October 24th, 2013

10/24/13

In Class:
Journal--  What role has religion played in your life? How do you define your religious beliefs? How did you develop those beliefs?

Reminder about the field trip to All the Great Books (abridged).
 
Reviewed guilt- and shame-based societies.

Reviewed and discussed "The Dream of the Rood": above all else, this poem exemplifies the reconciliation of the Germanic heroic tradition (active) with the burgeoning Christian faith (passive) by portraying Christ as an active, courageous, and heroic figure (like Beowulf) as opposed to strictly a passive, loving, accepting character. "The Dream of the Rood" creates parallels with tree imagery to the Old Testament of the Bible (Tree of Knowledge) and Norse mythology (Tree of Life). Additionally, it creates a chain reaction dynamic of heroic inspiration through the phrase elne mycle.

Discussed concepts and information from this week for quiz on Monday. Be comfortable with the following subjects:
- The various groups responsible for the development of English [Anglos, Saxons, Jutes, Norse (Vikings), Christian missionaries, and Normans]
- Guilt- and shame-based societies
- Norman Conquest
- Europe map
- elegiac and heroic styles
- definition of language
- king-thane (lord-subject) relationship
- "The Wanderer"
- "The Dream of the Rood"

Exit ticket: What year was the Norman Conquest?

Homework:
Read "Bede's Account of the Conversion of King Edwin."
Study for a quiz. 
Catch up on any missing work.