Beowulf: The Man, The Hero, The Monster Writing 125, Fall 2004, Section 8 Kathryn Lynch 111 Founders x2575, or 781-235-2726 Office Hours: T/F: 9:45-10:45 W: 12:20-1:20 & by appt. Required Texts: Beowulf, ed. Howell Chickering (New York: Anchor Books, 1977) John Gardner, Grendel (New York: Random House, 1989) Course Description: This Writing 125 section has a double focus. At the same time that we will be exploring the rich and mysterious early English epic Beowulf, we will also be working on strengthening your writing skills and introducing you to the discourses of the various disciplines within the university. When the course is working at its best, these two focuses will merge into one, as we make specific links between the language issues of the poem and the language that we use in our own writing. For example, studying this Old English poem will introduce us to the history of the English language and build a respect for the historical dimension of words; comparing modern English translations will suggest the difficulty of capturing the full meaning of an original language in a translation and will demonstrate the small but significant differences that can be registered in individual choices of diction and syntax. We will also look through the writing of Beowulf at several other distinct concerns of the poem--for example, at the formation of the hero and at how he embodies the values of Anglo-Saxon society, at the monster who challenges that hero and that society, and at the role played by women and the category of the feminine. In the last month of the semester we will take these issues beyond Beowulf, as we read another later medieval poem about a different kind of monster (a werewolf!) and at a modern novel (John Gardner's Grendel) that retells the traditional story from the monster's perspective. Finally we will make a brief excursion into contemporary American pop culture, as we study together an episode of the TV classic "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," a detour that will also get us thinking about the differences between visual, verbal (and perhaps musical) ways of making meaning. Resources: Our writing section has an electronic conference, called "WRIT125-8-F04," available on FirstClass. Inside this conference, you will find several additional subconferences, including one devoted to open discussion of topics raised by the course, one containing course materials like syllabus and assignments, one for announcements, 1
one for required reserve reading, and one that specifically requests your comments on what we are doing or your problems. This last conference is a "drop conference," set up so that it can be read only by me. The reserve list is available on-line through the Wellesley College library catalog; hard copies of reserve readings will be available at the Knapp Center in Clapp Library. Course Requirements and Policies: We will be doing some writing every week. Over the course of the semester you will complete six separate, formal writing assignments (for one assignment, there is the option of an oral presentation instead) as well as organizing a portfolio of you work that will require some additional writing (be sure to keep all your writing!). There will also be opportunities to do less formal writing, in class and/or on our electronic conference. We will be revising most of this writing in edit groups, and some limited opportunities for further revision will be part of the portfolio assignment. The hope is that writing all the time in this way will make writing easier for you and take the pressure off any single assignment. Please note that Writing 125 has a program-wide attendance policy, one that you and I are both obligated to follow: You may not miss more than four class sessions over the course of the semester, with no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. A fifth absence will require me to give you a "no credit," and you will then need to repeat the course. I will also be scheduling some individual conferences; attendance at these is required, and missing a conference will count against your four as an absence from a class. Grading: Assignments 1 & 2 will each count half a grade; assignments 3-6 will each count one full grade. All formal papers, taken together, will be worth 60% of your final grade. The portfolio, which will allow for some revision, will be worth another 15%. The remaining 25% of your grade will be based on your participation and contribution to other aspects of the course: editing, posting on the conference, attendance, participation in class discussion, and preparation for class. According to official College policy, the course will be graded on a curve in which the mean grade may not be higher than B+. Schedule of Classes: The schedule below is meant to be loosely descriptive rather than prescriptive. We will be touching on many writing issues throughout the term that will emerge from your own interests and skill levels (and so they are not represented here). This syllabus is chiefly intended as a general schedule for reading assignments, not a complete schedule for the course. I may assign additional reading, and I also encourage you to read other sections of our Beowulf text; Chickering's Commentary section, in particular, is very helpful. I also reserve the privilege of making more comprehensive revisions to this schedule if it seems either too ambitious or too unambitious for the progress of our class. Unless otherwise indicated, reading assignments are always due in the next class. Writing assignments will generally be distributed separately and will each have individual due dates. 2
