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Journal Hero • What is a hero to you? What qualities make someone heroic? Do you think these qualities are valued in our society? Do you think a hero’s deeds need to be celebrated or well-known? What people in our world today would you consider heroes? Do you think what makes a hero has changed over time? • Explain.
Epic • What does the word epic mean to you? What associations does it bring to mind? What does it mean when applied to movies or TV miniseries? What qualities do you expect to find in a movie or miniseries that people call an epic? Brainstorm a list of characteristics. Do you know/have you read any literary epics? Finally, describe a specific example of an epic movie, TV show, song, etc.
A Hero Sung • Pick a song whose lyrics embody the idea of a hero to you • Write down the lyrics • Interpret what they mean to you
Arrgh! Monster • What is a monster exactly? Is it more human or animal? • What qualities do monsters generally share? • Why do you think monsters have always existed, if not in real life, at least in our literature and imaginations? • What kind of “monsters” do we have today? Love me?
I’m just a good person who’s been treated bad. Monsters vs. Heroes • While polar opposites and portrayed as archrivals or nemeses, the monsters and the hero in Beowulf can also be said to share certain traits. In light of these similarities, discuss to what extent Grendel and Grendel’s mother follow or break the “warrior’s code”? What function do the monsters have in the poem? On the other hand, from our perspective, is the hero an absolute good? I’m the greatest, the awesomest ever.
Kennings • As we’ve discussed, kennings were a typical feature of Anglo-Saxon poetry. Kennings are a more poetic substitution for a commonly used noun, and they are frequently compound words. Here are some common Anglo-Saxon kennings: whale-road bone-house battle-light wave-floater (cont.)
Kennings • Choose at least 5 common objects in your world today and think of poetic substitutes for them. For example metal bird could be a kenning for airplane or leaf dancer for tree. (You may choose more than one kenning for the same word.) • Create a little story around your kennings so that their meaning can be guessed. • Add some other poetic techniques such as alliteration, assonance and consonance, to give your story a euphonic quality.
Worldview • What is the worldview or ethos of the Germanic tribes in Beowulf? In other words, what is their outlook on the world, the universe, and their place in it? What is their value system? What do they value most highly and what does that say about them as a culture? What about that time period, the environment, conditions, etc. might explain their worldview? Have we inherited anything from the Anglo-Saxons? Explain.
“The Wife’s Lament” • How does this poem provide a different voice from the epic poem Beowulf; how does it open a different window onto the life and culture of the pagan Germanic tribal warriors? • What do you imagine it was like to be a woman in the Anglo-Saxon era?
Old English Genesis • After reading the excerpt from the Anglo-Saxon translation of Genesis, write an analytical response of it. • How is it different from the translation of Genesis we read in class? • How does it reflect what you know about Anglo-Saxon culture, history and literature (particularly poetry)?
