Question

Question # 1

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Read the following excerpt:

Then he who had harrowed the hearts of men with pain and affliction in former times and had given offence also to God found that his bodily powers failed him. Hygelac’s kinsman kept him helplessly locked in a handgrip. As long as either lived, he was hateful to the other. The monster’s whole body was in pain, a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone-lapping burst.

Beowulf was granted the glory of winning; Grendel was driven under the fen-banks, fatally hurt, to his desolate lair.

A) How does the passage express a specific cultural perspective in the ancient world? In other words, what might you assume has importance to the people who express the myth? (3pts)

B) Explain if or how the passage reflects the aspect of “rationalization” in myth. (See Board Notes on Scholarly Theories to refresh your understanding of this theoretical concept.) (5pts)

C)  Apply at least one modern theoretical approach (not including “rationalizing” which was addressed in “c.”) in a creative analysis of the excerpt. What might this investigative approach tell you about the culture in question? (10pts)

(In other words, could you apply theoretical approaches such as charter or etiological? Levi-Strauss, Jung or Freud, etc....? Keep in mind there will be more than one applicable theory that works and you are not expected to address them all. Focus on a main idea and develop your writing accordingly. Once you identify an approach, can you formulate an informed vison of an aspect of the culture? For example: What might have been prioritized? What influenced the development of the mythology? How are genders presented? What is the relationship with the natural world? etc.)

Question # 2

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Read the following excerpt:

“...When the wind blows up and stormy weather makes clouds scud and the skies weep, out of its depths a dirty surge is pitched towards the heavens. Now help depends again on you and on you alone. The gap of danger where the demon waits is still unknown to you. Seek it if you dare. I will compensate you for settling the feud as I did the last time with lavish wealth, coffers of coiled gold, if you come back.”

Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow spoke: “Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning. For every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end. Let whoever can win glory before death. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark.”

. . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. .
With that the old lord sprang to his feet and praised God for Beowulf’s pledge...

A) How does the passage express a specific cultural perspective in the ancient world? In other words, what might you assume has importance to the people who express the myth? (3pts)

B) Explain if or how the passage reflects the aspect of “rationalization” in myth. (See Board Notes on Scholarly Theories to refresh your understanding of this theoretical concept.) (5pts)

C) Apply at least one modern theoretical approach (not including “rationalizing” which was addressed in “c.”) in a creative analysis of the excerpt. What might this investigative approach tell you about the culture in question? (10pts)

(In other words, could you apply theoretical approaches such as charter or etiological? Levi-Strauss, Jung or Freud, etc....? Keep in mind there will be more than one applicable theory that works and you are not expected to address them all. Focus on a main idea and develop your writing accordingly. Once you identify an approach, can you formulate an informed vison of an aspect of the culture? For example: What might have been prioritized? What influenced the development of the mythology? How are genders presented? What is the relationship with the natural world? etc.)

Answer 1

A) 1. The cultural essence is depicted in the myth through the reinforcement of belief in different cultural themes that emerge: belief in God playing a crucial role in victory

2. The poetic feel to the potent language used in the quote to engross the reader and make a powerful impact on their minds.

3. Religious themes, winning of good over evil, and the alliteration given to the words for engaging the readers is depicting the cultural rootedness of the times.

B) Terms that glorify the courage of the monster tend to rationalise his actions including how he intended to cause offence to God himself. That is why rationalizing is something that potently emerges through this theme.

C) A modern theoretical approach like that an etiological perspective would focus on the biological & rather scientific causes of death in this case rather than giving a more mythological & literary to feel to the occurence. This means that it would have been more evidence based and likely to be more convincing to the larger set of audience who question the existence of myths. A cause & effect or scientific approach that lies on biological evidence based on techniques of measurement are likely to be more convincing since they are tangible in nature. Etiology would rather highlight the exact biological causes of death in this case rather than glorifying it as was done through playing with words in this case.

Q2.

A) The cultural perspective is highlighted through the intensity of the belief that despite evil being surfaced everywhere in the scene, it was only the Goodness of Beowulf that could help him live through it to tell the tale for generations to come. The power of goodness and the willingness to survive in order to save the generations to come is something that comes from the culturalbelief systems embedded in these themes.

B) Existence of evil and it's power to influence other beings is being normalised and in some ways rationalised due to the potency of the literature & its profound impact. It is many ways glorified in the myths.

C) The description could have been much different, had a modern theoretical approach been followed for it's explanation ather tan relying on abstract themes. For instance, studying this myth through the lens of Freudian concepts could have given it an entirely different orientation. Frued's belief in the power of unconscious as well as Jung's collective unconscious could have claimed that it is rather the collective belief system that claims the existence of these events & occurences.