Beowulf Menu of Options….

or, a Feast for Grades

You must complete 150 points of options (50 of them must be with a Boast). Projects are due
on Monday!

1. Beowulf-style Boast (Required) (50 points)

We have read of the many exploits of Beowulf and the many brave thanes among the Danes,
Geats, and Swedes. We know, too, that the Anglo-Saxons saw nothing wrong with letting the
world know who they were, who their noble parents were, what great feats they had
accomplished and what they planned to do. This boasting was perfectly polite, even expected.
In Beowulf, see lines 250-285, 407-426, 632-638, and 2510-2515 for examples of the formal
Anglo-Saxon boast.

Your assignment is to write a formal boast about yourself and perform it for the class. Tell us
your deeds, who your daddy/mama are, what you plan to do, and how you're not gonna take
nothing from nobody. Your accomplishments may be academic, athletic, musical, social, artistic,
etc. Lay aside your humility! Remember, you'll soon be applying for college anyway, and may
need to do a bit of boasting.

Guidelines:

Your boast must show your understanding of Anglo-Saxon poetry by following the Anglo-Saxon
poetic format:

Four hard beats per line,

No end-rhyme
A caesura in each mid-line
Heavy alliteration in each line

Further, include at least two examples of an original kenning.

Length: 10-20 lines

(Originally developed by Peter Bobbe).

 2. Ango-Saxon Food (100 points)

Research and make, to serve our class, a recipe from the Anglo-Saxon feast. You may need to
complete some research and some experimentation to redact a recipe.
http://www.godecookery.com/godeboke/wallfame/wallfame.htm is a great resource for medieval
recipes. Prepare a brief (1 – 3 paragraph) reflection of the research and creation process.

3. Film proposal – 1 – 2 pp (100 points).

A trend in film today is to modernize old stories. (Example: the movie O is a modernization of
Shakespeare's play Othello portraying the Othello character as the school's black star
basketball player, dating a white girl. The Iago character, the coach's son, is jealous and seeks
to destroy the Othello character). How would you envision a modern-day or futuristic Beowulf?
Think about what modern-day or futuristic counterparts each major character might have and
what roles they would play. Sketch out a storyboard or write a proposal for the movie. Think
about what costumes, sets, and special effects might be needed. Write a treatment proposal or
film/video tape part of the movie.

4. Beowulf Scrapbook (50 points)

Compile a scrapbook based on Beowulf. Write captions explaining each item included, which
should be items that the characters might have saved or which somehow identify the
characters. Suggested items include pictures, personal articles, and other physical objects. A
twist on this idea is to create a Beowulf time capsule.

5. Thematic Images/Quotes – Poster (50 points)

Create a collage of images and/or quotations from Beowulf that somehow demonstrate the
book's theme or message. Include an explanation for each image and/or quotation that appears
on the collage. Tell why it was included and its significance to the book.

6. Dramatic Interpretation (100 points)

Interpret a scene from Beowulf, dressing as the characters and performing the scene for the
class. Some suggested scenes include Grendel's first attack (27-29), the battle between
Beowulf and Grendel (46-48), the attack of Grendel's mother (63-64), Beowulf's battle with
Grendel's mother (70-71), the battle with the dragon (102-109), or Beowulf's funeral (119-120).

7. Found Poem (50 points)

Create a found poem from words that appear in the text. The poem should somehow
demonstrate a theme from Beowulf. Remember to cite the original lines.

8. Scene Poster (50 points)

Choose a specific scene from Beowulf to illustrate, paying particular attention to specific details
given in your selected passage. Include the passage on your poster.

9. Original Episode (100 points)

Write an original episode for Beowulf. Create some new foe for him to fight. Try to follow the
Anglo-Saxon style.

10. Movie Poster (50 points)

Design a poster to advertise a movie based on Beowulf. Be sure to include everything normally
found on a movie poster.

11. Children’s Story (100 points)

Retell the events in Beowulf as a children's story, including illustrations and binding the finished
project in booklet form. Be especially careful about word choice. Ensure to properly deliver the
message about how to be a good Anglo-Saxon person.