1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Give some examples from these texts that support your identification (for example: "Voluspa is an example of the _____ genre, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: "Hear my words / you holy gods' (l.1) "By Odin's Will I'll speak the ancient lore" (l.3), etc).
2. What are some possible features of residual (or "secondary") orality preserved in Voluspa, according to the criteria Ong (1982) advances?
3. Identify a central incident that happens in at least four of the above texts, and discuss how it is both similar and different in each example (remember to site from the original texts).
4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
5. Discuss how Tolkien's use of "tradition" (e.g. older literary sources) differs from the techniques and agendas of modernism (see Week 7 in your Reader).
6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
7. How does the film Beowulf and Grendel "problematise" the hero-myth of Beowulf ?
8. Discuss what you think any of these texts desire (in the sense of their intention, how they wish to be received, what pleasures they offer).
6.
ReplyDeleteAt a glance, it doesn't look like Myths are not exist in modern society.
But, myths have used inherent in modern world deeply.
I think old myths are like a bone of human.
Even they have been showing themselves with symbols and literature.
Otherwise, we just have myths without Gods who we could see.
Therefore everyone can accept it and not the God, the human is a main character on modern world. This world is built by human being, not the narrative myths normal people can never approach.
Nice post Elena.
DeleteI like your idea that mythology is easier for most people to relate to than the idea of a supernatural God. The Norse society - in which Beowulf occurs and the Volsunga Saga originated - places a lot of emphasis on heroism, and the concept of an honorable death in battle being rewarded by endless feasting in Valhalla. Beowulf and Sigurd both show this heroism, facing great dragons and slaying them, though succumbing to a deathblow by the same beast, an honorable death.
Because these stories were initially recounted orally, and only later written, young members of the Norse society would have grown up hearing of these feats from elders and hope to be like Beowulf or Sigurd, and because they were human, it seems a more realistic aspiration than say, a child wanting to become a wizard or Jesus, or a princess etc.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks Kyle for giving some good examples to help understanding....:)
DeleteGreat ideas here Elena, but some language problems. Your last two sentences make no sense in English at all – I can only guess there is some deep thought here. You will need help with your English.
ReplyDeleteMyths are not myths if they are believed to be true. For example, some people consider that the Garden of Eden story is a myth, while others, Christians, consider it to be true. Myths reflect our understanding of cosmology.
Interestingly, urban myths disappeared when we started calling them urban myths!
DeleteThanks... and i am studying steady :)
I would like to say that it is quite interesting about correlation between myths and cosmology..
According to HarperCollins (2003) cosmology refers to "the branch of astronomy concerned with the evolution and structure of the universe." (para.2, line.2)
Let me say that there are two kinds of human. It means that the structure of cosmology is man and woman. and all of us wants to improve ourselves on various aspects, it describes the desire for evolution.
For this reason, it is similar to myths of creation. especially the universe creation myths .
References.
Cosmology. (2003). In thefreedictionary, The Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from "http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cosmology".
http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-4_u-138_t-400_c-1405/creation-stories/nsw/creation-stories/the-big-bang-and-our-universe/the-origin-of-the-universe
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/creation_myths.html
Comment One.
ReplyDelete4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
Tolkien was heavily influenced by Nordic mythology. During his education at King Edward's School in Birmingham, the then young Tolkien read and translated from the Old Norse. One of his first Nordic purchases was the Volsunga Saga. Many of the same scenes, characters and symbols from the Volsunga Saga are seen within Tolkien’s novel’s, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
As at student Tolkien read the only available English translation of the Volsunga Saga by William Morris of the Victorian Arts and Crafts Movement. This became the basis for Richard Wagner’s opera series named ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ which featured a magical golden ring similar to the fictional artefact, ‘One Ring’ that appears in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth fantasy novels. “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them” (Tolkien, Lord of the Rings Pg. 64)
Not only did Tolkien use these same central elements of the Volsunga Saga, he also used the same names of the Dwarves as well as Gandalf from a section of Voluspa, the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda, the Dvertagal ("Catalogue of Dwarves") in both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
It is suggested by Christopher Tolkien "those dwarf-names in The Hobbit provided the whole starting-point for the Mannish languages in Middle-earth" The creation of dwarves in Voluspa predates man, which is exactly the formula Tolkien uses for Middle Earth.
