Beowulf Body Biography Project
Choose a major character from Beowulf (Grendel, Beowulf, Grendel’s mother, Hrothgar, etc.) The more prominent your character is, the easier the biography project will be. With 4 members per team, create a life size drawing – trace around one of the people in your group – that will be used for your character biography. ADVICE: Select your teammates well!!! You need workers!!
Your portrait must contain (but is not limited to):
Your character’s name
Realistic depiction of what your character looks like – include color!!!
One quotation that directly reveals something about your character
Two character traits
Your character’s two most important lines
A minimum of two visual symbols (may represent a scene, the character’s goals realized or not, the character’s personality, etc.)
Formula poem to reveal information about the character (see example on this handout)
A written explanation of why you chose to include each of the above on your body biography (doesn’t have to be in huge letters or even handwritten; this part may be typed)
Formula Poem – create a Cinquain (a short poem consisting of five, usually unrhymed lines; see format below)
Line / Content / ExampleLine 1 / Noun / Lisa
Line 2 / 2 adjectives that describe the noun / Wise, authentic
Line 3 / 3 gerunds that describe the noun / Singing, laughing, coaching
Line 4 / 1 complete, related sentence / She is my sister.
Line 5 / Noun – synonym of noun in line 1 / Friend
Suggestions to consider:
- Placement – Carefully choose the placement of your text and artwork. For example, the area where your character’s heart would be might be appropriate for illustrating the important relationships within his life. Where should it be placed to best represent what this character loves the most? What should it look like? What shape, color, pictures, or symbols should be included in the heart itself?
- Spine – this is your character’s objective in the epic. What is the most important goal for your character? What drives his thoughts and actions? What motivates him? How can you illustrate it?
- Hands – What does the character hold in his hands? Items that are associated with the character literally or figuratively should be included (Grendel crunching on bones, Hrothgar holding a king’s symbol).
- The Feet – On what is the character standing? This should be a symbolic representation of what the character does in the poem.
- The Background – Draw some elements that suggest the character’s environment, background, or predicament.
- Virtues and Vices – what are your character’s most admirable qualities? His worst? How can you make us visualize them?
- Color – Colors are often symbolic. What color(s) do you most associate with your character?
- Symbols – What objects can you associate with your character? For example, what symbols are necessary for a warrior, a king, a demon, a monster?
- Formula poems – These are fast, effective recipes for producing a text because they reveal a great deal about the character. Consider your words as you create.
- Mirror, Mirror – Consider how your character appears to others on the surface and what you know about your character’s inner self (Beowulf came to offer help, but his real goal was to obtain more glory for himself).
- Changes – How has your character changed throughout the epic? How can you incorporate or symbolize these changes?
Your body biography will count as a major project and will be worth 200 points.
Rubric for Character BiographyTeam Members:
Creativity / The picturereflects an exceptional degree of student creativity with great attention to detail. / The picture reflects some degree of student creativity. Several important details are included. / The picture reflects little degree of student creativity.
Few details are included. / The picture reflects no creativity. Details are very sparse.
Appearance / The character’s appearance and name are exceptionally done. There is much attention to detail and color. / The character’s appearance and name match expectations from the text. Color is used appropriately. / The character’s name and appearance is included. Color is used, but doesn’t always enhance the characteristics. / Identification of the character is not possible. Very little color is used.
Quotation from the character / The quotation completely and directly reveals the most prominent idea about the character. / The quotation reveals an important idea about the character. / The quotation reveals an idea about the character, but it does not reveal an important attribute. / The quotation does not reveal anything about the character or does not exist.
Character traits / Character traits reveal exact nature of the character. / Character traits reveal a part of the character. / Character traits reveal only one trait of the character. / No character traits are provided.
Two Most Important Lines / The character lines are epic. They are critical to the poem. / The two most important lines are present and are an important part of the action/outcome. / Only one important line is provided. / No character lines are included.
Visual Symbols / Visual symbols are included and are significant in importance. These symbols are more thoughtful in describing something about the character. / Visual symbols are used. They represent an important part of the character. / Visual symbols are used. They don’t give an important part of the character. / No visual symbols are included.
Formula Poem / The formula poem shows evidence of thought and understanding of the character and his motivations. / The formula poem shows evidence of some understanding of the character. / The formula poem shows little understanding of the characger. / No formula poem is included.
Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar / There are no spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors. / There is one spelling, punctuation, or grammar error. / There are two spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. / There are three or more spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.
Time and Effort / Class time was used wisely. Much time and effort went into the planning and design of the comic. / Class time was used wisely;the students could have put in more time and effort into the planning. / Class time was used wisely; however, the students could have put more time and effort into the design. / Class time was not used wisely.
Total from each column
The first column adds up to 180 points. Twenty points are given for completion of the task.