My Perspectives Grade 12 Student Edition-Unit 1

1UNIT Forging a Hero Warriors and Leaders Discuss It  Around the world and throughout time, leaders © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. have sent warriors into battle. What inspires warriors to make such personal sacrifices? Write your response before sharing your ideas. Before the Battle SCAN FOR 2  MULTIMEDIA

UNIT 1 LAUNCH TEXT UNIT INTRODUCTION ARGUMENT MODEL ESSENTIAL QUESTION: A World of Heroes What makes a hero? WHOLE-CLASS SMALL-GROUP INDEPENDENT LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES POETRY COLLECTION 1 ESSAY Focus Period: 750–1066 To Lucasta, on Accidental Hero Ancient Warriors Going to the Wars Zadie Smith ANCHOR TEXT: EPIC POETRY Richard Lovelace SCIENCE ARTICLE from Beowulf The Charge of the Light Brigade The New Psychology translated by of Leadership Burton Raffel Alfred, Lord Tennyson Stephen D. Reicher, MEDIA: GRAPHIC NOVEL POETRY COLLECTION 2 Michael J. Platow, and S. Alexander Haslam from Beowulf The Song of the Mud SPEECH Gareth Hinds COMPARE Mary Borden Speech Before Her COMPARE Troops Dulce et Decorum Est Queen Elizabeth I Wilfred Owen POETRY MEDIA: INTERACTIVE WEBSITE The Battle of Maldon How Did Harry Patch translated by Become an Unlikely Burton Raffel WWI Hero? BBC iWonder © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. SPEECH Defending Nonviolent Resistance Mohandas K. Gandhi SPEECH Pericles’ Funeral Oration Thucydides, translated by Rex Warner PERFORMANCE TASK PERFORMANCE TASK PERFORMANCE-Based Assessment PRep Writing Focus: Speaking and Listening focus: Review Evidence for an Argument Write an Argument Present an Argument PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT Argument: Essay and Speech PROMPT: Which contributes more to heroism—sacrifice or success?  3

1UNIT INTRODUCTION Unit Goals Throughout this unit, you will deepen your perspective on the nature of heroism by reading, writing, speaking, listening, and presenting. These goals will help you succeed on the Unit Performance-Based Assessment. Rate how well you meet these goals right now. You will revisit your ratings later when you reflect on your growth during this unit. 1 2 3 4 5 SCALE NOT AT ALL NOT VERY SOMEWHAT VERY EXTREMELY © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. WELL WELL WELL WELL WELL READING GOALS 12345 • Read a variety of texts to gain the knowledge and insight needed to write about heroism. • Expand your knowledge and use of academic and concept vocabulary. WRITING AND RESEARCH GOALS 1 2 3 4 5 • Write an argument that has a clear structure and that draws evidence from texts and background knowledge to support a claim. • Conduct research projects of various lengths to explore a topic and clarify meaning. LANGUAGE GOAL 12345 • Use rhetorical devices effectively to strengthen arguments and add interest to writing and presentations.  STANDARDS SPEAKING AND LISTENING 12345 Language GOALS Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words • Collaborate with your team to build on and phrases, sufficient for reading, the ideas of others, develop consensus, writing, speaking, and listening at and communicate. the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence • Integrate audio, visuals, and text to in gathering vocabulary knowledge present information. when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or SCAN FOR expression. MULTIMEDIA 4  UNIT 1 • FORGING A HERO

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes a hero? Academic Vocabulary: Argument FOLLOW THROUGH Study the words in this Understanding and using academic terms can help you read, write, and chart, and highlight them or speak with precision and clarity. Here are five academic words that will be their forms wherever they useful to you in this unit as you analyze and write arguments. appear in the unit. Complete the chart. RELATED WORDS 1. Review each word, its root, and the mentor sentences. purportedly; purported 2. Use the information and your own knowledge to predict the meaning of each word. 3. For each word, list at least two related words. 4. Refer to a dictionary or other resources if needed. WORD MENTOR SENTENCES PREDICT MEANING purport 1. This is a work of fiction and does not purport to tell the ROOT: true story. -port- 2. You never read the article “to carry” but you purport to know all about it. credible 1. His alibi was not credible, so the officers questioned him ROOT: further. -cred- 2. The movie’s plot was “to believe” imaginative but not at all credible. © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. assertion 1. Is it your assertion that Pluto should be renamed a planet? ROOT: 2. California’s drought supports -ser- our assertion about the crisis “to connect” of water shortages. presume 1. I presume you want to go since you’ve packed your suitcase. ROOT: 2. Check the facts, and do not -sum- presume that what you read “to take” was true. contradictory 1. The senator’s various contradictory positions on ROOT: issues confused many voters. -dic- 2. My boss and I have “to speak” contradictory opinions about raising the minimum wage. Unit Introduction  5

1UNIT INTRODUCTION LAUNCH TEXT  |  ARGUMENT MODEL This text is an example of an argument. It presents a claim and organizes reasons and evidence to support that claim. This is the type of writing you will develop in the Performance-Based Assessment at the end of the unit. As you read, try to understand why the author has included certain facts and details. Mark the details that provide strong evidence to reinforce the author’s claim. A World of Heroes NOTES L1 iterature is rife with heroes. It has been so since the beginning. Homer’s Odyssey, an epic poem from ancient Greece, is about a hero, Odysseus, and his quest to return home after a ten-year war © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. between the Greeks and the people of Troy. Every step of Odysseus’ journey is larger than life and filled with danger. One moment, he’s escaping from a Cyclops (a one-eyed giant); the next, he is speaking directly to the gods. Many modern fictional heroes are just as outsized. They sail through popular culture on movie screens, in comic books, and on smartphones, each moment of their lives filled with drama and weight. However, these unrealistic fictional characters are heroes only in great, entertaining stories. Today, in the twenty-first century, I believe that true heroes are most often ordinary people who in a brief moment behave heroically. 2 Modern heroes have to deal with the same reality as the rest of us. They fill out forms, sweat in the heat, and stand in supermarket lines. If the life of a modern hero has any drama, it is in that single moment in which he or she performs one extraordinary act, garnering a brief bit of attention and earning the title of “hero.” 3 Consider, for example, the case of Chesley Sullenberger. Prior to January 15, 2009, he had led a life of quiet successes. He had attended the United States Air Force Academy, piloted fighter planes, and become a pilot for US Airways. Then, on the morning of January 15, 2009, as he was piloting a passenger jet that had taken off from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport, his plane hit a flock of geese, causing the jet’s engines to fail. As the jet began a rapid dive over New York 6  UNIT 1 • FORGING A HERO SCAN FOR MULTIMEDIA

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes a hero? City, Sullenberger remained calm, kept the plane steady, and landed NOTES it on the Hudson River. All of the passengers and crew survived. The media hailed him as a hero. For weeks, he was interviewed on television. Gradually, though, he faded from public life and quietly retired. 4 Another display of everyday heroism was the monumental response of volunteers immediately following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The captains and crews of hundreds of ferries, tug boats, and private vessels selflessly sailed directly into the heart of the attack to rescue nearly 500,000 New Yorkers from the piers and seawalls of Lower Manhattan. These were ordinary citizens who risked their own safety to help those in need. 5 Some may argue that there are true larger-than-life heroes who leave a permanent shadow, not by virtue of a single act, but through a lifetime of heroic deeds. What about the life of someone such as the American aviator Amelia Earhart? Earhart’s life was filled with heroism—her 1932 solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean was just one example. Even after that journey had made her a celebrity, she continued to seek new challenges. Most notably, in 1937, she took on the greatest challenge of her life—a flight around the world. Unfortunately, she never completed the journey, vanishing somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. 6 Despite her legendary reputation, a fair share of Earhart’s life was devoted to everyday concerns. She spent long, grueling hours performing routine maintenance on her airplane. Moreover, she endured weeks of monotonous train travel during her lecture tours. What is larger-than-life about that! 7 In the twenty-first century, we understand that time is humbling. No one fully escapes everyday annoyances or tasks. We understand, too, that it is possible for someone not very different from ourselves to step forward at a critical moment and act with extraordinary courage and selflessness. Our heroes may fade from the news and go back to their ordinary lives, but they are heroes nonetheless.  ❧ © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved.   WORD NETWORK FOR FORGING A HERO Vocabulary  A word network is courage  courageous HEROISM a collection of words related to a topic. As you read the unit selections, rescued  imperiled identify words related to the idea of heroism, and add them to your Word Network. For example, you might begin by adding words from the Launch Text, such as courage. For each word you add, add another, related word, such as a synonym or an antonym. Continue to add words as you complete this unit. Tool Kit  Word Network Model A World of Heroes  7

1UNIT INTRODUCTION Summary Write a summary of “A World of Heroes.” Remember that a summary is a concise, complete, and accurate overview of a text. It should not include a statement of your opinion or an analysis. Launch Activity © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Draft a Focus Statement  Consider this question: Which character traits do I admire in my personal heroes? Complete this focus statement: A hero should be , , and . • On a sticky note, record one adjective to help complete the statement. • As a class, review the sticky notes. Work together to reduce the number of notes by identifying and eliminating those that are synonyms or represent the same basic ideas. • On your own, decide which three adjectives you think best complete the focus statement. • As a class, vote on the words. After you have voted, discuss whether the three words that receive the most votes create a strong statement. If not, vote again. • Once your class has selected three words, discuss an order for the words in the focus statement. Choose the best order, and complete the statement. 8  UNIT 1 • FORGING A HERO