Gandalf’s character in particular is influenced by the character Odin in Beowolf. Much like Odin, Gandalf promotes knowledge, truth, insight and justice. Tolkien in a letter of 1946, a year after the character was invented wrote that he thought of Gandalf as an “Odinic wanderer”.
Other themes apparent in The Hobbit are also reflected in Old Norse sources such as the epic poem Beowolf. An example of this is seen in the conversation between Smaug, the dragon and Bilbo Baggins.
Excellent detail here Jordan. Not just the ideas but the evidence.
DeleteComment Two.
ReplyDelete"Well, thief! I smell you and I feel your air. I hear you breath. Come along! Help yourself again, there is plenty and to spare!"
But Bilbo was not quite so unlearned in dragon-lore as all that, and if Smaug hoped to get him to come nearer so easily he was disappointed. "No thank you, O Smaug the Tremendous!" he replied.
"I did not come for presents. I only wished to have a look at you and see if you were truly as great as tales say. I did not believe them."
"Do you now?" said the dragon somewhat flattered, even though he did not believe a word of it.
"Truly songs and tales fall utterly short of the reality, O Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities," replied Bilbo.
"You have nice manners for a thief and a liar," said the dragon.
(J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit, Pg. 216)
The characters Bilbo Baggins and Beowolf are very similar. Although both characters differ in physical size they share similar characteristics and personal journeys. Both have big hearts and are set out on an adventure or quest. Bilbo Baggins, to slay the notorious dragon Samug, Beowolf to slay the beast Grendal. Both characters are successful in their quests, Bilbo aiding the killing of Smaug and Beowolf killing the beast Grendal with both the antagonist sharing the same weakness, which happens to be their hearts. Throughout this defeat it is recognised that both Beowolf and Baggins graduate to the highest level of respect from their peers, becoming the hero’s.
“The monster’s whole body was in pain, a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone-lappings burst. Beowolf was granted the glory of winning; Grendal was driven under the fen-banks, fatally hurt, to his desolate lair.” (Beowolf, 814-820)
These are just a few of the similar instances that Tolkien drew from Old Norse and Old English texts. Tolkien achieved the creation of his own unique worlds by drawing inspiration from these texts.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien's_influences
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bilbo_Baggins
http://www.shmoop.com/beowulf/strength-skill-quotes-2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%B6lsunga_saga
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%B6lusp%C3%A1
Nice Jordan, I like how you compared Gandalf to Odin, the similarities between the two are intriguing
DeleteWhen Gandalf is first introduced in The Hobbit he is described as, "an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots." This is similar to Odin’s guise Grimnir, one he uses quite often to wander Midguard, "an old man with a staff, one-eyed, grey bearded, and wearing a wide brimmed hat, with a blue traveling cloak." This is incredibly similar to the image of Gandalf.
Odin’s role in the Volsunga saga is also similar to Gandalf’s in both the Hobbit and Lord of the rings, where he comes and goes from the story, helping in critical moments and then disappearing. For example, Gandalf arrives to save Bilbo and the Dwarves from being eaten by trolls. In the Volsunga saga, Odin appears and shatters Sigmunds sword at a critical moment, leading to Sigmund’s defeat and death. These but a few examples of the two characters interventions in critical plot elements
Also, during the Fellowship of the Ring Gandalf the Grey essentially sacrifices himself in facing the Balrog and returns in The Two Towers as Gandalf the White, now with greater wisdom and power powerful. Odin does similar, sacrificing an eye at the well of Mimir to gain inner wisdom and later he hangs himself upon the World Tree Yggdrasil for nine days to gain the knowledge and power of the magic Runes.
It is clear that Tolkien based Gandalf in some way Odin, Tolkien himself referring to Gandalf as an “Odinic wanderer,” like you say.
References:
Peach, D. (2008.) Comparisons of Odin and Gandalf in The Hobbit. Retrieved 18 March, 2014 from:
http://voices.yahoo.com/comparisons-odin-gandalf-hobbit-2003279.html.
Well observed, Kyle. All Gandalf lacks is the one eye! Gandalf of course does not have the creative power of Odin, the All Father, nor his Godlike status, although as a 'wizard' he is not entirely human, as wizards seem like a race apart in LOTR
DeleteHi Jordan, I think you made some great points about the influence of 'Beowulf' and the 'Volsunga' saga on Tolkien's 'the hobbit'. As well as the quest to kill the dragon, a very common theme in Norse mythology, there are also similarities in format, style, place names and characters.
