Whatever position you take, be sure to address the points Snell makes in her article and explain your reasoning soundly. Don't forget to respond to classmates' perspectives.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Medieval Literature: Why Bother?
In an article entitled "Why Bother with Beowulf?" Melissa Snell claims that medieval literature provides a "gateway to our past." She contends it is important, enriching, and enlightening to read literature that is centuries old.
Do you agree? Are works like Beowulf still relevant? Is there still something profound to be gained from reading them? Should we throw them out of our English course curriculum in favor of newer, more modern works? If so, in what ways are modern works more relevant to our lives?
Whatever position you take, be sure to address the points Snell makes in her article and explain your reasoning soundly. Don't forget to respond to classmates' perspectives.
Whatever position you take, be sure to address the points Snell makes in her article and explain your reasoning soundly. Don't forget to respond to classmates' perspectives.
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I think Beowulf shouldn't be taken out of any English course. The site said it was a "ancient masterpiece" and it would be a shame just to throw it out. It might not really teach English history with fictional people and "unrealistic hero's.". But those fictional character's are what make the story really interesting. It is what people back then thought was a fantastic piece of literature.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is still is a very enjoyable story to read. I know I love the book and so do a lot of other students in our class. The book is kinda like seeing someones imagination from long ago. And that person had a very creative imagination. It is a nice book with the clear theme of goodness and light vs dark.
Good point, Oscar. I like how you said it is like "seeing someone's imagination from long ago." Instead of these cardboard, two-dimensional nameless figures from history, we get to see how they thought, how they felt, and how they expressed themselves. Interesting!
DeleteIn my opinion I believe Beowulf is relevant to know and read. Beowulf has an interesting moral to the book which can teach the readers. Beowulf also shows some perspective on our past history. Similar to what Oscar, the book does have "Unrealistic Hero's", however as I said, Beowulf show an interesting moral. Although Beowulf may not seem to be the strongest, he uses disadvantages to his own advantage. Also, this book is a very great book to read and to learn.
ReplyDelete"Medieval literature also provides modern readers with intriguing clues to life in the Middle Ages." I agree with this statement because the author, being in an later time period, writes the story to what he sees. He uses his surrounding to write the plot and place of the story. The author can give us, or the readers, a better understanding of what they believed to be true. People through out the story talk about witches and creatures, showing what they believed to be true during this time period.
- Ian B.
Yes! Beowulf turning his flaws into something positive is actually really modern!
DeleteI personally think that Beowulf is an enjoyable book, and shouldn't be taken out of English courses. There is a big difference between today's literature and literature from the Old English times. I think we can take out things like the style of writing the author writes in. Also, things like the setting of the story. For example, hall Heorot is a big building where Hrothgar lives. I think the closest thing to hall Heorot that we have now would be the White House where the president lives.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we may learn things about writing styles, but as far as the time period we do not learn much. One thing we do learn about that period of time is the way they pass the throne down. For example, Hrothgar was passed the throne because he was the strongest of his brothers. Nowadays, it doesn't matter who is the strongest, but who is the oldest of your sons. All in all, it is a good book that shouldn't be taken out of any English course.
Nice analogy between Hall Heorot and the White House!
DeleteI think that Beowulf is a great book and should be included in English literature. Like most books, it has a great atmosphere that makes it seem that you are actually in the book. "I feel as if I know what it was like to live in those days..." (http://historymedren.about.com/od/artsliteraturemusic/a/whybother.htm). Another reason why it should not be taken out is because it teaches good lessons. Beowulf proves that it does not take pure strength to defeat your enemies, but what you really need is wisdom and goodness. Grendel was pure evil and darkness and Beowulf was goodness and light and to kill Grendel he didn't even need to use a sword, all he needed was his bare hands.
ReplyDeleteSome may argue that reading Beowulf is a waste of time and would take a lifetime to learn Old English. However, that work has already been done for us. Many scholars have already translated it and made it easier to read. I agree with Ian because Beowulf used his disadvantages to his advantage. He wasn't very strong, but his goodness and light helped him hold on. However, this character may seem unrealistic, it still creates a good lesson.
-Adrian J.
