Thursday, September 1, 2011

Beowulf Questions

This post features the questions raised in class on September 1. Please do your best to research and answer at least five (or more, if you're one of those extra-credit hounds). Share your answers in comments to this post.

1. With older pieces of literature, is there an easier way to understand older forms of English without reading it ten times or more?
2. What do you think the theme(s) of Beowulf is/are?
3. Did anyone catch onomatopoeia(s) in Beowulf?
4. How about examples of irony?
5. What is a kenning?
6. What is the significance of God in a pagan society? How is Christianity tied into it?
7. Who is Thrith and where can we find info about this character?
8. Did Beowulf act for the benefit of the people or for his own glory?

50 comments:

  1. To understanding old pieces of literature, I think, there is only so much you can do to understand. I might not be the best person to say what would work better because I understand it pretty easy. Reading and analyzing slowly would be your best bet. Then if a word or phrase bothers you, look on the sides or bottom of your (text)book if not look it up online or in the dictionary.

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  2. The themes presented in Beowulf are mostly straight forward, I mean it is an epic 'n' all. Beowulf is looking for glory for his people and wishes to defeat the evil in the world. I personally think an underlying theme may be Beowulf is the Anglo-Saxon Christian and Grendel, his mother and the Dragon are the Pagans. Grendel may be signifying how strong paganism was (Hrothgar did start to do Pagan rituals during the attacks) and Beowulf is the Church purging the Pagans with Gods grace. Then Grendel's mother is the source of Paganism, the Pagans are going to go to their origins and multiply. If Grendel's mother had him, couldn't she produce more? Objective of the Church, take it out at its source. Then the dragon, this one seems a bit off since its not a humanoid (Grendel and his mother). The dragon represents Paganism being resurfaced. It comes back to "wreak havoc" on the cities. Beowulf ultimately dies to defeat the dragon. This might possibly show how the church was weak but ultimately succeeded by the grace of God. Now most the creatures are somewhat biblical too, so that people of the Church could recognize the symbols. Grendel's mother was a demon, which are fallen angels. The dragon is a main feature in the book of Revelations. It refers to Satan as the Dragon. Just a thought though, I might be crazy to think it.

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  3. I thought it was ironic when Unferth gave Beowulf the sword to kill the demon. You think Beowulf would kill her with it but it ends up being useless.

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  4. 1) I do believe that you have to read a text more than once because it harder for us to understand the way the text was written back then
    2) I believe that the main theme in this story is the search for glory. Beowulf is trying to become glorious by defeating his enemies for the people of the village
    3) The irony is when Beowulfs sword doesn't work against the dragon
    4)Onomatopoeia : he made his home in hell
    5) A Kenning would be Beowulfs fighting gear( body Armor
    Chad Foster
    Per.2

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  5. Kayla McCallie
    Period 2

    1. Since old English styled writing is so foreign to our culture today that the only way to fully understand it is to literally translate it to colloquial language, I don't think there is an easier way to understand it. You would have to be familiar with it to fully understand it. The best thing to do would be to find a translated version.

    2. Themes of Beowulf can be:
    -Quest for Glory, as one of Beowulf's incentives for fighting Grendel was fame
    -The Importance of Establishing Identity, as Beowulf repeatedly tried to establish his identity of being a hero, defeater, and conquerer through defeating Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon.

    5. A kenning is a conventional poetic phrase used for or in addition to the usual name of a person or thing, especially in Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon verse, as “a wave traveler” for “a boat.” (Dictionary.com)

    6. Well, in order to be pagan you have to believe in something or multiple things other than God or nothing at all. Paganism and Christianity go way back in history as these two religions faced many conflicts.

    7. I think Beowulf acted for his own fame and fortune. He never acknowledged the benefit of the people and he always accepted fortune. When he first spoke with the king he spoke of his past glories which showed his pride.

