ENGL 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Moral Evil, Hrothgar, Hildeburh
31 May 2016
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Document Summary
Shows what kind of poetry the anglo-saxons were able to produce. Narrator = christian looking at pagan society. Poem written about in the 9th c. : beginning of viking conquest. Like wanderer, people are nostalgic for further past. Poem thrusts us into the past, in the introduction. Sense that we"re coming to the end of the line. Introduction: how shield founded the dynasty. Funeral gloom: begins w/ shield"s funeral ; ends w/ beowulf"s funeral. Ring-giver = someone who rewards his people. Anglo-saxon: language of poetry should be elevated (i. e. not everyday speech) Hierarchical society: lord = on top (god) Beowulf and lord = ideal relationship btw lord and retainer. Poem = constantly aware of fragility of social order. Social order can collapse at any point. P. 60, l914 evil entered into heremod . Creator ; makes a mighty hall (p. 43, l67 p. 48, l309) Herot"s creation of a hall, story of creation, poet"s creation of poem.