ReplyDelete'The hobbit' follows the typical adventure story format, in which the characters set out on a quest for the greater good. In the case of the 'the hobbit' and 'Beowulf' this happens to be slaying the dragon. In 'the story of the Volsungs' it was killing the worm. In 'the hobbit' there are a lot of songs and poems, many of which use the same rhythm as 'Beowulf' and other Anglo-Saxon poems.
The idea of middle earth is derived from the world of Midgard, a mythical world in Norse mythology, and a place where good and evil battled against each other. Valinor and Eldamar are similar to Asgard(the land of gods) and Elfheim(the land of the light elves). Many of the races in 'the hobbit' and'Lord of the rings' feature in Norse mythology, such as dwarves, elves and dragons. However he developed these characters further, for instance creating different races of elves and languages for them.
However I also believe that 'the hobbit' has some unique defining features. For instance, Bilbo Baggins is quite different from your typical mythological protagonist. Unlike Beowulf and Sigurd he relays more on his quick thinking than his physical strength. He is an unlikely hero and isn't described as a warrior or a hero, but as a burglar. Throughout the story we see him grow from a mild-mannered hobbit to an adventurer and eventually, a leader. This self- growth makes Bilbo a more well developed and multi-dimensional hero. Another important feature is Tolkien's use of introspection, letting us know the characters' thoughts and feelings. This wasn't typically seen in Norse mythology and it helps to make Tolkien's characters believable.
References
Glenn, J. (1991). To Translate a Hero: The Hobbit as Beowulf Retold. 17: 13-34.
Tolkien, JRR. (1997;1937). The Hobbit. London:Harper Collins.
Wettstein, M. Norse Elements in the Work of JRR Tolkien. Retrieved from www.academia.edu/228734/Norse_Elements.
Hey Chewchi,
DeleteThanks for the good reply! I agree with you that 'The Hobbit' has some unique features. Before getting to the end of The Lord of the Ring's, not so much The Hobbit, I did not think Bilbo was the best protagonist. However, as you said Tolkien's use of introspection comes in and this made Bilbo a more believable protagonist in my eyes.
I like Chewchi's post too, Jordan. In Bilbo and Frodo we have the very ordinary character who is thrust into an 'adventure' and proves to have extraordinary qualities, not like X men or Superman, but very human qualities like courage, loyalty, intelligence – which is why we admire them so much
Delete8. Discuss what you think any of these texts desire.
ReplyDeleteIn 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien published the book named "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey". But why is hobbit the main character of such a rough and unexpected journey as the name says...?
He is not Herry Poter who has a secret of birth, not Betman who is rich, not X Man or Superman who have supernatural powers, not Iron Man who is long on brains, not Zac Efron who is extremely handsome...He is just a common character 'Hobbit who is really tiny and who does not have any gifts unlike other main characters. '
However his simplicity teaches us lessons and courage when the limited heroes stretch to the limit.
His bravery gives me inspiration whenever i face fears in my daily life.....
As Gandalf said, the power is brought on by gratitude from some little things and their unselfish simple lives with happiness for routine.
Maybe, it is what he was trying to show us by his behavioral changes on this movie ......
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHello.
DeleteI think the protagonist is brought into the story so unexpectedly is to build a relationship with the reader. Being of the "Epic" and fantasy genre, it allows us to appreciate the bravery of the character yet we are still able to use our imagination through the fantasy elements. An Epic is a genre that portrays heroic deeds and adventures.
The hobbit is very similar to "a wizard of Earthsea" where the main character Ged is unexpectedly set on a mission along with the help of his mentor "Ogion".
The fact he has no special powers or skills, would you be more inclined to appreciate his actions in a world with magical creatures and fantasy themed scenes?
There is a mistake... Harry Potter...
DeleteReferences.
Martinez, M. (2011). Why Did J.R.R Tolkien Write The Hobbit?. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2011/09/29/why-did-jrr-tolkien-write-the-hobbit/
Giraud, N . (2009). J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S THE HOBBIT: AN UNLIKELY HERO DRIVEN TO HEROISM. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from http://www.tolkiendil.com/essais/personnages/hero-to-heroism-part1
Hi Lane :)
DeleteAs you have mentioned, ‘A wizard of Earthsea’ is similar to ‘The Hobbit’. They do have something in common. Those works show us that the reason why being oneself is about accepting both light and shadow, it’s about seeing ourselves through adventures and growth of one’s own main character. And yes, in fact I agree with you. Unlike ‘The Hobbit’, the protagonist on ‘A wizard of Earthsea’ has certain magic powers. I also believe that on this work, the magic is not just a tool or method to solve problems, it was also used to transmit some important values to the audience.