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  6. 1) I agree with Chad in saying that you have to read multiple texts to really understand a story. If there is not multiple texts available then you need to research it more thoroughly.
    2) I believe the main theme in this poem is a mixture between a search or journey for glory and social construct. In the beginning of the poem they introduce Grendel as a monster when they don't even know him.
    3) An example of irony in this poem is when Beowulf's sword and shield are not effective against the dragon.
    4) A kenning is an additional occurrence or saying. An example of this you can find in the text is fighting gear/body armor.
    5) I believe in the beginning of the story Beowulf acted in favor of the people but as his accomplishments grew so did his cockiness.

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  7. 1)Well, I'm not quite sure how to answer that. I've actually seen the Beowulf movie years ago when it came out, so when I started reading it, I pretty much understood it right away.
    2)Creating an identity and Glory. Beowulf already has this image of a hero, what more does he need? Also, he's just more than likely full of himself.
    3)Beowulf's sword was as great as a toothpick with only fat ends.
    4)...
    5)A kenning is like a suitable replacement for a word, which still has the same meaning (Like Lizzie's fighting gear/body armor example)
    6)Pagans and Christians had many conflicts. So, you either believe in this, or nothing.
    7)??
    8)Mainly pride. He may be the "hero" of this story, and his name might be the name of the poem, but he always had these boastful speeches. Never acknowledged anybody...

    Nathan Sanchez, P4

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  8. 1) I think one of the many themes is the idea that anyone can be a hero, even the underdog. For example, Wyglaf became the hero at the end of the story even though he wasn't thought to be noble or at a high social status. This proves that whether it is medieval times or even high school, the underdog can win.
    2)A Kenning is a word that can be described with a different phrased. Ex: teacher= grader giver
    3)An example of irony in the story is the fact that Beowulf had so much faith in god while he was godlike himself.
    4)I believe Beowulf acted for the benefit for his people but also wanted proper acknowledgment. After winning treasure from a battle he gave it to his people, but he also wanted a monument constructed in his honor after his death which can be seen has conceited.
    5) I searched the whole story and wasn't able to find an example of onomatopoeia either!

    Briana Stinn Period 3

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  9. Cayla Salazar Period 2
    2. The theme of Beowulf is glory. As the poem progressed, Beowulf desired glory for his actions more and more. It even progressed to the point where he wanted glory in his death.
    3. I did not catch any onomatopoeia in Beowulf.
    4. An example of irony would be when Grendel came to Herot to kill people, but instead he was almost killed by Beowulf.
    5. A kenning is a concise compound or figurative phrase replacing a common noun.
    8. In the beginning, Beowulf acted more for the benefit of the people. However, near the end, he began to act more out of his own glory. For example, he wanted a tomb buried after him, and he gave a boastful speech before going into battle with the dragon.

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  10. 1) With older pieces of literature, I think it is best to read a modernized version of the story to get familiar with it.

    2) The theme is the pursuit of glory. Beowulf worked throughout the story to get his glory by being the bravest, strongest warrior he could be.

    4) I thought it was ironic how he used Grendel's mothers sword to kill her.

    5) A kenning is a word used to replace another word with a similar meaning.

    8) Beowulf acted for the benefit of the people throughout the story, but he is also doing all of it for the glory. It is a little bit of both.

    Nathan Seidenberg
    P.3

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  11. 1. With older pieces of literature it is easiest to comprehend when you read several translations and modernized versions. Discussing the text with other people also assists in understanding an old english piece of literature.

    2. Bravery and the pursuit of glory are themes present in Beowulf. Throughout the story he proves his bravery to the Danes and his fellow Geats. He uses bravery to assist him in his pursuit of glory.

    4. It was ironic how Beowulf accepted the sword from Unref, when he was the only person questioning Beowulfs abilities.

    5. A kenning is a word or phrase that subsitutes in place of another word or phrase with a similar meaning.

    8. Beowulf's actions were in the interest of the people. He fought Grendel to protect the Danes, not to promote a glorious reputation.