WORKING SCHEDULE: Tuesday, September 7 Introductory; backgrounds to Old English (Bede, Caedmon). Homework: 1-page writing assignment on the Episode of the Sparrow, from Bede, due Friday, 9/10. Read lines 1-188 from Beowulf. Writing assignment on Bede's Episode of the Sparrow. Friday, September 10 Backgrounds, cont.; 1-page writing assignment due today on the Episode of the Sparrow from Bede. Homework: Read the "Backgrounds" section of your Beowulf text (pp. 245-77); post a discussion question on our discussion conference, or respond to one posted by someone else. Tuesday, September 14 Discussion of papers turned in Friday, reading discussion. Homework: Read lines 189-670 from Beowulf; post on discussion conference. Friday, September 17 Reading discussion. Homework: 2-page paper on "the Presentation of the Hero" (assignment distributed separately) due Tuesday, September 21. Tuesday, September 21 Read aloud from "presentation papers," due today; reading discussion. Homework: Read lines 671-1162 from Beowulf. Friday, September 24 Reading discussion. Homework: "Word Hoard" assignment, due Friday, October 8; begin research & post on discussion conference a word you are looking into. Tuesday, September 28 Discuss progress on "Word Hoard" assignment; reading discussion. Homework: Read the section in Commentary on the Finnsburgh episode, pp. 322-31. Recommended Lecture: Peter Hawkins, "The Art of Smiling," Library Lecture Room, 4:30. Friday, October 1 Reading discussion. Homework: Finish rough draft of "Word Hoard" paper, bring to class on Tuesday in original plus three copies. Tuesday, October 5 Edit Groups for "Word Hoard" assignment. Homework: Revise paper. Friday, October 8 "Word Hoard" paper due. Homework: Read lines 1162-1698 from Beowulf and Jane Chance Nitzche's essay "The Structural Unity of Beowulf: The Problem of Grendel's mother"; reading of poem due on Tuesday, Oct. 12; reading of essay due on Friday, October 15. ********************************Fall Break******************************* 3
Tuesday, October 12 Reading discussion. Homework: Nitzche essay (see above); Reading Response paper assignment, distributed in class today; paper due Friday, October 22. Friday, October 15 Reading discussion. Homework: Post on discussion conference, finish draft of paper to bring to class in 3 copies on Tuesday. Tuesday, October 19 Edit groups for Reading Response paper. Homework: Revise paper. Friday, October 22 Reading Response paper due today. "Crux" assignment distributed today (due Tuesday, November 2); can be either written or oral (or both); begin scheduling of oral presentations. Homework: Read lines 1698-2236 from Beowulf. Sometime in the week and a half, before the "crux" assignment is completed, post something in the discussion conference on your crux (no edit groups on this assignment). Tuesday, October 26 Oral presentations / reading discussion. Friday, October 29 Oral presentations / reading discussion. Tuesday, November 2 Final day on "crux" assignment, papers due. Homework: Read lines 2236-2599. Friday, November 5 Reading discussion. Homework: Read lines 2600-3182 (i.e., finish Beowulf). Tuesday, November 9 Tanner conference NO CLASS. Homework: Start reading John Gardner's Grendel, pages 1-45. Friday, November 11 Finish discussion of Beowulf, begin discussing Grendel. Homework: Grendel paper assignment distributed today; due Tuesday, November 24. Fiinal portfolio guidelines distributed. Read Gardner's Grendel, pp. 46-110. Confirm time to see film Grendel Grendel Grendel sometime during week of 11/15-11/22. Tuesday, November 16 Reading discussion. Homework: Finish Grendel. Recommended Lecture: Linne Mooney, Title TBA, 4:30 Library Lecture Room. Friday, November 19 Grendel reading discussion. Homework: Finish drafts of papers for editing groups on Tuesday (bring to class in 3 copies). Sunday, November 21 Watch film Grendel, Grendel Grendel in Founders 120 at 5 p.m. in Founders 120 (pizza, pizza, pizza). Tuesday, November 24 Editing groups for paper drafts. Final paper assignment distributed. Due Monday, December 13 as part of portfolio. 4
***************************** Thanksgiving ************************** Tuesday, November 30 Discussion of Grendel, Grendel, Grendel and of novel Grendel; paper #6 due. Friday, December 3 "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" will show (part of ) an episode and have some discussion. Homework: Post comment on Buffy; bring paper draft (can be complete draft, outline, or paragraph) to class Tuesday in 3 copies. Tuesday, December 7 Discussion / editing groups. Homework: Revise Paper. Friday, December 10 Final class. Monday, December 13 Portfolio of all papers due in my office by 5 5