Beowulf Anglo-Saxon Heroes

Lesson Focus Explore man’s search for purpose in life and his search for God Identify heroic themes in Anglo-Saxon literature and discuss these themes with their peers, specifically Beowulf Identify notable elements in Anglo-Saxon (glory and honor, etc.) and Medieval literature and use this information appropriately in written and oral response Identify various literary terminology such as caesura and kennings in the literature of the period Identify and discuss the epic qualities of “Beowulf” Experience the themes, forms, and variety of early British poetry

Literary Terms Framed Narrative — A story that contains another story within it or that serves to unify different narratives Foil — A character (or a place or an event) that is used to contrast with another character (or place or event) Symbol — Something in a literary work that maintains its own meaning while at the same time standing for something other than itself Hyperbole — Saying more than what is true, usually for humor or for emphasis

Background Information Unknown author Probably written down during the 8th century, although story is older Story brought by settlers to England; Beowulf actually takes place in Denmark and Sweden The story was originally pagan (Wyrd) However, when it was transcribed by monks, Christian elements were included

Earliest piece of English literature; displays the classic struggle between good and evil It displays those classic Anglo-Saxon qualities of a hero — strong, determined, willing to die for a cause, wants to leave a legacy to keep memory of their lives alive (and, therefore, guarantee them a place in eternity), strong belief in religion, society, and political order

Class Work work together in small groups to interpret the poem...not a complete paraphrase, but in more detail than a summary. May be finished for homework and reviewed in class complete the "As You Read..." handout Group Project: Narrative Arc (handout)

Class Work, cont. Literary Critique questions, 1-5, pages 28-29 Small group discussion: present findings in class discussion…Page 29, Writing Workshop #3: Do the unrealistic elements in Beowulf compromise its value as a literary work? Is it possible to gain insight into human nature, history, and cultural values from such works, or is their primary purpose entertainment of readers? You are NOT writing the essay.

Section Evaluation Create an Epic Monster (handout)