    Patrick Fraire
    P.3

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  12. 1. With older pieces of liturature i believe you can read it only once through and understand it if you've dont your research and understand the words and phrases that we dont really use anymore.
    2. I believe the main theme in the story would have to be achieving glory because through out the poem he is fighting these monsters and recieving praise for killing them.
    4. An example of irony is how Beowulfs sword is no help with fighting the dragon.
    5. Kenning is a noun that means, a conventional poetic phrase usually used for the name of a person of thing.
    6.I believe Beowulf acted for his only glory especially at the end when he wanted to kill the dragon to gain the treasue it protected.

    kristen frias
    p. 2

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  13. 1. There are many themes in Beowulf, but I think the two main ones are courage and good vs. evil. Throughout the story, Beowulf displays courage by battling beasts much stronger than he is. However, he still challenges them to save the people in diverse kingdoms. Good vs. evil is seen in the different battles Beowulf competes in, where ultimately, good triumphs over evil.
    2. A keening is a short metaphorical description of a thing used in place of the thing's name. Examples of this include using "mail-shirt" for armor and "dwelling place" for residence.
    3. Thrith is Offa's wife. In the book, she bore false witnesses, causing the unnecessary death of anyone she pleased. She is found in lines 1,888 to 2,220.
    4. The younger Beowulf acted for the benefit of the people, not wanting anything in return for slaying Grendel or Grendel's mother. However, the older Beowulf acted for his own glory, asking for the treasures of the dragon after he slayed the beast.
    5. Redeeming himself, Unferth gives Beowulf the sword, Hrunting, which is supposed to help Beowulf kill Grendel's mother. However, the sword turns out to be useless. This is an example of irony.
    6. In paganism, the belief is that there are multiple gods. These gods control different elements of the earth, explaining why the world is the way it is. In the Christian religion, paganism encompasses all non-Abrahamic religions. It is also an adaptation of the term "gentile" from Judaism.

    Arianna Farmer
    Period 2

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  14. 1) I believe that the easiest way to read Old English is if we translate it to modern text. I tried to read Beowulf in Old English, but the syntax and the diction were so peculiar to me that I only got the basic meaning of the text.

    2) The theme is that if one misuses his/her good quality (Beowulf taking advantage of his fame/glory), that quality will eventually lead them to his/her downfall(Beowulf dying in the end).

    4) I thought it was ironic that when Beowulf was severely injured by the dragon, no one but Wiglaf came to his rescue. The text mentions that his men were the bravest men of all, but they too cower when adversities approach.

    5) Kenning: a conventional metaphoric name for something, esp in Old Norse and Old English poetry

    8) In the beginning, Beowulf acted for the benefit of people. He traveled all the way to Heorot to help the people from Grendel's terror. As the people began to extol him more and more, that's when Beowulf got conceited. In the scene where he fights the dragon, his hubris leads him to his death.

    Samuel Moon
    Period 6

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  15. 1) The only way we can truly understand the literature is by carefully reading and analyzing it. It’s sort of difficult to understand old literature.
    2) I think the theme of Beowulf is “the rise of the underdog.” In the end when Beowulf fought the dragon all his strong and best soldiers retrieved and let him alone, it was Wiglaf who stayed and defeated the dragon.
    3) An example of irony was when Unferth gave Beowulf a special sword to defeat the monster. Pretty ironic how the sword ended up being pretty much useless.
    4) Kenning is a figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun.
    5) I think Beowulf acted for the benefit of the people. Although he seemed cocky and boastful, I think he sincerely wanted to help his people.

    Lupita Perez
    Per. 3

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  16. 1. I believe that with older forms of literature and even some modern forms of literature to fully understand the text reading it more than once is always helpful. If you don't understand it at first I can't think of a better way than to try reading it again.

    2. I think Beowulf's themes are heroism, what it takes to be a real hero and values. Most people think of strength, like Beowulf possesses, as a characteristic of a hero but it's not just that. A hero must also have the strength not to succumb to fame and fortune. To always keep the people in mind, and not become selfish as Beowulf did.

    3. I did not find any onomatopoeias in Beowulf.

    4. I find it ironic that Grendel killed people for his own selfish reasons (not liking their joyous music),which is what called Beowulf to come and defeat him, and Beowulf became selfish himself and also developed a disregard for the good of the people.

