Tag Archives: Beowulf

·  The Beowulf We Need – Consider the world we live in and the issues it presents. What kind of hero do we need to save us from these problems? Consider the qualities of the epic hero as you design your Beowulf for today, like strength, intelligence, and bravery. What task or quest does this hero need to complete? What tests or distractions might keep this hero from completing his/her quest?

·  My Private Grendel – All of us have monsters in our lives, those things that present obstacles to our success and happiness. Sometimes the monster is part of the society itself, like greed, war, or hatred, while other monsters are more personal, like procrastination, doubt, and insecurity. Choose a monster in your life (something you feel comfortable sharing publicly) and explain how this fearsome monster would require a hero to defeat it. Remember that monsters usually focus on something they want–what kinds of things does your monster do that make it especially fearful or dangerous to your health and happiness?

You have some flexibility in your writing style. You may create a standard essay or craft a tale as a bard would. If you choose to tell a tale, remember that a bard’s first task is to command the attention of the audience and set the scene, then develop the tale itself. You may earn bonus points for presenting your tale in verse form similar to Beowulf.

Whatever form you choose, your response should include two hallmarks of Anglo-Saxon style:

·  Alliteration – the repetition of consonant sounds, like “crispetty, crunchetty Butterfinger” or “Slip into silent slumber/sail on a silver mist.”

·  Kenning – a descriptive compound that aids in the pattern of the verse. Kennings can take three forms: 1) a hyphenated compound, like whale-road (sea) or sky-candle (sun); 2) a prepositional phrase, like slayer of monsters or eater of cereal; or 3) a possessive, like “the sword’s tree” (sheath) or “the foot’s guard” (shoe).

You may include multiple examples of alliteration and kennings, if you wish, but you are required to include one of each.

Your completed response is due Friday, November 8 in class. You may type or hand-write this assignment; it should be at least one full page, but not longer than two (one complete sheet of paper).