Analyzing the Epic Hero Cycle & Epic Elements Beowulf

Characters Danes Geats Places: Dane Monsters Herot Geats Monsters Hrothgar Unferth Dane Monsters Grendel Grendel’s Mother Geats Beowulf Wiglaf Hygelac Ecgtheow Geats Monsters Dragon Places: Herot

What is a Monster?

Act 1: Reflect What is the difference between a “Monster” and a “Villain”? Explain which definition is most applicable to Grendel. (look up in the dictionary!) Take a look at the posters posted throughout the room. Which of the posters is the most effective? Explain your response using specifics from the poster

Indirect Characterization (Include Line #) GRENDEL’S CHARACTER Direct Characterization (Include Line #) Indirect Characterization (Include Line #) Include as many examples as you can find!

Act 2: Grendel Acrostic Create an acrostic poem Acrostic Poems

Where is Beowulf? Our epic hero…

At home… He isn’t personally affected because he is from Geat and Grendel is attacking in Hrothgar’s kingdom of the Danes So…

If Hrothgar had a Twitter..

How Would Beowulf’s differ? Page 8 of packet Complete first tweets for Wrath of Grendel.

Grendel Wanted Poster p5 With your partner, create the best Grendel wanted poster possible within the time limit given. Follow the rubric Be creative—use COLOR! Post it on the back wall Begin reading “The Coming of Beowulf” p 43-48—should be read by tomorrow!

Act 3: Beowulf is an Epic Hero Beowulf essentially “read” the wanted poster, realized what a horrible monster this was and felt it was his RESPONSIBILITY to do something about it. Why would the Epic Hero feel it was his duty to defend a country that was not his own?

Act 4: Epic Hero Cycle All epic heroes follow a basic pattern known as the “epic hero cycle.” This cycle can be repeated many times throughout the course of an epic, but is very distinct. On your worksheet, you will find the different elements of the epic hero cycle that you will need to be familiar with. Fill out the first 5 element examples using SPECIFICS from the TEXT. You will need your textbook for this portion. Most of this will be found in “The Coming of Beowulf” and “The Battle with Grendel”

Epic Hero Cycle

Act 5: Hand to Hand Combat Look at lines 261-270. What does Beowulf reveal about Grendel’s fighting method? What is his own resolution? Why? “Grendel and Beowulf forego weapons to engage in ferocious hand-to-hand combat. This clash is not a mere battle in a culture dominated by warfare but rather a more personal, primal conflict between equal, opposite forces.” Which of the themes we have discussed does this description of the battle apply to

Act 6: Kennings A kenning is a two word poetic renaming of people, places, and things such as “Whale’s home” for the sea. There is a kenning in line 325. Identify it. Identify at least two more kennings in “The Battle with Grendel”