B e o w u l f

Lesson One

The Big Question:

Why are we studying a thousand
year old poem?
Roughly forcing the ornate, silver helmet onto his head, the Saxon
commander lined up his fearless fellow soldiers: They looking like ferocious
animals with war-paint streaked across their faces. Menacing and
courageous, their bold eyes stood out strong against the dark paint. They
started chanting and lowered their monstrous shields and raised their sharp
swords up to the sky. The charge began.
Above the war-drums, came the sound of the battle cries as the two
armies collided. Blood and horror filled the air – everything was chaos. Axes
chopped, swords were swung, hammers fell and men screamed. The Grim
Reaper seemed to stalk the battlefield as men dropped to their knees and
would never rise again.
The Saxon commander, glorious in his rune-encrusted armour, fought
where the battle was fiercest. Reaching a herd of warriors, he slaughtered
everyone in his path. The sight of each of his fallen comrades only caused
him to fight harder. Full of blood lust, he swung his sword in a gigantic arc
and death fell on anyone within its reach.
Roughly forcing the ornate, silver helmet onto his head, the Saxon
commander lined up his fearless fellow soldiers: They looking like Subordinate clause
ferocious animals with war-paint streaked across their faces.
Menacing and courageous, their bold eyes stood out strong Simile
against the dark paint. They started chanting and lowered their
monstrous shields and raised their sharp swords up to the sky.
The charge began.
Above the war-drums, came the sound of the battle cries Sensory description
as the two armies collided. Blood and horror filled the air –
everything was chaos. Axes chopped, swords were swung,
hammers fell and men screamed. The Grim Reaper seemed to Tricolon
stalk the battlefield as men dropped to their knees and would
never rise again.
The Saxon commander, glorious in his rune-encrusted
armour, fought where the battle was fiercest. Reaching a herd of
Embedded clause
warriors, he slaughtered everyone in his path. The sight of each of
his fallen comrades only caused him to fight harder. Full of blood
lust, he swung his sword in a gigantic arc and death fell on anyone Dramatic conclusion
within its reach.
Beowulf is famous for two reasons:

1. It was the first story ever written

down in the language of the
people who lived in the Anglo-
Saxon period (410-1066).
2. It is the oldest British story of
which we have a record. Beowulf
is considered a cornerstone of
English literature.
King Hrothgar, elderly Danish ruler
Heorot

Heorot, the Great Hall

Heorot
Thinking about the plot and language,
what are your initial impressions?

Hrothgar, King of the Danes, glorious in battle,

Build him a huge hall – its gleaming roof
Towering high to heaven – strong to withstand
The buffet of war. He called it Heorot
And lived there with his Queen. At times of feasting
He gave to his followers rings and ornaments
Graved with runes and deeds of dead heroes.
Here they enjoyed feasts and high fellowship,
Story and song and the pride of armed peace.

Why open the open with
this character?
What does this information
Why include this
tell us about Anglo-Saxon
embedded clause?
culture?

Hrothgar, King of the Danes, glorious in battle, Why build a

Build him a huge hall – its gleaming roof royal hall?

Towering high to heaven – strong to withstand

The buffet of war. He called it Heorot
And lived there with his Queen.
Why include this ‘Heorot’ in Old English
detail? What is means ‘stag’. Why
implied? choose this name?
 What is significant about
Why would the King do
this act?
this?

At times of feasting
Why give these
He gave to his followers rings and ornaments objects?
Graved with runes and deeds of dead heroes.
Here they enjoyed feasts and high fellowship,
Story and song and the pride of armed peace.

Why include this

What does this reveal about contradiction?
Anglo-Saxon culture?
 Homework
Using the link below, which
will be emailed to you,
research the history of the
Anglo-Saxons.

Gather two pages of bullet

points in your exercise book
under subheadings.

