Beowulf begins his quest
I can outline the key events and characters in the first two chapters of ‘Beowulf’ and I can explain the impression given by particular language choices made by the author.
Beowulf begins his quest
I can outline the key events and characters in the first two chapters of ‘Beowulf’ and I can explain the impression given by particular language choices made by the author.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- 'Beowulf' is an epic poem set in Denmark and Sweden during the 500s CE and written in England in around 1000 CE.
- The story follows the heroic deeds of the warrior Beowulf. It was written in Old English by an unknown author.
- In translation, the text still includes archaic language due to its historical context.
- Beowulf, a Geat, volunteers to travel to Denmark to defeat Grendel, a monster who has been terrorising the Danes.
- The author makes specific language choices in order to give us particular impressions of characters and events.
Common misconception
Pupils may find it challenging to understand archaic language.
Use your teacher assessments to inform how you have pupils read; you may wish to have the majority of the class reading in mixed-ability pairs while you read to a small group, having them say the next word when you pause to ensure engagement.
Keywords
Epic poem - a long, narrative poem telling the story of an extraordinary individual
Hero - a protagonist (main character) with noble qualities, often saving or helping others
Archaic language - old-fashioned language that is no longer widely used today
Historical context - the time period in which a text is set
Equipment
You need a copy of the 2013 Oxford Children’s Classics edition of ‘Beowulf’ written by Kevin Crossley-Holland and illustrated by Charles Keeping for this lesson.
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a hero from Geatland
the king of Geatland
the king of Denmark
the monster terrorising Denmark