LITERATURE & CULTURE OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

2023-2024

Unit 1 – Epic poetry. Beowulf.

Beowulf in Old English
1 Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.Oft Scyld
Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
5 monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,
oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
Seamus Heaney’s Translation (slightly adapted)
So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by 1. Spear-Danes: the Danes armed with spears
and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.
We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns.
There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes, 4. scourge: affliction, menace
a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes, 5. wrecker: destroyer
this terror of the troops had come far. 5. mead-benches: the place where one would sit to drink
mead (‘a wrecker of mead-benches’, a party animal)
An orphan to start with, he would flourish later on 5. foes: enemies
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved. 6. flourish: prosper
In the end each clan on the far-off coasts 7. waxed: increased

10 ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning.
ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned,
geong in geardum, þone god sende
folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king.
Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield,
a cub in the yard, a comfort sent
by God to that nation. He knew what they had suffered,
10. whale-road: road of the whales (the sea)
10. yield: surrender, obey
13. cub: young dog or wolf, puppy

15 þe hie ær drugon aldorlease
lange hwile. Him þæs liffrea,
wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf;
Beowulf wæs breme blæd wide sprang,
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.
20 Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean,
fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme,
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume,
leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal
25 in mægþa gehwære man geþeon.
the long times and troubles they’d come through
without a leader; so the Lord of Life,
the glorious Almighty, made this man renowned.
Shield had fathered a famous son:
Beow’s name was known through the north.
And a young prince must be prudent like that,
giving freely while his father lives
so that afterwards in age when fighting starts
steadfast companions will stand beside him 23. steadfast: loyal
and hold the line. Behavior that’s admired
is the path to power among people everywhere.
LITERATURE & CULTURE OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
2023-2024

Work in groups and answer the following questions:

1) According to the text, what would be Anglo-Saxon cultural values that one honorable person should follow?

2) Can you find references to Christianity in the text?

3) Epic poetry uses a dramatic & elaborated style. Where can you see this elevated tone in Beowulf?