I think Beowulf should be in english courses. I agree with the article when it says "Medieval literature also provides modern readers with intriguing clues to life in the middle ages."(Why Bother with Beowulf?). I agree with the author and Ian because in Beowulf, it does show types of things that were brought for a feast. It also showed that chain mail, swords and axes were used in combat. There are probably other examples, but haven't read too far into the book, yet.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf also shows what writing was like back then. Writing was about legends and quests, most of which were fake, because some hero's actions are impossible. But who am I to judge a ancient book? The book is still pretty good. Also, as some have said before, it also presents an early moral.
I think that Beowolf should not be taken out of English courses because its an important part of history. Here in the article, written by Melissa Snell, it says," Medieval literature is history -- a piece of evidence from the past." This is true because medieval literature shows so many different characteristics they had during those times. Some literature shows how they used to speak, dress, act and so much more through a fiction story. We can learn a lot of history just from a fictional, medieval story.
ReplyDeleteBeowolf is a great example of how some things were in the Middle Ages. The language used shows how differently they spoke and wrote. The way they talk about repulsive actions so clearly without hesitation also shows something different from what we do. We can learn so much about the medieval times by just reading a fictional story written in that time. Medieval literature is very important to English and History studies.
-Eliza A.
Great point, Eliza -- you can see that Medieval society was more in touch with the "gross" parts of life.
DeleteI agree with everyone. Beowulf is a very interesting book, that corresponds with what we are learning in history. Medieval literature is educational, and relevant today, in a way. If we don't know anything about what was said in the past, how will we know what to say in the future?
ReplyDeleteMost medieval literature is still relevant, in one way. Ms. Snell does point out that: "These works were morality pieces as well as adventures." The morals taught in medieval stories are similar to those of today. Many famous quotes are very old. They are most likely famous, because: 1)They are good. and 2)They have survived for so long, because they are good. I think that there is still something profound to be gained by them.
Most medieval literature is educational. Along with the morals, medieval lit. is historically accurate, because it is a part of history. The article states: "Medieval literature is history -- a piece of evidence from the past." Like modern literature, medieval literature usually portrays life as it was (in cultural aspects): "Medieval literature also provides modern readers with intriguing clues to life in the Middle Ages."
In conclusion, I believe that studying medieval literature is beneficial. It can be educational in different ways, and is very enjoyable. Medieval literature is vital, for anyone to fully understand the Middle Ages.
I do not think Beowulf can be directly compared to our modern, daily lives, but nevertheless it is relevant to history and should not be taken out of English courses, as everyone said.
ReplyDeleteThe book itself was written in Old English- Already a point to be learned. I, for one, did not even know Old English existed, or that our language has Germanic roots. The roots of the story always surface, no matter how you portray it, and Beowulf is no exception. So we learn about our ancestors, and how they communicated differently, raising new questions to be answered.
One of Snell's points was that, "The heroes embodied the ideals to which knights of the times were encouraged to strive..." (History Medren). Knights were required to act with honor and with chivalry, and Beowulf is a perfect example. Though we always think of 'a knight in shining armor', the knights that were admired back then always did the right thing, and helped others find the path to success. The villains looked like villains, acted like villains...Slimy, dark, and disgusting seemed to be the stereotypical monster in the Middle Ages.
Snell and Kylee go further to say, "Medieval literature is history -- a piece of evidence from the past" (History Medren). We learn that authors back then were free to be as gory and repulsive as they wanted. Society in the old times obviously had a mind set on good and evil- Light and dark, nice and mean, knight and monster. The setting, characters, and plot show what people used to prize, and what lives they tried to leave. It shows that even then, architecture was admired, as well as a keen mind and a sharp sword. Strength, courage, and a kind heart were what you needed to be at your best.
To conclude, Beowulf is a telescope into the past, displaying what people back, back then considered good and bad, right and wrong, and what was the norm. If taken out of California Standards, students lose the opportunity to have a deep insight into the lives of their ancestors. To Beowulf!
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Cheers
Sriha S. =^.^=
P.S. Don't we all love commenting at eleven PM? I know I do! :D
Really nice identification of some of the dichotomous themes of Beowulf, and how they revealed important values of Medieval society.
DeleteI believe that Beowulf is still relevant. The epic poem teaches us life lessons.“These works were morality pieces as well as adventures” (historymedren.about.com). Beowulf doesn't fight physically but he uses his smartness and his words. This teaches that violence isn't always the answer.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this lets us see a little bit of what life was back then. "While the stories told in epic poems can rarely be taken for actual fact, everything about them illustrates the way things were at the time they were written" (historymedren.about.net). We see what it was like. Not the whole monster part, but we get a basic background of what happened back then.
