Week 1 Class Notes, page 1
ENGL 105, Fall, 2012
Dr. Harnett
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Welcome to ENGL 105: British Literature, Anglo-Saxon Era to 1780!
Class Ticket #1407
TuTh 10:45AM-12:10 PM
AD 217
1. Introductions. Roster, what chances there are to add; me and my
approach, office (LB 211), office hours (8:00-9:00 AM MTuWTh, 1:00-1:30
PM MW; 3:30-4:00 PM M); website: http://mharnett.weebly.com/ (I’ve
posted the syllabus and Caedmon’s Hymn already and will post course
materials and class notes throughout the semester; I’ll post
announcements there too), contact information; course
overview/syllabus, readings, exams and Paper; grading; support from
me.
2. SI Information: The SI is meant to be an opportunity to work together,
guided by an able leader who has taken both my ENGL 105 and 106 classes,
Janice Robinson. By attending SI’s, which will meet once a week (12:30 Tu in
SG 136), you will have support for the interpretation of readings, preparation
for exams, and other benefits for you and your course success. I will award
Participation points for attendance of each SI session, which will boost your
Participation grade and offset any low quizzes, missing work, etc. Our
intention with the SI is to provide an inviting and helpful forum for you in the
class. Along with in class work and consultations with me individually, you
will be actively improving your learning and grade. Attend one SI in Week 2
or 3, then at least 4 more through the course of the semester: 1 each in
Weeks 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15.
3. Overview of English Literature from the Anglo-Saxon Period: approx.
449 (arrival of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians from present-day
Denmark to England) until 1066 (Norman conquest at The Battle of
Hastings, bring French to England via William the Conqueror) through
the 18th Century.
4. Preview of the Anglo-Saxon Period and its literature.
a. Chronology
http://mockingbird.creighton.edu/english/fajardo/teaching/eng
701/anglosax.htm
b. Resource page including maps, works of art, etc. from ORB
http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/early/pre1000/asindex.html
including The Alfred Jewel
5. Preliminary Literary Criticism Activity. Read the following excerpt from
literature of this course:
“Caedmon’s Hymn” (ca. 737, 746, modern English versions) Note:
According to the historian The Venerable Bede, Caedmon’s Hymn began
English Literature! See an article that includes images of the Moore and
Leningrad manuscripts of The Venerable Bede at
http://www.uky.edu/~kiernan/ReadingCH/ReadingCH.htm
ENGL 105, Fall, 2012
Dr. Harnett
Week 1 Class Notes, page 2
Three versions of the poem:
https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/html/1807/4350/poem369.html
(also posted in my website in the ENGL 105 page under Course
Materials (focus on the modern translation)
a. What message(s) do you interpret in this poem (what does it mean)?
b. Give examples that support your interpretation. Quote or paraphrase
and cite by line number(s).
c. Select significant images (such as symbols, metaphors,
personification, etc.) that you interpret in the poem. Comment on the
effect of these images on readers’ appreciation of the poem.
Audio Reading of one version of the Poem:
http://www.archive.org/details/caedmon_librivox
d. Comment on the effect of hearing the poem out loud on your
understanding and appreciation of the poem.
6. Preview of Beowulf. http://www.beowulfepic.com/
7. Old English Pronunciation Guides:
http://acunix.wheatonma.edu/mdrout/grammarbook2007/ch3.html
http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/resources/IOE/pronunciation.html
(many others available online)
For Next Time: Read Selected Sections of Beowulf, the first epic in English (ca. 720796; oldest surviving written manuscript is from around 1000):
Beowulf, (“The Hero Comes to Heorot,” (Section III);
“Feast at Heorot,” (Section VIII);
“The Fight with Grendel” (Sections X-XII);
“Grendel's Mother’s Attack” (Section XIX);
“Beowulf Attacks Grendel’s Mother” (Sections XXII-XXIII);
and “Beowulf’s Funeral" (Sections XXXVIII- XXXIX).
http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/AnoBeow.html
Note that many of the assigned readings will be determined as we go through the
semester. Be ready for a quiz at any time! Keep up with the readings and let me
know how I can be of any help to you. Refer to the website for the syllabus, course
materials, and announcements. Email me or come to my office.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Announcements:
ENGL 105, Fall, 2012
Dr. Harnett

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Week 1 Class Notes, page 3
I will post this week’s class notes on the website
(http://mharnett.weebly.com/ ) ASAP. Let me know whenever you have
questions or problems and I’ll do my best for you.
