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Submitted by: Laraib Nawaz

Registration #: S20BSEN023

Program: BS English

Semester: II

Course: LIT404 (History of Eng. Literature I)

Submitted to: Ms. Selina Aziz

Due Date: 29 September 2020

Assignment #01

Q: Besides providing entertainment, why were epic poems like Beowulf important to

the Anglo Saxons?

Ans: Epic Poetry:

The epic poems like Beowulf were important to the Anglo Saxons because they were the

source of entertainment for them. Besides providing entertainment there were several other

reasons to Anglo Saxons to like the epic poetry. Epic is a long narrative poem that tells in grand

style the history and aspirations of a national hero.

Beowulf:

The theme of the poem, Beowulf is Continental Germanic, and it is likely that it was the

subject of lays long before its present version was composed. There is, it may be noted, no

mention of England, and Beowulf himself is king of the 'Geatas.' Though there is much in the

poem which can be considered 'pagan' and which suggests that the poem in origin may be

considered as such, the extant version was clearly written by a Christian for the 'Christianization'

is no mere veneer. Of its actual authorship there is no evidence.

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There are so many episodes and digressions in the story of Beowulf that it is almost

impossible briefly to give an adequate synopsis of the narrative. In outline it may be said that

Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, sails to Denmark with a band of warriors and rids the Danish King

Hrothgar of a terrible mere-monster called Grendel. The mother of Grendel, seeking vengeance

for the death of her son, meets the same fate, and Beowulf, fittingly feasted and rewarded,

returns to his native land. He becomes king of the Geatas and after a prosperous reign of some

forty years slays a dragon which had ravaged his land, but in the fight he himself receives a

mortal wound. The poem concludes with the funeral ceremonies in honour of the dead hero.

The Old English Period/The Anglo-Saxon Period (450-1066):

After the Romans departed from the British Isles in 407 AD fighting continued between

the Picts and the Scots who had lost their common enemy. The fifth century also saw conquests

and the gradual occupation by Germanic tribes - Angles, Jutes and Saxons - who had moved

north to Scandinavia and from there to Britain. Apart from making conquests, these tribes

preferred agricultural life, had strong family and tribal ties, and were very loyal to their king or

chief. The legendary King Arthur defeated the Saxons in 490 AD and for about a decade halted

their advance.

At the end of the sixth century, the Anglo-Saxons accepted Christianity after Pope

Gregory sent Saint Augustine to Britain in 597 AD. (The Romans had introduced Christianity to

the Celts centuries earlier.) This gave rise to some religious writings.

It is a mixture of pagan traditions, thoughts about life, the universe and nature, as well as

Christian thought and moral values. There is often no clear-cut delineation between religious and

non-religious poetry or sometimes even between poetry and prose. Though Christianity is

traceable, paganism dominates the literary spirit of the time. Heroic deeds, love of sea
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adventures, intense love of glory, and savagery are the main features of the literature of this

period.

Anglo Saxons and Epic Poetry:

Old English poetry included long epic heroic poems, which drew on the Bible as well as

on pagan sources for their content. The period contains 12 books. Some poetry was also based on

historical events. With a history of invasions and occupations, many writings of this era are

chronicles, annals, and historical records. Some are in the forms of poetry and describe various

battles, for example, "The Battle of Maldon" and "The Battle of Brunanburh". The themes are

war, conquest and bravery. Many eighth-century works depict Anglo-Saxon resistance against

the Vikings.

Lament and melancholy are frequently present in describing man's struggles against his

environment, life's difficulties, and the passage of time. Life is fleeting. Often a prologue and

epilogue express hope in God's compassion and mercy. Examples of such poems include "The

Wanderer", "The Seafarer" and "The Ruin". Other poems depict the separation of a man and a

woman and the accompanying sadness, such as in "The Wife's Lament" and "The Husband's

Message". In these types of poem, the man may have been exiled and sometimes there is hope,

sometimes not. Collectively, Old English poems that lament the loss of worldly goods, glory, or

human companionship are called elegies.

Beowulf is the best-known and best-preserved Old English verse. Caedmon and

Cynewulf were well-known Old English religious poets in the 7th and 9th century respectively.

The work in Beowulf glorifies a hero and the values of bravery and generosity. The story is set in

Scandinavia around 500-600 AD - a time of battles and conquests by Germanic Anglo-Saxon

tribes in Denmark and southern Sweden. Its sources are old legends of these tribes who had
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moved north from Germany over Scandinavia and into Britain. It also reflects the acceptance of

Christianity by these new British settlers at the end of the sixth century.

The major theme of the poetry in the period was war and Anglo Saxons were the

warriors, that’s why they were interested in epic poetry. They were brave and had courage to

fight. They love being violent and rough and tough kind of people. Their life style and

characteristics were similar with the features of epic poems.

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References:

History of English Literature, written by EDWARD ALBERT, Revised by J. A. STONE

The Short Oxford History of English Literature, written by Andrew Sanders

silo. tips-Old-English-Literature-