Jake Wythers
Ms Peifer
10 IB Hour 5
12/13/08
Beowulf Commentary
“But the earl-troop’s leader was not inclined
to allow his caller to depart alive:
he did not consider that life of much account
to anyone anywhere. Time and again,
Beowulf’s warriors worked to defend
Their lord’s life, laying about them
As best they could with their ancestral blades.
Stalwart in action, they kept striking out
On every side, seeking to cut
straight to the soul. When they joined the struggle
there was something they could not have known at the
time,
that no blade on earth, no blacksmith’s art
could ever damage their demon opponent.
He had conjured the harm from the cutting edge
of ever weapon. But his going away
out of this world and the days of his life
would be agony to him, and his alien spirit
would travel far into the fiends’ keeping."
This section of Beowulf is important because it characterizes Grendel as a nearly unstoppable foe, a monster who can’t be defeated by ordinary people. In turn, this makes Beowulf and his feat of slaying Grendel more extraordinary. Another interesting thing about this passage is that right after describing the power of Grendel, his inevitable spiritual doom is also foretold.
“No blade on earth, no blacksmith’s weapon could ever damage their demon opponent.” (Heaney 795) This sentence is critical in the passage and in the whole book because it tells the audience that no weapon could harm Grendel. This would make killing him a daunting task, because all the society knew to fight with were blacksmith’s weapons. By defeated such a foe with his bare hands, Beowulf becomes even more legendary and heroic.
This passage, like much of Beowulf, makes use of alliteration in nearly every line. The repeat of consonants calls attention to certain words, especially when read aloud. “Stalwart in action, they kept striking out on every side, seeking to cut straight to the soul.” (780)This sentence in particular has a lot of alliteration. The reader tends to focus more on the S words in the passage, and as such a clearer picture is formed in the reader’s head of the image being described.
Another important literary device in these lines is the usage of kennings. By replacing a common word with a combination of more interesting words, description of objects becomes much more interesting and powerful. For example, “ancestral blades” (796) used in place of “swords”, is a more captivating illustration. A reader becomes more absorbed into the text if there is engaging vocabulary such as this.
This passage was very powerful because of the damnation of the demon’s soul. It is very fascinating to read of the near invincibility of a creature in one line and then to read that he is doomed to suffer eternally in the next. This passage thus provided an engaging contrast between the two main parts of Grendel’s character.
Works Cited
Heaney, Seamus. "Beowulf Fights Grendel" Beowulf. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Beowulf LRJ 3
Jake Wythers
Ms. Peifer
10 IB Hour 5
12/9/08
Beowulf LRJ 3
In this section of Beowulf, "The Battle With the Fire Breathing Dragon", the most important value is pride. Beowulf, the greatest hero, maintains his strong pride even in his old age. "Yet the Prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky-plague" (Heaney 2430) Beowulf made an important decision to face the dragon himself. He saw it as a challenge for himself alone and was proud to face it without any assistance. Beowulf was also too proud to avoid facing the dragon, even if it meant certain death. "I shall win the gold by my courage, or else mortal combat, doom of battle, will bear your lord away." He went in to the fight knowing death was likely, but fought the dragon anyways.
In this final section of Beowulf, the reader sees a much weaker side of the hero. Beowulf is no longer the almost invincible figure read about in the first two sections who fights monsters with his bare hands and swims underwater for a day. "I would rather not/ use a weapon if I knew another way/ to grapple with the dragon... But I shall be meeting molten venom/ in the fire he breathes so I go forth/ in mail-shirt and shield" (2518-2524) Before now, Beowulf did not give any thought to his own safety when going up against foes. This shows that he is more worried about vulnerable and mortal as opposed to the impregnable warrior he was before.
One important reason that Beowulf's death was honorable was that, as a king, it was his job to protect his people. He died while destroying the greatest threat to his kingdom there was. Beowulf knew he was going to die soon as he was old so he went out to take something down with him. Another reason his death was honorable was how stoicly Beowulf accepted the end of his life. "...he still spoke/ for he well knew his days in the world/ had been lived out to the end: his allotted time/ was drawing to a close, death was very near" (2725-2728) It is very wise to be content with your given lifetime, and Beowulf showed that wisdom.