I am compiling a class email list too.
Beowulf online: http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/AnoBeow.html
Quiz, Beowulf, Sections 3, 8, 10-12, 19, 22-23, 38-39 (you may refer to the
reading THIS TIME).
1. What is the name of the place where the hero comes in Section 3?
2. What are Unferth and Beowulf doing that’s described in Section 8
(rather than eating)?
3. All characters sleep in Section X (by the end) except__________________.
4. In Section 19, Grendel’s mother attacks the Geats because_________________.
5. In Section 22, Beowulf crosses a “sea,” encounters sea monsters or
creatures, and then attacks ___________________________, at which he is/is not
successful [choose one].
6. In Section 39, in his eulogy, Wiglaf notes that it is better to
_________________ than to _______________.
Look at Beowulf maps, information, and pictures at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf
Discussion Questions: Write your responses and provide support for your
interpretations by quoting and citing examples from the story.
“The Hero Comes to Heorot,” (Section III)
1. How is Beowulf portrayed as heroic from more than one perspective?
“Feast at Heorot,” (Section VIII)
2. Comment on the tone of the exchange between Unferth and Beowulf,
and the effect of the tone here on your appreciation of the story.
“The Fight with Grendel” (Sections X-XII)
3. Comment on the way the reader’s expectations are manipulated in this
section—how we are led to think that Beowulf and his warriors are
confident and safe or not.
“Grendel's mother’s Attack” (Section XIX)
4. Note the difference in tone or mood between the time that Beowulf is
not present during Grendel’s mother’s attack vs. his arrival.
“Beowulf Attacks Grendel’s Mother” (Sections XXII-XXIII)
5. Comment on Beowulf’s heroic confidence and the inevitability of his
victory over Grendel’s mother.
“Beowulf’s Funeral" (Sections XXXVIII-XXXIX)
6. Comment on the theme of justice that is expressed by Wiglaf. Comment
also how Wiglaf’s final statement figures in with this theme.
Analysis of Expression in Beowulf: Note the ways in which the story is told—
make your point in each case and explain your reasoning & support:
 role of the narrator: objective? Omniscient?
ENGL 105, Fall, 2012
Dr. Harnett
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
Week 1 Class Notes, page 4
Christian perspectives?
Expression:
o Imagery and literary devices—list and explain the effects
of:
 Kennings (compound or hyphenated word to express
an idea or describe something rather than using a single
noun)
 Alliteration (repetition of initial sounds, usually
consonant sounds, but might be a vowel, and not
necessarily the very first sound)
 Point of View Shifts
o Syntax (note various placements of subjects and verbs,
and the effects of the sentence structure)
For Next Time: Literature of the Warrior, continued:
 “The Wanderer” http://www.anglosaxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=wdr
 “The Seafarer” http://www.anglosaxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Sfr These are the primary
readings. Also
Selections from Literature of the Priest:
 Anglo-Saxon Riddles (see, for instance,
http://www2.kenyon.edu/AngloSaxonRiddles/texts.htm). I will have a few
others in class.
 Bede, “Bede’s Death Song” http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/bedesdeath-song
 Bede, excerpt from The Ecclesiastical History of England (selected from
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book1.html Book 1, Chapters
25-27 about St. Augustine)
Note that Exam 1 will be Thursday, September 13. Exam 2 on our
readings from the Medieval Period will be on Thursday, October 4. A third
major grade is the Chaucer Paper, then we will have 2 more unit exams.