(2006, August 2). [황금가지] 세계 3대 판타지 최종편! 어스시 전집. Retrieved from http://cafe.naver.com/minumsa/312
Good Elena. See my comment immediately above
DeleteHey guys!
DeleteI agree 100% with what you both have said about Bilbo baggins in the hobbit not having the typical staunch mainly hero figure. In fact he is an old hobbit who doesn’t get out much. His priorities are different and he loves the quiet and peaceful life. Not once had he left The shire and was happy with that!
"The Baggineses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because they never has any adventures or anything unexpected" (3)
It wasn’t until the time of Bilbo’s calling that his life started to change drastically, Gandalf’s proposition for Bilbo was what made him leave his comfortable lifestyle. It wasn’t easy convincing Bilbo to take the journey of trying to steal the treasure from the evil dragon Smaug with his 13 companions, as he would tell Gandalf to “to go away” (Gaens, 2002) but in the end Gandalf got his way and they were off on their adventure. .
At the end of the resurrection like all novels the hero returns with the elixir and Bilbo has changed and Gandalf can see that. '"My dear Bilbo!' he said. 'Something is the matter with you! You are not the hobbit that you were'" (284). Bilbo is no longer the shy hobbit who had never left The shire, but is now strong and confident thanks to his adventure.
Even though Tolkien had intended to write The Hobbit as a children’s story for his son, it was later reconsidered for a more mature audience due to Bilbo’s one time thieving moment. Despite this being a heroic act to help the dwarves who were in danger it was seen as something children shouldn’t look up to. His development in the story may have some other type of inspiration to its readers. Like you’ve said Lane his normal characteristics allowed us readers to appreciate what he did, coming out of his comfort zone and without the supernatural powers included his bravery made him supernatural in my eyes.
To the readers of today, this could be the inspiration they need in order to come out of their comfort zone. In this day and age people are stuck at the desks or studying full time that they forget to live a little and enjoy life for what it is. We only live once and taking a risk into the unknown doesn't hurt who knows it could change you for the better.
References
Gaens, M. (2002). "Tolkien - The Hobbit - Bilbo´s development and growth of character throughout his adventures in Tolkien´s The Hobbit." 10.3239/9783640053575.
Glenn, Jonathan A. "To Translate a Hero: The Hobbit as Beowulf Retold." PAPA 17 (1991): 13-34
Murdock, M., Vogler, C., & Cather, W. (n.d.). INTRODUCTION. hero's journey. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.htm#Hero
Discuss how Tolkien's use of tradition (older literary sources) differs from the techniques and agendas of modernism?
ReplyDeleteJRR Tolkien gained inspiration from many older literary sources, including mythology, fairy tales, the bible and William Shakespeare's work. A major source of inspiration was The Edda, two 13th century Icelandic texts, made up of Norse mythology. Tolkien was upset at the lack of modern English myths so decided to write his own, "the hobbit".
In the early 1900s, the time Tolkien was writing, modernism was in full swing. The modernist movement was all about breaking down the boundaries of 19th century literature. Modernists believed every possible idea had already been written about, therefore they were more focused on revamping language and stylistic techniques, than on creating characters and story lines. The orderly structure of early literature was abandoned in favour of chaos and confusion. Writers such as Virginia Woolf and James Joyce were popular.
"The hobbit" followed the traditional adventure-story template! Often described as Vogler's mythic structure. It contains commonly seen character archetypes, such as the 'hero'(Bilbo), the mentor(Gandalf) and the shadow/villain(Smaug). Tolkien's use of language and characters was similar to those of old Nordic legends. There is also a strong sense of morality in "the hobbit." For example, bilbo has a good set of morals and is brave and loyal. He also experiences a lot of good luck throughout the story, always getting out of sticky situations. The characters who are seen to 'evil' or morally lacking (trolls,goblins) are all physically unattractive whereas the elves are beautiful. Also there are no goblins who are portrayed as being 'good', they are all purely bad, while the elves are all intelligent and noble. There are not many morally ambiguous characters. This was in contrast to the modernists who rejected moral and religious values, believing they hindered social progress.
