Beowulf: BIAS AND PROPAGANDA
Today and tomorrow in class, you will work with your groups to analyze the propaganda and bias in the poem Beowulf in
order to assess if and how the poem represents propaganda. You will compile your notes on this handout in order to
prepare for Tuesday’s graded discussion, which will consist of two parts: 1) whether or not the poem should be
considered in academic study; 2) whether or not (and how) the poem represents a work of propaganda. The discussion
Tuesday will, therefore, be two discussions in one—but you may find that these two topics are interconnected.
With your groups, read through the following information and respond where directed. This document, along with the
Beowulf chart you created this week, will serve as your notes for the discussion on Tuesday.
Homework:
1. Prepare for graded discussion on Tuesday.
2. Prepare for multiple-choice test on Beowulf coming up on Thursday for 1XM. Study all charts/notes/reread, etc.
3. Add to vocabulary entries as needed. Writer’s Notebooks due October 30th for 1XM.
Detecting Bias
Bias - Showing a preference for one thing above another. To detect bias, consider the following questions: Does the
author seem to favor, or like, some things more than others? Does the author seem to disfavor, or dislike, some
things more than others?
When you are reading for bias, it is important for you to know the author’s attitude or tone. Sometimes, the
author doesn’t tell you his or her position. You have to discover it by analyzing the word choice, or diction,
carefully to see what meaning the author is implying. To do this, look for words that show that the writing is
biased by the author’s feelings and/or beliefs/ values. Check to see whether the author has presented enough
evidence and whether the evidence given is reliable and convincing.
Answer the following questions in regard to Beowulf to detect potential bias in the poem:
1. What is the author's purpose in writing? (to persuade, entertain, inform, explain)
2. Does the author use words that convey emotion? Cite three examples of “emotionally charged” words from the
poem.
3. Explain whether or not the connotation of these emotionally charged words is positive or negative.
4. In what cases does the poet use positive diction, and in what cases does the poet use negative diction? Cite three
examples for each.
5. Is the poem balanced towards its representation of all characters and literary elements? Why or why not? What
bias do you think the poem has?
Detecting Propaganda
Propaganda - The systematic spread of information that supports a viewpoint of the party spreading the information.
To detect propaganda, consider the following questions: Does the information contain bias? What is the
bias of the information? Is there a purpose behind the inclusion of this bias? How does this bias affect
me as the audience? How does this bias affect its creator?
Answer the following questions in regard to Beowulf to detect potential propaganda in the poem.
1. Oftentimes, propagandists use certain tools to convince the audience of a particular point of view. For each of the
propaganda devices listed below, find two possible examples from the poem.
a. Pathos = Emotional Appeal or Loaded Language: Authors may appeal to fear, anger, or joy to sway
their readers. Authors use loaded language to appeal to the reader’s emotions.
i. Example #1:
ii. Example #2:
b. Logos= Logical Appeal: When writers use statistics, facts, and logical reasoning to try to convince you,
they are using logical appeal.
i. Example #1:
ii. Example #2:
c. Ethos= Ethical Appeal: When writers show themselves to be credible, trustworthy, intelligent, or openminded, they are using ethical appeal. They want to gain a reader's trust. They use their backgrounds to try
to accomplish this. Presidential candidates often use ethical appeal to try to convince people to vote for
them.
i. Example #1:
ii. Example #2:
2. How does the Beowulf poet use ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade the audience?
3. In reflecting upon the examples of ethos, pathos, and logos from above, which appeal does the poem mostly contain?
Which appeal do you think is most effective in the story? Explain
4. The following items depict more common propaganda devices. Which ones do you see in the poem Beowulf? For
those devices you think pertain to Beowulf, provide two examples accordingly.
a. Glittering Generalities: In glowing terms and offering no evidence, the speaker or advertiser supports a
candidate or a solution to social problems.
b. Testimonial: Writers use this technique to associate a respected person or someone with experience to
endorse a product or cause by giving it his or her stamp of approval. The writer hopes that the intended
audience will follow the example.
c. Repetition: Overly repetitive writing can become tiresome. However, when used sparingly for effect, it
can reinforce the writer's message and/or entertain the reader. Writers may repeat a word, a phrase, or an
entire sentence for emphasis.
d. Hyperbole/ Overstatement: Involves completely overstating and exaggerating your point for effect.
e. Bandwagon Appeal: This technique is used to persuade the audience to follow the crowd. It creates the
impression of widespread support, that "everybody is doing it!" Ex.: Get in on the fit of Best Fit Jeans and
get in on the party!
f. Snob Appeal: aimed at people’s desire to be cool and to do what is popular.
g. Name Calling: a way of getting people to reject someone’s ideas by attacking the person rather than the
ideas themselves. Ex.: Who do you want to represent you in Congress – a dinosaur stuck in the past or
someone who’s facing the future?
h. Generalization/Stereotyping- sweeping statements about people, places, and things. Often uses words
such as “all,” “every,” “always,” etc. Ex.: All students who wear glasses are smart.
i.
Euphemism- a phrase that makes it easier to talk about a difficult subject. Ex. It is a shame that your
dog passed away.
5. How can Beowulf be viewed as a piece of “propaganda”? What information is it trying to “spread” and for what
purpose? Explain, and cite five examples to support your opinion. You MUST answer this question in
paragraph/prose format. This is your chance to pull your ideas together in order to prepare for discussion on
Tuesday.