Beowulf end
writing assessment -- Please complete well-developed responses to both prompts below. Both responses should be handwritten and submitted in class to the inbox.
You may use any notes from this unit to craft your responses. In class, students also had access to textbook.
You may use this online version of the text, which is pretty close to what we read in class. This will allow you to include direct line references for the second essay prompt.
Prompt 1: Epic
poetry usually embodies the attitudes and ideals of an entire culture, which is
why it survives and thrives over time.
What values of Anglo-Saxon society does Beowulf reveal or reinforce?
How do you see this value emphasized and developed throughout the epic?
Prompt 2: Choose one of the three main battles and defend
its significance in the epic. Discuss
what makes it an important battle for Beowulf, and the way that the battle
shaped the character and the epic itself.
In your argument, please include at least 3 direct references to specific
lines that support your position. For example, you might say, “Beowulf’s
reputation as a warrior is exemplified in lines 116-119, where the wise elders of his
homeland urge him to go and represent their country in this battle with Grendel.”