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes a hero? QuickWrite Consider class discussions, presentations, the video, and the Launch Text as you think about the prompt. Record your first thoughts here. PROMPT:  Which contributes more to heroism—sacrifice or success?  EVIDENCE LOG FOR FORGING A HERO © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Review your QuickWrite, and Title of Text: TEXT EVIDENCE/DETAILS Date: summarize your initial position CONNECTION TO PROMPT ADDITIONAL NOTES/IDEAS in one sentence to record in your Evidence Log. Then, record Date: evidence from “A World of Heroes” that supports your initial position. Prepare for the Performance- How does this text change or add to my thinking? Based Assessment at the end of the unit by completing the Evidence Log after each selection. Tool Kit Evidence Log Model SCAN FOR Unit Introduction  9 MULTIMEDIA

OVERVIEW: WHOLE-CLASS LEARNING ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes a hero? As you read these selections, work with your whole class to explore how heroes are made. From Text to Topic  Beowulf’s defeat of the brutal Grendel and his vengeful mother is an epic contest between good and evil. The reasons that Beowulf is considered a hero are obvious. However, there are many forms of heroism that do not involve fighting monsters. As you read, consider the characteristics that make people heroes. Whole-Class Learning Strategies These learning strategies are key to success in school and will continue to be important in college and in your career. Look at these strategies and the actions you can take to practice them. Add ideas of your own for each step. Get ready to use these strategies during Whole-Class Learning. STRATEGY ACTION PLAN Listen actively • Eliminate distractions. For example, put your cellphone away. • Jot down brief notes on main ideas and points of confusion. • Clarify by asking • If you’re confused, other people probably are, too. Ask a question © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. questions to help your whole class. Monitor • Ask follow-up questions as needed; for example, if you do not understand the understanding clarification or if you want to make an additional connection. Interact and • share ideas • Notice what information you already know, and be ready to build on it. • Ask for help if you are struggling. • • Share your ideas, and answer questions, even if you are unsure of them. • Build on the ideas of others by adding details or making a connection. • 10  UNIT 1 • FORGING A HERO SCAN FOR MULTIMEDIA

CONTENTS HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES Focus Period: 750–1066 Ancient Warriors The first recorded writings in Western literature reveal a world of dramatic battles, as fierce invaders from Germany and Scandinavia fought for land and power. ANCHOR TEXT: EPIC POETRY from Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel What happens when an epic hero and an epic monster meet in battle? COMPARE MEDIA: GRAPHIC NOVEL from Beowulf Gareth Hinds How do the images in the graphic novel affect the reader’s perception of Beowulf? © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. PERFORMANCE TASK WRITING FOCUS Write an Argument The Whole-Class readings probe the factors that create heroes and leaders. After reading, you will write an argumentative essay about which counts more—taking a stand or winning. Overview: Whole-Class Learning  11

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES • FOCUS PERIOD: 750 –1066 Ancient Warriors History of the Period Voices of the Period In the Beginning  From the Roman invasion of Britain in 55 b.c. to the Norman Conquest “It seems to me that the life of man on earth is 1,100 years later, the Britons were beset—and like the swift flight of a single sparrow through the eventual nation was shaped—by invaders. the banqueting hall where you are sitting at They came to conquer and stayed to build. In dinner on a winter’s day with your captains and the first century a.d., the Romans drove the counselors. In the midst there is a comforting fire original inhabitants of Britain into the north to warm the hall. Outside, the storms of winter (Scotland) and west (Wales) of the island. The rain and snow are raging. This sparrow flies Romans brought with them their well-ordered swiftly in through one window of the hall and out civilization of roads and schools, of towns and through another. While he is inside, the bird is trade. Dividing Britain into two provinces, they safe from winter storms, but after a few moments established a capital at London and another at of comfort, he vanishes from sight into the wintry what would become York. With a population of world from which he came. So man appears on about 2 million people, Roman Britain thrived earth for a little while—but of what went before until the fifth century. this life, or what follows, we know nothing.” The Anglo-Saxon Arrival  Then, in a.d. 449, —Bede, author of A History of the English Church after the last Roman troops had been summoned and People home to defend Rome against the barbarian invaders, a group of Germanic tribes—the “a.d. 878. This year about mid-winter, after Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes—crossed the twelfth-night, the Danish army stole out to North Sea and occupied the island the Romans Chippenham, and rode over the land of the had called Albion. Britons were pushed to the West-Saxons; where they settled, and drove many west as Anglo-Saxons established kingdoms of the people over sea; and of the rest the greatest along the coasts and in the river valleys. Albion part they rode down, and subdued to their will; became “Angle Land,” which became England. —ALL BUT ALFRED THE KING.” By the beginning of the eighth century, people would think of themselves as “the nation of the —from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle English.” “I have taken England with both my hands.” Each successive wave of invaders brought its —William the Conqueror, setting foot on English distinctive culture, including its language. As the soil in 1066 different groups fought and eventually united TIMELINE 787: First papal legation © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. to England conducts c. 750: Surviving version of Beowulf is composed. first coronation. 750 768: Europe Charlemagne, 793: Vikings attack Lindisfarne. crowned king of the Franks, becomes ruler of what would be called the Holy Roman Empire. 12  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes a hero? Integration of Knowledge and Ideas   Notebook  Modern English evolved from the languages of successive waves of invaders. What does each of the words in blue tell you about the culture from which it came? N Scandinavians WE Invaded in A.D. 700s, S 800s, end of 900s North Romans invaded in 55 b.c. Sea and a.d. 43. IRELAND DENMARK wall from va0lluScm1a0le0 in Miles 300 200 Atlantic ENGLAND Anglo-SaxonsScai0lne 1ivn00aK2ild0o0me3e0dt0ers Ocean beginning in a.d. 449 © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. GERM Anglo-Saxons bread from bread (crumb) ANY Invasion began Normans Vikings invaded beginning Invaded A.D. 1066 A.D. 449 in the late 700s. ransack from rann-saka FRANCE (Normandy) ITALY Romans Normans invaded in 1066. Invaded 55 B.C., attorney from atourne (one appointed) A.D. 43; Left A.D. 407 Celts Rome Invaded c. 500 B.C. Mediterranean Sea to form XlaaNpRls2P0inr7o4gd1ucl1ect0ionnas Itnico. n, their languages, too, when the strongest surviving institution was conflicte1Fdi1n.a0al7.0n7d—eventually—combined. the Roman Catholic Church. In a.d. 597, the Roman cleric Augustine arrived in Anglo-Saxon A Peaceful Invasion  The period between the Britain, intent on converting the pagan English to fall of the Roman Empire, at the end of the fifth Christianity. Along with Celtic missionaries from century, and the year 1000 is sometimes called Ireland, the Christian clergy spread their faith the Dark Ages, a time of great social, political, in England, founding monasteries as centers of and economic turmoil in Europe. It was a period 842: Vikings sack 878: King Alfred 890: King Alfred orders compilation London in 842 and 851. defeats Vikings at of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which continues into the twelfth century. Wessex. 900 861: North Atlantic 886: King Alfred, now called Vikings discover Iceland. “the Great,” captures London c. 900: Western Europe Feudalism develops. and is accepted as ruler of all Historical Perspectives  13 the English.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES • FOCUS PERIOD: 750 –1066 religious life. By the end of the seventh century, and won the throne. Known as William the England was a leader of scholarship in Europe. Conqueror, he was crowned king of England on December 25, 1066. William brought his court The Venerable Bede  In Northumbria especially, and his language to the country he seized. For scholars such as Bede wrote histories and other some time, England was a bilingual country of scholarly works. (It was in this atmosphere that conquerors and conquered. The Normans brought works such as Beowulf were written.) Bede, a more than their language to the island. They also learned monk, wrote A History of the English solidified a form of government, social order, and Church and People, marking an important stage land tenure we call feudalism. in England’s developing sense of itself as an island-nation. With his knowledge of Latin and A Feudal World  In the centuries between the history, Bede was not interested in merely telling Germanic invasions and the dawn of the modern the story of a single clan’s mead-hall. The reader world, England changed from a place of warrior can sense how “the island in the ocean” that he bands and invading tribes to a country ruled by describes is on its way to becoming a nation, a a king, nobles, and bishops. By the year 1000, place that is as much a product of its history as English kings controlled the entire island, with of its geography. Bede’s history is included in the the rulers of Wales and Scotland paying them Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, seven documents that homage. In the feudal system, the king reigned are a major source of information on early English from the top of a pyramid of power, in which he history. Created between the ninth and twelfth granted land to nobles, who in exchange owed centuries and recorded by monks in different him loyalty and military service. The nobles in turn monasteries, the Chronicle gives an account of granted land to knights on the same terms. At the events year by year, beginning with Caesar’s base of the pyramid were the peasants—called invasion of Britain. villeins or serfs—who worked the land controlled by the knights. Invasion of the Vikings  In the eighth century, the Vikings arrived from what is now Denmark. The Rise of Towns  At the same time, towns For about a hundred years, they raided and looted such as Jorvik (today’s York) were becoming the towns and monasteries of the northeast, but thriving centers of international trade, with eventually they settled that area. In 871, when several thousand households. Merchants, the Vikings tried to overrun the rest of the island, traders, and artisans or crafts workers formed a they were stopped by Alfred the Great, now new middle class, ranked between nobles and considered the first King of England. peasants. This class gained power in medieval towns, with merchants and artisans forming William the Conqueror  The last successful associations called guilds. Over time, the rise of invasion of England occurred in 1066, when towns and expansion of trade would change France’s William, Duke of Normandy, claimed feudalism. TIMELINE 991: English are defeated by © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Danes at Battle of Maldon. c. 975: Saxon monks copy Old English poems into the Exeter Book. 975 c. 985: Eric the Red establishes 1000: Year cited by historians first Viking colony in Greenland. as end of Dark Ages. 14  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