Because of this Tolkien received criticism for "the hobbit" and some regarded it as low literature, a fairy tale for children. Critics believed his work wasn't innovative enough and was too simplistic. The hobbit received immediate success and was popular with people from all backgrounds, unlike a lot of literature at the time which was marketed at academics.
Although many of the themes and ideas in Tolkien's novels had been seen before his characters were original and likeable. Ironically, he actually exhibited a lot of the qualities of modernism. He invented a whole new language, Elvish, therefore breaking down the restrictions of traditional language. He also wrote stories which were accessible to the masses, not only to the upper classes, which was what the modernists were initially concerned with.
References:
Modernism. Retrieved from http://faculty.univ.edu/kirschen/handouts/modernism.
Shippey, T. (2000). JRR Tolkien: Author of the Century. London: HarperCollins, 305-318.
Hello, Michaela I totally agree with you that Tolkien represents modern society in characters. We can see the variety of species in The Lord of Rings. Through various species, he is trying to show us duplicity of racial discrimination. The race of him refers to more than just imaginative creature. I the species represent the social class. Because every race has specific class structure. Beautiful Elves are at the top and ugly Orcs are at the bottom. In this case we can see the differences between them. Elves with warm heart have white skin tone differently from the Orcs who have an evil mind symbolized by their feature and black skin tone. In my opinion, his work reflects the modern society’s common believes along with white race supremacy In the world that Tolkien created, elves, dwarfs and human are gathering for a same i am against enmity. Furthermore, by gathering strengths they fight racism with their senses. Tolkien wishes that people who have different culture and language, could live in harmony and respect in modern society...
DeleteHi guys, sorry for the long post. I had trouble with "The story of the Volsungs" but have covered the other texts.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1. PART 1
What genres do the following belong to?
Voluspa (The song of the Vulva): Epic?
Volsunga Saga: Epic
Beowulf: Epic Poem.
The Hobbit: Fiction, Fantasy, and Epic.
Lord of the Rings: High Fantasy, Adventure Fiction and Speculative Fiction. To what extent do you guys agree or disagree?
Examples from the text to support my identification.
Voluspa
In the song of the Volva, it sounds like the story being told encompasses a long period of time. The first stanza says “I’ll speak the ancient Lore, the oldest of all I remember”. I believe this song can be categorized as an Epic as the story covers an extended period of time and describes heroic deeds and adventures. The way the narrator speaks, suggests to us (the reader) that they are elder. The song of the Volva gives me an idea of how once this world began and how it has developed to what it becomes toward the end of the story. Also known as the song of the Sibyl, it refers to a female prophetess who is thought to have had powers in Ancient Greece.
“I remember giants of ages past”
“Nothing was there when time began”
“Earth was not yet, nor the high heavens”
Are the two references for the two trees Ash and Embla symbolically meant to represent Adam and Eve?
“The son of Earth and the son of Odin go fourth to fight the snake”
as mentioned by Paul in the lecture, Voluspa is a narrative and a mythological poem that concerns exploits of Gods. Not typically based around the actions and adventures of a hero.
DeleteExcuse my interpretation of it as an Epic.
Voluspa Quotes-
DeleteVöluspá, from
Terry, P. (Trans).
(1990, 1966). Poems
of the Elder Edda.
Philadelphia:
University of
Pennsylvania Press
Question 1. PART 2
ReplyDeleteThe Hobbit
I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to have a small acting role on the Hobbit working as a full time extra over a period of six months. During this period, I worked with directors and got a really interesting insight to the storyline that most people wouldn’t get to experience. I was one of the Elvan leaders and acted in the scenes outlined in the extract for this paper. After the Dragon had damaged the city and had been killed by Bards black arrow, we were begged for help as the town was in need of a rebuild. After the towns cry for help, we acted and began to give aid where possible.
The Hobbit can be defined as Fiction, Fantasy and an Epic.
As much as Bilbo is the protagonist and the centre focus in the book, in the extract we are reading it is Bard who is the main character. Much like Bilbo, he is an ordinary man whose day-to-day job is a fisherman. He had often prophesised about floods and other things and because of this, his peers accused him many times.
“Still company among him, those that had accused him of prophesying floods and poisoned fish”
“No one had dared to give battle to him (the dragon) for many an age, nor would they have dared now, had it not been for the grim voiced man (bard)”.

Bard took it upon himself to stand up for the town and challenge the dragon. This is significant in an Epic as it highlights his immense bravery and heroic deeds.
