Class 13 - December 6

Assignment
Please continue to highlight with yellow, blue, and orange as with last week's assignment, continuing through the end of the story.

Bring to Class next week
The Dream of the Rood
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Class 12 - November 29

Its hard to believe we are nearing the end of the semester.  I hope you have enjoyed and been enriched by the books we've read together so far.   I know I have!  There are so many treasures for us to plunder in these pages!  I'll leave you with these "gems" as we depart old Scandinavia...

" The treasure had been won,
bought and paid for by Beowulf's death." (2843)

"God Himself, mankind's Keeper, True King of Triumphs, allowed some person pleasing to Him - and in His eyes worthy - to open the hoard." (3055)

As we enter the advent, may these literary shadows of Christ inspire worship and adoration for The One who's death bought and paid for treasures eternal on our behalf; the True Dragon Slayer who was counted worthy to open the seal of the scrolls of heaven! (Revelation 5)

 Assignments for next week
Carefully read and highlight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight sections 1-50

• Yellow - flow of thought
• Orange - speeches/poetic devices (other than alliteration which is primary in this text)
• Blue - Outstanding passages to bring up in discussion.  Please mark at least 3 blues in this first half.

Narration

•  Be prepared to narrate any of the first 50 sections.  
• Tip: Try to sum up each short section in one sentence that captures the main events of the section.

Class 11 - November 8

Assignments:

The Dream of the Rood

• Re-read the poem. It is written in three sections.  Try to find where these transitions naturally occur. 
• List all the terms that refer to Jesus, and all the terms that refer to man (good men, or bad men)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• Read the whole story once through at a comfortable pace.  No highlighting required.

Class 10 - Nov 1

In an introduction to his comparison between Theseus and Romulus in his work Lives, Plutarch offers the following exhortation:

"Let us hope that Fable may, in what shall follow, so submit to the purifying process of Reasons as to take the character of exact history.  In any case, however, where it shall be found contumaciously slighting credibility and refusing to be reduced to anything like probable fact, we shall beg that we may meet with candid readers, and such as will receive with indulgence the stories of antiquity."

I suspect we would do well to heed his advice as we read and discuss Beowulf.  As modern thinkers we are apt to dismiss tall tales from any serious role in developing our ability to reason.   Could Beowulf really have held his breath for half a day as he swam to the bottom of the lake?  It would not be difficult to site scientific studies to the contrary.  How does this affect the credibility of the story?  Where does its true value lie, if not in its historical accuracy? 

It seems this epic is, in the words of Plutarch, "contumaciously (stubbornly) slighting credibility and refusing to be reduced to anything like probable fact."   Myths often point beyond "probable fact" and in so doing; help us see truths that are just as stubborn in their refusal to be subject to the realm of scientific plausibility. 
So how are we to go about subjecting this work to the purifying power of reason in such a way as to enhance our understanding of ultimate Truth?

May I suggest that one way is by contemplating the questions the myth prompts us to ask.  One such question from a previous week was whether Beowulf's boasting was appropriate.  This week we'll employ the topic of "authority" to help us explore that question.

Homework:

·      Read the following passages with a parent (girls with moms, boys with dads).  Discuss whether Beowulf’s boasting is appropriate to the situation.      

       Lines 407-455, 632-638, and 677-687

·      Read The Dream of the Rood 3 times this week

·      Scan and highlight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

       Use pink for proper nouns, green for structure clues,and orange for long quotes (more than a line or two). 

Class 9 - Oct 25

As you read Beowulf this week, consider the words and acts of the hero.  What does he say or do that makes him heroic?  Are any of his words or actions dishonorable?  What other characters in the story can you compare to him? Are there any other heros in this tale?

Assignment:

• Reread the second half of the poem, from line 1650 through the end.  Continue to look for poetic devices  such as alliteration, kennings, and simile.  Mark any proverbial statements that offer universal truths for us to consider. 
• Optional - Begin to highlight names/places (pink) and structural elements (green) in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Class 8 - October 18

This week we launched our discussion of Beowulf.  Welcome to Old Scandinavia! What contributions will this enduring classic make to our conception of the hero?  Lets compare Odysseus with Beowulf, and both of them with Christ as we strive to separate that which is good in man from that which is chaff.

As you read, notice the problems/decisions that the characters face.  What do they do to overcome them?  Ask yourself whether they should take the courses of action they take.

*Should Beowulf and the Geats have traveled across the channel to help the Danes?

*Should the coastgaurd have asked Beowulf and his men to reveal their identity before entertaining them? (compare with the customs of hospitality in The Odyssey) And should he have have required them to leave their weapons behind in order to visit Hrothgar?

As you read, be on the lookout for poetic devices that are characteristic of this work.  We enjoyed the imaginative epic similes of Homer.  How does the scop of Beowulf draw us into his song artistically?  Note kennings (creative compound words) and alliterations (repetition of consonant sounds in a line) when you come across them.  What else other devices do you notice?  Can you incorporate some of this artistry into your own writing? 