    5. A kenning is an expression or metaphor used in place of name or noun.

    6. In a Pagan society God is not necessarily who they believe in but rather maybe many gods or simply nature. Christianity has a rather contrasting view and believes that God is what makes everything. One God not many, and not just nature.

    7. Thrith is the wife of Offa (king of the Angles) who was not a pleasant queen, in fact she was quite mean and haughty. I found info about her through google. I believe her character is somewhere around line 1800-2000.

    8. I think Beowulf acted for the people in the beginning but the pride, fame, and glory got to his head in the end and he stopped acting for the people.

    Taryn Kawahara period 2

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  17. 5. A kenning is an additional occurring or saying like Beowulf’s body armor that he wore for every battle he was in.
    8. I believe that in the first half Beowulf acted for the benefit of others but in the second half he began to act more for himself, for his own glory.
    1. The easiest way, I believe, to understand old English writing is to translate it as best as you can to ”modern” English and to read it multiple times.
    4. The irony that I found in this story was when Beowulf’s sword broke and was useless in the battle with the dragon.
    2. The theme that I found to be most noticeable in Beowulf was the theme of glory because throughout the entire story Beowulf was being glorified.

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  18. 1) To understand older pieces of literature, I do a couple different things. First, it definitely helps if you analyze the heck out of what you're reading. I know it's not everyone's favorite part of reading, but I'm nerdy, and I think it's fun. Also, if you culture yourself a little and just read things that weren't written in this century, understanding other older pieces of literature becomes way easier. Those are the things that help me, anyway.

    2)I think one of the main themes of Beowulf has to do with persevering and overcoming obstacles that seem much bigger than you at first. Beouwulf had to overcome and defeat so many monsters and demons that stood in the way of his ultimate goal, to achieve fame and glory.

    4) I thought it was ironic that the ideas of God and Fate were in the same story. They just seem to be two conflicting ideas. Typically, if you believe in God, you don't believe in Fate. God gives you the freedom to choose, and Fate means that your destiny is written from the day you're born. With Fate, you may think you have a choice, but you really don't.

    5) A kenning is a creative figure of speach used by Celtic and Old Norse storytellers and poets. They were used to replace boring nouns to hold people's attention. This is the answer I found when i typed it into Ask.com.

    6) You just can't miss the prallels between Beowulf and the Bible, in my opinion. It starts off talking about how an all mighty God created the earth, as in Genesis. Then you have Grendel, a descendent of Cain, the worlds first murderer, according to the Bible, which is a big NO-NO. And, Grendel doesn't just enter the hall of Herot. He "slithers", like a snake, a universal symbol of evil ever since the story of Adam and Eve. Then you have Grendel testing their fate in God, like the Devil did with Jesus, and the people fail miserably and turn to things like idol worship, another big NO-NO. And then, you have Grendel's mother, who resides in an under-water lair. One of the three monsters in Revelations comes from under the sea. I dunno, those are the connections i made. And the significance of God is that he or she just gives you a model for how you should live and "walk the path of good" or whatever. That's what the Bible is, is a collection of stories to teach morals and life lessons, and not to be taken literally. That's sort of what Beowulf does.

    8) I honestly don't think of Beowulf as much of a hero. Sure, he did some amazing things that the people benefited from, but i really believe he was only thinking of himself, or that he thought of himself first, and THEN the people.

    Marissa Tajalle
    P.2

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  19. 1. I think that reading a piece of literature multiple times and looking up word definitions is the only way anything can be read. Modern books/stories have the benefit of already being in the vernacular so we assume we can learn the story at a first glance but in reality, the story lines may just be as deep as or even deeper than older stories written in a different time. Take The Chronicles of Narnia and Romeo and Juliet for example, The Chronicles of Narnia seems like a harmless children’s story while in fact most of the events are allusions to the Bible, especially in The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe where Azlan is sacrificed on the stone table. Romeo and Juliet may be harder to read with Iambic Pentameter but whose story line is as deep if not less then The Chronicles of Narnia.

