Beowulf Assignments

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Part One

  • Read pp. ix-xi of the Introduction.
  • Lines 60-426: A history of the Danes, the problem with Grendel: introduction to Beowulf, his journey from Geatland to Denmark, his introduction to Hrothgar, what he can do for the Danes
  • Lines 499 – 606 Unferth, after drinking speaks to Beowulf in a taunting manner, and Beowulf’s response.

Part Two

  • Lines 662-835: the fight with Grendel
  • Lines 1008-1061: the bestowing of gifts upon Beowulf and his men
  • Lines 1215-1590: Grendel’s mother
  • Lines 2207-2241: Fifty years pass; there comes a thief

Part Three

  • Lines 2510-2602: Beowulf’s boast and the dragon fight
  • Lines 2631-2845: more dragon fight, Beowulf dies
  • Lines 3076-3182: Wiglaf makes funeral arrangements

#1 Due date

Read Part One of the reading assignment above.

From pp. ix-xi of the Introduction answer the following questions.

1. When was Beowulf written?

2. In what language was it written?

3. Where was it written?

4. Where is the story set? (Remember that setting means both time and place).

5. Who is Beowulf?

Read the Plot summary handout – Be prepared to discuss in class the hero cycle.

Consult your Quint one notes and read about the qualities of a hero. Jot down some thoughts about the hero cycle, thinking of the stages in the hero cycle and/or aspects of the hero archetype:

Write a definition and an example of alliteration here:

Read the text assignment lines 60-426. As you read, highlight in your text references to religion, either pagan or Christian, and references to nature. Also, highlight descriptions of the following characters: Beowulf, Grendel, Hrothgar, Heorot, Grendel’s mother and Wiglaf. You will not see all of these characters in this section.

Answer the following question and include the line numbers of where you found the answer.

6. Why does Beowulf visit Hrothgar

#2 Due date

Read Part Two of the reading assignment (listed above). As you read, highlight in your text references to religion, either pagan or Christian, and references to nature. Also, highlight descriptions of the following: Beowulf, Grendel, Hrothgar, Heorot, Grendel’s mother and Wiglaf.

Write answers to the following questions and include the line numbers where you found the answers.

1. How is Grendel described?

2. How does Beowulf finally defeat Grendel?

3. How does the poet describe Grendel’s mother?

4. What motivates her actions?

5. What do you notice about the depictions of nature (especially water) in the poem?

#3 Due date

Read Part Three of the reading assignment. Continue highlighting references to religion and nature and character descriptions.

Write answers to the following questions and include the line numbers where you found the answers:

1. Describe Beowulf’s funeral.

2. What qualities make Beowulf a hero? How well does he fit the archetype of the hero? What specific qualities/actions of his connect to the hero archetype?

Alliteration Exercise

Divide each line into two parts.

Underline the letter/sounds that are alliterative within each line.

Beowulf, Lines 120-125

And human sorrow. Suddenly then

the God-cursed brute was creating havoc

greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men

from their resting places and rushed to his lair,

flushed up and inflamed from the raid,

blundering back with the butchered corpses.

Beowulf Creative writing assignment

Based on the example from the text above, write a six line character study, in the style of the Seamus Heaney translation (the one we are reading) of one of the characters in Beowulf. Use the third person. At least two lines should use alliteration, and there should be at least one example of a (original) kenning. (see your class notes to remind you of alliteration and kenning).

Include at least ONE of the following in your brief character study:

Example of Germanic tribal values

Example of the religious element (either Christian or pagan)

Example of women in this society

Write a paragraph explaining your ideas about the character study and your kenning.

Due date

Information for the teacher:

The students were slow the first day to get into this. I played a DVD of the Old English from Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxons, that I was able to get from Netflix.

Good resources for an explanation of kennings and alliteration are:

And Cliffs Notes Beowulf has some very succinct information on comitatus, the code these thanes lived by, or otherwise known as the Germanic Tribal Code, see p. 7-8.

Beowulf Assignments AE10/7/20181