March 22, 2019 Freshman Lit Seminar Mr. Cabat

1. March 22, 2019Freshman Lit SeminarMr. Cabat Aim: “The leader of the troop unlocked his word-hoard:” The Arrival of the Hero Beowulf Lines 144-300

2. SAT Question of the Day • Widely regarded as the greatest American chess player in history, Bobby Fischer’s prominence came as a child, winning the U.S. Open at the age of thirteen and becoming a grandmaster at age fifteen. • Bobby Fischer’s prominence came as • Bobby Fischer’s prominence came when he was • it was Bobby Fischer coming to prominence as • Bobby Fischer came to prominence as • his prominence came to Bobby Fischer as

3. Wyrd to Your Mother • For the Beowulf poet, wyrd had a very special meaning. In Old English, the word translates roughly as “fate” or “destiny.” The word appears many times in the poem, and later evolves into the modern word “weird”, as in the three witches (or “weird sisters”) in Shakespeare’s Macbeth (coming soon in 11th grade). • Where else have we seen this tension between destiny and free will?

4. Nemesis What are some of the characteristics that are shared by the “monsters” that the hero must overcome on their journey?

5. Grendel Based on the text, how does Grendel compare with the other “monsters”?

6. Groups In your groups, you will once again do a “read around,” this time of lines 144-300. (Each person reads until the end of the sentence) Please focus on three things: The Beowulf poet’s use of alliteration The clash between pagan and Christian values (Hint: Check out lines 175-188) The description of the newly-arrived hero

7. Homework Due Monday: Read lines 301-606 and address the EQ on the turnitin discussion board.