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Beowulf Part I
Agenda
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Put Homework on desk.
Daily
Short Answers/ Seating
Charts
Homework
discussion/ check
Add
your name to the email list if
I do not have it. 
Beowulf
Grendel
Part Iinto the world of
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Warm-Up Essay Questions (5-6
minutes)
What
inspires people to do good
deeds?
Write
about a time when you did
something good for someone.
Why did you do it?
+ Life and Death of King Scyld
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Recap from last class:
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Key terms/Key Characters on handout.
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Much about Beowulf is unknown, although we do know that Beowulf is an epic poem
most likely written between 7 AD-11 Ad (7/11).
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The Scop is telling a story about the spear Danes, whose leader was Scyld (main source
of entertainment).
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Scyld was found an orphan as a baby and became a great and powerful leader (king),
who was respected from far and near (tribes across the Ocean paid homage to him).
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His people loved him and were loyal to him.
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He was found at sea and was sent to sea after he died in his funeral ship. His life made a
full circle (the circle of life).
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His ship was decked out in gems, riches, rings (he was the ring-giver), armor, battle
gear, which he earned.
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His people were trustworthy and did not take his gold/riches from him upon death.
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Food for thought: Scyld proves that life is not stagnant. Can you think of anyone who
came from nothing and winded up being powerful or having many things? This can be
a relative and does not have to be a famous person.
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The Funeral and a New Beginning
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Why do we have funerals? Who are they for?
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Hrothgar became king after Scyld died.
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People obeyed him gladly.
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Creation of a mighty mead hall
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A New Beginning
Why does he do this?
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Give treasures to young and old to save
the land and men.
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Hall of the hartstag (symbol of
kinship)
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Characters to Meet
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Grendel
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Hrothgar
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Beowulf
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Geats
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Watchman
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Imagining Grendel
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Page 40 in your textbooks
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What do you notice about this depiction of Grendel?
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As a class, we will create a link chart that describes the
famous portrait.
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What does he appear to be doing? What does he look like?
Is there anything you notice about the colors? The mood?
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Character Charts
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1.
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1.
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1.
Grendel
Lines 1-40, 50-60, 59-61, 66-85
Hrothgar/ Danish People
Lines 41-49, 61-66, 85-103, 104-107
Beowulf/ Geats
Lines 109-124, 146-15, 172-195
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Watchman
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Lines 151-171, 198-212
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• Elements of Epic Poetry in
Beowulf
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Elements of Epic Poetry include:
1.
Serious Elevated Language
2.
Forces of Evil/Forces of Good
3.
A threaten to the natural order
4.
Hero with unbelievable stature/countenance
5.
Deeds of superhuman strength
6.
Supernatural
7.
Exaggeration
8.
Poet omnipresent
9.
Hero—plight of a hero
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We will read parts of the poem as a class.
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Class Discussion
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Beowulf is a poem about kings and leadership, however, it is
also a poem that explores the spectrum of human emotion
and what we do when faced with those emotions.
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Have you ever felt marginalized or out of place? How did it
make you feel? What did you do about it?
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Do you think it is important to be a part of society? Why or
why not?
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Think about these questions and your answers as we delve
into the life of Grendel.
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Contrasting Herot and Grendel’s
Lair
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What is different about the two
places?
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What is significant about it?
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What would you think about
the inhabitants of these
places?
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Line 4-The Lute is a pear-shaped
string instrument.
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Creation Story
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How does the story mirror
Christianity?
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Biblical characters of Cain and
Abel are existing alongside
Germanic myths of swampdwelling monsters that change
form.
Monster
Cain
Father
Monster
Abel
Grendel’s
Mother
Grendel
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Character Depiction
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Grendel
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Hrothgar
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Delighted with death
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Night brings terror
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Shielded by darkness
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Day shows the truth, reality
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Sadness and loss
Suffering in Herot
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Who is right? Who is wrong? Are the lines
blurred?
Story mappinghighs and lows
What do you think is going to happen?
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Beowulf Arrives
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What qualities are admired by the Anglo Saxons?
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Strongest of the Geats.
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Naming
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Guard: Whale Watcher
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What is his position?
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How does he see the foreigners? Does his view change?
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What does he say about ownership? Kinship?
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Naming: Rediscovered
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Beowulf has a very lengthy introduction. From what we know
of naming and the importance of name, why does he do this
with his rhetoric?
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Does he use emotion? Logic?
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What does he plan to do?
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Humanity?
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Define what it is to be human.
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Homework: Is Grendel human?
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Next class: Acting: Mediation between Hrothgar, Beowulf, and
Grendel, Beowulf Part 2 analysis, conflict resolution styles