Works Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Ms. Peifer
10 IB Hour 5
12/9/08
Beowulf LRJ 3
In this section of Beowulf, "The Battle With the Fire Breathing Dragon", the most important value is pride. Beowulf, the greatest hero, maintains his strong pride even in his old age. "Yet the Prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky-plague" (Heaney 2430) Beowulf made an important decision to face the dragon himself. He saw it as a challenge for himself alone and was proud to face it without any assistance. Beowulf was also too proud to avoid facing the dragon, even if it meant certain death. "I shall win the gold by my courage, or else mortal combat, doom of battle, will bear your lord away." He went in to the fight knowing death was likely, but fought the dragon anyways.
In this final section of Beowulf, the reader sees a much weaker side of the hero. Beowulf is no longer the almost invincible figure read about in the first two sections who fights monsters with his bare hands and swims underwater for a day. "I would rather not/ use a weapon if I knew another way/ to grapple with the dragon... But I shall be meeting molten venom/ in the fire he breathes so I go forth/ in mail-shirt and shield" (2518-2524) Before now, Beowulf did not give any thought to his own safety when going up against foes. This shows that he is more worried about vulnerable and mortal as opposed to the impregnable warrior he was before.
One important reason that Beowulf's death was honorable was that, as a king, it was his job to protect his people. He died while destroying the greatest threat to his kingdom there was. Beowulf knew he was going to die soon as he was old so he went out to take something down with him. Another reason his death was honorable was how stoicly Beowulf accepted the end of his life. "...he still spoke/ for he well knew his days in the world/ had been lived out to the end: his allotted time/ was drawing to a close, death was very near" (2725-2728) It is very wise to be content with your given lifetime, and Beowulf showed that wisdom.
Works Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Beowulf LRJ 2
Jake Wythers
Ms Peifer
10 IB Hour 5
12/9/08
Beowulf LRJ 2
1) One value that became very apparent is the importance these people place on boasting and pride. "This formal boast by Beowulf the Geat pleased the lady well" (Heaney 439) This was the lady of the hall's response to Beowulf's boast of slaying Grendel that would seem too prideful today. This shows that the culture valued strength enough that bragging to show pride and confidence was acceptable.
Another important value in this society is bravery. "Beowulf arrayed himself in armor, not at all worrying about his life" (682) Bravery is extremely valuable in a leader such as Beowulf because it inspires respect for allies and fear into enemies. The leader of the Geats is an exemplary hero because he thinks nothing of the danger to himself but would throw himself against any foes to save his people.
2) In "The Battle with Grendel" Beowulf's strength is an unrealistic quality. Beowulf was powerful enough to rip the arm off a fiersome beast like Grendel. "The monster's whole body was in pain, a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone-lappings burst." (816) No one could possibly be strong enough to rip apart the very tendons of a monsters arm. This exaggeration elevates Beowulf's power to make him even more of a hero. The listeners to the story would hold Beowulf to be an icon of strength for their society.
3) My favorite quote in "The Battle with Grendel's Mother" is "The hero observed that swamp-thing from hell, that tarn-hag in all her terrible strength." These colorful descriptors really added a great image for Grendel's mother. They still allow the reader room to picture the monster as they imagine her, however.
Another great quote is "Suddenly the god-cursed brute was creating havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men from their resting places and rushed to his lair." This description of Grendel's first attack on the hall is the first time he the reader gets a picture of Grendel. It's very exciting to think of a monster being able to grab 30 people at once to take them away.
Works Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Ms Peifer
10 IB Hour 5
12/9/08
Beowulf LRJ 2
1) One value that became very apparent is the importance these people place on boasting and pride. "This formal boast by Beowulf the Geat pleased the lady well" (Heaney 439) This was the lady of the hall's response to Beowulf's boast of slaying Grendel that would seem too prideful today. This shows that the culture valued strength enough that bragging to show pride and confidence was acceptable.
Another important value in this society is bravery. "Beowulf arrayed himself in armor, not at all worrying about his life" (682) Bravery is extremely valuable in a leader such as Beowulf because it inspires respect for allies and fear into enemies. The leader of the Geats is an exemplary hero because he thinks nothing of the danger to himself but would throw himself against any foes to save his people.