essential qEuSeSsEtNioTInA:LWQhUaEt SdToIeOsNit: Wtakheattomsaukrevsivaeh? ero? Literature Selections ADDITIONAL LITERATURE OF THE FOCUS PERIOD Literature of the Focus Period  Two of the selections in this unit were written during the Focus Period and reflect the hopes Student Edition and fears of the people of the time. The selections also reflect society’s loyalty to valiant warriors and its desire for an almost UNIT 3 superhuman hero. from Oedipus Rex, Sophocles, translated by David Grene from Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel “The Battle of Maldon,” translated by Burton Raffel UNIT 4 from The Pillow Book, Sei Shonagon Connections Across Time  Society’s need for and interest in heroism and leadership have in no way diminished since the UNIT 6 Focus Period. These ideas have continued to influence writers, “The Seafarer,” translated by Burton speakers, and commentators throughout the centuries. Raffel from Beowulf, Gareth Hinds from A History of the English Church “To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars,” Richard Lovelace and People, Bede, translated by Leo “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” Alfred, Lord Tennyson Sherley-Price “The Song of the Mud,” Mary Borden “Dulce et Decorum Est,” Wilfred Owen “How Did Harry Patch Become an Unlikely WWI Hero?” BBC iWonder “Accidental Hero,” Zadie Smith “The New Psychology of Leadership,” Stephen D. Reicher, Michael J. Burton, and S. Alexander Haslam Speech Before Her Troops, Queen Elizabeth I “Defending Nonviolent Resistance,” Mohandas K. Gandhi “Pericles’ Funeral Oration,” Thucydides, translated by Rex Warner © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 1013: English accept 1040: Historical Macbeth becomes king Sweyn, king of of Scotland after killing King Duncan. Denmark, as ruler. 1066 c. 1020: North America Viking Leif 1066: Normans defeat Saxons at Ericson explores Canadian coast. Hastings; William the Conqueror becomes king of England. Historical Perspectives  15

MAKING MEANING About the Translator from Beowulf Burton Raffel Concept Vocabulary (1928–2015) attended high school and college in You will encounter the following words as you read this excerpt from Brooklyn, New York. After Beowulf. Before reading, note how familiar you are with each word. Then, learning a law degree from rank the words in order from most familiar (1) to least familiar (6). Yale University, he prac- ticed as an attorney for WORD YOUR RANKING two years. He went on to lair work as an editor, an Eng- lish professor, a freelance stalked writer, and a television and gorge radio broadcaster. What gruesome Raffel is best known for, writhing however, is his work as a loathsome translator. In addition to Beowulf, he has translated After completing the first read, come back to the concept vocabulary and a broad range of clas- review your rankings. Mark changes to your original rankings as needed. sics from world literature, including The Canterbury First Read EPIC POETRY Tales, Gargantua and Pan- tagruel, and Don Quixote. Apply these strategies as you conduct your first read. You will have an His translations have won opportunity to complete the close-read notes after your first read. numerous awards. NOTICE who or what is ANNOTATE by marking Tool Kit  “speaking” the poem and vocabulary and key passages whether the poem tells a story you want to revisit. First-Read Guide and or describes a single moment. Model Annotation © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. CONNECT ideas within RESPOND by completing the selection to what you the Comprehension Check and already know and what by writing a brief summary of you’ve already read. the selection.  STANDARDS Reading Literature By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently. 16  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

essential question: What makes a hero? © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Background The Anglo-Saxon Scribes  The author of Beowulf is unknown, but it seems likely that he was an Anglo-Saxon descendant of people who migrated from northern Germany to settle in England starting in the fifth century. Recent archaeological discoveries include burial sites in Anglian settlements that include items that are both similar to those mentioned in Beowulf and closely linked to Beowulf’s homeland in southern Sweden. Although there is no evidence that Beowulf himself ever existed, people and events in the poem are, indeed, historical. Higlac, for example, truly was king of the Geats. Hrothgar, likewise, was likely a true historical character. The interweaving of characters and legends from the 500s and 600s argues for Beowulf’s composition’s having taken place in the 600s or 700s, when audiences would have still been familiar with these events due to their exposure to the oral tradition. Translating Old-English Texts  Beowulf was written in Old English, the language used by Anglo-Saxons up until about a.d. 1150. Although Old English is the earliest historical form of modern English, it is very different from modern English—so different, in fact, that it often requires a translation in order for modern speakers of English to understand it. Consider this passage from Beowulf in Old English. These are the opening lines of the section that appears in text you are about to read under the title “The Wrath of Grendel”: ða se ellengæst earfoðlice þrage geþolode, se þe in þystrum bad, þæt he dogora gehwam dream gehyrde hludne in healle; þær wæs hearpan sweg, swutol sang scopes. Here is another version of these lines, translated by Francis Gummere in the early twentieth century: With envy and anger an evil spirit endured the dole in his dark abode, that he heard each day the din of revel high in the hall: there harps rang out, clear song of the singer. Look closely at the Old English, and try to pick out familiar modern words. For example, you may spot healle (“hall”), hearpan (“harps”) and sang (“song”). Furthermore, once you learn that the character þ (called a thorn) represents the th sound in thin and the character ð (called an edh) represents the th sound in the, you may recognize even more familiar words—for example, þæt (“that”) and þær (“there”). Still, Old English will likely seem like a foreign language to most speakers of English today. Because of this, translators try both to be true to the original poem and to capture its qualities in a way modern readers can appreciate. Translation, then, is a form of interpretation. from Beowulf  17

MAKING MEANING © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. The Hero Beowulf  In the epic poem you are about to read, Beowulf, a Geat from a region that is today southern Sweden, sets sail to aid the Danish king Hrothgar in his fight against the monster Grendel, a terrifying swampland creature whose eyes burn with “gruesome light.” Grendel has been terrorizing Hrothgar’s great banquet hall, Herot, for twelve years. The battle between Beowulf, a young warrior of great strength and courage, and Grendel, his bloodthirsty foe, is the first of three mortal battles that are fought in this long epic poem. Forging an Epic  The tales in Beowulf originated from a time when stories and poems were passed along by word of mouth. This process is known as oral tradition, and it included many different literary forms, such as riddles and proverbs, in addition to epic poems. In Anglo-Saxon England, traveling minstrels called scops captivated audiences with long narrative poems. These poems changed and grew as they were passed from one scop to another. Beowulf was told and retold in this fashion throughout England for hundreds of years. In the eleventh century, the epic was finally written down. Today, it survives in a single manuscript, which is in the collection of the British Museum in London. Beowulf grew out of other, earlier traditions. The monsters and dragons of the tale, the brave warriors steadfastly loyal to their heroic chief, the descent into the eerie regions below the earth—these were familiar elements of Scandinavian and Celtic folk tales. Even a detail as specific as Beowulf’s seizure of Grendel’s arm can be traced to earlier tales. Poetry in Performance  From the clues provided in Beowulf itself, we gain a general idea of how the epic may have sounded in performance. Anglo-Saxon poetry was sung or chanted to musical accompaniment, with the scop playing a primitive harp as he performed the narrative. Each rhythmic verse had four stressed syllables and an indefinite number of unstressed ones, with two or three of the stressed syllables tied together by alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds. Each line of verse was divided in half by a slight pause called a caesura. A Guide to Life  By forging different traditions into one unified tale, and by incorporating the later influence of Christianity, the Anglo-Saxon scops created a central reference point for their culture. Listening to Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon could learn of bravery and loyalty to one’s fellows, of the monsters that spite and hatred could breed, and of the heroism needed to conquer such monsters. Besides its relationship to Anglo-Saxon culture, Beowulf displays archetypal literary elements. Archetypes are patterns in literature found around the world. Beowulf himself is an archetypal hero: extraordinarily strong and unshakably loyal. His struggle against the monsters and the dragon is an archetypal conflict of good versus evil. 18  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

ANCHOR TEXT | EPIC POETRY Bfromeowulf translated by Burton Raffel © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. The Wrath of Grendel SCAN FOR MULTIMEDIA A powerful monster, living down NOTES In the darkness, growled in pain, impatient As day after day the music rang from Beowulf  19 Loud in that hall,1 the harp’s rejoicing 5 Call and the poet’s clear songs, sung Of the ancient beginnings of us all, recalling The Almighty making the earth, shaping These beautiful plains marked off by oceans, Then proudly setting the sun and moon 10 To glow across the land and light it; The corners of the earth were made lovely with trees And leaves, made quick with life, with each Of the nations who now move on its face. And then As now warriors sang of their pleasure: 15 So Hrothgar’s men lived happy in his hall 1. hall  Herot. 

NOTES Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild Marshes, and made his home in a hell © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Not hell but earth. He was spawned in that slime, 20 Conceived by a pair of those monsters born Of Cain,2 murderous creatures banished By God, punished forever for the crime Of Abel’s death. The Almighty drove Those demons out, and their exile was bitter, 25 Shut away from men; they split Into a thousand forms of evil—spirits And fiends, goblins, monsters, giants, A brood forever opposing the Lord’s Will, and again and again defeated. 30 Then, when darkness had dropped, Grendel Went up to Herot, wondering what the warriors Would do in that hall when their drinking was done. He found them sprawled in sleep, suspecting Nothing, their dreams undisturbed. The monster’s 35 Thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws: He slipped through the door and there in the silence Snatched up thirty men, smashed them 2. Cain  oldest son of Adam and Eve, who murdered his brother, Abel.  20  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies NOTES The blood dripping behind him, back lair (lair) n. den; hiding place 40 To his lair, delighted with his night’s slaughter. At daybreak, with the sun’s first light, they saw from Beowulf  21 How well he had worked, and in that gray morning Broke their long feast with tears and laments For the dead. Hrothgar, their lord, sat joyless 45 In Herot, a mighty prince mourning The fate of his lost friends and companions, Knowing by its tracks that some demon had torn His followers apart. He wept, fearing The beginning might not be the end. And that night 50 Grendel came again, so set On murder that no crime could ever be enough, No savage assault quench his lust For evil. Then each warrior tried To escape him, searched for rest in different 55 Beds, as far from Herot as they could find, Seeing how Grendel hunted when they slept. Distance was safety; the only survivors Were those who fled him. Hate had triumphed. So Grendel ruled, fought with the righteous, 60 One against many, and won; so Herot

