Beowulf - Perfection Learning

Unit One◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆from Beowulf Grendel’s Mother/The Battle withGrendel’s Mother by Burton Raffel, translator, pages 37–42Epic PoetryResponding and WritingGrendel’s mother arrives at Herot and battles with the soldiers. She kills one soldier and takes her son’s clawwith her. Beowulf enters the lake to battle Grendel’s mother. After a difficult battle, Beowulf slays Grendel’smother, then cuts Grendel’s head from his dead body and takes it with him back to where the soldiers arewaiting for him.Vocabularyavenge to inflict harm in return for an injury orwrongdoingscabbard sheath for a swordhilt handle of a swordAfter You ReadLiterary Lens: Alliteration, Rhythm,and RepetitionAlliteration:“Slashing andstabbing withthe sharpestof points./Thesoldiers raisedtheir shieldsand drew/Thosegleaming swords,swung themabove”; “Beowulfand his band hadbeen given better/Beds”; “gloriousband of Geats/Thanked God”Rhythm: “Sorrow/Had returnedto Denmark.They’d tradeddeaths,/Danes andmonsters,/and noone had won,/Bothhad lost!”Repetition:Grendel’s Mother:greedy she-wolf,mighty waterwitch; Beowulf:Geats’ proudprince, best andstrongest ofsoldiers, nobleprotector of allseamen, Geats’brave prince, fiercefighterExplore Context: Warrior SocietyStudents’ paragraphs should include detailsabout Anglo-Saxon culture and society and theimportance of the Code of Honor to warriors of thetime. For example, students might mention thatAnglo-Saxon warriors were loyal and fierce. Theytook oaths to remain loyal to their tribe and kin,and they were willing to fight bloody battles todefend the honor of their tribe in the face of insultor to avenge the deaths of members of their tribe.These qualities are reflected in the poem becauseBeowulf fought three deadly foes to avenge thedeaths of members of his tribe.rhythm for their storytelling. Encourage partnersto offer feedback as students practice beforeperforming for a small group or the whole class.Read Critically1. Why does Beowulf search for Grendel and cutoff his head? Beowulf wants further revenge forGrendel’s actions. It is not enough for Beowulf thatGrendel is dead. He wants to completely destroyhim, even if it is only to desecrate his body to bringback a trophy and prove his strength and bravery.2. The Geats never leave the lake. What conclusionscan you draw about them from their actions?The Geats are loyal to the end. They will not giveup or leave Beowulf. Possibly they believe he willreturn victorious. Or they may be waiting for hisbody so they can properly bury it.3. Based on Beowulf’s actions, do you think he’sa true hero? Explain using examples from thepassage. Answers will vary. Most students will agreethat Beowulf is a hero for risking his own life tokill Grendel and his mother. Some may argue thata true hero would not slice a monster’s head off tokeep as a trophy and to prove his greatness. Being afamous warrior seems more important to him thansaving the Danes.Writing a ProposalMost of your students would probably agree thatBeowulf has the makings of an exciting video game.Brave warriors, loathsome monsters, dusky halls,raids on the marshes and moors—what could bemore thrilling? Ask them to consider what they haveread of the Beowulf legend so far and then to writea proposal for a video game based on the poem. Theproposal should not be longer than 3 pages and cancontain images as well as text.Apply and Create: Become a ScopAdvise students to choose a section of the poemand become very familiar with it. Help them todecide which words to emphasize and to find a46 Traditions and Change Many Voices: British Literature