    2. The themes to Beowulf are of personal faith in oneself and perseverance. Beowulf wouldn’t have killed Grendel if he didn’t believe he could in the first place and showed his perseverance by killing the dragon with Wiglaf even while he was basically on his deathbed.

    5. A kenning is a figure of speech, typically in the form of a compound that is used in the place of a name or noun. (Example: Road, merchant trail)

    6. God is a rival to traditional belief, God undermines the structure of the society and often times crushes the leaders, both spiritual and political if they do not accept God and try to destroy the followers. Martyrs are always favored by the common folk, especially non-violent ones. However God can reshape and reform a pagan society for the better if the teachings are well received.

    8. Beowulf both acted for his own glory and the benefit of the people. This can be seen in the two parts of the poem. When Beowulf is young, he sets out to kill Grendel for fame and personal glory. When he is much older and the dragon attacks, he goes out to slay the dragon because he thought the dragon was of his creation and did not want people to be hurt by it. He knew he was going to probably die but fought regardless because if he didn’t stop the dragon his people would suffer greatly.
    Jon Hoffman Period 2

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  20. 1. I think in order to understand older literature it is necessary to have some background information on the time period that the piece of literature was written. From there you can develop a sense of understanding about what you are reading.
    2. I think the main theme in Beowulf is perseverance. Beowulf went through many different challenges and although each was hard he persevered and came out a hero.
    3. It is ironic that Beowulf went to fight the dragon on his own but his sword and shield ended up being powerless against the dragon.
    5. A kenning is an expression used in place of a noun. For Example war-gear=armor.
    8. I think Beowulf was good at acting like he was defeating the enemies for the good of his people when in reality he wanted the fame and glory that most heroes aspire to obtain.
    Kelli Carrillo P.3

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  21. 1. I believe that reading a new modern version of the text would make the reading easier
    2. The themes of Beowulf are pride and glory. Beowulf shows off how brave he is and how much he wants the glory throughout the story.
    4. It was ironic how in the story it said Beowulf was given a special sword, but it turned out to be useless in the battle.
    5. A kenning is an additional occurrence or saying. For example, in the story Beowulfs, armour.
    8. Beowulf acted for his own glory. He evn said that he was going to fight Grendel for his glory.

    Patrick Sims
    P.3

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  22. 2. The theme of Beowulf is glory. This is easily seen in all of Beowulf’s actions.
    3. After re skimming through the poem, I did not encounter any onomatopoeia.
    4. It is ironic when Beowulf slays Grendel’s mother with the sword in her possession, while he could not kill her with the one he had brought.
    5. A kenning is a word used to replace another word with a similar meaning.
    8. Beowulf acts for his people, and reputation. He goes to kill Grendel because of his terrible actions, and to further gain reputation.
    - Trey Jensen p. 2

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  23. 1. When reading a piece of older literature, a reader often has to reread sections to understand it full and to get the most out of it. However that is just with original texts. With a paraphrased version, the process becomes exponentially easier on the reader, because he doesn't have to translate the text himself, but rather it is already done for him. That is an easier way to read old texts without having to read them over 9,000 times.

    2. The main theme of Beowulf is the quest for glorification and illustriousness. Beowulf leaves his home land because he wanted to kill Grendel, not only to help the Danes, but to also glorify himself and show his strength. However there are smaller themes sprinkled throughout the poem. One such focused on being humble after winning glory and riches. Another focused on uniting people through marriage. These are just smaller and minute themes in a larger story about glory.

    3. One example of irony is when Beowulf is returning after killing Grendel's Mother. Beowulf's party believes him to be dead and they are even ready to abandon waiting for him. However the audience understands that Beowulf is still alive and is returning to them at that very moment.

    4. Beowulf acting for his own glory and pomp. Everything he did, every action and step he took was selfish and for himself. Even toward his death he is selfish in wanting to kill the dragon on his own without the help of others much younger, so that he may have all the glory to himself. Beowulf ultimately worked only for his own selfish ambition, which was his fatal flaw.