NOTES Stood empty, and stayed deserted for years, Twelve winters of grief for Hrothgar, king CLOSE READ Of the Danes, sorrow heaped at his door ANNOTATE: Mark the By hell-forged hands. His misery leaped repeated word in lines 65 The seas, was told and sung in all 67–73. Men’s ears: how Grendel’s hatred began, How the monster relished his savage war QUESTION: Why might an On the Danes, keeping the bloody feud author choose to repeat Alive, seeking no peace, offering a word in such rapid 70 No truce, accepting no settlement, no price succession? In gold or land, and paying the living For one crime only with another. No one CONCLUDE: What does Waited for reparation from his plundering claws: the repetition here reveal That shadow of death hunted in the darkness, about Grendel? 75 Stalked Hrothgar’s warriors, old And young, lying in waiting, hidden stalked (stawkt) v. In mist, invisibly following them from the edge pursued stealthily; Of the marsh, always there, unseen. hunted So mankind’s enemy continued his crimes, 80 Killing as often as he could, coming Alone, bloodthirsty and horrible. Though he lived © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. In Herot, when the night hid him, he never Dared to touch King Hrothgar’s glorious Throne, protected by God—God, 85 Whose love Grendel could not know. But Hrothgar’s Heart was bent. The best and most noble Of his council debated remedies, sat In secret sessions, talking of terror And wondering what the bravest of warriors could do. 90 And sometimes they sacrificed to the old stone gods, Made heathen vows, hoping for Hell’s Support, the Devil’s guidance in driving Their affliction off. That was their way, And the heathen’s only hope, Hell 95 Always in their hearts, knowing neither God Nor His passing as He walks through our world, the Lord Of Heaven and earth; their ears could not hear His praise nor know His glory. Let them Beware, those who are thrust into danger, 100 Clutched at by trouble, yet can carry no solace In their hearts, cannot hope to be better! Hail To those who will rise to God, drop off Their dead bodies and seek our Father’s peace! 22  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

The Coming of Beowulf NOTES © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. So the living sorrow of Healfdane’s son3 105 Simmered, bitter and fresh, and no wisdom Or strength could break it; that agony hung On king and people alike, harsh And unending, violent and cruel, and evil. In his far-off home Beowulf, Higlac’s4 110 Follower and the strongest of the Geats—greater And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world— Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror And quickly commanded a boat fitted out, Proclaiming that he’d go to that famous king, 115 Would sail across the sea to Hrothgar, Now when help was needed. None Of the wise ones regretted his going, much As he was loved by the Geats: the omens were good, And they urged the adventure on. So Beowulf 120 Chose the mightiest men he could find, The bravest and best of the Geats, fourteen In all, and led them down to their boat; He knew the sea, would point the prow Straight to that distant Danish shore. 125 Then they sailed, set their ship Out on the waves, under the cliffs, Ready for what came they wound through the currents, The seas beating at the sand, and were borne In the lap of their shining ship, lined 130 With gleaming armor, going safely In that oak-hard boat to where their hearts took them. The wind hurried them over the waves, The ship foamed through the sea like a bird Until, in the time they had known it would take, 135 Standing in the round-curled prow they could see Sparkling hills, high and green Jutting up over the shore, and rejoicing In those rock-steep cliffs they quietly ended Their voyage. Jumping to the ground, the Geats 140 Pushed their boat to the sand and tied it In place, mail shirts5 and armor rattling As they swiftly moored their ship. And then They gave thanks to God for their easy crossing. High on a wall a Danish watcher 145 Patrolling along the cliffs saw 3. Healfdane’s (HAY alf deh nuhz) son  Hrothgar. 4. Higlac’s  (HIHG laks) Higlac was the king of the Geats (GAY ots) and Beowulf’s feudal lord and uncle. 5. mail shirts  flexible body armor made of metal. from Beowulf  23

NOTES The travelers crossing to the shore, their shields Raised and shining: he came riding down, CLOSE READ Hrothgar’s lieutenant, spurring his horse, ANNOTATE: Mark two Needing to know why they’d landed, these men details in lines 151–171 150 In armor. Shaking his heavy spear that show what the In their faces he spoke: watchman finds unusual “Whose soldiers are you, about the arrival of You who’ve been carried in your deep-keeled ship Beowulf and his men. Across the sea-road to this country of mine? QUESTION: What do these Listen! I’ve stood on these cliffs longer details suggest about the 155 Than you know, keeping our coast free threats the Danes face and Of pirates, raiders sneaking ashore the personal qualities they From their ships, seeking our lives and our gold. value? None have ever come more openly— CONCLUDE: What is And yet you’ve offered no password, no sign the effect of describing 160 From my prince, no permission from my people for your landing Beowulf’s arrival from Here. Nor have I ever seen, the point of view of the Out of all the men on earth, one greater watchman? Than has come with you; no commoner carries Such weapons, unless his appearance, and his beauty, 165 Are both lies. You! Tell me your name, © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. And your father’s; no spies go further onto Danish Soil than you’ve come already. Strangers, From wherever it was you sailed, tell it, And tell it quickly, the quicker the better, 170 I say, for us all. Speak, say Exactly who you are, and from where, and why.” Their leader answered him, Beowulf unlocking Words from deep in his breast: “We are Geats, Men who follow Higlac. My father 175 Was a famous soldier, known far and wide As a leader of men. His name was Edgetho. His life lasted many winters; Wise men all over the earth surely Remember him still. And we have come seeking 180 Your prince, Healfdane’s son, protector Of this people, only in friendship: instruct us, Watchman, help us with your words! Our errand Is a great one, our business with the glorious king Of the Danes no secret; there’s nothing dark 185 Or hidden in our coming. You know (if we’ve heard The truth, and been told honestly) that your country Is cursed with some strange, vicious creature That hunts only at night and that no one Has seen. It’s said, watchman, that he has slaughtered 190 Your people, brought terror to the darkness. Perhaps Hrothgar can hunt, here in my heart, 24  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. For some way to drive this devil out— NOTES If anything will ever end the evils Afflicting your wise and famous lord. from Beowulf  25 195 Here he can cool his burning sorrow. Or else he may see his suffering go on Forever, for as long as Herot towers High on your hills.” The mounted officer Answered him bluntly, the brave watchman: 200 “A soldier should know the difference between words And deeds, and keep that knowledge clear In his brain. I believe your words, I trust in Your friendship. Go forward, weapons and armor And all, on into Denmark. I’ll guide you 205 Myself—and my men will guard your ship. Keep it safe here on our shores, Your fresh-tarred boat, watch it well, Until that curving prow carries Across the sea to Geatland a chosen 210 Warrior who does battle with the creature Haunting our people, who survives that horror Unhurt, and goes home bearing our love.” Then they moved on. Their boat lay moored, Tied tight to its anchor. Glittering at the top 215 Of their golden helmets wild boar heads gleamed, Shining decorations, swinging as they marched, Erect like guards, like sentinels, as though ready To fight. They marched, Beowulf and his men And their guide, until they could see the gables 220 Of Herot, covered with hammered gold And glowing in the sun—that most famous of all dwellings, Towering majestic, its glittering roofs Visible far across the land. Their guide reined in his horse, pointing 225 To that hall, built by Hrothgar for the best And bravest of his men; the path was plain, They could see their way. . . . Beowulf and his men arrive at Herot and are called to see the King. Beowulf arose, with his men Around him, ordering a few to remain With their weapons, leading the others quietly 230 Along under Herot’s steep roof into Hrothgar’s Presence. Standing on that prince’s own hearth. Helmeted, the silvery metal of his mail shirt Gleaming with smith’s high art, he greeted The Danes’ great lord:

NOTES CLOSE READ “Hail, Hrothgar! © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. ANNOTATE: Mark details 235 Higlac is my cousin6 and my king; the days in lines 235–253 that show the specific heroic Of my youth have been filled with glory. Now Grendel’s deeds Beowulf recounts to Name has echoed in our land: sailors Hrothgar. Have brought us stories of Herot, the best Of all mead-halls,7 deserted and useless when the moon QUESTION: What can you 240 Hangs in skies the sun had lit, infer about Beowulf from Light and life fleeing together. the details he shares with My people have said, the wisest, most knowing Hrothgar? And best of them, that my duty was to go to the Danes’ Great king. They have seen my strength for themselves, CONCLUDE: What do these 245 Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, details reveal about the Dripping with my enemies’ blood. I drove world in which this Five great giants into chains, chased story is set? All of that race from the earth. I swam In the blackness of night, hunting monsters 250 Out of the ocean, and killing them one By one; death was my errand and the fate They had earned. Now Grendel and I are called 6. cousin  here, used as a general term for a relative.  7. mead-halls  To reward his retainers, the king in heroic literature would often build a hall where mead (a drink made of fermented honey) was served.  26  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Together, and I’ve come. Grant me, then, NOTES Lord and protector of this noble place, gorge (gawrj) v. to fill by 255 A single request! I have come so far, eating greedily O shelterer of warriors and your people’s loved friend, That this one favor you should not refuse me— from Beowulf  27 That I, alone and with the help of my men, May purge all evil from this hall. I have heard, 260 Too, that the monster’s scorn of men is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I. My lord Higlac Might think less of me if I let my sword Go where my feet were afraid to, if I hid 265 Behind some broad linden8 shield: my hands Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life Against the monster. God must decide Who will be given to death’s cold grip. Grendel’s plan, I think, will be 270 What it has been before, to invade this hall And gorge his belly with our bodies. If he can, If he can. And I think, if my time will have come, There’ll be nothing to mourn over, no corpse to prepare For its grave: Grendel will carry our bloody 275 Flesh to the moors, crunch on our bones And smear torn scraps of our skin on the walls Of his den. No, I expect no Danes Will fret about sewing our shrouds, if he wins. And if death does take me, send the hammered 280 Mail of my armor to Higlac, return The inheritance I had from Hrethel, and he From Wayland.9 Fate will unwind as it must!” That night, Beowulf and his men stay inside Herot. While his men sleep, Beowulf lies awake, eager to meet with Grendel. The Battle With Grendel Out from the marsh, from the footy of misty Hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred 285 Grendel came, hoping to kill Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot. He moved quickly through the cloudy night, Up from his swampland, sliding silently Toward that gold-shining hall. He had visited Hrothgar’s 290 Home before, knew the way— But never, before nor after that night, 8. linden  (LIHN duhn) very sturdy type of wood. 9. Wayland  blacksmith from Germanic folklore.