And what about those universal proverbs?  Our Anglo-Saxon poet would not have us overlook timeless maxims.  He has his characters speak truths that connect his tale to a body of universal and ancient wisdom.  How do these sayings stand up in the light of scripture?  Consider these examples from the lines we discussed this week:

"Fate goes everywhere as a must." - Beowulf

"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among people everywhere." - the scop as narrator

"Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what's said and what's done." -  coastgaurd of the Danes

Mark any similar sayings as you come across them.  Do they remind you of others that you've heard - perhaps even in the Proverbs of Solomon?  For instance, compare the coastgaurd's remark with Proverbs 20:11.

For next week:

• Review Beowulf lines 1-1650. 
• Mark at least 2 blues in this first section
• Be prepared to narrate any section in this first half for the class
• Prepare for a mock trial of Poseidon.  He sunk Odysseus' raft.  Should he have done that?  Make an ANI chart to explore this issue.   List reasons that he should have sunk the raft in the A(affirmative) column.  List reasons he should not have sunk the raft in the N(negative) column.  List any other interesting information that pertains to this issue in the I(interesting) column.  You should have at least 10 points listed in each column.  Use questions from the "5 Topics" page to help you discover points for your chart.  Remember that ANY answer to ANY of those questions when asked about this issue can go in one of the three columns.  
• (Note* In an earlier version of this post, I had written "ship" instead of "raft".  In the original question (Caleb's), the term was "boat".  The "boat" is  a raft, and Poseidon sinks it in book 5 after Odysseus leaves Kalypso's island. In a flashback that occurs in book 12, Odysseus recounts that Zeus sunk his ship and all his men perished.  This created some confusion, but since our issue has to do with Poseidon, we are considering the sinking of a raft, not a ship.)

Class 7 - October 11

We wrapped up our book by book discussion of The Odyssey this afternoon. What a ride! Hang on to those ideas!  We've got more to talk about!  Let the thoughts and actions of Odysseus linger in your mind as we meet Beowulf in the weeks to come.
Did reading The Odyssey affect your ideas about what it means to be a hero?  How does Odysseus differ from the hero you had in mind on the first day of class? Any similarities?

Assignments for next week:

• Try your hand at writing an epic simile.  We'll have fun sharing these in class.  It can be funny, but keep it clean ;-)
• Finish your careful read of Beowulf using the yellow and blue highlighters.  Be prepared to narrate any section.  I highly recommend notes in the right side margin to supplement the ones that are already there.
• Use blue at least 3 times in each half of the book.   
• Bring both books to class.

Only the Lover Sings

Enjoy this tribute to the poetic artistry of Homer in his masterpiece The Odyssey.

http://circeinstitute.org/2012/10/only-the-lover-sings/

Class 6 - October 4

We spent the first half of class today familiarizing ourselves with the epic poem Beowulf.  There is much insight to be gained by comparing The Odyssey with Beowulf, and you all did a great job bringing out those ideas this week.  As we contemplate the idea of the hero together this semester, our understanding deepens when we observe these two men in light of the cultures from which they came, as well as in the light of God's revelation to us in scripture. 

Be sure to bring both books with you to class!  The truth is that you'll never finish reading either of them.  There is too much to explore in these classic works to check them off your list and put them on the shelf to collect dust.  Keep contemplating, questioning, and comparing. 

This week's assignment
Beowulf:
Do a careful read of Beowulf, lines 1 - 1650.   Use your yellow highlighter to mark the flow of thought and your blue highlighter to mark lines that impress you or that you think sound particularly poetic.  Keep your narration notes along the right side margin so that you can narrate any given section on request.

The Odyssey:
Identify a character that interests you and something they did in the story.   Write a question asking whether they should have done it.
Ex: Should Odysseus have ordered his men to tie him to the mast?

Have a great week!

Class 5 - September 27

In the flow of our discussion, Odysseus has returned to Ithaca and is planning his revenge on the arrogant suitors.  We noticed the use of foreshadowing and irony as the time for Odysseus to reveal himself draws near.  He must resist mounting temptations to unveil his identity too early as the suitors pile up offenses.  We have opportunities to contrast noble characters (such as the swineherd and the oxherd) with the ignoble (such as Antinoos and the goatherd).  We discussed the futility of an appeal of innocence offered by "not-so-bad-as-the-others" suitor Amphinomos.  Though he is the most noble of the suitors, he has allied himself with the master's enemies and so shares their fate. What implications does this have concerning man's tendency to find confidence and security in righteousness relative to other people?

What character impressed you the most this week?  Why?

For next week:
Be prepared to narrate books 20-24 of The Odyssey
Preread Beowulf

1) Survey
Familiarize yourself with the book and how it is structured.  What is contained between the front and back covers?  Make a list 10 observations about the book on the inside of the back cover.