2) In "The Battle with Grendel" Beowulf's strength is an unrealistic quality. Beowulf was powerful enough to rip the arm off a fiersome beast like Grendel. "The monster's whole body was in pain, a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone-lappings burst." (816) No one could possibly be strong enough to rip apart the very tendons of a monsters arm. This exaggeration elevates Beowulf's power to make him even more of a hero. The listeners to the story would hold Beowulf to be an icon of strength for their society.
3) My favorite quote in "The Battle with Grendel's Mother" is "The hero observed that swamp-thing from hell, that tarn-hag in all her terrible strength." These colorful descriptors really added a great image for Grendel's mother. They still allow the reader room to picture the monster as they imagine her, however.
Another great quote is "Suddenly the god-cursed brute was creating havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men from their resting places and rushed to his lair." This description of Grendel's first attack on the hall is the first time he the reader gets a picture of Grendel. It's very exciting to think of a monster being able to grab 30 people at once to take them away.
Works Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Antigone Defense Paper
Jake Wythers
Ms. Peifer
10 IB 5th Hour
11/26/2008
Antigone Defense Paper
Ladies and gentlemen of the court, today I am here to defend my client Antigone. She has been charged with treason on the grounds that by attempting to give her brother his deserved burial rites, she disobeyed a direct order from her uncle King Creon. She did disobey an order, but her actions were just. Every Greek deserves a burial so that he may have a peaceful afterlife. In addition, there is startling evidence that King Creon has an unhealthy obsession with power, and was not fit to make the law in the first place.
Greeks owe their allegiance first and foremost to the Gods above, and must honor their code. "But if thou wilt, be guilty of dishonouring laws which the gods have stablished in honour." (Fitzgerald 820) Antigone raises this point when asking her sister Ismene for aid. By refusing Polyneices his needed burial rites, Creon broke an important law of Olympus and condemned Polyneices' soul eternal unrest. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the true crime. Antigone should be praised, not persecuted, for her attempt to honor the Gods' laws against all odds.
King Creon believed that because Polyneices was an enemy of Thebes, he did not deserve a burial. However, who are we as mortals to deem who may be buried or not? The code of the Gods runs far above those of our own. And as Antigone said, "His own brother (Eteocles), traitor or not, and equal in blood" (824) Polyneices was still a member of the royal family. It was a harsh decision indeed to doom the soul of your own kin to wander the earth forever without rest. Antigone was again in the right by honoring her family.
Was King Creon even thinking logically when he forbade the burial of his own nephew? Is it really sane to show such disrespect, even to an adversary? "An enemy is an enemy, even dead"(824). In this statement, Creon shows that he is unable to let go of grudges and move on. He spited his nephew in death by decreeing that he was unworthy of burial rites. His anger was taken out on his neice Antigone when he sentenced her to death by stoning. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, Creon is not only wrong in sentencing Antigone, he may not be a fit ruler for the great state of Thebes.
Your honor, esteemed members of the court, as you can see my client Antigone is in no way deserving of her death sentence. Her actions to bury Polyneices were both honorable and just, worthy of praise, not punishment. The accuser King Creon is a spiteful man, and was wrong in his sentencing of Antigone. In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, Antigone deserves to go free.
Works Cited
Sophocles. "Antigone." The Internet Classics Archive. Trans. R.C. Jeblo. 04 Oct 2000. Classics.mit.edu. 26 Nov 2008.
Ms. Peifer
10 IB 5th Hour
11/26/2008
Antigone Defense Paper
Ladies and gentlemen of the court, today I am here to defend my client Antigone. She has been charged with treason on the grounds that by attempting to give her brother his deserved burial rites, she disobeyed a direct order from her uncle King Creon. She did disobey an order, but her actions were just. Every Greek deserves a burial so that he may have a peaceful afterlife. In addition, there is startling evidence that King Creon has an unhealthy obsession with power, and was not fit to make the law in the first place.
Greeks owe their allegiance first and foremost to the Gods above, and must honor their code. "But if thou wilt, be guilty of dishonouring laws which the gods have stablished in honour." (Fitzgerald 820) Antigone raises this point when asking her sister Ismene for aid. By refusing Polyneices his needed burial rites, Creon broke an important law of Olympus and condemned Polyneices' soul eternal unrest. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the true crime. Antigone should be praised, not persecuted, for her attempt to honor the Gods' laws against all odds.
