Class Agenda: March 12th

1. Class Agenda: March 12th • Do Now – Beowulf Outline • Beowulf / Epic Conventions Notes • Epic Conventions PowerPoint • Homework: • Epic Conventions PowerPoint due on Thursday, March 15th

2. Beowulf: The Epic & Epic Conventions March 12th, 2012

3. Beowulf Background Information • Epic poem • Epic = about legendary wars & heroes • First work known to be written in the English Language • Old English! • Author is unknown • Created between 700 and 750 A.D. • The version we have today came from a manuscript dated 1000 A.D.

4. Epic - Definition • long narrative poem on a great and serious subject • told in an elevated style • centered on a heroic or almost divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race. • typically composed using historical and legendary materials which had developed in the oral traditions during periods of expansion and warfare

5. Convention • A widely used and accepted technique or practice in literature, film, drama, etc. • Horror movie conventions: • The setting often takes place at night in a place of isolation. • There is often a final survivor who must fight off the killer alone. • The villain or killer has supernatural or superhuman powers. • There will be some sort of chase sequence (in which the victim falls, loses a shoe, or drops his/her keys!) • Violence and gore are part of the action. • Other conventions?

6. Epic Conventions • The hero • figure of great importance, usually the ideal man of his culture • often has superhuman or divine traits • physically strong and greater in all ways than the common man • The setting • grand in scope • covers great geographical distances, including other worlds and times • The action • consists of deeds of bravery or superhuman courage - especially in battle • The Theme • Good vs. evil

7. Epic Conventions • The supernatural • often becomes part of the action • Style of writing • elevated, even ceremonial • Narrative opens in medias res • starts "in the middle of things," usually with the hero at his lowest point • often uses flashbacks • Repetition and stock phrases • poet repeats passages of several lines • poet repeats short phrases to describe people, places, or things • made the poem easier to memorize

8. Epic in Film • Star Wars • Legendary hero > Luke Skywalker • Grand setting > the galaxy • Action > big battles, acts of bravery • Elevated style of writing > Yoda! • Story begins in the middle > (Episode ??) • Repetition > ‘Beware of the dark side’

9. Your Task: Identifying Epic Conventions • Choose a movie that you believe is an epic. Examples: • Braveheart • Gladiator • 300 • Using the Star Wars example as a model, what conventions of the epic do you find present in the movie that you chose? • Create a 4-slide PowerPoint presentation in which you identify three conventions of the epic present in your selected movie. • One title slide • One slide per convention = 3 slides • Name the convention and explain how you believe it is present in the film • On each ‘convention’ slide, include an appropriate graphic • Use no more than 2 fonts • Due Thursday, March 15th. • The Godfather • The Lord of the Rings • Troy