Contents Page Handouts Introduction... v Teacher Notes... vii Part 1: The Anglo-Saxon Era 1 Early Development of British Life and Language...5... 1, 2, 3 2 The Epic Form and Beowulf... 13... 4, 5 3 Poetic Devices in Beowulf... 21... 6 4 The Concept of the Hero... 25... 7, 8, 9, 10 5 Celtic Poetry... 31...11, 12, 13 Part 1 Review... 39... 14 Part 2: The Medieval Period 6 Is Chivalry Dead?... 47...15, 16, 17 7 The Arthurian Legend... 55... 18, 19 8 Sir Gawain and the Romantic Ideal... 63...20, 21, 22 9 Chaucer s Portraits... 69...23, 24, 25 10 Feudal Class Structure... 77... 26 11 Chaucer s Tales... 81... 27 12 Ballads and Lyrics... 85...28, 29, 30 Part 2 Review... 92... 31 Part 3: The Elizabethans 13 Renaissance Galaxy... 103... 32, 33 14 Early English Drama... 109... 34 15 Comedic Devices in English Theater... 117... 35 16 Shakespeare s Dramatic Patterns... 123... 36 17 The Tragic Hero... 127... 37, 38 18 Motivation in Macbeth... 131... 39 19 Visualization of Macbeth... 135... 40 20 Forces of Evil in Faustus... 137... 41, 42 21 Sonnet Stream... 143... 43, 44 22 Bacon: Contribution to Prose... 147... 45, 46 Part 3 Review... 153... 47 iii
Part 4: The Seventeenth Century 23 Jonson and the Cavalier Poets... 161...48, 49, 50 24 Metaphysical Writings of John Donne... 167... 51 25 George Herbert: Concrete Poetry... 173... 52, 53 26 John Bunyan s Pilgrim s Progress... 177... 54, 55 27 Milton s Paradise Lost... 181... 56 28 Milton, Blind Poet... 189... 57 29 Dear Diary: Samuel Pepys... 193... 58, 59 Part 4 Review... 199... 60 Part 5: The Neoclassical Eighteenth Century 30 Satire: The Looking Glass... 205...61, 62, 63 31 Serious Satire Swift... 213... 64, 65 32 Pope: A Social Satirist... 219...66, 67, 68 33 Pope: The Rape of the Lock... 227... 69 34 Humorous Satire: Joseph Addison... 237... 70 35 Journalistic Fiction: Daniel Defoe... 243... 71 36 Samuel Johnson: A Man of Many Talents... 247... 72, 73 37 Magazines: The Birth of a Notion... 255... 74 Part 5 Review... 259... 75 Index of Authors and Works... 263 Index of Activities... 265 Index of Critical-Thinking Skills... 266 Index of Concepts and Values... 267 iv
Lesson 4 The Concept of the Hero Objectives To expand the concept of the hero and to explore symbolic implications of the heroic contest To examine critical opinion relating to the Beowulf theme To explore the concepts of the quest and the monster in the epic To identify modern Beowulfs and Grendels Notes to the Teacher The concept of the hero is one which has developed in myth and legend, from Gilgamesh of Mesopotamia through the Greek, Germanic, and French epics to the modern day. This concept comes out of epic poetry, in which historical, geographical, and spiritual elements are incorporated to make the adventure significant enough to carry moral truth. Beowulf takes place in the final hours of the huge, lonely, Anglo-Saxon pagan world. The hero must overcome the monster Grendel, who is man or beast or both. In this context, Beowulf plays out all the characteristics of the typical epic hero. He comes to rid the countryside of evil against all odds. He represents both himself, as one who seeks immortality through fame and the tribal group. He may die, but the group will be saved; his honor is preserved, and that honor strengthens the people. Because of these qualities and others, he naturally draws followers. The stature of the hero is frequently measured by the formidable qualities of his adversary. Beowulf s foes are a combination of monstrous repulsiveness and almost invincible preternatural power. Animal and spirit, they can be seen as humanity depraved and allied with evil, or in the poet s Christian perception, as descendants from Cain and the Serpent, archetypes of temptation and testing that prove people s mettle or expose their weakness. The hero is still found in literature and film today; the end of the unit asks students to consider the themes of Beowulf as well as the poem s surprisingly modern applications. Procedure 1. Introduce a discussion of Beowulf s foes by discussing students perceptions of what makes a monster. Suggested Responses: cruel, alien, uses magic for evil purposes, dwells in strange places, unnaturally strong, bestial, unbeatable, no guilt/no values/no morals, humanoid, alone and apart, cannot communicate 2. Distribute Handout 7, and have students complete it and share responses (cruel: merciless killings; alienated: prowls misty moors). 3. As a culmination of the discussion, have students write a general statement about the challenge these formidable foes represent to Beowulf. 4. Distribute Handout 8, and have students complete and discuss it. Suggested Responses: inspire others to follow him leadership gain Hrothgar s trust sincerity face the unknown Grendel courage fight hand-to-hand combat warrior fight without a weapon strength, bravery go to serpent-ridden waters fearlessness to take no trophies modesty face the dragon honor slay the dragon despite danger to self self-sacrifice hand authority to Wiglaf concern for the group 25
