Question of the Week (9/25/09)

Using evidence from the text, what philosophical "moral" does the Reeve draw from his own tale?

Question of the Week (9/18/09)

What lessons from Beowulf can you transfer to your own life? Think about the heroic ideals of this time (i.e. bravery, generosity, kinship or friendship etc.) and how they can be interpreted today. With which character from the poem do you most identify?

Following the Blog

Make sure that you are all following and subscribing to the blog. I'm not seeing our entire class in the followers icons. Remember this is part of your grade.

Grendel's Mom

What would be the name of Grendel's mom? What do you think?

Due Monday 9/14

Create a detailed list of the characters in Beowulf. Make sure you are familiar with at least one quote or reference from the text that relates to the characters. Don't forget to read chapters XXVII-XXXI (27-31). Have a great weekend!

Question of the Week (9/11/09)

What if Beowulf was really just boastful? What if he was all talk and didn't really know all that much about fighting?
Create an alternate version of the story; one that could have happened if Beowulf had lost to Grendel. What would happen to Beowulf's men, Hrothgar, and Herorot? What would Grendel and his mother do? Post your answer to the blog by Sunday.

Question of the Week (8/28/09)

Building on our class discussion, elaborate on what the word “hero” means to you? What value is placed on heroes in our society? Is it someone who puts her life on the line for others? Is it someone who lives with integrity? Or is it someone who simply does more than is expected of her? Is there only one definition of a hero? Explore these questions in writing and don't forget to critique one of your classmates responses.

Getting Started

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Welcome!

Greetings and welcome to your Early English Lit blog. The purpose of this blog is to create a community of writers who share their thoughts and ideas about the texts studied in class.

Each week I will post a question(s) on the blog for you to answer. The question(s) will relate to what has been discussed in class, so you will have a frame of reference from which to draw your response, but your task is to reflect further and showcase this reflection through writing.

After you have answered the question thoroughly (using complete sentences), choose another reflection from one of your classmates and respond critically to it. The goal of both reflections is to show through writing your point of view and that you have read and understood the text. Use your well-constructed written argument (always using quotes and/or direct references to the text in question) to illuminate your point.

*Keep in mind that responding critically to a classmates’ reflection does not entitle you to berate their writing style, grammar or spelling choices. Use this opportunity to create and organize your written argument.

We took Beowulf, the epic poem in Old English, and put it right together with John Gardner's contemporary retelling. If you bring it into today, we really feel that it has something very fresh to say now. Julie Taymor