BEOWULFEssential Question:

How do the conventions of epic literature convey the historical and societal issues of the time period to the

reader?

Warm Up

In your journal, write an original sentence for Vocabulary words 1-11.

Lesson Essential Question How do I read and understand epic

poetry?

Lesson Objectives Students will anticipate in both large and

small group discussions while reading an epic poem.

Academic Vocabulary

Review on P. 408AssuranceCollapseConceiveDevoteVision

These are words you should use in your discussion and writing about the texts in this collection.

Key Vocabulary—do you have these definitions in your notes?

Epic Epic hero Diction Tone Universal themes Alliteration Caesura Kenning

Old English poetry was meant to be sung so there are strong rhythms in it.

Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of wordsHelps to unify lines

Caesura: a pause dividing each line with each part having two accented syllablesHelps maintain the rhythm of the lines

Kenning: metaphorical compound word or phrase substituted for a noun or a name enhances meaning

Reading Strategies for Reading Old English Poetry

Vocabulary in context

Affliction--burden Gorge—cram or stuff Infamous--notorious Lair—animal’s hidden resting place Livid—furiously angry Loathsome--repulsive Purge—to remove by cleaning Talon--claw

“Grendel”

Audio Link in Student Edition of E-Book Reading “Grendel”

Listen to the poem being read aloud. Pay close attention to the way the speaker reads, particularly with regard to the punctuation.

After reading, work with your discussion group to complete the graphic organizer.

“Grendel” lines 1-29

Setting, conflict and characters are introduced near the beginning of the epic. Identify these in your notes.Setting=Herot, a mead Hall in DenmarkConflict=Grendel vs. DanesCharacters

○ Grendel, a monster○ Hrothgar, the King of Denmark○ Warriors (Danes)

Lines 1-29 What contrast is developed in the

description of Grendel’s home and Herot?

Biblical Allusions○ Cain and Abel○ Creation Story

Grendel’s home

“down in the darkness” (1-2)“made his home in a hell not hell but earth” (18-19)“slime” (19)

Herot

“music rang loud in that hall” (3-4)“Men lived happy in his hall” (15)

Line 21: Cain?

In the Book of Genesis, Cain (eldest son of Adam and Eve) intentionally kills his younger brother Abel, becoming the first murderer.

Making Grendel a descendant of Cain emphasizes the monster’s inherent evil.

This and other references indicates to the reader that the Beowulf Poet is familiar with the Bible and Christianity.

Lines 1-29

What do these places symbolize?Herot represents life, light, peace,

community, goodnessGrendel and his home represent the power

of evil, darkness, and destruction

Foreshadowing?Grendel will try to destroy Herot, as his

ancestors have always tried to destroy what Herot represents (28-29).

Lines 23-29: Theme?

What universal theme is suggested by the notion that supernatural creatures are “again and again defeated?”

Lines 33-37

Alliteration“sprawled in sleep, suspecting”“slipped,” “silence,” “snatched,” “smashed”

How does this sound create an image of the action?Soft sound, has a negative connotationSymbolizes the unexpectedness of the

attack and Grendel’s stealthiness

Lines 44-49

What is the tone of these lines?Somber, fearful

What words create the tone?“joyless,” “a mighty prince mourning,” “wept”

Line 49: Foreshadowing

What is meant by “the beginning might not be the end”?

Line 58

Why does the poet say that “hate has triumphed?”The Danes have fled Herot and evil has

destroyed their community.

Lines 41-73

Community is the center of Anglo Saxon life. What is the effect of Grendel’s actions on Hrothgar and Herot?Discuss with your group!

Kennings

Definition: a metaphorical compound word or phrase substituted for a noun or a name

How do these kennings establish the universal theme of conflict between good and evil?Hell-forged handsMankind’s enemy

Lines 74-78

What does the kenning “shadow of death” contribute to the characterization of Grendel?Hard to seeHard to battleEver present, yet elusiveA persistent threat

Lines 70-104

What does Grendel’s inability to know God’s love suggest about him?