Let's see you expand on your ideas a bit more! You should have two full paragraphs, and you should respond to your classmates' points of view, as well.
DeleteI have to agree with Quintin, I think that Beowulf should be kept in English courses. I also think that Beowulf teaches us about the middle ages. It taught us that they were sometimes sensitive about their boundaries and that they didn't have the same crops as we do. They had honey mead instead of wine for example. The article also says, "Medieval literature also provides modern readers with intriguing clues to life in the Middle Ages." It teaches us about the middle ages and what their beliefs were.
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling that Beowulf wasn't real, and this is just an epic. So this might have been some of their beliefs. That is another example of the things that they believed in. They believed in things like monsters, and they had stories about how they were born. This is a lot like Greek mythology, but with different stories. Beowulf also taught us that people in the middle ages weren't afraid of talking about bodily fluids such as blood and puss and stuff.
-Asha A.
I think the comparison to Greek mythology (and Greek epics) is a very astute one.
DeleteI personally think that literature from the middle ages is relevant. The literature can show us how people would behave back then. Also, in the text, Snell said, " Medieval literature is history" (About.com). I can agree with this because it gives us a glimpse into the past of how things used to be. Such as how they got around, or what they ate, or where they were. Also, many people in our class seem to be enjoying the book, so I think it is relevant.
ReplyDeleteAn upside is that our parents read this book in college is that they can help us understand it. However, I think Beowulf has gotten it's reputation as torturous because they had to read it in old English. Also, beforehand, they had to learn to read old English first. I think all the stress of learning this to read that and it still not making sense. Though it was torturous to read back then, I think we are all enjoying it now. Also, Beowulf is a way for us to enjoy seeing literature.
------ Isaac E. ------
I think enjoyment is definitely one reason that something can be deemed relevant! :)
DeleteI think that it is important to read books like Beowulf. It helps us see how people wrote back then. "Medieval literature also provides modern readers with intriguing clues to life in the Middle Ages." (http://historymedren.about.com/od/artsliteraturemusic/a/whybother.htm). Books like Beowulf show us how life worked in the Middle Ages. It's almost like a history lesson, but more fictional.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we can learn about what mythical tales and creatures they had. For example, in Beowulf there is Grendel, a creature of darkness. Beowulf is a wonderful book to read. It is a great way to see literature from centuries ago.
-Julianne R.
I think books from back then are relevant. They help us learn how authors wrote back then. Plus they are very entertaining. Beowulf is also very interesting and engages the reader more then some newer books since it is different from the newer ones.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying new books are bad. They are good, well at least some are, but I find older books more interesting. So in conclusion older books are still relevant
Max Vidal
DeleteYou make some good points, but you need to use textual evidence and respond to your classmates' points of view! Let's see you expand upon your good ideas!
DeleteI think medieval literature like Beowulf should be kept for people of new generations to read and experience because it gives us a glimpse into the past. It shows us some of their point of views of their current time. Like Isaac mentioned from the article it said,"Medieval literature is history,"(http://historymedren.about.com/od/artsliteraturemusic/a/whybother.htm). Beowulf can teach us a lot about their beliefs and thoughts.
ReplyDeleteBy reading old books, such as Beowulf, I still think there are things to be taught. Beowulf obviously shows up that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and brain over brawn. Though this isn't the only book that expresses these morals it is important to know that these messages come from everywhere. Its the messages like this that make Beowulf relevant to our modern society. Even though in a hundred more years this book maybe not be read by many people I think it is fun and important for new generations to take a blast back into time.
Eva S.
Yes! The message about Beowulf's physical appearance not being a representation of who he really is inside and what he is capable of is VERY modern, still! :)
DeleteI think Beowulf shouldn't be taken out of any English course. I also agree with Mailee that there is a pretty big difference between literature now and early literature. Beowulf is a very interesting book. It proves that back then, authors had a certain style of writing their books. Their way of writing is much different than today's writing.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf shouldn't be taken out of English courses because it teaches us how literature was earlier in history. It teaches us the ways books were written in early literature times. The author adds such amazing detail that you can just picture the characters and setting in your mind. Medieval literature shows the many characteristics in the early times. It should not be taken out of English courses.
I think that medieval literature should be read because it provides us with a "gateway to our past."-Melissa Snell. "Medieval literature also provides modern readers with intriguing clues to life in the Middle Ages" http://historymedren.about.com/od/artsliteraturemusic/a/whybother.htm. Literature and work such as this has so much that we can learn from it and so much that it can teach us about that time. Without any of these novels today, we would not know as much as we do today.