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  24. 1. I think because the syntax/diction is so foreign to us because it’s been so Americanized over time, it could be very hard to understand… especially if you’re not really reading into the story and not really trying. If we wanted to, we could get it by context clues. But practice is what will help us most, if we get acclimated to the way it’s written, we will become comfortable and understand it better.
    2. The themes for Beowulf are the quest for glory, because really Beowulf set out to kill Grendel to bring glory to his name and to show that he was his father’s son, just as good as he was, the other one is perseverance, you have to go after something and then stick to it… even if it means you’re going to give up a lot to get it.
    4. I think there were many examples of irony in the poem; Beowulf killing Grendel’s mom with her own sword, Beowulf’s men being the “bravest men” but then abandoning him when it came time to really be brave, etc.
    5. A kenning is a conventional poetic phrase used for/in addition to the usual name of a person or thing.
    8. Beowolf started out acting for his own glory, he didn’t really acknowledge a lot of others, he wanted to be the one to kill Grendel and take the glory for himself, but as he aged I think he became to love some of the people, so he started to act for the benefit of the people. He went to fight the dragon even though he knew he would die, he didn’t accept the crown and instead promised to help her son become a man, etc.

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  25. 1) I think that to fully comprehend older pieces of literature you need research or some sort of background information that provides you with a lot about the piece. Also, reading things more than once tends to help a lot more.

    2) One of the numerous themes was the idea of glory. For example, he came to help these citizens and kill the beast, but he received all this glory after. He was praised, and mourned, and even offered to be king.
    3)A Kenning is a compound word that can be described with a different phrase.
    (teacher - grader giver)
    3)Irony in the story is the fact that God was so frequently brought up in the poem.
    4)Beowulf, personally I think wanted to help the citizens. He just also wanted them to give him the attention he deserved for helping them. He did things for people, but expected things in return be done for him.

    Adriana Z fourth period

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  26. 1. Ehh, I think the best bet is to read it a couple times over again. Or go on the internet and find a website that helps break down literature like Beowulf.
    2. The theme of Beowulf is, that as long as you are dedicated, life will always be in your favor.
    3. Nope, couldn't find any onomatopoeia.
    5. is a type of literary trope, specifically circumlocution, in the form of a compound (usually two words, often hyphenated) that employs figurative language in place of a more concrete single-word noun.
    8. I think Beowulf did do it for his people, but he also loved the glory cause he was really self centered.

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  27. Nicole Montoya
    PEriod 3 ^^

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  28. !) Based off of past experiences in reading older pieces of literature, it makes it a lot easier to read and comprehend the Old English if you translate it into Modern Text.
    2)The central theme in the poem is the constant search for glory. Beowulf's whole motivation throughout the poem is to be remembered and gain popularity. This causes his character to become somewhat cocky.
    3) An example of an onomatopoeia "He made his home in hell..."
    4) Examples of irony: How all throughout the poem it constantly mentions how Beowulf's men were the "bravest men of all", but when the time came, Wiglaf was the only person who came to his rescue. His men immediately turned from the "bravest of all" into "cowards like the rest."
    5) Kenning: a conventional metaphoric name for something. An example from the novel would be Beowulf's body armor.
    6) Because whenever there was a moment when the people didn't understand something or there was no reason for it they would always put it on God. Therefore the Pagan people did have faith because that's who they relied on for all of their unanswered questions.
    8) In the first half of the poem Beowulf acted only for the benefit of people. For example, he traveled far from his home to help the people from Grendel. Once this happened, and people started giving him more and more attention, he became over confident and full of himself. And it's because of these newfound characteristics, that eventually leads Beowulf to his death.

    Mariah cooks p.2

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  29. 1. To be honest, it is actually quite hard to read text that was written in older English since back then the dialect along with the words would have greatly differed from today's dialect and words. It would take the average person quite a while to decipher a little of what old English text is saying unless they have some knowledge of Latin I suppose.