Do not simply copy the

information, summarise what https://www.historyextra.com/period/
you consider important in your anglo-saxon/facts-anglo-saxons-dates/
own words.
B e o w u l f
Lesson Two

The Big Question:

How do writers create an atmosphere?
Write down the number and letter in the back of your exercise book
1. What country does Beowulf take place in? 4. Why does everyone gather in Heorot?

A) Sweden A) They are commanded to

B) Denmark B) To keep warm by the fire
C) England C) To enjoy the food & ale
D) Norway D) For story & song

2. What is Heorot? 5. What time period is Beowulf set in?

A) A castle A) Roman
B) A house B) Anglo-Saxon
C) A hall C) The Middle Ages
D) A tavern D) Elizabethan Era

3. What did King Hrothgar give to his followers? 6. What object was used as a writing stimulus last lesson?

A) Food A) An axe
B) Fine clothes B) A sword
C) Rings & ornaments C) A shield
D) Nothing but his royal presence D) A helmet
Thinking about the plot and language,
what are your initial impressions?

But away in the treacherous fens, beyond the moor,

A hideous monster lurked, fiend from hell,
Misbegotten son of a foul mother,
Grendel his name, hating the sound of the harp,
The minstrel’s song, the bold merriment of men
In whose distorted likeness he was shaped
Twice six feet tall, with arms as hairy as a gorilla
And red ferocious eyes and ravening jaws.
 How does the atmosphere What is implied through
quickly change? these words?

But away in the treacherous fens, beyond the moor,

How is A hideous monster lurked, fiend from hell, Why would
Grendel Grendel hate
introduced? Misbegotten son of a foul mother,
these things?
Grendel his name, hating the sound of the harp,
The minstrel’s song, the bold merriment of men
In whose distorted likeness he was shaped
What is
implied Twice six feet tall, with arms as hairy as a gorilla
through the
physical And red ferocious eyes and ravening jaws.
description? Why is this section
structured using a single
sentence?
 How can we use imagery to suggest light
struggles to reach the swamp?

How can we use pathetic fallacy to

describe the mist?

How can we use sensory language: smell,

touch, sound?
How can we make the plants seem
sinister?

How can we make Grendel’s cave seem

forbidding?

How can we personify the vines?

How can we make the wildlife seem

threatening?

How can we make add details that link this

swamp with death and despair?
B e o w u l f
Lesson Three

The Big Question:

What tools do writers use to
build characters?
Write down the number and letter in the back of your exercise book
1. What place is Grendel linked with? 4. What colour eyes does Grendel have?

A) Hell A) Black
B) A dungeon B) Green
C) The wilderness C) Red
D) Underground D) Yellow

2. What does Grendel hate the sound of? 5. What other feature of Grendel is deliberately described?

A) Prayers A) His legs

B) Music B) His claws
C) Laughter C) His nose
D) Footsteps D) His jaw

3. How big is Grendel? 6. What does ‘misbegotten’ mean?

A) Six feet tall A) Damaged & disgusting

B) Eight feet tall B) Angry & fear-inducing
C) Ten feet tall C) Weak & brittle
D) Twelve feet tall D) Misshapen & cursed
Thinking about the plot and language,
what are your initial impressions?
He, one night, when the warriors of Hrothgar lay
Slumbering after banquet, came to Heorot,
Broke down the door, seized in his fell grip
A score and more of the sleeping sons of men
And carried them home for meat. At break of day
The hall of Heorot rang loud and long
With woe of warriors and grief of the great King.
Thereafter, from dark lake and dripping caves
Night after night over the misty moor
Came Grendel, gross and grim, famished for flesh.
Empty the beds, no man dared sleep at Heorot,
But Grendel smelt them out of their hiding place,
And many a meal he made of warriors.
For twelve years he waged war with Hrothgar,
Piled grief upon grief. For twelve years
He haunted great Heorot.
 Why come at night? Why are the warriors
vulnerable here?

