Old english. Historical background

CHAPTER 2.TRANSLATION OF OLD ENGLISH INTO MODREN ENGLISH IN THE EXAMPLE OF “BEOWULF”
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2.2
What is Beowulf Epic?
an epic of good vs evil
Oral tradition - book
takes place in 6th century Scandinavia Originally told in Old English
When Beowulf was finally written down in the 11th century , it marked the beginning of British Literature
contains three different literary devices:

• Kennings - poetic devices used in Old English poetry , where two words take the place of another
• Caesura – pauses in a line of poetry
• Alliteration - when two or more words in a line have the same initial sound

the events of Beowulf take place in the early Anglo Saxon times , before 1000 BC
◆ It was composed in the 700's AD
2.2. The translation of old Beowulf epic by Seamus Heaney
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-Rhythmical pattern
-important reminders
-literal translation
Examples for Alliteration in Beowulf:
-“to feast his fill of the flesh of men” (the alliterative use of the letter 'f')
-“gulped the blood and gobbled the flesh” (the alliterative use of the letter 'g')
“tholed” is a verb meaning “suffered,”
“bothies,” small huts or cottages outside .
Each of them signals in different ways what might be called Heaney’s reappropriation of English.
LO , praise of the prowess of people - kings of spear - armed Danes , in days long sped , we have heard , and what honor the athelings won !
THANK YOU