“Cheering on the archers & urging the master to fight till the last arrow”
Bard is approached by a dark character that I believe to be a bird type figure as the narrator portrays its action as one of a bird like creature. It gives Bard advice, and though we don’t know what it is, it could be a representation for a non-real thing (an element of fantasy).
“Wait, wait- the moon is rising- look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies and turns above you”.
Bards actions during the battle make him an admirable man in the small town. Great courage he had showed forced the locals to shout “King Bard, King Bard!
A story of a man who after great heroic actions, was looked upon as a King.
Beowulf
Beowulf is considered an Epic poem. It is one of the most valued pieces of writing from the Anglo- Saxon literature as it is the oldest epic poem that is still intact. It is considered an Epic Poem due to its repetitive use of Alliterative language. Yet it is hard for us to understand as a result of it being written in old English. As I described earlier, an Epic portrays heroic deeds and covers a long period of time.
Beowulf is our protagonist. He is a hero, a triumphant character especially after he defeats the evil demon (Grendel). Beowulf receives a “call to action” when he hears news of his home being burnt.
Example- “Then Beowulf was given bad news, the hard truth. His own home, the best of buildings, had been burnt to a cinder”
Beowulf accepts the “call to action” and acts accordingly. Beowulf is a hero and one that I began to appreciate more and more as the story graduated. The last quote of the story solidifies his character as a noble hero.
“I would rather not
use a weapon if I knew another way
to grapple with the dragon and make good my boast as I did against Grendel in days gone by.... “
One thing I found interesting about the story of Beowulf was its similarity of particular scenes with Tolkien’s “Hobbit”. The Dragon disturbed by the thief who obtains the “gem studded goblet” scorches his home ground in search for the missing treasure. Angered by the act of arrogance the dragon sets out to burn the thief and all homelands to the ground if that’s what it takes. Much like in The Hobbit, this similar situation is the what the storyline and plot is based on which is Bilbo and his comrades on the quest to retrieve a sought after treasured item.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluspa http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-h/16328-h.htm

Hey lane, Cool post :) and I'm so jealous you got to be an extra in the hobbit! I love those movies.
DeleteI agree with you that the hobbit is both an epic and a fantasy, more specifically high fantasy, as it takes place in a supernatural world with its own complex creatures and languages.
According to 'thescriptlab' a fantasy story includes "imaginative and fantastic themes" and usually incorporates "magic, supernatural events and/or fantasy worlds". The hobbit has all these features.
Epic stories usually centre around a hero who completes feats of extraordinary strength and bravery. These characters were often gods, or had help from the gods. Bilbo and bard are both heroes who display extreme bravery, although they are not depicted as 'godly figures'.
Epics take place over vast settings, involve supernatural forces, and are usually written in a very stylicised fashion with lots of poetry and songs. The hobbit and Beowulf both share all these features.
However, I think 'Beowulf' could also be considered a fantasy. Although it isn't set in a fantastical magic world it does contain elements of the supernatural, such as the dragon Beowulf is about to slay. I think it could be classed as low fantasy as well as an epic.
References
Fantasy. (2013). Retrieved from thescriptlab.com
Drake, T. (n.d). Six elements of the epic. Retrieved from
www.webpages.uidaho.edu/engl257/General%20lit/six_elements_of_the_epic.htm.
Thanks for your response.
DeleteYeah now that i think about it, i agree with you considering Beowulf as low fantasy. The setting of Beowulf is based on a real world but the conflict and battle between him and the beast suggests low fantasy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_fantasy
In that link, it talks about how low fantasy infringes on the real world in either a humorous or horrific way. The horrific battle between that of the dragon and beowulf highlights the aspect of "supernatural onslaught against reason which disrupts the ontological security of the world order"
Seeing Beowulf as Fantasy is tempting, I admit, but it misses the vital differences between fantasy and myth. It reads like Fantasy to us because fantasy uses mythological elements.
DeleteHobbit Quotes-
DeleteTolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937).
The Hobbit, London:
HarperCollins
Beowulf Quotes-
Glenn, Jonathan A. (1991).
"To Translate a Hero: The
Hobbit as Beowulf Retold."
PAPA 17: 13-34
How does the film Beowulf and Grendel "problematise" the hero-myth of Beowulf?
ReplyDeleteThe film Beowulf and Grendel (2005) problematises the traditional story of Beowulf heroically questing to kill the beast Grendel by giving greater insight into Grendel’s character than the Epic and demystifying the ‘heroics’ that go on it the story.