5. Distribute Handout 9, which presents five critical opinions of Beowulf. Have volunteers read the opinions aloud, and allow time for clarification of questions. After students have gathered supportive evidence, have them discuss insights into the epic. Suggested Response for Statement 1: Opinion epic = pagan nature = hostile death = uncontrollable fate picks victims man never reconciled Beowulf ends a failure Evidence belief in fate description of environment scenes of the ravaging quotes with Wyrd contest with dragon final speech 6. Distribute Handout 10, which asks students to think about modern equivalents of Beowulf and Grendel. Have students pair up to complete the handout and then have each pair relate its favorite response to the class. After students have presented their responses, have them discuss the ways in which Beowulf treats the theme of good vs. evil i.e., as a clear-cut battle, with no shades of gray. Suggested Responses: Grendels racism, imperialism, hunger, criminals, terrorists, military aggressors (such as Saddam Hussein), disease Beowulfs Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, UNICEF, the police, the FBI, the United Nations, doctors Optional Activities 1. Assign one of the following options: a. Write about the battles from Grendel s, his mother s, or the dragon s point of view. Treat the story as a melodrama (a sensational development of plot for emotional effect without motivation) or a mock epic (a trivial subject treated with great importance). b. Write a story that follows the heroic pattern but whose characters are animals or imaginary creatures, such as gnomes, dwarves, or hobbits. Illustrate it. c. Create an original monster in either written or artistic form. d. Compare a hero who has influenced your life with Beowulf. What was this hero s effect on you? How did he or she rescue you (either literally or figuratively)? Was this rescue like the way Beowulf rescues the Danes? Did your hero have a sidekick, like Beowulf had Wiglaf? e. Write personal reflections about one of the following: The Grendel in Me The Beowulf in Me The Challenges in My Life The Day I Was a Hero 2. Have students read Grendel by John Gardner and compare perceptions of Grendel as protagonist and as antagonist. What does Gardner stress about Grendel and his problems? In what ways is the monster very much like human characters you have found in other books? 3. Have students read and report about one of the following epic heroes in prose, poetry, or summary. Gilgamesh Thor El Cid Roland (Orlando) 26
British Literature 1 Lesson 4 Handout 7 Meet the Monsters Name Date Directions: Find specific examples showing that Grendel, Grendel s mother, and the dragon possess qualities often associated with monsters. 1. cruel Quality Evidence 2. alien 3. uses magic 4. strange dwelling/home 5. unnatural strength 6. beast-like 7. values/morality 8. alone, alienated COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale. 27
British Literature 1 Lesson 4 Handout 8 Meet the Hero Name Date Directions: In order to conquer evil monsters, Beowulf must meet many challenges. Describe them, and list personal qualities he needs to overcome these challenges. Challenge 1. journey far from home over rough, unknown seas Quality willing to take risks, optimistic, sense of adventure 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale. 28
British Literature 1 Lesson 4 Handout 9 Critical Views of Beowulf Name Date Directions: Scholars and critical readers have various opinions about the themes of Beowulf. Choose one statement with which you agree or disagree and support your opinion with quotations, episodes, and examples from the text of the epic. 1. Beowulf is steeped in a pagan tradition that shows nature as hostile and forces of death as uncontrollable. Blind fate picks random victims; people are never brought in harmony with the world. Beowulf ends a failure. 2. Beowulf presents an ideal of loyalty. The failure to live up to this ideal on the part of some thanes points up the extraordinary faithfulness of Beowulf. 3. Beowulf is a blending of Christian traditions with a folk story that praises loyalty, courage, and faith in the face of extreme danger and even death. It presents a model of a human being willing to die to deliver others from terrifying evil forces. 4. Beowulf is the story of a dual ordeal: an external battle with vicious opponents and an internal battle with human tendencies of pride, greed, cowardice, betrayal, and self-concern. 5. Beowulf is the universal story of life s journey from adolescence to adulthood to old age. The hero grows in wisdom about self and about the world through the pain and triumph of personal experience COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale. 29
British Literature 1 Lesson 4 Handout 10 Beowulf in the Twentieth Century Name Date Directions: Although Beowulf is an Old English epic, some of the ideas and values found in it are still prominent in our lives. Think of five modern Grendels: different problems that have faced the world today. Then think of the Beowulfs upon which the world relies (or on which it has relied) to fight them. For example, during World War II, the Axis powers were very much like Grendel, while the Allies were the equivalent of Beowulf. Consider such military conflicts, as well as more abstract ones. Be prepared to present your best Grendel/Beowulf pair to the class. 1. Grendels 1. Beowulfs 2. 2. 3. 3. 4. 4. 5. 5. COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale. 30