King Creon believed that because Polyneices was an enemy of Thebes, he did not deserve a burial. However, who are we as mortals to deem who may be buried or not? The code of the Gods runs far above those of our own. And as Antigone said, "His own brother (Eteocles), traitor or not, and equal in blood" (824) Polyneices was still a member of the royal family. It was a harsh decision indeed to doom the soul of your own kin to wander the earth forever without rest. Antigone was again in the right by honoring her family.
Was King Creon even thinking logically when he forbade the burial of his own nephew? Is it really sane to show such disrespect, even to an adversary? "An enemy is an enemy, even dead"(824). In this statement, Creon shows that he is unable to let go of grudges and move on. He spited his nephew in death by decreeing that he was unworthy of burial rites. His anger was taken out on his neice Antigone when he sentenced her to death by stoning. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, Creon is not only wrong in sentencing Antigone, he may not be a fit ruler for the great state of Thebes.
Your honor, esteemed members of the court, as you can see my client Antigone is in no way deserving of her death sentence. Her actions to bury Polyneices were both honorable and just, worthy of praise, not punishment. The accuser King Creon is a spiteful man, and was wrong in his sentencing of Antigone. In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, Antigone deserves to go free.
Works Cited
Sophocles. "Antigone." The Internet Classics Archive. Trans. R.C. Jeblo. 04 Oct 2000. Classics.mit.edu. 26 Nov 2008.
Antigone LRJ
Jake Wythers
Ms. Peifer
10 IB Hour Five
11/26/2008
Antigone LRJ 2
1. "But his body must lie in the fields, a sweet treasure for the carrion birds to find as they search for food" (Sophocles 816) I think this is the most important image in the entire play. This is Antigone imagining the body of her beloved brother Polyneices, left out like meat scraps for the vultures to scrounge. The reason this image is so important is because it is what carries Antigone through the whole play and all her hardships. The image of her brother rotting away un buried was powerful enough to inspire Antigone to defy her uncle King Creon and risk death by stoning.
2. King Creon's fatal flaw is obviously his stubbornness. This is what kept him from seeing the truth, and this is what brought his whole family crashing down around his ears, left alone in his world. "No doubt. Speak; Whatever you say, you will not change my will" (837) Creon says this to the prophet Teiresias because he is too stubborn to view his predictions, because they aren't what Creon wants to hear.
3.King Creon goes through anagnorisis in the story when he realizes that everything has actually been his fault. "Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust." (842) Here he sees that all his family has killed themselves and he is left with nothing, all thanks to his pride and stubbornness.
4. This is also the plays moment of peripeteia. As in al the greatest Greek tragedies, it occurs at the same time as anagnorisis. Creon's fortune is reversed when he sees that everyone around him that he cared for is gone, and it was all his fault.
5. When I read the story, I understood the catharsis at this moment in the play as well. When Creon turned from the tyrant to the foolish old man with no family, it is much easier to feel pity for him. "I alone am guilty."(841) This is the exact point when i felt catharsis, because I saw that Creon had realized his mistake.
6. There are two vastly different characterizations of women in this story. On one hand you have the strong willed, defiant Antigone, who goes against her uncle's wishes and the law to do what she knows is right. "Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way." (816) This shows that there must have been women that the ancient Greeks admired for their strength of character. On the other hand, Antigone's sister Ismene is a much more meek, unsure of herself, and unwilling to act on her beliefs. "I do them no dishonour; but to defy the State,-I have no strength for that." This summarizes Ismene's character in the play as a woman who is in a much more subservient role.
Works Cited
Sophocles. "Antigone." Literature Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: World Literature. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall 2001. 814-826.
Sophocles. "Antigone." The Internet Classics Archive. Trans. R.C. Jebb. 04October 2000. Classics.mit.edu. 24 November 2008 .
Ms. Peifer
10 IB Hour Five
11/26/2008
Antigone LRJ 2
1. "But his body must lie in the fields, a sweet treasure for the carrion birds to find as they search for food" (Sophocles 816) I think this is the most important image in the entire play. This is Antigone imagining the body of her beloved brother Polyneices, left out like meat scraps for the vultures to scrounge. The reason this image is so important is because it is what carries Antigone through the whole play and all her hardships. The image of her brother rotting away un buried was powerful enough to inspire Antigone to defy her uncle King Creon and risk death by stoning.