The film starts with Grendel’s father fleeing from a Danish horde, clutching the child Grendel in his arms. When the Danes catch the giant and kill him in front of his son, they laugh and celebrate. Already, there is a shift in perspective from the original Beowulf, with Grendel being shown to be a hapless victim of the brutality of man, rather than the woeful monster he is described as in Beowulf.
There are man other examples that hint that Grendel may no be the great foe he’s been made out to be by Hrothgar. When the witch sates to Beowulf that Grendel means “Grinder,” Beowulf incorrectly assumes this to mean, “Grinder of bones.” What it actually refers to is grinder of teeth, as Grendel suffers from terrible nightmares. The witch also reveals Grendel has a son, born of her due to a confused sexual encounter. However, once Grendel rapes the woman, he stays to protect her from the Danes who would “cut her throat.” Is this Grendel’s confused way of forming a relationship with a woman?
The pivotal moment that sends Grendel into his stereotypical rage is when one of Beowulf’s followers destroys the skull of Grendel’s father; Grendel grieves, breaking into an anguished sob, as his connection with his ancestors is broken. Only then is he spurred to attack Beowulf and his men, inferring, as from the start that the Danes are the beasts and initiators of the conflict.
Because of the insight Beowulf gains about Grendel’s character, that he has a son, the concept of the heroic warrior facing a terrible monster becomes somewhat muddied. When Beowulf asks Hrothgar how the conflict with Grendel originated he states the Grendel’s father, “Crossed our path. Took a fish.” The motive for killing the beast is more
In the original, Beowulf uses the strength of his bare hands to tear Grendel’s arm off during their fight. In the film however Grendel becomes stuck on a rope and cuts his own arm off to get free, succumbing to his wounds. Grendel suffers an unceremonious death and Beowulf a conclusion that is far from a typical heroic tale, thus alleviating some of the grandeur from the original tale, replaced with gritty reality. Instead of killing Grendel, Beowulf gains a respect for him; eventually coming to a somber realisation the he in fact, (and his people) is/are the monsters.
First comment.
ReplyDelete6) What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
In my opinion, old myths have always been part of the modern world, it’s something that has never left actually. For example, Thor or The Lord of the Rings and even Beowulf being remade shows that if the myths had not existed the movies or literature could not have existed too. The myths being studied in this paper were the groundwork that allowed the creators of the stories that are so famous today to imagine and have a back story for their work. From every imagination comes a story that inspired a child to write something based on legends of the past. The mermaid of Zennor (Little Mermaid), Robin Hood, King Arthur and The sword in the stone to name a few. You could say Old myths or legends are our key to understanding beliefs and customs of the ancient times or culture from all around the world. Many countries and cultures have all sorts of myths, in which some cultures believe it is their founding document. It shows their origin of roots as well as showing the early history of people involving supernatural beings or events. Although with Old myths were passed from generation to generation through story telling we are fortunate enough that in this Modern world writing can store that information for us.
Q2. What are some possible features of residual (or secondary) orality preserved in Voluspa, according to the criteria Ong (1982) advances?
ReplyDeleteVoluspa was originally spread across from tribe to tribe through verbal story telling which can be seen as its primary orality until the Roman Christians bought writing to the countries which allowed this myth to be preserved and become a feature of secondary orality. According to Ong's criteria, the written word acts as a physical symbol of what was once pure and completely untouched by any knowledge of writing.
From this viewpoint, it is quite possible to see the remaining features that have been translated into the Voluspa extracts. For example in the first stanza, the lines 'Hear my words, you holy gods' and 'by Odin's will, I'll speak the ancient lore' indicate that this poem was originally a verbal performance (poem) before it was translated into secondary orality. Another example is seen again in the first stanza it engages observers with “Hear my words, you holy gods, great men and humble sons of Heimdall” here Odin is inviting God, men and sons to listen to what he has to say.
More forms of secondary orality appears in the 6th and 8th stanza of extract 1.b with the lines 'Then the holy gods met to give judgement ... ordered time by years' and 'Odin gave life's breath, Hoenir gave mind ...' The mention of 'gods' and a breath of life refer to the writer's knowledge of Christianity and the story of creation. A reference to 'demons' and 'men find their way to hell' suggests an understanding of Christianity and or the bible.
REFERENCE:
Ong, W.J. (1982). Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. Routledge
Great comments here everybody. Excellent comments, Luseane – great use of Ong.
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