Why does the poet refer to “stone gods” and “heathen vows?”

What does the change to first person narration in line 104 tell the reader?

“Grendel”

In your notes, write a brief (five sentence) summary of this section of the epic.

Summary

Hrothgar and his men are celebrating in Herot, a mead hall, when they are attacked by Grendel, a powerful monster descended from Cain. He continues to attack them at night until the warriors run away to escape him. Grendel’s reign of terror has lasted for 12 years. He has left his lair and lives in Herot, though he never touches Hrothgar’s throne, which is protected by God.

HOMEWORK

HW: Read Beowulf lines 104-232

“Beowulf”

Lesson Essential Question: What are the characteristics of an epic?

Warm Up

Write an original sentence for Vocabulary Words 12-22

Lesson Objectives Today you will work in pairs to analyze

an epic.

New Characters (or references to characters)

Geats—Beowulf’s people, live in modern day Sweden

Helfdane—Hrothgar’s father Beowulf—the greatest of the Geat warriors Higlac—King of the Geats, Beowulf’s uncle Wulfgar—one of Hrothgar’s soldiers Edgetho—Beowulf’s father Hathlaf—a Wulfing warrior killed by Edgetho Hergar—Hrothgar’s older brother

Review

Define Epic

Define Epic Hero

What are the traits of an epic hero?

Summarize “Beowulf”

In your notes, summarize this section of the epic.

Summary In this section, Hrothgar and the Danes are still living in

fear of Grendel’s murderous rampages. Beowulf, son of Edgetho and nephew to King Higlac of the Geats, has heard of the woes of the Danes and as he is the mightiest warrior of the Geats, he pledges to help the Danes. Saving the Danes from Grendel will repay the debt his father owed to Hrothgar for saving him from the Wulfings after Edgetho killed Hathlaf, a Wulfing warrior. Beowulf sails to the land of the Danes with 14 of the “mightiest men”, and proclaims himself the solution to the Grendel problem. He asks Hrothgar to allow him and his men to face Grendel alone, and says that he will fight Grendel with no weapons. Hrothgar agrees, and celebration ensues.

Small Group

In your discussion group, work through the close reading graphic organizer.Remember to cite specific examples from

the text!

As a group, find at least three examples of these poetic devices Alliteration—

Kennings—

(put these on the back of your graphic organizer!)

Analysis—lines 141-160

Why does Beowulf come to see Hrothgar?

What impression of Beowulf does the poet convey through Beowulf’s opening remarks to Hrothgar?

What is the effect of having Beowulf describe his own great deeds?

Analysis Lines 160-189

Why does Beowulf insist that “my hands alone shall fight for me?”

What is the significance of Beowulf’s statement, “Fate will unwind as it must?”

In lines 174-5, Beowulf says “God must decide…” Why is this so important to Beowulf? How is this representative of the Anglo-

Saxon people?

Analysis 190-232

In lines 207-210, the mood changes to bleak and despairing. What literary device is used to create this mood? How?

In Hrothgar’s long speech, what values are reflected?

Homework

Read “Battle with Grendel” lines 233-397

VOCABULARY QUIZ 1

Lesson Essential Question: Have I learned new words?

Objectives:

1. Complete Vocabulary Quiz

2. Watch History Channel Video about Beowulf

3. Discuss “The Battle with Grendel”

“Battle with Grendel”

Lesson Essential Question:

Warm Up

xx

Lesson Objectives

xx

“The Battle with Grendel” In your discussion grou:

Summarize the story in this section in 10 words or less.

Write it on the back board!

Beowulf defeats Grendel and becomes Denmark’s hero.

The translator uses punctuation to convey the effect of the midline pauses in the original Old English verses. How does the rhythm created by the midline punctuation reinforce the account of the action in lines 233-35?