ReplyDeleteBy reading older literature, such as Beowulf, we have a great understanding of how different life was back then and how it is now. I strongly agree with Eva that people should not judge someones ability like they did to Beowulf. I also agree with Maillee that writings like these show us how different medieval English was than how it is now. In conclusion, I think ancient writings like this should be in the English course curriculum. -Jackson T
Nice job of acknowledging your classmates' perspectives.
DeleteI think that books like Beowulf should be read because it provides knowledge about the middle ages literature. Also I think that students should know that modern literature isn't the only reading out there. As Melissa Snell said it provides us with a "Gateway to our past". "While the stories told in epic poems can rarely be taken for actual fact, everything about them illustrates the way things were at the time they were written". This shows that Beowulf was a story that was written in the middle ages.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jackson because we do have a great understanding of how different life was back then and how it is now. I also agree with Eva because it does give a glimpse at the past. Not only does Beowulf provide knowledge about the past it provides a good source of reading.
I personally think that we should not take older books like Beowulf out of our English corses. These book may not be the most accurate, but they still able us to see what type of stories there were back then. When Melissa Snell said that these old books were "a gateway to our past" i feel as though this is accurate. Even though the some of the storries are not accurate, they do tell us things about the past. Take the Greeks for example. All the stories about the Greek Gods and Goddesses may not have been exactly what happened, but these stories do tell us a lot about their beliefs and how it affected them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the old english writing helps show the difference of what writing was like now in then. If you were to read older writing, most of it are epics or stories about these all powerful and great Gods, where as nowadays you have the hunger games and fifty shades of grey. Older books and stories seem to have more of a purpose then to pass the time or enjoyment.
Good point about how ancient texts tend to be about gods! They can tell us a lot about the people's belief systems.
DeleteI think that old literature is still relevant. A book like Beowulf teaches us what people were like in the past. They liked to read and tell stories that were very descriptive. We still learn through what we read. We should keep older books like Beowulf in our English courses.
ReplyDeleteThe books have a lot of knowledge to offer. I personally like Beowulf better than some newer books that I have read. I find Beowulf more interesting. I think that I like it because it is descriptive about blood and disgusting things. I prefer that we keep older books in our English courses.
I'm glad you're liking Beowulf! :)
DeleteDon't forget to incorporate textual evidence in your responses!
I think that old literature is still relevant. but I prefer that we keep our older english books in our english courses as Pierce said. I think that books like Beowulf should be read because it provides knowledge about the middle ages literature. Also I think that students should know that modern literature isn't the only reading out there.An upside is that our parents read this book in college is that they can help us understand it. However, I think Beowulf has gotten it's reputation as torturous because they had to read it in old English. Also, beforehand, they had to learn to read old English first.To conclude, Beowulf is a telescope into the past, displaying what people back, back then considered good and bad, right and wrong, and what was the norm. - Carlvesi L.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to include textual evidence!
DeleteI think that old literature is still relevant. Books like Beowulf shoe is what typer of stories they used to have back then. We should not take them away because even tho they aren't that modern we can still learn something from them. Melissa Snell stated that these books are a 'Gateway to our past'.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ellena. These books do show us how they used to write back then and how they write now. The older stories are way different than books in this modern time. Back then most books were epics and about gods, such as Ellena said. We should not take away old literature.
I believe we still can learn from these old books. Two reasons for this are ethics and history. People can lead more about ethical values through this book. They would get a better understanding of what is right or wrong because most of those stories surround that idea. For example, if you protect something that is prizes by many, you will most likely be looked at a hero.
ReplyDeleteAs stated before, another reason is history. Books are some of the best sources of information about our ancestors. Yes, a vase can give some idea of what they had in their area, but that's it. A book can tell you why and how it was made though. And now, that case just makes so much more sense.
I think we should keep Beowulf in the English course because it shows how people were in the past. We can relate to what we are learning in 7th grade history and use it in English. If we are putting writing in math why not put history in English. We need to know how people lived without electronics. We need to learn what they did instead .
ReplyDeleteI agree with Eliza that Beowulf is an important part of history. We should try to learn a lesson from every viewpoint. This one includes Beowulf. If we need help with our lessons on Middle Ages I think this book would help a lot of people out.