1st period - 26 September 2008

Agenda:

1. Journal
2. Vocabulary Quiz
3. Beowulf background notes
4. Read a variety of translations, evaluating them for difficulty and dates translated
5. Beowulf vocabulary
6. Begin reading Beowulf

JOURNAL: "Ideals"
oAt the time Beowulf was composed, the ideals of the Anglo-Saxons included loyalty, valor, unselfishness, and a sense of justice. Those are still highly regarded ideals, but they are not the only ones.
oList four other ideals that are important to Americans today. Tell why they are important OR give examples of/describe them.

Beowulf Notes:
oEpic – long narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of a legendary or heroic figure.
oExamples of epics that pre-date Beowulf: Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid
oWhat does the hero of an epic represent? Widespread national, cultural, or religious values
oThroughout Beowulf there is a blend of Christian ethics & Pagan morality.
oDistinctive features of Anglo-Saxon epic poetry:
1. Caesaur: mid-line pause
2. Kenning

Beowulf Translations: Students read 5 different translations of the opening lines of Beowulf. They ranked them according to easiest - most difficult to understand. They then made educated guesses as to which year the translations were made (they had years to choose from).

Beowulf Vocabulary: (in parentheses is the line number where the word is found in the Seamus Heaney translation)
1.grievance n. (87) complaint
2.harrowed v. (87) inflict great distress or torment on
3.anathema n. (110) a person or thing detested or loathed
4.respite n. (134) rest
5.reavers n. (163) pillagers, plunderers
6.interlopers n. (253) intruders
7.keening (keen v.) (787) wailing, lamenting
8.manacled adj. (788) shackled, handcuffed, restrained

Begin Reading:
oWrite on your copy!
oParaphrase
oSummarize
oUnderline unfamiliar words. Look them up if you need to.
oIdentify kennings and imagery

We read Part 1 through line 289, ending "...on its high ground." Answer questions #1-9.

Homework: Finish Active Reading given in the lab on Wednesday. Turn in Tuesday.