Beowulf
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For teachers / TAs
Warning!
This short unit is for year 9 students and reflects more challenging subject matter that they might meet at GCSE. There is a gory fight scene, but I portray this as heroic rather than gratuitous horror. If you and / or the student has a problem with the subject matter, choose something else instead. Beowulf has been studied in English from year 7 to Alevel for years.
There are lots of tasks and questions in the pack; feel free to choose leave out any which you think are inappropriate or too difficult for that student.
Also feel free to get the student to draw the scene and label it with lines from the text if this is an easier way of exploring the text.
The legend of…
Beowulf
Beowulf is a classic text and it has
been studied in English for … well ages! Like many classic texts, it is about heroism and bravery, but there are some gory fight scenes which some might find thrilling and some might find not to their taste. If you think you would prefer not to read about a fight between Beowulf and a monster, say NOW! If you are ok with Lord of the Rings, you will be ok with this!
Summary of Beowulf
England's oldest surviving epic tells the story of Beowulf, a Swedish Geat, who comes to the aid of the Danes to defeat Grendel, a monster who has terrorized them for years. When Grendel's mother appears, hungry for revenge, Beowulf follows her back to her watery lair and kills her too. Showered with gifts, he returns to Geatland, where he becomes a great leader of his people. Many years later, he faces the threat of an angry fire-breathing dragon, aroused by the theft of a jewelled cup from its treasure hoard. The aging hero kills the dragon only after suffering a mortal wound, and then dies himself. The Geats bury both his ashes and the dragon's treasure in an earthen tower at the sea's edge, to guide sailors from far and wide.
Extract from Beowulf This looks like a long passage to read, but the lines and verses are short, it only takes a few minutes – honest! Beowulf and his Geat warriors fight Grendel, the Nightstalker in Hrothgar’s gread mead hall. Came then striding in the night the walker of darkness. In that gabled hall the warriors slept, those who guarded the hall. . . all but one. It was well known among men that, if God willed it not, no one could drag that demon to the shadows. But Beowulf watched in anger, waiting the battle's outcome. Came then from the moor under the misty hills Grendel stalking under the weight of God's anger. That wicked ravager planned to ensnare many of the race of men in the high hall. He strode under the clouds, seeking eagerly, till he came to the wine-hall, the treasure-hall of men decorated in gold. Nor was it the first time he had sought Hrothgar's home. But never in his life before --or since-did he find worse luck! Came then to the building that creature bereft of joys. When he touched it with his hands the door gave way at once though its bands were forged in fire. Intending evil, enraged, he swung the door wide, stood at the building's mouth.
Quickly the foe moved across the well-made floor, in an angry mood--a horrible light, like fire, in his eyes. He saw the many warriors in the building, that band of kinsmen asleep together, and his spirit laughed: that monster expected to rip life from the body of each one before morning came. He expected a plentiful meal. (It was his fate that he eat no more of the race of men after that night. . .) The mighty one, Beowulf, watched, waiting to see how that wicked one would go about starting. Nor did the wretch delay, but set about seizing a sleeping warrior unawares and bit into his bone locks, drinking the streams of blood, then swallowing huge morsels of flesh. Quickly he ate that man, even to his hands and feet. Forward Grendel came, stepping nearer. Then he reached for Beowulf. Beowulf grasped his arm and sat up. The criminal knew he had not met in this middle-earth another with such a grip. Grendel's spirit was afraid and his heart eager to get away, to flee to his hiding place, flee to the devils he kept for company. Never had he met a man such as this. The din rose louder, the Danes stood in dreadful terror--everyone heard lamentation, a terrifying song, through the wall: Grendel, Hell's friend,
God's enemy, sang in defeat, bewailing his wound. That man, mightiest of warriors alive, held fast. He would not for any reason allow his murderous visitor to escape alive, to keep the days of his life. Beowulf's warriors brandished many a sword, inheritances from the ancient days, trying to protect their chief, but that did no good: they could not have known, those brave warriors as they fought, striking from all sides, seeking to take Grendel's soul, that no battle sword could harm him-he had enchantment against the edges of weapons. The end of Grendel's life was miserable, and he would travel far into the hands of fiends. Grendel, the foe of God, who had long troubled the spirits of men with his crimes, found that his body could not stand against the hand grip of that warrior. Each was hateful to the other alive. The horrible monster endured a wound: the bone-locks of his shoulder gave way, and his sinews sprang out. The glory of battle went to Beowulf, and Grendel, mortally wounded, sought his sad home under the fen slope. He knew surely that his life had reached its end, the number of his days gone.
Beowulf
Questions and tasks 1. Grendel is indeed a vicious monster, but there are clues that he is more than that, perhaps some kind of devil. What evidence can you find in the extract to support such a claim? Write down lines from the poem and also try to explain in your own words.
2. What clues are there that Grendel was defeated that night before we actually get to the end of the passage?
3. Find the phrase which actually tells you that Grendel did die. 4. There are many names given to the monster rather than just calling him Grendel, e.g. "the walker of darkness". There are many descriptive words which replace the noun 'Grendel'. Find and list as many of these alternative words and phrases as you can find. Then your own words describe what impression you get of Grendel by the use of all of these words and phrases.