2) Highlight (pink, orange, green)
Quickly scan the text of the entire poem.  As you do, use your highlighters to mark as follows:
Pink - Mark references to people and places (usually proper nouns).
Orange - Block off all dialogue/speeches and write the name of the speaker near the opening quotation marks.
Green - Mark words, phrases, or clauses that suggest structure, such as a change of setting (time/place) or order (and then, later, afterwards...)
ex: at the top of page 17 "Time went by"

3) Compare
Compare Beowulf (what you learned from steps 1 & 2) to The Odyssey.
On the back cover of Beowulf, list three similarities and 3 differences.

Class 4 - Sept 20th

Today's discussion took us through Odysseus' tale of wanderings, and back to Ithaca. We discussed the absence of hope in the pagan universe depicted in book XI - Odysseus' journey to Hades.  The Greek word for the journey of an epic hero to Hades and back is neukia (consider Aeneas, Orpheus, Heracles, and Dante among others).  In pagan literature, there is no hope of heaven without deification, and Odysseus has already turned it down.  Even the best of the best are destined for eternal misery.  When Odysseus tries to console Achilles, the greatest warrior hero of the Greeks, with the legacy of fame and glory he achieved in life as well as his great authority among the dead, he rejects the consolation.  His reply is heartbreaking.

"I would rather follow the plow as thrall to another man, one with no land allotted him and not much to live on, than be a king over all the perished dead."

In the words of Anthony Esolen (literature professor, Dante translator, and editor of Touchstone magazine), "there is a lid on the pagan universe."  There is no salvation for the perished soul.  Contrary to popular religious sentiment, the ancient myths deny that all roads lead to heaven, even for the virtuous.  Only the Christian hero, the one all poetic heros foreshadow, Christ himself, blows the lid off that pagan universe! He does more than console the dead.  He quickens him, as he did Lazerus, and says to his beloved, "come forth!"

What about you?  What stood out to you in today's discussion?  Use the comment space to let me know!

For next week, finish highlighting and prepare to narrate books 21-24.

Class 3 - September 13th

Our focus this week was on the Wanderings of Odysseus in books 5-8.  We read and briefly discussed Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem The Lotos-Eaters, which explores the experience of Odysseus' men who ate the flower which caused them to forget their journey home.  There is much in this poem that reflects temptations common to every journeymen, including the Christian who must resit the lure of earthly comforts in hope of heavenly ones.  I'm providing a link to the poem in the right margin, and encourage you to reread it this week.  Can you relate to the struggle of the sailors on the island of the Lotos eaters? 

Assignment for next time:
Read, highlight, and prepare to narrate through book 20.  Pay special attention to book 9, the journey of Odysseus to Hades.

Looking forward to our next class!

“God has, in fact, written two books, not just one. Of course, we are all familiar with the first book he wrote, namely Scripture. But he has written a second book called creation.” - Frances Bacon

It amazes me that we can often behold the clear teachings of scripture echoed in the mythology of pagans (like Homer), and in nature.  The universe truly sings the truths of its maker at every level!
Click on the picture of the elephant to the right of the screen for a fantastic example, courtesy of Linda Simcox!
Enjoy!

Class 2 - September 6

Polytropos, xenia, and kleos...today we shook hands with a few Greek words that represent themes woven throughout the Odyssey.  Odysseus is known as "the man of many ways, or turnings" - polytropos.  Xenia is the hospitality shown to strangers.  And Kleos is one's reputation (as in glory or renown).  The theme that emerged most predominately today is xenia.   Through discussion so far we've become aware of many instances (and several violations) of the ancient culture of hospitality  as seen in The Odyssey.  To highlight this theme for us, Mrs. Simcox brought a pineapple and shared some history on its development as a symbol of hospitality.  It is connected to the ancient Greeks, which I never knew!  And of course the pineapple was a tasty addition to the snack table :-) 

*Here are the assignments for next week:
1) Do a careful read of books 9-16: 
Use your yellow highlighter to track the flow of thought.  Y-highlight the main action or event in a sentence that is part of the flow of the story. Use your blue highlighter to mark any passages that impress you or that you think are relevant to discussions we've begun, or to your own questions about the book. 

2) Narration:
Be prepared to offer a very short (1-2 minute max) narration of ALL of the books that remain to be discussed (5-16).  Its helpful to write the main events of the chapter either on the first page of the chapter (where a title would go) or along the tops of the pages.  We'll take turns narrating, but you won't know which chapter you're doing.

History:
Who else is reading The Birth of Brittan?  Let me know who you are, and we'll try to get some posts going on that!

Expectations:
I'll be checking to see if assignments are complete each week.  Since formal writing assignments are not part of the class this semester, my assessment will be based entirely on participation.  I will be able to offer a participation percentage in leiu of a grade at the completion of the semester.   For example, if I have given 20 assignments, and you completed 16 of them, you will receive a score of 80.  Low participation may affect eligibility to continue in the class in the spring.

Blessings til next time,
Mrs. Rape

"There is hope for a man who has never read Malory or Boswell or Tristam Shandy or Shakespeare’s Sonnets; but what can you do with a man who says he ‘has read’ them, meaning he has read them once, and thinks that this settles the matter?” C S Lewis

Little Lea, home of the Lewis family from 1905 to 1930