NOTES Found Herot defended so firmly, his reception © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. So harsh. He journeyed, forever joyless, gruesome (GROO suhm) adj. Straight to the door, then snapped it open, horrible; ghastly 295 Tore its iron fasteners with a touch And rushed angrily over the threshold. CLOSE READ He strode quickly across the inlaid ANNOTATE: In English Floor, snarling and fierce: his eyes syntax, apposition may be Gleamed in the darkness, burned with a gruesome used to rename or explain 300 Light. Then he stopped, seeing the hall a person or thing. Mark the Crowded with sleeping warriors, stuffed two identifying, appositive With rows of young soldiers resting together. phrases used to rename And his heart laughed, he relished the sight, Grendel in line 323. Intended to tear the life from those bodies QUESTION: How do the 305 By morning; the monster’s mind was hot renamings of Grendel in With the thought of food and the feasting his belly this line emphasize the Would soon know. But fate, that night, intended significance of the battle Grendel to gnaw the broken bones that is about to begin? Of his last human supper. Human CONCLUDE: What is the 310 Eyes were watching his evil steps, effect of using two or more Waiting to see his swift hard claws. appositives in a row? Grendel snatched at the first Geat He came to, ripped him apart, cut writhing (RY thihng) adj. His body to bits with powerful jaws, making twisting or turning 315 Drank the blood from his veins and bolted motions Him down, hands and feet; death And Grendel’s great teeth came together, Snapping life shut. Then he stepped to another Still body, clutched at Beowulf with his claws, 320 Grasped at a strong-hearted wakeful sleeper— And was instantly seized himself, claws Bent back as Beowulf leaned up on one arm. That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime, Knew at once that nowhere on earth 325 Had he met a man whose hands were harder; His mind was flooded with fear—but nothing Could take his talons and himself from that tight Hard grip. Grendel’s one thought was to run From Beowulf, flee back to his marsh and hide there: 330 This was a different Herot from the hall he had emptied. But Higlac’s follower remembered his final Boast and, standing erect, stopped The monster’s flight, fastened those claws In his fists till they cracked, clutched Grendel 335 Closer. The infamous killer fought For his freedom, wanting no flesh but retreat, Desiring nothing but escape; his claws Had been caught, he was trapped. That trip to Herot Was a miserable journey for the writhing monster! 28  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 340 The high hall rang, its roof boards swayed, NOTES And Danes shook with terror. Down The aisles the battle swept, angry from Beowulf  29 And wild. Herot trembled, wonderfully Built to withstand the blows, the struggling 345 Great bodies beating at its beautiful walls; Shaped and fastened with iron, inside And out, artfully worked, the building Stood firm. Its benches rattled, fell To the floor, gold-covered boards grating 350 As Grendel and Beowulf battled across them. Hrothgar’s wise men had fashioned Herot To stand forever; only fire, They had planned, could shatter what such skill had put Together, swallow in hot flames such splendor 355 Of ivory and iron and wood. Suddenly The sounds changed, the Danes started In new terror, cowering in their beds as the terrible Screams of the Almighty’s enemy sang In the darkness, the horrible shrieks of pain 360 And defeat, the tears torn out of Grendel’s Taut throat, hell’s captive caught in the arms Of him who of all the men on earth Was the strongest. That mighty protector of men Meant to hold the monster till its life 365 Leaped out, knowing the fiend was no use To anyone in Denmark. All of Beowulf’s Band had jumped from their beds, ancestral Swords raised and ready, determined To protect their prince if they could. Their courage 370 Was great but all wasted: they could hack at Grendel From every side, trying to open A path for his evil soul, but their points Could not hurt him, the sharpest and hardest iron Could not scratch at his skin, for that sin-stained demon 375 Had bewitched all men’s weapons, laid spells That blunted every mortal man’s blade. And yet his time had come, his days Were over, his death near; down To hell he would go, swept groaning and helpless 380 To the waiting hands of still worse fiends. Now he discovered—once the afflictor Of men, tormentor of their days—what it meant To feud with Almighty God: Grendel Saw that his strength was deserting him, his claws 385 Bound fast, Higlac’s brave follower tearing at His hands. The monster’s hatred rose higher,

NOTES But his power had gone. He twisted in pain, And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder Snapped, muscle and bone split 390 And broke. The battle was over, Beowulf Had been granted new glory: Grendel escaped, But wounded as he was could flee to his den, His miserable hole at the bottom of the marsh, Only to die, to wait for the end 395 Of all his days. And after that bloody Combat the Danes laughed with delight. He who had come to them from across the sea, Bold and strong-minded had driven affliction Off, purged Herot clean. He was happy, 400 Now, with that night’s fierce work; the Danes Had been served as he’d boasted he’d serve them: Beowulf, A prince of the Geats, had killed Grendel, Ended the grief, the sorrow, the suffering Forced on Hrothgar’s helpless people 405 By a bloodthirsty fiend. No Dane doubted The victory, for the proof, hanging high From the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster’s Arm, claw and shoulder and all. The Danes celebrate Beowulf’s victory. That night, though, Grendel’s mother kills Hrothgar’s closest friend and carries off her child’s claw. The next day, the horrified king tells Beowulf about the two monsters and their underwater lair. The Monsters’ Lair © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. “I’ve heard that my people, peasants working 410 In the fields, have seen a pair of such fiends Wandering in the moors and marshes, giant Monsters living in those desert lands. And they’ve said to my wise men that, as well as they could see, One of the devils was a female creature. 415 The other, they say, walked through the wilderness Like a man—but mightier than any man. They were frightened, and they fled, hoping to find help In Herot. They named the huge one Grendel: If he had a father no one knew him, 420 Or whether there’d been others before these two, Hidden evil before hidden evil. They live in secret places, windy Cliffs, wolf-dens where water pours From the rocks, then runs underground, where mist 30  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

425 Steams like black clouds, and the groves of trees NOTES Growing out over their lake are all covered With frozen spray, and wind down snakelike Roots that reach as far as the water And help keep it dark. At night that lake 430 Burns like a torch. No one knows its bottom, No wisdom reaches such depths. A deer, Hunted through the woods by packs of hounds, A stag with great horns, though driven through the forest From faraway places, prefers to die 435 On those shores, refuses to save its life In that water. It isn’t far, nor is it A pleasant spot! When the winds stirs And storms, waves splash toward the sky, As dark as the air, as black as the rain 440 That the heavens weep. Our only help, Again, lies with you. Grendel’s mother Is hidden in her terrible home, in a place You’ve not seen. Seek it, if you dare! Save us, Once more, and again twisted gold, 445 Heaped-up ancient treasure will reward you For the battle you win!” Beowulf resolves to kill Grendel’s monstrous mother. He travels to the lake in which she lives. © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. The Battle With Grendel’s Mother Then Edgetho’s brave son10 spoke: “Remember, Hrothgar, O knowing king, now When my danger is near, the warm words we uttered, 450 And if your enemy should end my life Then be, O generous prince, forever The father and protector of all whom I leave Behind me, here in your hands, my beloved Comrades left with no leader, their leader 455 Dead. And the precious gifts you gave me, My friend, send them to Higlac. May he see In their golden brightness, the Geats’ great lord Gazing at your treasure, that here in Denmark I found a noble protector, a giver 460 Of rings whose rewards I won and briefly Relished. And you, Unferth,11 let 10. Edgetho’s brave son  Beowulf. Elsewhere he is identified by such phrases as “the Geats’ proud prince” and “the Geats’ brave prince.”  11. Unferth  Danish warrior who had questioned Beowulf’s bravery before the battle with Grendel.  from Beowulf  31

