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).