Beowulf: Ideeën Voor Samenvatting en Activiteiten

Hero's Journey

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Elementen van een Epic

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Thema's

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Characters

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Oud Engels Vocabulaire

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Beowulf's Battles

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Beowulf Summary

In the lands of the Danes (modern-day Denmark), a terrible beast, Grendel, plagued the kingdom of Hrothgar and his people. The Danes suffer for many years until a young, Geatish warrior named Beowulf takes on the challenge of defeating Grendel. He sails with his men to Heorot, and is thrown a great feast on his arrival.

Although many are joyous at his arrival, one jealous Dane denounces Beowulf and his reputation, at which point Beowulf boasts about his accomplishments, his victories, and gives descriptions of stories from the war.

After the celebration, Grendel arrives and Beowulf fights him barehanded. When others try to aid him, they find their swords cannot harm the creature. Beowulf defeats Grendel by tearing his arm off and hangs it as a trophy in the great hall of Heorot for all to see.

The mortally wounded Grendel has retreated to the marshes to die. His mother, a swamp hag, is now enraged. She kills Hrothgar’s most loyal warrior before returning to her lair.

Beowulf, Hrothgar, and their men, track Grendel’s mother, and Beowulf swims into the hag's underwater lair alone. Grendel’s mother appears to be winning against the Geat, but he stabs her with a sword found in the lair. Before leaving, he finds Grendel’s body at the bottom of the swamp and cuts off his head as a trophy for the king.

Years later, our hero ascends to the throne of his homeland where he rules wisely for over 50 years. When a would-be thief disturbs a dragon, it threatens his land. Knowing he has lived a full life and seeing his death before him, Beowulf charges into the action and defeats the dragon, but not before being bitten in the neck. The dragon’s venom kills him, and according to legend, his body is burned on a great funeral pyre, and a burial mound is built for him overlooking the sea.

Essential Questions for Beowulf

1. What makes a hero?
2. What is a legend and why are they important?
3. How has the concept of a hero changed over decades? Over centuries?
4. How does an epic differ from other works of literature?

Other Beowulf Activity Ideas

1. Tell the story from another character's point of view.
2. Create a modern adaptation of the story.
3. Have students investigate the many allusions made to Beowulf in other works of literature they've read.
4. Add a presentation to any storyboard project.