Part_I_The_Anglo-Saxon_Period_(盎格鲁-撒克逊时期).ppt

Beowulf tore off the monster’s arm and shoulder A runaway slave stole the treasure Beowulf went to fight with the Fire Dragon Wiglaf helped him… They killed the dragon and got the treasure… 3 Plot summary and theme: plot summary: It is set in Scandinavian /,sk?nd?’ne?vi?n/ and tells of his three major adventureshow the hero defeats the monster Grendel and Grendel’s mother, the sea monster and a fire-breathing dragon , but eventually receives his own death. The theme (1) Goodness conquers evil. (2) Men against nature. Minor ones Actions (Beowulfs) speak louder than words (Unferths). Judge the greatness of a human being by the greatness of his deeds and his noble ancestry. the heroic spirits and bravery of human. Help thy neighbor. Life is a continuing struggle. Consciousness of savior 4. Analysis of the poem: Battle is a way of life. Strength, courage and loyalty are basic virtues for both kings and warriors. It shows how the primitive people wage heroic struggles against the hostile forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader. But, the forces of wyrd (fate) seem to control man’s destiny with mysterious omnipotencefatalism. 5. The writing features of Beowulf 1). The most important is in alliterative(头韵的) verse and in artistic form. Example: Thus made their mourning the men of Geatland, For their hero’s passing, his hearth-companions Three accents show alliteration. Alliteration alliteration is the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of a series of words or phrases. Metaphors: ring-giver: hearth-companions: whale’s road: sea-wood: Understatement: king attendant warriors sea ship very welcome not troublesome: 2). Another is the frequent use of metaphors and understatements(低调陈述) for ironical humor. 6. The Significance of the epic