Cornell Notes—make a 2 column chart like the one below in your notes. Work with your discussion group to analyze this section. Focus on identifying and analyzing poetic devices and figurative

language.

Line Numbers SummaryQuestions

Notes from Group Discussion

Literary Analysis Questions—answer in your notes1. What direction is Grendel’s progression from the marsh toward Herot?

2. What might the location of the marsh in relation to the location of Herot symbolize.

3. What does “Bolted/Him down” (line 265) mean?

4. Up to lines 278-289, Grendel has killed his human victims easily. Why might he be trying to run away from Beowulf?

5. Why might the poet have chosen to use figurative language “to open/A path for his evil soul,” rather than simply saying “to kill”? (lines 320-22)

6. Why do you think no weapons can kill Grendel?

7. Who might the “still worse fiends” be in line 330? What does this remind us about the poet?

8. Why does Beowulf hang Grendel’s arm from the rafters?

9. What are some of the sensory images that help the reader experience what Grendel’s death was like? Why was making this trip to Herot a “miserable journey” for Grendel?

10. What is the contrast between Beowulf’s band and the Danes? Why did each side behave the way it did?

11. What role do poets seem to play in Beowulf’s society? This comes at the end of the section.

12. What characteristics does Grendel have that make him particularly terrifying to the Danes?

Homework

Read “Grendel’s Mother” and “The Battle with Grendel’s Mother”

“Grendel’s Mother”“The Battle with Grendel’s Mother”

Lesson Essential Question:

“Beowulf’s Last Battle”

Summarize this section in your notes.

Complete the graphic organizer that evaluated Beowulf as an epic hero in your packet.

“Beowulf’s Last Battle”Graphic Organizer

26. Lines 606-612 What are your thoughts about Beowulf’s actions at this point in the narrative?

27. Lines 605-612 What do these lines foreshadow about the outcome of Beowulf’s last battle? Explain.

28. Lines 606-612 Why might the poet want to foreshadow the battle’s outcome? 29. Lines 616-644 What stories have you read that end with a final battle

between good and evil characters? How do those stories help you appreciate this passage?

30. Lines 616-644 What imagery does the poet use to set the stage for Beowulf’s climactic battle with the dragon?

31. Lines 616-644 Do you think the poet wants to depict the battle as a contest of equals, or does he view Beowulf as the underdog? Explain your answer.

32. Have you ever chosen to do what was right even though you were afraid? 33. Lines 708-735 How does Wiglaf’s speech show that he is different from his

comrades? 34. Lines 708-735 Does Wiglaf qualify as an epic hero? Why or why not?

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Lesson Essential Question:

“The Death of Beowulf”Graphic Organizer 35. Lines 736-38 The poet writes that Beowulf knew

“he’d unwound/His string of days on earth”. What view of fate does this image suggest

36. Why does the poet use the “string of days” image rather than simply say that Beowulf knew his life was coming to an end?

37. Lines 832-862 Why are Beowulf’s followers referred to as “cowards and traitors” and “shamefaced jackals”?

38. Lines 832-862 Would the actions of Beowulf’s followers have been interpreted the same way by modern day standards? Why or why not?

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Lesson Essential Question:

Final Discussion—p67

Analyze Theme Compare and Contrast Draw Conclusions Evaluate Author’s Purpose

Beowulf Review

What are the characteristics of epic literature?SettingPlotDialogueThemeStyle

Beowulf Review

What are the characteristics of an epic hero?NobleValuesDetermine FateSuperhuman

Beowulf Review

Why did each monster attack the Danes or the Geats?Grendel Grendel’s motherThe dragon

Why does Beowulf fight each monster? Consider multiple reasons.

Beowulf Review

Literary DevicesAlliterationCaesuraKenning

Beowulf Review

ThemesFateSocial Conventions (values of Anglo-Saxon

society)Political ConventionsMorals