Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Beowulf Short Essay Assignment Description
The essential question of this course is “What is the role of the hero in a hostile society?”
For the past two weeks, you have read Beowulf, the oldest extant epic poem in the English
language (Old English, that is). You have answered several journal questions about it; and,
by the end of the week, you will have read several informal and formal examples of
commentary--two of which are by Beowulf experts, Tolkien and Kerr. Now it is time for you
to chime in on the conversation and demonstrate both your comprehension of the text and
your mastery of rhetorical argumentation by the writing of a short essay, 1.5-3 pages long.
Ask yourself:
What is Beowulf about from the perspective of the author, based on the text itself?
What is Beowulf about from the perspective of the modern reader? You may use any of the
Academic Literary Lenses to focus your analysis and evaluation. Do not do a survey of
several, as you do not have the space for that.
What about our essential question? How does Beowulf enlighten our understanding of
Anglo-Saxon concepts related to: 1) heroism, 2) hostilities, 3) theology, 4) manners and
customs?
What is the relevancy of Beowulf to today?
You may also choose to focus on Beowulf from a non-plot angle. Instead, you could focus on
the structuring of the tale or the language tropes, as they relate to the effectiveness or
ineffectiveness of the story. You could also focus on translation issues.
As usual:
1) Use the text in strong ways. You don’t have time to do a line-by-line analysis, but you
ought to support your claims with evidence.
2) Format your essay according to MLA standards.
3) Use correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
4) Use rich and interesting language so that your voice and personality show through
your words.
5) Organize your essay in a clear, coherent manner.
6) Cite any sources that you use. Choose either to cite pages or line numbers from
Beowulf and stick to your choice. Wrestle with your sources.
7) Do NOT waste time circling points. Instead, develop them through illustrations,
analysis, and evaluation. Avoid generalizations and cliches.
8) Develop a strong thesis before beginning to write. Make that thesis the heart of the
paper.