Beowulf Unit Plan - Warren Hills Regional School District
Beowulf Unit Plan
Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic poem, the most important work of Old English literature and one of the earliest extant poems in modern times. The only surviving manuscript was discovered in the 17th century by the English antiquarian, Sir Robert Cotton (1571–1631). It has been preserved since 1753 in the Codex Vittelius AXV in the British Museum.
The somber story is told in vigorous, picturesque language, with much use of metaphor. It tells of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of the monster Grendel, half man and half fiend. Fifty years later, Beowulf succeeds in repeating these exploits, freeing his own land from devastation.
Beowulf has been published and translated into modern English frequently since 1833, sometimes in poetry, sometimes in prose. The verse translation by the Irish poet and Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney published in 2000 was recognized as the book of the year when awarded the England's prestigious Whitbread Prize.
Pre-Reading Activities:
DAY ONE: Getting Ready to Read
Activity #1: Quickwrite
1. List all of the superheroes that you can think of.
2. What are some common traits that all of these superheroes have?
3. Why are superheroes so important in society?
Activity #2: Background Investigation:
~Since Beowulf is part of Ancient English Literature, it is important to understand the historical time
period before reading the poem. Read handout Beowulf: The Poem.
You can use this handout to help you answer the questions below.
1. When and where do scholars believe that the Beowulf text was written? What are some clues they have used to explain why they believe it was written during this time period?
2. The decline of “paganism: and the rise of Christianity was significant to this story. What did this shift mean and why was it significant?
3. Why do you think King Hrothgar called upon Beowulf to help him slay Grendel? Why do you think Beowulf was willing to accept this challenge?
4. During Beowulf’s era, what were some of the funeral procedures for warriors?
5. How did Grendel’s mother attempt to seek revenge for the loss of her son? What do you think is the importance of this section of the epic in comparison with the first section? Explain.
6. What importance did dragons have in mythology? What have dragons traditionally represented in literature?
7. According to scholars, how did the rise of Christianity influence the Beowulf epic?
8. Why do you think that Beowulf is still considered a classic of English Listerature?
Activity #3: Surveying the Text
1. The version of Beowulf we read is translated from Old-English, but it still remains in poem form. What prior experiences have you had reading poems? Do you enjoy reading poems? Why or Why not?
2. What do you notice about the page format and annotations?
3. What do you notice about the text structure? How do you think this will affect your understanding of the story?
Reading Activities:
DAY TWO: First Reading of Beowulf
~Read From Beowulf, The Coming of Grendel & The Coming of Beowulf (p.11-19)
***Notes: You should take notes on all of the characters & events that take place on a separate sheet of
paper.
Reading Questions:
1. Why does Hrothgar build Herot?
2. What are your first impressions of Grendel?
3. What are you first impressions of Beowulf?
DAY THREE: Continuing the first reading of Beowulf
~Read Unferth’s Taunt, The Battle with Grendel, Summary of Beowulf’s Last Two Adventures, The
Burning of Beowulf’s Body(p.19-29)
***Notes: You should take notes on all of the characters & events that take place on a separate sheet of
paper.
Reading Questions:
1. What function does Unferth serve in the poem?
2. What surprises you in the battle between Grendel and Beowulf? Why?
3.Grendel’s mother is a major figure, but nothing is known about Grendel’s father. In poem in which ancestry is important, what does Grendel’s ancestry suggest about his character?
4. In what ways does Wiglaf resemble the younger Beowulf?
5. How does Beowulf finally meet his end? What does this tragic end say about the role of the hero?
Post-Reading Activities
DAY FOUR: Re-Reading Boewulf
As you reread over the text of Beowulf, consider the questions below. When you are finished rereading, consider the themes, ideas and conflicts the text raises, then answer the questions below.
1. As a leader who personifies “heroism”, Beowulf is one of the earliest examples of a “hero” in English Literature. Choose a section of the poem which you this captures Beowulf’s heroism, either through a description of him or through a description of his actions. Write a one-paragraph response which speaks to Beowulf’s heroism and why his character continues to be used as an example of heroism in action.
2. In Beowulf what are the consequences of taking revenge? What other ways might some of these problems be worked out? Are those consequences realistic?
3. Examine the nature of good & evil in the story. Where do these elements seem to conflict most?
Responding to the Text
DAY FIVE
1. Throughout the poem, Beowulf faces a series of enemies. From Grendel, to his mother, to the evil dragon, each of these monsters presentes the hero with an intense challenge. Imagine that Beowulf was not killed at the end of the epic and create another challenge for him to face. Your response can be presented in paragraph form, a short comic, a picture and poem or any other mode that you feel adequately conveys the challenge you have created.
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