Beowulf essay lesson plan

The reading of Grendel by John Gardner will follow. Students will design and present their own conceptions of a monster. Students will recognize the positive character traits of heroes as depicted in music, art and literature. The class will break into groups and write a working definition of a hero which they will present to the class.

Captioned, includes follow-up questions. "Although this lesson assumes students will read Beowulf in translation, it introduces students to the poem's original Old English and explains the relationship between Old, Middle, and Modern English.

As a culminating activity, students will define their concept of hero and then create a booklet of personal heroes from various areas. This TED-ED video (4:54) uses examples from Beowulf , Oedipus , Romeo and Juliet , Star Wars , Zorro , and King Arthur to explore the differences between the epic, tragic, and romantic hero.

The very FACT that Beowulf has received so much back-and-forth debate among literary critics, writers, teachers, and scholars PROVES that it is an excellent work for students to study. It offers students the chance to debate the merits of the poem all the while practicing their argumentation and rhetoric skills through speaking and writing.