A4B Old English & Beowulf Instruction

Literature & Culture
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Slide 1: Slide
EngelsMiddelbare schoolhavoLeerjaar 4,5

This lesson contains 32 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 2 videos.

time-iconLesson duration is: 45 min

Items in this lesson

Literature & Culture

Slide 1 - Slide

OLD ENGLISH
Medieval times
  • tradition: told by 
    scops 



The oldest
  • composed +/- 1200 years ago(?)
  • changed dialects, almost up in smoke, lines were lost
  • lone survivor; remarkable then and now.

Slide 2 - Slide

What have you learned about Old English?

Slide 3 - Mind map

Language at the time:
• People were illiterate. Only monks could read and write.
• Alliterations / regular rhythm were used (mnemonic reasons) (using short memory techniques) 
• Kenning
• Variations

Slide 4 - Slide

Alliteration:
Two or more words within the same line begin with the same letter.
 

Examples:
Meotodes meahte and his modgepanc
The Measurer's might and his mind-plans

Slide 5 - Slide

Kenning:
- A figurative name for a thing
- Usually expressed in a compound noun.

Examples:
Swan-road = sea
Bone-house = body 

Slide 6 - Slide

Variations:
- The repeating of a single idea in different words
- Each repetition adds a new level of meaning.
Examples:
- heaven-kingdom, Guardian, Holy Creator
- The measurer mankind's, Glory
-Father, Master, Almighty, Eternal Lord
- Protector of Shieldings, Lord, Majesty

Slide 7 - Slide

Slide 8 - Video

Slide 9 - Video

Super hero characteristics

Slide 10 - Open question

Slide 11 - Slide

EPIC POETRY

  • Long narrative poem 
  • Written in an elevated style, bombastic
  • Celebrates deed of a legendary hero or God
  • External Conflict, when a character struggles against some outside force, a person's nature-society, or fate.
  • Superficial characters
  • Straight forward (monster-slay-treasure)

Slide 12 - Slide

REMARKABLE & SUCCESFULL - WHY?

  • Being worthy of your father’s legacy
  • Heroic deads (reprimand/debt/honour)
  • Un-Beowulfy to Christian standards
  • Appeaed to Anglo-Saxon warriors
  •  Tangibility of a hero compared to God
Discuss in groups of 3 (skip) 
How realistic was Beowulf according to Medieval standards? (Perhaps use in your presentation?)

Slide 13 - Slide

The arm-thing
The mixed-up fairy tale-thing

Slide 14 - Slide

The Anglo-thing
The monster-thing

Slide 15 - Slide

#lifeofBeowulf

Slide 16 - Slide

When was Beowulf written?
A
860 AD
B
2020
C
975 AD
D
1066

Slide 17 - Quiz

Who was the author of Beowulf?

Slide 18 - Open question

What is known about the author's origins?
A
Anglo-Saxon poet
B
Frisian poet
C
Jute poet
D
Celt poet

Slide 19 - Quiz

What is an elegy?
A
Heroic
B
Supernatural
C
Chivalry
D
Mourning

Slide 20 - Quiz

What is a hapax legomenon?

Slide 21 - Open question

"Spoken in welcome and wealth of wrought gold" is an example of a/an..
A
Simile
B
Metaphor
C
Alliteration
D
Personification

Slide 22 - Quiz

Shadow-stalker, bone-house, whale-house, and mead-bench are examples of ...
A
Metaphors
B
Kenning
C
Personification
D
Simile

Slide 23 - Quiz

Why does Grendel crave the darkness?

Slide 24 - Open question

What is wergeld? Explain in your own words.

Slide 25 - Open question

What led to Beowulf's downfall?

Slide 26 - Open question

Literature test information:
D-test in P2
Continue to work on the literary worklist (begrijppenlijst)
Literature test in P2

Slide 27 - Slide

The poem Beowulf is a heroic epic. Give
a few characteristics of the heroic epic.

Slide 28 - Open question

Why does Beowulf decide to undertake the fight against Grendel? Give 2 reasons.

Slide 29 - Open question

There are several themes that are discussed in Beowulf. Explain two themes from the poem.

Slide 30 - Open question

Next literature instruction lesson:
The Dream of the Rood

Slide 31 - Slide

Slide 32 - Slide