    2. I would say the main theme in Beowulf is that the actions and glory can outlive one's self. But I believe the main theme would be that you don't have to start off in glory, but rather build your way up to glory. This makes it seem like anyone can achieve greatness no matter of your social standing or place on the social hierarchy.

    3. I did not manage to catch any onomatopoeia's while reading Beowulf. I must of skipped them or it.

    4. Some forms of irony found in Beowulf would be the scene with Grendel's mother and the dragon. When Beowulf draws his sword to kill Grendel's mother the sword is useless against her. The same goes for the dragon, the same events happen.

    5. A kenning is conventional poetic phrase used to add on to a person or places name.

    6. God in the pagan society is a provider of well being and also of nature. Pagans tend to be polytheistic, focusing on a whole spectrum of gods but may also focus on specific gods depending on their region. Christianity is tied closely to paganism. Christianity is known for borrowing some of it's holidays from previous Pagan holidays. They are also tied since Christianity did try to convert Pagans into Christians by force, which I think goes against the free will people have as stated in the bible. Paganism is also targeted as Satanism by some Christians still in modern times mainly out of fear or to diminish rivaling religions.

    7. Thrith is the wife of King Offa, making her a queen. She is a cruel woman and she is also abusive of her people. I found this out through ask.com, it may be wrong though.

    8. This is debatable since it seems at times he acted out of glory rather than for the people. I'm going to say his main focus was the security of people so he acted out of the security for people. It just happens that when ever someone does something glorifying honorable, glory and praising come along with it as a form of reward or recognition.

    Carlos Cruz, Per. 3 

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  30. 1. To be honest, it is actually quite hard to read text that was written in older English since back then the dialect along with the words would have greatly differed from today's dialect and words. It would take the average person quite a while to decipher a little of what old English text is saying unless they have some knowledge of Latin I suppose.

    2. I would say the main theme in Beowulf is that the actions and glory can outlive one's self. But I believe the main theme would be that you don't have to start off in glory, but rather build your way up to glory. This makes it seem like anyone can achieve greatness no matter of your social standing or place on the social hierarchy.

    3. I did not manage to catch any onomatopoeia's while reading Beowulf. I must of skipped them or it.

    4. Some forms of irony found in Beowulf would be the scene with Grendel's mother and the dragon. When Beowulf draws his sword to kill Grendel's mother the sword is useless against her. The same goes for the dragon, the same events happen.

    5. A kenning is conventional poetic phrase used to add on to a person or places name.

    6. God in the pagan society is a provider of well being and also of nature. Pagans tend to be polytheistic, focusing on a whole spectrum of gods but may also focus on specific gods depending on their region. Christianity is tied closely to paganism. Christianity is known for borrowing some of it's holidays from previous Pagan holidays. They are also tied since Christianity did try to convert Pagans into Christians by force, which I think goes against the free will people have as stated in the bible. Paganism is also targeted as Satanism by some Christians still in modern times mainly out of fear or to diminish rivaling religions.

    7. Thrith is the wife of King Offa, making her a queen. She is a cruel woman and she is also abusive of her people. I found this out through ask.com, it may be wrong though.

    8. This is debatable since it seems at times he acted out of glory rather than for the people. I'm going to say his main focus was the security of people so he acted out of the security for people. It just happens that when ever someone does something glorifying honorable, glory and praising come along with it as a form of reward or recognition.

    Carlos Cruz, Per. 3 

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  31. 1. Yes, there is an easier way to understand older forms of English without reading it ten times. We are currently in the process of one form. For instance this post and our class work
    8. I think it is arguable that Beowulf acted out of selfishness, but ultimately he died to bring glory and peace for his people.

