V4 P1 W5 Beowulf

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Basic rules

• We do our work when we should
• We are silent during explanations and raise our hands for questions
• Our phone is in our "zakkie" in our bag
• We don't eat, drink, or chew gum in class

learning goals

I understand the basic plot of Beowulf.

Literature & Culture

Timeline

55 BC - 450 AD: Great Britain under Roman rule

after 450 AD: Celts attack, Romans withdraw 

--> migration of the peoples --> Anglo-Saxon settlers --> 7th century turn to Christianity --> increase Latin & Old English literature --> 793 Vikings attack --> Viking settlers --> 8th - 11th century wars for the crown --> 1066 end of Anglo-Saxon era; beginning of Norman period

OLD ENGLISH

Medieval times

• tradition: told by 
  scops 
  
  

The oldest

• composed +/- 1200 years ago(?)
• changed dialects, almost up in smoke, lines were lost
• lone survivor; remarkable then and now.

Epic Poetry

• Long narrative poem
• Written in an elevated style
• Celebrates deed of a legendary hero or God
  
• External Conflict, when a character struggles against some outside force person nature society or fate.
  
• Superficial characters
• Straight forward (monster-slay-treasure)

BEOWULF

REMARKABLE & SUCCESFULL - WHY?

• Being worthy of your father’s legacy
  
• Heroic deads (reprimand/debt/honour)
• Appealed to Anglo-Saxon warriors
  
• Tangibility of a hero compared to God

The hero of the story 

The monster that must be defeated

The name of the king Beowulf sets out to help

The second monster that Beowulf has to fight

The name of the mead hall that is being terrorised by the monster

The third monster that Beowulf has to fight

Heorot

Beowulf

Grendel

Grendel's mother

Hrothgar

A nameless dragon

Read page 8 & 9 in Alquin

Answer questions 1 & 2 from page 10

question 1

Beowulf is set in a period when Christianity had yet to become established all across Western Europe. 

Nevertheless, there are many references to God in the poem.

Can you suggest why this might be?

answer question 1

At this time, monks and others within the church were almost the only people who When the poem was written, the Anglo-Saxons had been Christians for about a hundred years. could read and write. What they wrote was naturally dominated by Christian thinking. Whoever wrote down or copied Beowulf adapted it by removing heathen elements and/or adding more contemporary elements.

question 2

At the start of the first quoted passage. Grendel is introduced as a bloodthirsty monster. 

Give a number of examples from which his nature is apparent.

answer question 2

Grendel is described as greedy, the curse of the human race, spurned, etc. etc. 

In addition, a lot of attention is paid to his rage and the demonic pleasure he takes in killing people.

- ‘his rage boiled over, he ripped open / the mouth of the building, maddening for blood’

- ‘and his glee was demonic’

- ‘he would rip life from limb and devour them / feed on their flesh’

Holmwoods

Go to Somtoday--> leermiddelen --> English Essentials --> start learning

Every week: do 2 reading exercises and 2 listening exercises