NOTES My famous old sword stay in your hands: I shall shape glory with Hrunting, or death CLOSE READ Will hurry me from this earth!” ANNOTATE: Mark words As his words ended and phrases in lines 465 He leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyone’s 477–489 that contain Answer; the heaving water covered him sound devices and parallel Over. For hours he sank through the waves; structures. At last he saw the mud of the bottom. QUESTION: What effect And all at once the greedy she-wolf might these word choices 470 Who’d ruled those waters for half a hundred have had on listeners? Years discovered him, saw that a creature CONCLUDE: In what From above had come to explore the bottom way does the language Of her wet world. She welcomed him in her claws, of the story help make Clutched at him savagely but could not harm him, it memorable for both 475 Tried to work her fingers through the tight the storyteller and the Ring-woven mail on his breast, but tore audience? And scratched in vain. Then she carried him, armor And sword and all, to her home; he struggled To free his weapon, and failed. The fight © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 480 Brought other monsters swimming to see Her catch, a host of sea beasts who beat at His mail shirt, stabbing with tusks and teeth As they followed along. Then he realized, suddenly, That she’d brought him into someone’s battle-hall, 485 And there the water’s heat could not hurt him. Nor anything in the lake attack him through The building’s high-arching roof. A brilliant Light burned all around him, the lake Itself like a fiery flame. Then he saw 490 The mighty water witch and swung his sword, His ring-marked blade, straight at her head; The iron sang its fierce song, Sang Beowulf’s strength. But her guest Discovered that no sword could slice her evil 495 Skin, that Hrunting could not hurt her, was useless Now when he needed it. They wrestled, she ripped And tore and clawed at him, bit holes in his helmet, And that too failed him; for the first time in years Of being worn to war it would earn no glory; 500 It was the last time anyone would wear it. But Beowulf Longed only for fame, leaped back Into battle. He tossed his sword aside, Angry; the steel-edged blade lay where He’d dropped it. If weapons were useless he’d use 505 His hands, the strength in his fingers. So fame Comes to the men who mean to win it And care about nothing else! He raised 32  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. His arms and seized her by the shoulder; anger NOTES Doubled his strength, he threw her to the floor. 510 She fell, Grendel’s fierce mother, and the Geats’ loathsome (LOHTH suhm) adj. Proud prince was ready to leap on her. But she rose disgusting; detestable At once and repaid him with her clutching claws, Wildly tearing at him. He was weary, that best from Beowulf  33 And strongest of soldiers; his feet stumbled 515 And in an instant she had him down, held helpless. Squatting with her weight on his stomach, she drew A dagger, brown with dried blood, and prepared To avenge her only son. But he was stretched On his back, and her stabbing blade was blunted 520 By the woven mail shirt he wore on his chest. The hammered links held; the point Could not touch him. He’d have traveled to the bottom of the earth, Edgetho’s son, and died there, if that shining Woven metal had not helped—and Holy 525 God, who sent him victory, gave judgment For truth and right, Ruler of the Heavens, Once Beowulf was back on his feet and fighting. Then he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy Sword, hammered by giants, strong 530 And blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons But so massive that no ordinary man could lift Its carved and decorated length. He drew it From its scabbard, broke the chain on its hilt And then, savage, now, angry 535 And desperate, lifted it high over his head And struck with all the strength he had left, Caught her in the neck and cut it through. Broke bones and all. Her body fell To the floor, lifeless, the sword was wet 540 With her blood, and Beowulf rejoiced at the sight. The brilliant light shone, suddenly, As though burning in that hall, and as bright as Heaven’s Own candle, lit in the sky. He looked At her home, then following along the wall 545 Went walking, his hands tight on the sword, His heart still angry. He was hunting another Dead monster, and took his weapon with him For final revenge against Grendel’s vicious Attacks, his nighttime raids, over 550 And over, coming to Herot when Hrothgar’s Men slept, killing them in their beds, Eating some on the spot, fifteen Or more, and running to his loathsome moor With another such sickening meal waiting 555 In his pouch. But Beowulf repaid him for those visits,

NOTES © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Found him lying dead in his corner, Armless, exactly as that fierce fighter Had sent him out from Herot, then struck off His head with a single swift blow. The body 560 jerked for the last time, then lay still. The wise old warriors who surrounded Hrothgar, Like him staring into the monsters’ lake, Saw the waves surging and blood Spurting through. They spoke about Beowulf, 565 All the graybeards, whispered together And said that hope was gone, that the hero Had lost fame and his life at once, and would never Return to the living, come back as triumphant As he had left; almost all agreed that Grendel’s 570 Mighty mother, the she-wolf, had killed him. The sun slid over past noon, went further Down. The Danes gave up, left The lake and went home, Hrothgar with them. The Geats stayed, sat sadly, watching, 34  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 575 Imagining they saw their lord but not believing NOTES They would ever see him again. —Then the sword from Beowulf  35 Melted, blood-soaked, dripping down Like water, disappearing like ice when the world’s Eternal Lord loosens invisible 580 Fetters and unwinds icicles and frost As only He can. He who rules Time and seasons, He who is truly God. The monsters’ hall was full of Rich treasures, but all that Beowulf took 585 Was Grendel’s head and the hilt of the giants’ Jeweled sword; the rest of that ring-marked Blade had dissolved in Grendel’s steaming Blood, boiling even after his death. And then the battle’s only survivor 590 Swam up and away from those silent corpses; The water was calm and clean, the whole Huge lake peaceful once the demons who’d lived in it Were dead. Then that noble protector of all seamen Swam to land, rejoicing in the heavy 595 Burdens he was bringing with him. He And all his glorious band of Geats Thanked God that their leader had come back unharmed; They left the lake together. The Geats Carried Beowulf’s helmet, and his mail shirt. 600 Behind them the water slowly thickened As the monsters’ blood came seeping up. They walked quickly, happily, across Roads all of them remember, left The lake and the cliffs alongside it, brave men 605 Staggering under the weight of Grendel’s skull, Too heavy for fewer than four of them to handle— Two on each side of the spear jammed through it— Yet proud of their ugly load and determined That the Danes, seated in Herot, should see it. 610 Soon, fourteen Geats arrived At the hall, bold and warlike, and with Beowulf, Their lord and leader, they walked on the mead-hall Green. Then the Geats’ brave prince entered Herot, covered with glory for the daring 615 Battles he had fought; he sought Hrothgar To salute him and show Grendel’s head. He carried that terrible trophy by the hair, Brought it straight to where the Danes sat, Drinking, the queen among them. It was a weird 620 And wonderful sight, and the warriors stared.

NOTES After being honored by Hrothgar, Beowulf and his fellow Geats return home, where he eventually becomes the king. Beowulf rules Geatland for fifty years. When a dragon menaces his kingdom, Beowulf, now an old man, determines to slay the beast. Before going into battle, he tells his men about the royal house and his exploits in its service. The Last Battle © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. And Beowulf uttered his final boast: “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought In endless battles. I am old, now, But I will fight again, seek fame still, 625 If the dragon hiding in his tower dares To face me.” Then he said farewell to his followers, Each in his turn, for the last time: “I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beast Could be killed without it, crushed to death 630 Like Grendel, gripped in my hands and torn Limb from limb. But his breath will be burning Hot, poison will pour from his tongue. I feel no shame, with shield and sword And armor, against this monster: when he comes to me 635 I mean to stand, not run from his shooting Flames, stand till fate decides Which of us wins. My heart is firm, My hands calm: I need no hot Words. Wait for me close by, my friends. 640 We shall see, soon, who will survive This bloody battle, stand when the fighting Is done. No one else could do What I mean to, here, no man but me Could hope to defeat this monster. No one 645 Could try. And this dragon’s treasure, his gold And everything hidden in that tower, will be mine Or war will sweep me to a bitter death!” Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong, And with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast, 650 Strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, under The rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there! And then he who’d endured dozens of desperate Battles, who’d stand boldly while swords and shields Clashed, the best of kings, saw 655 Huge stone arches and felt the heat Of the dragon’s breath, flooding down Through the hidden entrance, too hot for anyone To stand, a streaming current of fire 36  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. And smoke that blocked all passage. And the Geats’ NOTES 660 Lord and leader, angry, lowered from Beowulf  37 His sword and roared out a battle cry, A call so loud and clear that it reached through The hoary rock, hung in the dragon’s Ear. The beast rose, angry, 665 Knowing a man had come—and then nothing But war could have followed. Its breath came first. A steaming cloud pouring from the stone, Then the earth itself shook. Beowulf Swung his shield into place, held it 670 In front of him, facing the entrance. The dragon Coiled and uncoiled, its heart urging it Into battle. Beowulf’s ancient sword Was waiting, unsheathed, his sharp and gleaming Blade. The beast came closer; both of them 675 Were ready, each set on slaughter. The Geats’ Great prince stood firm, unmoving, prepared Behind his high shield, waiting in his shining Armor. The monster came quickly toward him, Pouring out fire and smoke, hurrying 680 To its fate. Flames beat at the iron Shield, and for a time it held, protected Beowulf as he’d planned; then it began to melt, And for the first time in his life that famous prince Fought with fate against him, with glory 685 Denied him. He knew it, but he raised his sword And struck at the dragon’s scaly hide. The ancient blade broke, bit into The monster’s skin, drew blood, but cracked And failed him before it went deep enough, helped him 690 Less than he needed. The dragon leaped With pain, thrashed, and beat at him, spouting Murderous flames, spreading them everywhere. And the Geats’ ring-giver did not boast of glorious Victories in other wars: his weapon 695 Had failed him, deserted him, now when he needed it Most, that excellent sword. Edgetho’s Famous son stared at death. Unwilling to leave this world, to exchange it For a dwelling in some distant place—a journey 700 Into darkness that all men must make, as death Ends their few brief hours on earth. Quickly, the dragon came at him, encouraged As Beowulf fell back; its breath flared, And he suffered, wrapped around in swirling 705 Flames—a king, before, but now A beaten warrior. None of his comrades