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  32. Max Kuhlman
    PERIOD 2

    1)its easier to understand old english if you talk to someone who has read the story already in order to tie up loose ends you might have in the story.
    2)the theme in beowulf is glory in battle. the only reason he first tries to help is because he wants to become famous and wealthy
    3)i didnt catch any onomatopoeia's in the poem beowulf.
    4)irony in the poem beowulf is when he kills grendels mom with her own sword.
    5)A kenning is a lot like a metaphor, its used in poems in order to enhance the writing.
    8)Beowulf first only battled in the beginning of the poem so he could become famous or only fighting for self glory, but at the end of the poem when he fights the dragon he fights for the good of his people.

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  33. 1. With older pieces of literature, I do think you need to read it more than once in order to grasp the entire story and have a good understanding of it. The language used back then is hard to comprehend, so it's not something you can skim or read quickly. Going over it multiple times will only help.

    2. I think Beowulf has multiple themes, but one of them would be the quest for glory. The desire for honor and treasure was a main driving force for Beowulf. He wanted to make a name for himself and to be somebody. Another simple one would be the battle between good and evil.

    3. An example of onomatopoeia is when the dragon says "grrr"

    4. I found it ironic that Beowulf was considered a hero because what he was doing was protecting people but the force driving him was his own selfish ambition and desire for fame. It almost seemed like a selfish act but he's considered a hero which I found ironic.

    5. A kenning is metaphor that signifies a person or thing by a characteristic or quality. It is often used in Anglo-saxon poetry and some examples from Beowulf are "mail-shirt" for armor, dwelling place for residence, and "mail armor" for helmet. (http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs991b/kenning.html)

    6. I think Beowulf brought the significance of god to the story. He relied on faith in God that he would beat Grendel with out any armor. He trusted that God knew who the winner should be and just let fate go where it may.

    8. I honestly was wondering the same thing in class today. I began to think that Beowulf wasn't a hero because he had selfish motives and just wanted glory. However, during the discussions today I realized that in the beginning of the story Beowulf says he is doing this to protect the people. His original motive was for good and then the desire for honor kept him going when he fought Grendel's mom. In a way it was a little bit of both, but I do think he was a hero now.

    Nicole Anderson Period 2

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  34. 1)There isn’t really an easier way to understand the literature unless you do a little background research.
    2)I believe the theme in Beowulf is bravery because throughout the story Beowulf is very confident about himself and fights the battles with no questions asked.
    3)Don’t think I caught an example of onomatopoeia.
    4)An example of irony is when Beowulf used Unferth’s sword. Even though Unferth seemed like he had doubt in Beowulf by questioning his ability.
    5)Kenning- A conventional poetic phrase used for or in addition to the usual name of a person or thing.
    8)I believe Beowulf acted for the glory. Throughout the story all he really talked about was his accomplishments and all the things he overcame. It seemed as if he was bragging in order for people to look up to him and see him as a powerful person.

    Jessica Manriquez; Per. 6

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  35. 1. I believe that with older pieces of literature, they are easier to read when they're converted to modern text. This helps me comprehend better. 
    2. The themes throughout the book of Beowulf are bravery and the search for glory. During the story, Beowulf tried his best to protect his people and be the best warrior he could be. 
    3. An example of an onomatopoeia is he made his home in hell. 
    4. I found it ironic that Beowulf's great sword didn't work against the dragon. 
    8. I thought that Beowulf acted for the benefit of the people. He would always try to protect his them no matter what the situation was. 

    Hunter Walker
    Period 3

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  36. 1. I think that with older literature and even some modern literature, to understand the text, in its entirety, reading it many times over is always helpful. If I don't understand it at first, I keep going through it until I have an AH-HA moment.
    2. The key theme present in Beowulf is the quest for glory. Beowulf set out to kill Grendel so that it would bring glory to himself and make himself equal to his father.
    4.It's ironic that Beowulf was seen as a hero, considering the reason for his determination was selfish ambition and greed.
    5. A kenning is an additional occurrence or saying, like Beowulf’s body armor, which he wore for every battle he fought in.
    8. Beowolf started seeking glory, he didn’t acknowledge others, he only wanted to be the one known for killing Grendel. But as he got older and evolved throught the poem, he grew to love the people. He began thinking about what would be best for his people. He fought the dragon despite the fact that he would die.

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