He, one night, when the warriors of Hrothgar lay

Slumbering after banquet, came to Heorot, What
What does impression
this reveal Broke down the door, seized in his fell grip are we given
about of Grendel?
Grendel? A score and more of the sleeping sons of men
And carried them home for meat. At break of day
What words The hall of Heorot rang loud and long
describe the
emotional With woe of warriors and grief of the great King.
impact of
the attack? Why end with
the King?
Why do Grendel’s attacks become What is implied through
a common occurrence? describing Grendel’s lair?

Thereafter, from dark lake and dripping caves

Night after night over the misty moor
How is
Grendel Came Grendel, gross and grim, famished for flesh.
portrayed Empty the beds, no man dared sleep at Heorot,
as an What reaction
unstoppable But Grendel smelt them out of their hiding place, does Grendel
force get and why?
throughout
And many a meal he made of warriors.
the For twelve years he waged war with Hrothgar,
passage?
Piled grief upon grief. For twelve years
He haunted great Heorot.
Why is ‘haunted’ appropriate?
Word Wheel
Glue the word wheel into your
exercise book and highlight a
word from each segment you
will include in your Grendel
description.

Then skim and scan the poem

and list the details we already
know about Grendel.
 Sentence Upgrades
Word: Abhorrent
Phrase: Abhorrent and repulsive
Sentence: Grendel is abhorrent and repulsive.
Uplevelled: Abhorrent and repulsive, Grendel
sucked the marrow from the bones of the
slain soldier and let out a noxious belch.

Create four of these sentences using the vocabulary

you have collected from the word wheel.
B e o w u l f
Lesson Four

The Big Question:

What is a Kenning?
Write down the number and letter in the back of your exercise book
1. When does Grendel attack? 4. For how many years does Grendel attack Heorot?

A) Sunrise A) Four
B) Sunset B) Eight
C) During the night C) Ten
D) Whenever he is hungry D) Twelve

2. How many is a ‘score’? 5. Grendel is described as doing what to Heorot?

A) Five A) Destroying it
B) Ten B) Controlling it
C) Fifteen C) Haunting it
D) Twenty D) Devastating it

3. How does Grendel enter Heorot? 6. What does ‘famished’ mean?

A) Through the door A) Starving

B) By digging a tunnel B) Enraged
C) Down the chimney C) Aggressive
D) Through a window D) Dangerous
 Thinking about the plot and language,
what are your initial impressions?
Now there lived overseas
In the land of the Geats a youth of valiance abounding.
Mightiest yet mildest of men, his name Beowulf,
Who, hearing of Grendel and minded to destroy him,
Built a boat of the stoutest timber and chose him
Warriors, fourteen of the best. In shining armour They ran up the white sail. And the wind caught her.
They boarded the great vessel, beached on the shingle The biting wind whipped her over the waves.
By the curling tide. Straightaway they shoved her off. Like a strong bird, the swan-boat winged her way
Over the great Baltic, the wintry whale-road,
Till the lookout sighted land – a sickle of fair sand
And glittering white cliffs. The keel struck
The shingle. The warriors sprang ashore.
 How does the atmosphere What are our initial impressions of Beowulf?
quickly change?

Now there lived overseas

In the land of the Geats a youth of valiance abounding.
Why use a Mightiest yet mildest of men, his name Beowulf,
superlative?
Who, hearing of Grendel and minded to destroy him,
What does this
Built a boat of the stoutest timber and chose him reveal about
Warriors, fourteen of the best. In shining armour Beowulf?
How has the
tone shifted
They boarded the great vessel, beached on the shingle
from the By the curling tide. Straightaway they shoved her off.
previous
section?
Why do they leave ‘straightaway’?
 Why use this verb? Why personify the
boat as a female?

