Year 5 Beowulf

Holiday Project

Next term we will be learning all about the Anglo– Saxons. This hol-iday we would like you to do some activities based around the An-glo-Saxon poem Beowulf, this was also known as a saga.

Introduction to Beowulf

Anglo-Saxon sagas are stories that mix references to real events with characters and events from Anglo-Saxon legends.

They were told to entertain people, particularly at feasts which in-volved lots of eating and drinking late into the night!

They also had another important purpose in that the characters and the plot contain important messages about Anglo-Saxon culture, such as the value that they placed on courage, repaying debts and loyalty to ones clan.

Beowulf is the longest epic poem in Old English, the language spo-ken in Anglo-Saxon England before the Norman Conquest. It is one of the most famous works of Anglo-Saxon poetry, and tells the breath-taking story of a struggle between the hero, Beowulf, and a bloodthirsty monster called Grendel.

There are many versions of this poem, we will be reading the

Micheal Morpurgo version. It is translated from the Anglo-Saxon period.

When was this poem written?

What is the hero called?

Who is Grendel?

How is Grendel’s mother described?

Who ruled the kingdom?

So roll back the years now, back to the fifth century after the birth of Christ, and come with me over the sea to the Norse lands we now know as Sweden and Norway and Denmark, to the ancient Viking land of the Dane and the Geats, the Angels and the Jutes. This will be our here and now, as this tale of courage and cruelty unfolds, as brave Beowulf battles with the forces of darkness, first who that foul fiend Grendel, then with his sea-hag of a mother, and last of all, with the death-dragon of the deep.

The story begins as all stories do, before it begins, for there is always a mother before a mother, and a king before a king. In Denmark all the great lords, those royal descendants of Seyld, that great and good king, followed in his footsteps and stayed strong against their foes and loyal to their friends. The kingdom prospered. From their conquests the land grew rich, so that the people flourished and were happy. Feared by their enemies, loved by their allies, the king-dom of the Danes became great and powerful in the world.

Beowulf– Introduction

The monster– Grendel

Answer questions about this passage on the next page.

But there was another listener. Outside the walls of Heorot in the dim and dark there stalked an enemy from hell itself, the monster Grendel, sword enemy of God and men alike, a beast born of evil and shame. He heard that wonderous story of God’s good creation, and because it was good it was hateful to his ears. He heard the sweet music of the harp, and afterwards the joyous laughter echoing through the hall as the mead-horn was passed around. Nothing had ever so enraged this beast as night after night he had to listen to all this happiness and har-mony. It was more than his evil heart could bear.

1. What do you think Heorot is?

2.Who is Grendel the enemy of?

3. How is the music described in this passage?

4. Find out what a mead-horn is.

5. What is happening inside the walls?

6. What is annoying Grendel?

Extension: What can you infer about Grendel from this passage?

MyMyMy MonsterMonsterMonster

Design your own monster that can be used in your graphic novel.

What is your monsters name?

Where does your monster come from?

What does your monster like to eat?

The Hero– Beowulf

Answer questions about this passage on the next page.

But only one of them, the greatest and bravest of all the princes- Beowulf he was called- decided that this evil beast of the night must be punished for all his wrongdoing, that Heorot must be cleansed of this wickedness and Hrothgar and his people saved at last, even if Beowulf had to give his own life to achieve it. Family and friends, Edgetheow his father, and his uncle the good King Hygelac himself, all of them did what they could to dissuade him from this reckless, perilous mission. But all ad-vice, all omens, only whetted Beowulf’s determination to go to Denmark and slay this monster of the night. He ordered a strong and seaworthy ship to be fitted out for the quest, and hand-picked fourteen of the fiercest warriors he knew. Out of the sheltered fjord they rowed this sturdy warship, and set sail for Denmark, riding the wind-whipped waves over the sea.

1. How is Beowulf described?

2. What was Beowulf willing to sacrifice?

3. Pick two adjectives that describe the ship.

4. Who is Beowulf's father?

5. What is a fjord?

6. What can you infer about Beowulf from this passage?

MyMyMy heroherohero

Design your own hero that can be used in your graphic novel.

What is your hero’s name?

Where does your hero come from?

Does your hero have a superpower? If so what is it?

Describe your hero

and scene.

What does s/he look like? Where does s/he live?

What problem is your hero trying to

solve?

What has s/he been asked to do? Who is s/he helping and why?

What journey is your

hero going to go on?

Where does s/he have to travel to? What will s/he see?

What God does s/he meet? What gifts (weapons) does s/he

receive?

Where will s/he meet the God? What magical items will s/he get from the Gods?

Muscular, hand-

some.

Wavy dark hair

Leather gladiator

Clothing.

Sword and shield

There has been a monster that has been plotting to

steal the sun.

The hero must save Greece and the world as everyone needs light in order

to live.

The hero must travel to the city to meet

the monster.

In the temple the hero meets the God of Light who gives the hero an orb of pure

light energy.

The god of light is dresses in white and

glows.

In a small village in

Greece The hero will visit a

temple on their way

to the city.

This glass ball will de-

stroy all dark magic.

What happens next? Who does s/

he meet?

Where does s/he meet the monster? What does the mon-ster look like?

The battle scene!

How does the hero manage to kill the monster? (Remember your monster’s weakness

and your weapons)

How will your story

end?

How does the hero solve the problem s/he sets out to fix?

Things to remember to include in your

graphic novel.

This list should help you to remember what we discussed in class...

The monster is setting up his evil laser in the city centre to destroy the sun. The monster is dressed in black.

The hero uses the orb of light on the laser of darkness.

The bright light from the blast kills the mon-ster.

The hero lifts the body of the monster high and crowds cheer.

Colour

Speech bubbles

Onomatopoeia

Point of view

Hero

Monster

God

Gift

Battle

Title page

Movement/Action

My Heroic Tale – Example

Describe your hero

and scene.

What does s/he look like? Where does s/he live?

What problem is your hero trying to

solve?

What has s/he been asked to do? Who is s/he helping and why?

What journey is your hero going to

go on?

Where does s/he have to travel to? What will s/he see?

What God does s/he meet? What gifts (weapons) does s/he re-

ceive?

Where will s/he meet the God? What magical items will s/he get from the Gods?

.

What happens next? Who does s/

he meet?

Where does s/he meet the monster? What does the mon-ster look like?

The battle scene!

How does the hero manage to kill the monster? (Remember your monster’s weakness

and your weapons)

How will your story

end?

How does the hero solve the problem s/he sets out to fix?

Things to remember to include in your graphic

novel.

This list should help you to remember what we dis-cussed in class...

Colour

Speech bubbles

Onomatopoeia

Point of view

Hero

Monster

God

Gift

Battle

Title page

Movement/Action

Your Turn!

Extra Activities

Now that you know a little bit about

Beowulf you could…

-make your own graphic novel of Beowulf

-find out more about Grendel’s mother

-create an iMovie or PowerPoint about Beo-wulf

-create some Beowulf costumes or models

-find out more about Anglo-Saxon life

-make some Anglo-Saxon food

Have fun!