NOTES Came to him, helped him, his brave and noble Followers; they ran for their lives, fled Deep in a wood. And only one of them © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 710 Remained, stood there, miserable, remembering As a good man must, what kinship should mean. His name was Wiglaf, he was Wexstan’s son And a good soldier; his family had been Swedish, Once. Watching Beowulf, he could see 715 How his king was suffering, burning. Remembering Everything his lord and cousin had given him, Armor and gold and the great estates Wexstan’s family enjoyed, Wiglaf’s Mind was made up; he raised his yellow 720 Shield and drew his sword—an ancient Weapon that had once belonged to Onela’s Nephew, and that Wexstan had won, killing The prince when he fled from Sweden, sought safety With Herdred, and found death.12 And Wiglaf’s father 725 Had carried the dead man’s armor, and his sword, To Onela, and the king had said nothing, only Given him the armor and sword and all, Everything his rebel nephew had owned And lost when he left this life. And Wexstan 730 Had kept those shining gifts, held them For years, waiting for his son to use them, Wear them as honorably and well as once His father had done; then Wexstan died And Wiglaf was his heir, inherited treasures 735 And weapons and land. He’d never worn That armor, fought with that sword, until Beowulf Called him to his side, led him into war. But his soul did not melt, his sword was strong; The dragon discovered his courage, and his weapon, 740 When the rush of battle brought them together. And Wiglaf, his heart heavy, uttered The kind of words his comrades deserved: “I remember how we sat in the mead-hall, drinking And boasting of how brave we’d be when Beowulf 745 Needed us, he who gave us these swords And armor: all of us swore to repay him. When the time came, kindness for kindness— With our lives, if he needed them. He allowed us to join him, Chose us from all his great army, thinking 750 Our boasting words had some weight, believing 12. Onela’s / Nephew . . . found death  When Onela seized the throne of Sweden, his two nephews sought shelter with the king of Geatland, Herdred. Wiglaf’s father, Wexstan, killed the older nephew for Onela.  38  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Our promises, trusting our swords. He took us NOTES For soldiers, for men. He meant to kill CLOSE READ This monster himself, our mighty king, ANNOTATE: Mark details in Fight this battle alone and unaided, lines 743–770 that show 755 As in the days when his strength and daring dazzled what Beowulf’s men were Men’s eyes. But those days are over and gone like in the beginning and And now our lord must lean on younger how they changed. Arms. And we must go to him, while angry QUESTION: How have Flames burn at his flesh, help Beowulf’s men, with 760 Our glorious king! By almighty God, the exception of Wiglaf, I’d rather burn myself than see changed? Flames swirling around my lord. CONCLUDE: How do these And who are we to carry home contrasting details help the Our shields before we’ve slain his enemy reader better understand 765 And ours, to run back to our homes with Beowulf Beowulf’s dilemma? So hard-pressed here? I swear that nothing He ever did deserved an end from Beowulf  39 Like this, dying miserably and alone Butchered by this savage beast: we swore 770 That these swords and armor were each for us all!” Then he ran to his king, crying encouragement As he dove through the dragon’s deadly fumes. Wiglaf and Beowulf kill the dragon, but the old king is mortally wounded. As he dies, Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring him the treasure that the dragon was guarding. The Spoils Then Wexstan’s son went in, as quickly As he could, did as the dying Beowulf 775 Asked, entered the inner darkness Of the tower, went with his mail shirt and his sword. Flushed with victory he groped his way, A brave young warrior, and suddenly saw Piles of gleaming gold, precious 780 Gems, scattered on the floor, cups And bracelets, rusty old helmets, beautifully Made but rotting with no hands to rub And polish them. They lay where the dragon left them; It had flown in the darkness, once, before fighting 785 Its final battle. (So gold can easily Triumph, defeat the strongest of men, No matter how deep it is hidden!) And he saw, Hanging high above, a golden Banner, woven by the best of weavers 790 And beautiful. And over everything he saw

NOTES © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. A strange light, shining everywhere, On walls and floor and treasure. Nothing Moved, no other monsters appeared; He took what he wanted, all the treasures 795 That pleased his eye, heavy plates And golden cups and the glorious banner, Loaded his arms with all they could hold. Beowulf’s dagger, his iron blade, Had finished the fire-spitting terror 800 That once protected tower and treasures Alike; the gray-bearded lord of the Geats Had ended those flying, burning raids Forever. Then Wiglaf went back, anxious To return while Beowulf was alive, to bring him 805 Treasure they’d won together. He ran, 40  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

Hoping his wounded king, weak NOTES And dying, had not left the world too soon. Then he brought their treasure to Beowulf, and found CLOSE READ His famous king bloody, gasping ANNOTATE: Mark details in 810 For breath. But Wiglaf sprinkled water lines 814–828 that show Over his lord, until the words how Beowulf wants to be Deep in his breast broke through and were heard. buried and remembered. Beholding the treasure he spoke, haltingly: QUESTION: What do “For this, this gold, these jewels, I thank Beowulf’s dying wishes tell 815 Our Father in Heaven, Ruler of the Earth— you about him? For all of this, that His grace has given me, CONCLUDE: What can Allowed me to bring to my people while breath you conclude about the Still came to my lips. I sold my life character of Beowulf, For this treasure, and I sold it well. Take based on his last words? 820 What I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people, © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Help them; my time is gone. Have The brave Geats build me a tomb. When the funeral flames have burned me, and build it Here, at the water’s edge, high 825 On this spit of land, so sailors can see This tower, and remember my name, and call it Beowulf’s tower, and boats in the darkness And mist, crossing the sea, will know it.” Then that brave king gave the golden 830 Necklace from around his throat to Wiglaf, Gave him his gold-covered helmet, and his rings, And his mail shirt, and ordered him to use them well: “You’re the last of all our far-flung family. Fate has swept our race away, 835 Taken warriors in their strength and led them To the death that was waiting. And now I follow them.” The old man’s mouth was silent, spoke No more, had said as much as it could; He would sleep in the fire, soon. His soul 840 Left his flesh, flew to glory. Wiglaf denounces the warriors who deserted Beowulf. The Geats burn their king’s body on a funeral pyre and bitterly lament his death. The Farewell Then the Geats built the tower, as Beowulf Had asked, strong and tall, so sailors Could find it from far and wide; working For ten long days they made his monument, 845 Sealed his ashes in walls as straight from Beowulf  41

NOTES And high as wise and willing hands Could raise them. And the riches he and Wiglaf Had won from the dragon, rings, necklaces, Ancient, hammered armor—all 850 The treasures they’d taken were left there, too, Silver and jewels buried in the sandy Ground, back in the earth, again And forever hidden and useless to men. And then twelve of the bravest Geats 855 Rode their horses around the tower, Telling their sorrow, telling stories Of their dead king and his greatness, his glory, Praising him for heroic deeds, for a life As noble as his name. So should all men 860 Raise up words for their lords, warm With love, when their shield and protector leaves His body behind, sends his soul On high. And so Beowulf’s followers Rode, mourning their beloved leader, 865 Crying that no better king had ever Lived, no prince so mild, no man So open to his people, so deserving of praise. © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 42  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Comprehension Check Complete the following items after you finish your first read. 1. Who is Hrothgar, and who is Grendel? 2. Where does Beowulf come from, and why does he travel to Herot? 3. After the first battle, what trophy does Beowulf hang from the rafters of the hall? 4. Where does the battle with Grendel’s mother take place, and what is the outcome? 5. What is the result of Beowulf’s battle with the dragon? 6.   Notebook  Write a summary of the excerpt from Beowulf to confirm your understanding of the epic. RESEARCH Research to Clarify  Choose at least one unfamiliar detail from the text. Briefly research that detail. In what way does the information you learned shed light on an aspect of the epic? Research to Explore  Choose something that interested you from the text, and formulate a research question about it. Write your question here. from Beowulf  43

making meaning Close Read the Text 1. This model, from lines 23–29 of the epic, shows two sample annotations, along with questions and conclusions. Close read the passage, and find another detail to annotate. Then, write a question and your conclusion. from BEOWULF ANNOTATE: These words emphasize how ANNOTATE: plentiful and diverse these evil forces are. These verbs and participles all show QUESTION: Is there anything they have in conflict. common? If so, what does this suggest? QUESTION: Who CONCLUDE: They all sprang from the same or what are in source. Perhaps all evil is essentially the same, conflict? What despite its many forms. does this suggest? . . . The Almighty drove / Those demons CONCLUDE: out, and their exile was bitter. / Shut away God and men are from men; they split / Into a thousand opposing demons. forms of evil—spirits / And fiends, This suggests a goblins, monsters, giants. / A brood struggle between forever opposing the Lord’s Will, and good and evil. again and again defeated. Tool Kit  2. For more practice, go back into the text, and complete the close-read notes. Close-Read Guide and 3. Closely reread a section of the text you found important during your first Model Annotation read. Annotate what you notice. Ask yourself questions such as “Why did the author make this choice?” What can you conclude? Analyze the Text Cite textual evidence to support your answers.  Standards Notebook  Respond to these questions. © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Reading Literature • Cite strong and thorough textual 1. (a) Why does Beowulf travel to Herot? (b) Infer What do his motives for evidence to support analysis of the trip suggest about his character? what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, 2. Analyze  How does the contrast between Grendel and Beowulf turn their including determining where the text conflict into a clash between good and evil? leaves matters uncertain. • Analyze the impact of the author’s 3. Compare and Contrast  How is Beowulf’s fight with the dragon similar choices regarding how to develop to his two previous battles? How is it different? and relate elements of a story or drama. 4. (a) What details show the importance of Christian beliefs? (b) What • Analyze how an author’s choices details reveal pagan values, such as a belief in fate, a pride in loyalty, and concerning how to structure specific a desire for fame? (c) Draw Conclusions What can you conclude about parts of a text contribute to its this mix of Christian and pagan details? overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. 5. Historical Perspectives  Explain how the poem, by keeping Beowulf’s memory alive, also keeps a culture’s values alive. 6. Essential Question:  What makes a hero? What have you learned about heroism and leadership from reading this epic poem? 44  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

essential question: What makes a hero? Analyze Craft and Structure Author’s Choices: Structure An epic is a long narrative poem, sometimes developed orally, that celebrates heroic deeds and legendary events. Epics, like Homer’s Iliad from ancient Greece, are among the earliest forms of literature. As such, they reveal the values of the people who created them. Common features of epics include the following: • a story that is told in a serious manner, with elevated language • a hero battling forces that threaten the world order • a hero that possesses extraordinary strength • a story that is told in episodes, with various settings Most epics celebrate the exploits of an epic hero, a legendary, larger-than- life character. Often, epics follow archetypal patterns—that is, patterns of plot and theme that recur in the literature of different cultures all over the world. In Beowulf, two such archetypes are the quest and the struggle of good against evil. Practice  CITE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE to support your answers. Notebook  Respond to these questions and prompts. 1. (a) List two characteristics that make Beowulf an epic hero.  (b) Identify a passage that shows the hero’s more human side. Explain your choice. 2. Is Beowulf a believable character, or is he “too heroic”? Explain. 3. Frustrated pride may lead to spite, just as loyalty may lead to vengeance, and eagerness for glory may lead to greed. Explain how each creature Beowulf battles represents an extreme and dangerous form of moral values and behavior. 4. A storyteller’s choices regarding how to develop and relate story elements (such as plot, setting, character development, and archetypal patterns) affect audiences’ reactions to the story. Complete the partially filled-in chart, noting specific story elements, the storyteller’s choices regarding these elements, and the effects of these choices on the audience. © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Story Element STORYTELLER’S Choice Effect Character development: the arrival of Beowulf: gleaming creates the sense of a larger- Beowulf armor, the watchman’s stunned, than-life, almost godlike figure amazed reaction Plot Settings Archetypal Pattern from Beowulf  45