2. King Creon's fatal flaw is obviously his stubbornness. This is what kept him from seeing the truth, and this is what brought his whole family crashing down around his ears, left alone in his world. "No doubt. Speak; Whatever you say, you will not change my will" (837) Creon says this to the prophet Teiresias because he is too stubborn to view his predictions, because they aren't what Creon wants to hear.
3.King Creon goes through anagnorisis in the story when he realizes that everything has actually been his fault. "Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust." (842) Here he sees that all his family has killed themselves and he is left with nothing, all thanks to his pride and stubbornness.
4. This is also the plays moment of peripeteia. As in al the greatest Greek tragedies, it occurs at the same time as anagnorisis. Creon's fortune is reversed when he sees that everyone around him that he cared for is gone, and it was all his fault.
5. When I read the story, I understood the catharsis at this moment in the play as well. When Creon turned from the tyrant to the foolish old man with no family, it is much easier to feel pity for him. "I alone am guilty."(841) This is the exact point when i felt catharsis, because I saw that Creon had realized his mistake.
6. There are two vastly different characterizations of women in this story. On one hand you have the strong willed, defiant Antigone, who goes against her uncle's wishes and the law to do what she knows is right. "Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way." (816) This shows that there must have been women that the ancient Greeks admired for their strength of character. On the other hand, Antigone's sister Ismene is a much more meek, unsure of herself, and unwilling to act on her beliefs. "I do them no dishonour; but to defy the State,-I have no strength for that." This summarizes Ismene's character in the play as a woman who is in a much more subservient role.
Works Cited
Sophocles. "Antigone." Literature Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: World Literature. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall 2001. 814-826.
Sophocles. "Antigone." The Internet Classics Archive. Trans. R.C. Jebb. 04October 2000. Classics.mit.edu. 24 November 2008 .
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Antigone Exposed?
Yesterday, in a shocking publicity stunt, teen heiress Antigone rebels against her uncle and buries hated relative Polyneices.
"He's just misunderstood!" screamed the emotional Antigone in a press conference after the incident. "No one ever got to know the real Polyneices behind the confused face!"
Antigone is of course known for blowing 700 drachmas of her father's money on wine and traipsing around the polis half naked last City Dionysia.
"I'm stunned that Antigone would behave this way," stated King Creon moments after Antigone ran screaming into her 800 square foot room. "Polyneices had a well known temper and his recent dispute with his brother shows it. His death was a boon to Thebes and he deserved no burial rites whatsoever. Antigone always has liked to get attention though. Don't worry about it, she'll be over her brother's death come next festival season."
Eteocles was unavailable to comment on the incident.
-The Daily Thebesian
"He's just misunderstood!" screamed the emotional Antigone in a press conference after the incident. "No one ever got to know the real Polyneices behind the confused face!"
Antigone is of course known for blowing 700 drachmas of her father's money on wine and traipsing around the polis half naked last City Dionysia.
"I'm stunned that Antigone would behave this way," stated King Creon moments after Antigone ran screaming into her 800 square foot room. "Polyneices had a well known temper and his recent dispute with his brother shows it. His death was a boon to Thebes and he deserved no burial rites whatsoever. Antigone always has liked to get attention though. Don't worry about it, she'll be over her brother's death come next festival season."
Eteocles was unavailable to comment on the incident.
-The Daily Thebesian
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Technology
This stuff is pretty cool.
I enjoyed making a blog in class today because there is so much customization you can do.
I am gonna mess with this stuff until it looks really cool and that's why this is fun.
ONE ONE!!!
I just made a blog
This is the first post ever and it has to be long otherwise it will be deleted like spam like alejandro which we learned in class yesterday. I think it has to be a paragraph so to fill that space, chase gunderson facts.
There is no 'ctrl' button on Chase Gunderson's keyboard. Chase Gunderson is always in control.
Chase Gunderson can kill two stones with one bird.
Chase Gunderson can sneeze with his eyes open.
There is no theory of evolution. Only a list of animals Chase Gunderson allows to exist.
Chase Gunderson is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
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