They ran up the white sail. And the wind caught her.
Why chose The biting wind whipped her over the waves. Explore the
this simile and
adjective Like a strong bird, the swan-boat winged her way
kennings.
and verb? Over the great Baltic, the wintry whale-road,
Till the lookout sighted land – a sickle of fair sand
And glittering white cliffs. The keel struck
The shingle. The warriors sprang ashore.
Why use this imagery?
Why use this verb?
Kenning Bone-house: the human body
Battle-light: sword
A kenning is a literary device in which a Wave-floater: ship
noun is renamed in a creative way Word-hoard: vocabulary
using a compound word or union of
two separate words to combine ideas. War-needle: arrows
Homework Due
Using the link below, which will be
emailed to you, research the
history of the Anglo-Saxon people.

Gather two pages of bullet points

in your exercise book under
subheadings.

Do not simply copy the

information, summarise what you
https://www.historyextra.com/period/
consider important in your own anglo-saxon/facts-anglo-saxons-dates/
words.
B e o w u l f
Lesson Five

The Big Question:

How can we link your research into
Anglo-Saxon culture to Beowulf?
Write down the number and letter in the back of your exercise book
1. What tribe does Beowulf belong to? 4. What colour sail to they fly?

A) Yeats A) Black
B) Geats B) Gold
C) Feats C) Red
D) Keats D) White

2. What age is Beowulf? 5. Why is the shape of the beach described as a sickle?

A) Child A) Connotations of bravery

B) Youth B) Connotations of death
C) Middle-aged C) Connotations of power
D) Senior D) Connotations of wealth

3. How many soldiers does Beowulf bring with him? 6. What does ‘valiance’ mean?

A) Ten A) A hero
B) Twelve B) Desire for glory
C) Fourteen C) Strength & brutality
D) Eighteen D) Courage & honour
 Thinking about the plot and language,
what are your initial impressions?
But the watchmen of the Danes, the lone cliff guardian,
Seeing them from afar, spurred his charger and came
Galloping down to the shore. He brandished his spear
And over the wind and wave-roar loud he shouted:
‘Strangers from the whale-road, who are you that dare,
Unbidden, unheralded, so boldly trespass here?
Upon your flashing shields and the points of your spears
I see the glint of death.’
And Beowulf answered:
‘We are from Sweden, O guardian of the shore. Fear not,
For in loyalty we come – from friendly fields
That tremble to the tale of your suffering and horror
Unspeakable. Crowding sail, hot haste we are come
With stout spears of ashwood and shields to protect you.
God grant we rid you of Grendel, the grim monster!’
The watchman lowered his spear, and from his smiling lips
The wind blew to Beowulf fair words of greeting:
‘Whoever serves my King is welcome here.
Come, noble warriors, let me show you the way,
And my men will look to your boat.’
 How does this reveal about How might this link to
the atmosphere in Denmark? Grendel and his attacks?

But the watchmen of the Danes, the lone cliff guardian,

How is
Seeing them from afar, spurred his charger and came
aggression Galloping down to the shore. He brandished his spear
implied?
And over the wind and wave-roar loud he shouted:
‘Strangers from the whale-road, who are you that dare,
What is Unbidden, unheralded, so boldly trespass here?
implied by
his choice of Upon your flashing shields and the points of your spears
words?
I see the glint of death.’
What does this reveal
about the Swedish?
 Why would this defuse
Why begin his the situation?
response with And Beowulf answered:
this statement?
‘We are from Sweden, O guardian of the shore. Fear not,
For in loyalty we come – from friendly fields
That tremble to the tale of your suffering and horror
How is Why mention
Grendel Unspeakable. Crowding sail, hot haste we are come these objects?
explored? With stout spears of ashwood and shields to protect you.
Why avoid
his name? God grant we rid you of Grendel, the grim monster!’
The watchman lowered his spear, and from his smiling lips
The wind blew to Beowulf fair words of greeting:
How does
the ‘Whoever serves my King is welcome here.
Guardian Come, noble warriors, let me show you the way,
feel after
Beowulf’s And my men will look to your boat.’
speech?
 Anglo-Saxon Leaflet
Using your research, create a leaflet
aimed at pupils your own age which
gives them key information about
Anglo-Saxon culture and introduce
Beowulf. Try to make links between
your homework and the poem.

