Anglo-Saxon Heroic Poetry - 5673 Words

Old English poetry is divided into two types: the Heroic, the sources of which are pre-Christian Germanic myth, history and custom; and the Christian. Heroic, or Epic Poetry belongs to one of these two types and refers to long narrative poems celebrating the great deeds of one or more legendary heroes, in a grand, ceremonious style. In its strict use by literary critics, the terms Heroic Poetry or Epic are applied to a work that meets the following criteria: such a poem must be related in an elevated style, and centered upon a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race. The hero, usually protected by or even descended from gods, performs superhuman exploits in battle or in†¦show more content†¦Features of legend building evident in epic include the following: 1.The heros near-invulnerability; 2.The heros fighting without conventional weapons (as in Beowulfs wrestling Grendel); 3.The heros inglorious youth; 4.The heros auspicious birth, an attempt at the reconstruction of the early life of a notable adult; 5.Transference of the deeds and events associated with one hero to another of similar name. Such events would include the gods arming a hero ( a metaphor for wondrous strength so great it must have seemed to have divine origins) and the hero is descending to the Underworld ( a metaphor for facing and overcoming death); 6.Historical inclusiveness: the poem presents a whole culture in microcosm - although the action is localized, flashbacks and inset narratives widen the epics geographical and chronological scope to include the whole of that races world and culture heroes; 7.The hero is a dramatic protagonist in each scene of a play that is too big for any stage Milton employed the epic machinery of Homer and Virgil while attempting to redefine their ethos from that of the man of action to that of the man of patient endurance and love. In attempting to make this shift, Milton was surely recognizing that the heroic poem is essentially non-Christian since it is based on the deeds of a man of physical action, a warrior and military leader. Although an epic may be either a folk original (primary), it must be unified inShow MoreRelatedAngloSaxon Literature Essay632 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066), we see that many of their narratives, stories were simply passed down orally due to the lack of education prior to the era of Christianity. During the Anglo- Saxon Era literature initially began to be written down by the monks of the Christian Monasteries. The Anglo-Saxons contributed many details to human nature. The Anglo-Saxons named our modern day weekdays after Greek Gods. Heroism within an epic poem was often present du ring this period. Epic poetry wasRead MoreExodus : A Culturally Blended Anglo Saxon Britain1398 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Exodus† in a Culturally Blended, Anglo Saxon Britain The Old English poem â€Å"Exodus† exemplifies the complex mixture of influencing forces within Anglo Saxon culture at the time of its writing. 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TheRead MoreHistory Of Ancient Poetry Ghosh ( 1 )995 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of the ancient poetry GHOSH (1) The period of time of concerning 500-100AD in British history was characterized by foreign invasions and internal struggles. This resulted within the admixture of many races, tongues and cultures. Once the Romans departed from British Isles in 407 AD fighting continuing between the Picts and therefore the Scots who had lost their common enemy. The fifth century additionally saw conquests and therefore the gradual occupationRead MoreBeowulf : Portrait Of Anglo Saxon Society Essay2057 Words   |  9 PagesPortrait of Anglo-Saxon Society The Middle Ages in England began with the withdrawal of the Romans and the arrival of various Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes), during the mid-fifth century. 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This story features a super-strong warrior BeowulfRead More The Anglo-Saxon poems, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, and The Wife’s Lament3469 Words   |  14 PagesThe Anglo-Saxon poems, â€Å"The Wanderer,† â€Å"The Seafarer,† and â€Å"The Wife’s Lament† The Old English, or Anglo-Saxon, era of England lasted from about 450-1066 A.D. The tribes from Germany that conquered Britain in the fifth century carried with them both the Old English language and a detailed poetic tradition. The tradition included alliteration, stressed and unstressed syllables, but more importantly, the poetry was usually mournful, reflecting on suffering and loss.1These sorrowful poems from