old English alphabet is
a bit different from our own.
It did not include the letters
J, Q, or Z and included
letters that we do not include
today. For instance, “th” was
indicated by “p”
Old English Features: Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of stressed sounds,
particularly consonants from the beginning of words or
syllables.
Old English poems contained this literary device
because of the sound—oral traditions of the poems.
Poetically, alliteration can have a similar function as
rhyme.
Can you think of any phrases that would be considered
alliteration?
Old English Features: Compounding
Compounding: Old English poetry makes
extensive use of compounding, the combining
of two words to make a new word. An example
would be the Old English word feorhseoc, which
means life sick.
(feorh=life) and (seoc=sick)
Can you think of any words in Modern English
that we make into compounds?
Old English Features: Kennings
Kennings are special forms of compounds
because they are often metaphoric in meaning.
For example, the kenning banhus (ban + hus),
which literally means “bone-house” refers to a
human body.
Create your own kenning to share with the class.
Beowulf (1000 A.D.)
The author of Beowulf is unknown;
however, many scholars believe the
story was written by a Christian
poet.
Beowulf is a heroic epic poem of
3,182 lines.
A genre of poetry.
Typically much longer than an
average poem.
Retells the life and adventures of a
heroic or mythological figure.
Can you think of any examples of
any examples of an epic poem?
Because of its sheer size, it
constitutes almost 10 percent of
the known library of Old English.
Now Practice!
Working in groups, examine the worksheet of
the prologue of Beowulf in Old English.
Circle letters that are different from Modern English.
Underline all places where alliteration occurs.
If you find any kennings or compounds, put a box
around them
You may use the Modern English translation sheet to help you
find compounds or kennings.
Found Poem
Once you have finished examining the prologue and we discuss
your responses as a class, your group will be writing a poem of
your own.
Using the Modern English translation of Beowulf, your group will need to
circle words or phrases that you find interesting.
Once your group has completed the previous step, you will compose a 10
line poem, topic is of your groups’ choice, that incorporates words from
the Modern English translation of Beowulf on each line. In addition your
group will need to include:
At least two lines of alliteration (circle)
One kenning (Underline and write what it is a metaphor for)
Two compounds (Circle)
Good Luck!!
Example Found Poem
In days gone by
Kings knew knights with courage
and tribes had night-terrors about rampaging rough monsters.
From coast to coast heroic campaigns were fought
to destroy these human-destroyers.
So that the people may flourish and live one good life
troops were sent to rampage fearful foes.
And after power had shifted and they were left without a leader
only God could send comfort and greatness
to His founding-children on this Earth.