British Literature

LEV (“Levus” meaning “light”) 1.Alleviate: (verb) To relieve, lighten, or lessen 2.Levity: (noun) Humor or lack of seriousness Related Words: Elevate, Levitate, Leavening, Unleavened Yeast

FIN (Latin for “end”) 1.Affinity: (noun) An interest or attraction (it is almost like you want to with it until the end) 2.Finite: (adj) Having definite limits Related Words: Definite, infinite, infinitesimal, definitive

What is the purpose of the Scop’s (and Hrothgar’s) stories? How do these allusions relate to the story? Why does the Scop tell of Siegmund and Fitla’s great accomplishments versus Hermod’s great failures? Why is the tragic story of Finn & Hnaf’s people told during a celebration of Beowulf’s victory and Grendel’s defeat?

Students will be able to critically analyze Grendel and other characters in Beowulf by unpacking motivation, values, and characterization. HOW? Read, annotate, analyze, and discuss an excerpt from John Gardner’s Grendel.

Grendel is a 1971 novel by American author John Gardner. It is a retelling of Beowulf from the perspective of Grendel. Grendel is portrayed as an antihero. The novel grapples with finding meaning in the world, the power of literature and myth, and the nature of good versus evil. EXISTENTIALISM: A philosophical movement begun in the 19 th century that denies that the universe has any intrinsic meaning or purpose. It requires people to take responsibility for their own actions and shape their own destinies.

1.Life is suffering and is not fair. 2.Individuals are alienated from themselves by the highly complex, sophisticated, technological, bureaucratic world in which they live. 3.Individuals are free to choose how they will respond to the painful existence in which they find themselves and therefore responsible for their actions. 4.Reality is not objectively knowable. All knowledge is subjective. 5.Knowledge that is presumed to be objective and factual is actually of minimal value because it is superficial. (Science is not all it's cracked up to be.) Instead, subjective understandings are more valuable because it is not just cognitive, but affective. EMOTION > REASON

As we read Chapter 12 (the conclusion) of Joseph Gardner’s Grendel, follow along in your packet. Annotate the text as we go. Consider the following questions: How does the author create sympathy for Grendel? How are the characters, Grendel and Beowulf, symbolic of some greater ideology? What paradoxes exist in the story? What is the theme of the story?

Why does Grendel take a cloth to make a napkin for his attack? What does this reveal about his character? What is the purpose of Beowulf’s words and the significance of the wall? What elements of existentialism do we see in the story? What is the purpose of Grendel’s last words? (“Poor Grendel’s had an accident…So may you all.”) How does the author create sympathy for Grendel? How are the characters, Grendel and Beowulf, symbolic of some greater ideology? What paradoxes exist in the story? What is the theme of the story?

Beowulf Grendel Grendel’s Mother Hrothgar Unferth Welthow Shild Sigmund Signy Siggier Fitla Finn Hnaf (or his wife) Hengest Any other character of your choice! In your journals, you will write a narrative from the point of view of a character in Beowulf (including characters from the various allusions). You may choose any character of your liking (be careful with Grendel—it must be different from Gardner’s). Be sure to include an engaging voice, a clear hook, imagery, sensory details, figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia), precise word choice (using connotations), thematic significance through tone/mood, and varied sentence structure.

Read sections of Beowulf and complete your annotations.