5) What do you think is the main focus of the extract, Grendel being a
terrible and frightening creature or Beowulf defeating the monster? Clue: are there more descriptions of Grendel or Beowulf? With this in mind what do you think is be best title for the extract:
'Grendel, the nightstalker, attacks Hrothgar's Hall' 'Brave warriors defend Hrothgar's Hall' 'Beowulf kills the nightstalker'
Give an explanation for your answer.
6) Look at the noun 'door', you can find it at about line 34. See how you can use this noun to expand it into a noun phrase in many ways. A noun phrase is based on a noun which is the head of the phrase.
door
the
door
the
door
gave way at once
when he touched it with his hands the
door
gave way at once though its bands were forged in fire.
Choose two more nouns from the extract to expand. You could choose 'hall' or 'man' or find two words of your own choice.
7) This part of the story, like many others in this epic poem, are meant to be frightening, thrilling, and tense. You should feel the fear of the warriors as they battle with Grendel. Choose one of the following written tasks to have a go at: a. Imagine you are one of the warriors in the hall and you are waiting for the Nightstalker to come. You know he will come in the night. Describe how you feel; what kinds of things are going through your head, what do you imagine will happen. or
b. Explain in your own words how you think this part of the story creates a sense of danger, tension and thrilling excitement. You can pick out words and phrases from the extract to help illustrate your points. Write in sentences and paragraphs. Begin a new paragraph whenever you make a new point.
8) Now look at the following lines from the extract:
Nor did the wretch delay, but set about seizing a sleeping warrior unawares and bit into his bone locks, drinking the stems of blood, then swallowing huge morsels of flesh. Quickly he ate that man, even to his hands and feet.
What do the words highlighted have in common?
* they all use the -ing form of the verb
Why do you think these words are used rather than other forms e.g. seized, swallowed?
9) Look again at the opening verse. I have taken the idea and some of
the words and turned it into a prose version of my own.
1. Look at this sentence carefully: "Then, striding through the darkness, the menacing frame of Grendel, the Nightstalker, bullied the landscape." I have highlighted the parts of the sentence which give extra information about the main clause "Grendel bullied the landscape." All of the colourful phrases are subordinate clauses, these help the author give a fuller and more vivid picture about what is happening. Together they work together to form a complex sentence. You will be expected to write in complex sentences in your examinations. A subordinate clause can be moved around the sentence: "The menacing frame of Grendel, the nightstalker,bullied the landscape, striding through the darkness." You can change the emphasis or focus of the sentence by knowing how to use main and subordinate clauses.
Choose a part of the extract and write your own prose interpretation. Remember that you only need to take the ideas and a few words, the rest you can make up, as long as you think it is appropriate. Your task is to use subordinate clauses, interpret the text and be creative and imaginative.
Task 9
Believe it or not, there has been a modern film made of Beowulf starring Christopher Lambert, he is big, strong and looks pretty much like a warrior. Have a look at the video cover. Imagine that you have to write the 'blurb' that goes on the back of the video cover. Plan, draft and write the description of the film, remember:
capture the imagination of the audience capitalise on the selling points of action, the stars and possible romance don't give too much away make up quotations from newspapers or film magazines if you like keep the spirit of the original tale include soundbites (short memorable quotations) your word limit is 150 words - don't go over it.
Beowulf answers
Question 1 Grendel is indeed a vicious monster, but there are clues that he is more than that, perhaps some kind of devil. What evidence can you find in the extract to support such a claim? Write down lines from the poem and also try to explain in your own words.
God himself couldn't drag him into the shadows or stop him he was "stalking under the weight of God's anger" despite him, he stalks. he is 'evil' "bands forged in fire" Kept devils for company "no battle swords could harm him" "enchanted against weapons."
Question 2 What clues are there that Grendel was defeated that night before we actually get to the end of the passage?
"he did find worse luck" "his fate that he eat no more of the race of men that night" "Beowulf would not allow his murderous visitor to leave that night"
Question 3 Find the phrase which actually tells you that Grendel did die. "mortally wounded" 4) There are many names given to the monster rather than just calling him Grendel, e.g. "the walker of darkness". There are many descriptive words which replace the noun 'Grendel'. Find and list as many of these alternative words and phrases as you can find.
Walker of darkness demon wicked ravager creature foe monster wicked one Hell's friend
God's enemy murderous visitor the foe of God Horrible monster
5) What do you think is the main focus of the extract, Grendel being a terrible and frightening creature or Beowulf defeating the monster? Clue: are there more descriptions of Grendel or Beowulf? (Grendel) With this in mind what do you think is be best title for the extract: 'Grendel, the nightstalker, attacks Hrothgar's Hall' 'Brave warriors defend Hrothgar's Hall' 'Beowulf kills the nightstalker' Give an explanation for your answer. Grendel is the main focus of the extract, he is built up to be so fearsome and evil. Also the second title is passive and would not suit the active nature of the focus of the passage. Lastly the third title would give the resolution of the chapter away, this would lead to an anticlimax. 6) Look at the noun 'door', you can find it at about line 34. See how you can use this noun to expand it into a noun phrase in many ways. A noun phrase is based on a noun which is the head of the phrase.
door
the
door
the
door
gave way at once
when he touched it with his hands the
door
gave way at once though its bands were forged in fire.
Choose two more nouns from the extract to expand. You could choose 'hall' or 'man' or find two words of your own choice.
8) What do the words highlighted have in common?
* they all use the -ing form of the verb
Why do you think these words are used rather than other forms e.g. seized, swallowed? – they have more of a sense of urgency, the present tense
helps to build the tension