Let us first listen to this song…

Processing Questions

 Who is the hero being referred to in the song?

 What does the song intend to convey?
 In what way we can be a hero ourselves?
 What are the common characteristics of a hero?
 Who do you consider a hero in life?
Brief History and
Literature of British
Old English
Historical Background
(55 BC)

Britons – Britain

Christians

(410 AD)

Britons – Britain These 4 tribes

were living
together for
600 years (410
AD – 1066)
Old English: "Hwæt! Wē Gār-Dena in geardagum,
þēodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ðā æþelingas
ellen fremedon."

Modern English: "The Spear-Danes' glory through

splendid achievements, the folk-kings' former fame
we have heard of, how those princes displayed
courage.“

Old English: "Ðæt wæs god cyning."

Modern English: "That was a good king."

Literature

• Little Scientific and

Cultural Advancement
No remarkable
• No Printing Press DARK AGES
literature was
written • Major Works lost due to
oral transmission

England was always into war with the Vikings.

Literature

Kinds of Poetry

Heroic Poetry Religious Poetry

Germanic Tribes Britons (Christian)

Heroism Christian Ideals During the 50th

Knights century, St. Agustin
tried to convert the
Beowulf The Exeter Books
entire Europe to
Christianity
 Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic of the English
literature. It was composed by an unknown
Anglo-Saxon poet around 700 A.D. The material
had been passed on through oral narrative for
many years. It was originally untitled but was
later named after the hero Beowulf. The poem
appeared in its print version in the 1800s.
 An epic is a lengthy narrative in verse that
features the life of a hero. The epic narrative
often shows the realities of the dark ages of the
Anglo-Saxon period during the time of bloody
conflicts, ignorance, violence, and barbarism.
England has many invaders namely the Celts,
Romans, and the Anglo Saxons.
Main
Characters
 PLOT SUMMARY

King Hrothgar of Denmark Heorot celebration and much merriment

The joyous noise angers Grendel, an evil monster living in
a nearby swamp.
 After learning of the Danes’ trouble, young Beowulf,
For 12 years the creature terrorizes Heorot
a prince of the Geats arrives with a small band of
with nightly visits in which he carries off
retainers and offers to rid Heorot of its monster.
Hrothgar’s warriors and devours them.
Hrothgar is astonished at the little-known hero’s daring
but welcomes him.
After an evening of feasting, much courtesy, and
some discourtesy—at one point, one of Hrothgar’s
men insults Beowulf—the king retires, leaving
Beowulf in charge.
Grendel comes from the moors, rips open the
heavy doors, and devours one of the sleeping
Geats. He then grapples with Beowulf, who refuses
to use a weapon.
Beowulf vs Grendel : The Plot
Summary
 Hrothgar, who had once done a great favor for Beowulf’s father
Ecgtheow, accepts Beowulf’s offer to fight Grendel and holds a feast in
the hero’s honor. During the feast, an envious Dane named Unferth
taunts Beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation.
Beowulf responds with a boastful description of some of his past
accomplishments. His confidence cheers the Danish warriors, and the
feast lasts merrily into the night. At last, however, Grendel arrives.
Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving himself stronger than the demon,
who is terrified. As Grendel struggles to escape, Beowulf tears the
monster’s arm off. Mortally wounded, Grendel slinks back into the
swamp to die. The severed arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a
trophy of victory. Overjoyed, Hrothgar showers Beowulf with gifts and
treasure at a feast in his honor. Songs are sung in praise of Beowulf, and
the celebration lasts late into the night.
Guide Questions

1. What trait or action of Beowulf do you find most admirable? Explain.

2. What values or characters shown in the epic that are true among
Filipinos?
3. Who could be the contemporary examples of the characters?
a. King Hrothgar
b. Beowulf
c. warriors
d. Grendel
Alternative Assessment
Character Sketch: Write a character sketch of the epic hero. Describe the traits, personality,
achievements, weakness, and supernatural characteristics of Beowulf. You may use hand
sketching/drawing or graphic design tools to lay-out your output (photoshop, CANVA, etc) for this
task. (25 pts)

Deadline:
KNOT

 An epic celebrates the adventures of a hero from birth

to death highlighting his or her achievements. The epic
of Beowulf illustrated the customs and traditions of the
Anglo-Saxon warriors. In literature, a character can be
considered a hero if he or she possesses some of the
archetypes of a hero.