Be sure to use the correct format and

layout for a leaflet: include pictures,
subheadings, short paragraphs, bullet
points and add colour.
B e o w u l f
Lesson Six

The Big Question:

Why did ancient soldiers value
their legacy & reputation?
Write down the number and letter in the back of your exercise book
1. What is the title of the solider who meets 4. What does Beowulf claim to come in?
Beowulf on the beach?
A) Revenge
A) Shore Watcher B) Honour
B) Cliff Guardian C) Loyalty
C) Beach Scout D) Fury
D) Wave Observer
2. How does the solider behave towards Beowulf? 5. What drew Beowulf and his men to Heorot?

A) Friendly A) Tales of Grendel

B) Relieved B) The promise of wealth
C) Aggressive C) The desire to challenge themselves
D) Fearful D) They got lost

3. Where does Beowulf come from? 6. How does the soldier respond to Beowulf’s promise?

A) Norway A) Shakes his hand

B) England B) Laughs at him
C) Denmark C) Shivering in fear
D) Sweden D) A smile
Thinking about the plot and language,
what are your initial impressions?
Thus came the warriors
To Heorot and, heavy with weariness, halted by the door.
They propped their spears by a pillar; from blistered hands
Their shields slid clattering to the floor.
The long hall lay before them,
The floor paved with stone, the roof high-raftered.
In mournful state upon his throne sat brooding
Aged Hrothgar, grey-haired and bowed with grief.
Slowly he raised his eyes, leaden, lustreless,
And gazed upon the youth as with ringing step
Boldly he strode forth till he stood at his feet.
‘O noble Hrothgar, giver of treasure,
Lord of the rousing war-song, we bring you greeting.
Because we grieve deep for your desolation,
Over the long paths of the ocean have we laboured,
I and my warriors, to rid you of the brute
That nightly robs you of rest. I am no weakling.
With my trusty blade, I have slain a monster brood
And blindly at night many a foul sea-beast
That writhed and twisted in the bounding wave.
I beg you to grant my wish. I shall not fail.’
 Why describe the warrior’s fatigue?

Thus came the warriors

To Heorot and, heavy with weariness, halted by the door.
How does
the They propped their spears by a pillar; from blistered hands
description Their shields slid clattering to the floor.
of Heorot
seem The long hall lay before them,
different to The floor paved with stone, the roof high-raftered. How is Hrothgar
the first characterised
section? In mournful state upon his throne sat brooding
here?
Aged Hrothgar, grey-haired and bowed with grief.
Slowly he raised his eyes, leaden, lustreless,
And gazed upon the youth as with ringing step How does this
Boldly he strode forth till he stood at his feet. contrast with
Beowulf?
 What is interesting about how
Beowulf chooses to address the King?
Do you
‘O noble Hrothgar, giver of treasure, entirely
believe
Lord of the rousing war-song, we bring you greeting.
Beowulf?
Because we grieve deep for your desolation,
How is
Grendel Over the long paths of the ocean have we laboured,
introduced? I and my warriors, to rid you of the brute
Why use a short
That nightly robs you of rest. I am no weakling. sentence here?
With my trusty blade, I have slain a monster brood
Why does And blindly at night many a foul sea-beast
Beowulf That writhed and twisted in the bounding wave.
explain this?
I beg you to grant my wish. I shall not fail.’ Why use a short
sentence here?
Word Wheel
Glue the word wheel into your
exercise book and highlight a
word from each segment you
will include in your Beowulf
story.

Then skim and scan the poem

and list the details we already
know about Beowulf.
Beowulf Story
Your story can be prose or a poem.
It should include a heroic deed for
Beowulf to boast about.

Most classical stories included

either a feat of might or defeating
a legendary monster.

The Twelve Labours of Hercules

Jason and the Argonauts
Theseus and the Minotaur
Perseus and Medusa