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT Concept Vocabulary lair gorge writhing stalked gruesome loathsome from BEOWULF Why These Words?  These concept vocabulary words show to various degrees the vile, monstrous, predatory nature of the monsters Beowulf faces. For example, a gruesome sight is something that is hideous and repulsive. The sight of a writhing creature, on the other hand, would probably be unpleasant but not provoke quite as strong a reaction. 1. How does the concept vocabulary sharpen the reader’s understanding of the foes and challenges Beowulf faces? 2. What other words in the selection connect to this concept?   WORD NETWORK Practice Add interesting words Notebook  Respond to these questions. related to heroism from the text to your Word Network. 1. What sort of person or creature would you expect to find in a lair? 2. How would you describe the behavior of a person or creature that tends to gorge when eating? 3. Why might a creature have stalked another creature? 4. Would you want to witness a gruesome sight? Why, or why not? 5. What story characters do you consider loathsome? Why? 6. What might you do if you saw an animal writhing? What might cause such movement?  STANDARDS Word Study © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Language • Vary syntax for effect, consulting Anglo-Saxon Suffix: -some  The Anglo-Saxon suffix -some means references for guidance as needed; “causing,” “tending to,” or “to a considerable degree” and forms adjectives apply an understanding of syntax from nouns, verbs, and other adjectives. The concept word gruesome was to the study of complex texts when formed from the Scottish noun grue, meaning “shudder.” The concept word reading. loathsome was formed from the English adjective loath, which in the past • Identify and correctly use patterns meant “hated” or “repulsive.” of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of 1. Write definitions of gruesome and loathsome that demonstrate how the speech. suffix -some contributes to their meanings. • Consult general and specialized reference materials, both print and 2. Using a college-level dictionary, identify the word origins and write digital, to find the pronunciation of the meanings of these words featuring the suffix -some: burdensome, a word or determine or clarify its cumbersome, meddlesome, noisome. precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. 46  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

essential question: What makes a hero? Conventions and Style Using Syntax for Elaboration  The syntax of a sentence is its structure, or the arrangement of and relationships among its words. Writers may use various syntactic devices to build up and extend accounts of action and descriptions of characters. Two of those devices are apposition and diazeugma. Apposition is the placement of two elements, typically nouns or noun phrases, side by side so that the second identifies, clarifies, or elaborates on the first. Diazeugma is the linkage of a single subject with two or more verbs, either to add dimension to the first verb or to establish a clear sequence of actions or events. The chart shows examples from Beowulf of apposition and diazeugma. DEVICE EXAMPLE EFFECT identifies . . . Hrothgar, their lord, sat joyless / In Herot. . . . (lines 44–45) elaborates adds apposition . . . so Herot dimension Stood empty, and stayed deserted for years, establishes Twelve winters of grief for Hrothgar. . . . (lines 60–62) a clear sequence That shadow of death hunted in the darkness, Stalked Hrothgar’s warriors. . . . (lines 74–76) from Beowulf  47 diazeugma He slipped through the door and there in the silence Snatched up thirty men, smashed them Unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies (lines 36–38) © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Read It  1. Mark and label each instance of apposition or diazeugma in the sentences. a.  Grendel, that most heartless of creatures, continued his onslaught. b.  Beowulf engaged the beast, fought valiantly, and emerged victorious. c.  Rejoicing rang out in Herot, the banquet hall of King Hrothgar. 2. Connect to Style  Reread lines 208–212 of Beowulf. Mark and label the syntactic device that is employed. Explain the effect of the use of apposition or diazeugma in those lines. Write It Notebook  Expand these sentences so that each contains an instance of both apposition and diazeugma. Label each device in parentheses. Example Beowulf led his men to Herot. Beowulf, Edgetho’s son (apposition), led his men to Herot and greeted the king (diazeugma). 1. Grendel’s mother emerged from her lair. 2. Just before his death, Beowulf removed his golden necklace.

EFFECTIVE EXPRESSION from BEOWULF Writing to Sources The ability to convince your audience is the key to a successful argument. Effective persuasion requires you to convey ideas in a clear manner. To clarify ideas that may be unfamiliar to your audience, you may choose to point out similarities or differences between your ideas and other, more familiar, concepts. Assignment Write a comparison-and-contrast essay in which you compare and contrast the character of Beowulf with that of a modern hero in a television show, video game, or other medium. In your comparison, consider the type of monster or threat each hero faces, as well as each hero’s characteristics. Based on your comparison, draw a conclusion about differences between Anglo-Saxon and modern-day values. Include these elements in your essay: • quotations from Beowulf that support your statements • relevant examples from your other source • transitional words and phrases that clarify comparisons and contrasts You may wish to use point-by-point organization, in which you move between your subjects as you discuss points of comparison and contrast. Alternatively, you may wish to use subject-by-subject organization, in which you compare and contrast your subjects as complete units.  STANDARDS Vocabulary and Conventions Connection  In your comparison-and- Writing contrast essay, consider including several of the concept vocabulary words. • Write informative/explanatory texts Also, consider using apposition to clarify your ideas. to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information lair gorge writhing clearly and accurately through the stalked gruesome loathsome effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. Reflect on Your Writing © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. • Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the Once you have finished drafting your comparison-and-contrast essay, answer major sections of the text, create the following questions. cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. 1. What details have you used to present your thesis and provide support? • Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and 2. Which details provide clarification and elaboration of your ideas? update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing 3. Why These Words?  The words you choose make a difference in your feedback, including new arguments writing. Which transitional words and phrases did you choose to clarify or information. comparisons? Which did you choose to clarify contrasts? Speaking and Listening • Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. • Make strategic use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. 48  UNIT 1 • Forging a Hero

essential question: What makes a hero? Speaking and Listening Assignment With a partner, prepare a research presentation focusing on one aspect of the culture that told and retold the story of Beowulf—the Anglo-Saxons of the eighth to eleventh centuries. Enrich your presentation with digital media that you find online. Deliver your presentation to the class. 1. Choose Your Topic  With your partner, choose one aspect of Anglo- Saxon culture to research. You may select a topic of your own, or you may research one of the following: • the life of a seafaring warrior • the construction of a mead-hall • the concept of fate • the design of Beowulf’s ship 2. Conduct Research  With a partner, choose text and digital media. Then, evaluate the credibility and accuracy of each source, using this checklist:   yes   no Is the source reputable? Is it known to provide solid information?   yes   no Is the source transparent, or open, about its information-gathering practices?   yes   no Does the source avoid bias or a political agenda?   yes   no Is the content thorough and well-written?   evidence log   yes   no Does the source accurately cite other sources? Before moving on to a 3. Prepare and Deliver Your Presentation  With a partner, decide how new selection, go to your best to incorporate text and other resources, and practice delivering your Evidence Log and record presentation. what you learned from Beowulf. 4. Evaluate Presentations  As your classmates deliver their presentations, © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. listen attentively. Use a presentation guide like the one shown to analyze their presentations. Presentation Evaluation Guide Rate each statement on a scale of 1 (not demonstrated) to 5 (demonstrated). The speaker held my attention by communicating clearly. The speaker used body language effectively. The information was presented in a logical order. The digital material was informative and well explained. The speaker’s presentation showed a firm grasp of the subject matter. from Beowulf  49

MAKING MEANING from BEOWULF Comparing Text to Media from BEOWULF (graphic novel) The text and images on the following pages tell another version of the story of Beowulf. After reading and viewing this selection, you will analyze similarities and differences between the epic poem and the graphic. About the Author from Beowulf Gareth Hinds (b. 1971) Media Vocabulary was always drawing as a child. “But,” he says, “I had The following terms will be useful to you as you analyze, discuss, and write a lot of really good training about graphic novels. and encouragement along the way. And I’m a very palette: range of colors and shades panel: individual scene in graphic strong believer in the power used by an illustrator novel, often framed by a border of good art instruction.” He earned two Bachelors composition: arrangement of the angle: measurement of how much of Fine Art degrees, one parts of an image, whether drawn or space, horizontal and vertical, is from Rochester Institute of recorded in some other visual format included in a single visual Technology and the second from Parsons School of perspective: point of view of an lighting/color: use of light and Design in New York City. image, which may be close up, dark shades; dark and high-contrast In addition to this graphic middle distance, or long distance images draw the eye more than light novel of Beowulf, Hinds has and low-contrast images published graphic novels of other classics, including First Review MEDIA: GRAPHIC NOVEL Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Apply these strategies as you conduct your first review. You will have an opportunity to complete a close review after your first review. Look at each image and NOTE elements in each image © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. determine whom or what it that you find interesting and portrays. want to revisit. CONNECT details in the RESPOND by completing images to other media the Comprehension Check you’ve experienced, texts and by writing a brief you’ve read, or images summary of the selection. you’ve seen.  STANDARDS Reading Literature By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently. 50  UNIT 1 • FORGING A HERO

MEDIA | GRAPHIC NOVEL © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND SCAN FOR MULTIMEDIA After Beowulf defeats Grendel and Grendel’s mother, he returns to his homeland. He eventually becomes king of the Geats, ruling for fifty years of prosperity. Despite his age, however, he must return to battle one last time after one of his subjects accidentally wakes a dragon by stealing from its hoard. from Beowulf (graphic novel)  51