Vocabulary #2

Real heroes, who risk their lives to save others, do not demand adulation.
http://www.hoover.org/publications/defining-ideas/article/114326


The compassionate perspective sits easily with modern egalitarianism

They specifically disavow any status of superiority as a result of their heroic deeds.

Their reticence in relation to their own exploits is itself a tacit acknowledgment that they understand the greatness of their particular achievement; Otherwise, they could talk matter-of-factly about what they had done. But this taciturn self-consciousness is a long way from the towering ambition that gave rise to the tragic hero of the classical age—the ultimately unsatisfiable desire to rise above the human.

Beowulf Analysis

What is it about?: 

• Beowulf is an Old English poem about a Geat hero, Beowulf, who comes to the help of a Danish king Hrothgar who's kingdom is attacked by a hideous monster named Grendel. Beowulf comes from his land to Denmark and battles the monster ( Grendel), killing him with his bare hands, since man made weapons do not effect the monster. 
•  After a night of celebration,danger arises. 
• Grendel's mother, a monster even more hideous and powerful than her son, come to avenge her son's death.
•  Beowulf again battles her in the depths of a lake and kills Grendel's mother with her own sword.
•  He finds Grendel's corpse and cut off the head, bringing it back to Hrothgar as a trophy
•  Hrothgar showers Beowulf with gifts and praise and the young hero returns to the land of the Geats. 
• He becomes King of the Geats and rules for 50 years.
•  A slave steals a golden cup from the hoard of a dragon and the dragon becomes enraged. 
• He starts terrorizing the towns in blind anger. 
• Beowulf and his men come to fight the dragon. 
• Beowulf goes on alone but finds the dragon too powerful to slay alone.
•  His friend, Wiglaf comes to his aid and together they slay the dragon. Beowulf, however, is mortally wounded and dies not long after.
• He is burned then is buried in a cliff facing the sea with the dragon's treasure around him, preventing the supposed curse on the treasure from being spread to his people.

What historical significance does it represent?

• Beowulf is the oldest major work of literature in English. In fact, it's in such old English (technical name: "Old English") that it seems like a foreign language to us today, because our words have changed so much since it was written. 
• It's a glimpse of an ancient Anglo-Saxon (Germanic People) and Scandinavian culture.
• Because of the time period the story was told, it holds many different worldviews.
•  Within the story are found ideas common in the Christian faith, alongside the values of Germanic warriors of the Teutonic tradition.
• Information about the culture:
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teutonic_Knights  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peoples  
• http://www.experiencefestival.com/teutonic_tradition

• The Anglo-Saxon poetry allows readers to get a picture of the beliefs held by society of that time, and these beliefs are illustrated through the uses of the main characters Ex: Quote used below

Quotes: "And a young prince must be prudent like that,giving freely while his father lives so that afterwards in age when fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by him and hold the line. Behaviour that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere.(20–25)"

•  This gives us a view on the code of rights used by the people of this time, and what you were excepted to do in society or war. 

Thoughts: The poem is dreadfully long, thank god for spark notes... I also found out that it was called an "Epic" which i would say greatly summarizes it's length, purpose and plus it's an " Epic" name lol but seriously it was used for story telling which would indeed capture the attentions of children and adults.

• The story connects with our studying of Norse Culture!

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Beowulf.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

Vocabulary Journal Part 1

I Know it looks weird, but rather than have a weird copy paste segment, i took a capture and uploaded it

Myth Story

Erea was a very strange child, instead of playing and laughing about she would tend to be quiet and shy. Whilst most children would fight their parents on chores to be completed she would cooperate quietly. She was a very sympathetic and considerate child with a very spiritual nature.  While sitting on white sandy beach a young Prince named Reaghan came riding on a magnificent horse. He gingerly introduced himself, Erea had heard about him, he was a compassionate, intuitive and deep young man and according to many of her friends he was said to be very romantic. Erea was flattered that he was so taken with her, but she was not the type of person to just jump into commitment. Many a time later after the young man had had time to fall in love with her he asked for her hand; naturally Erea was stunned and after some time agreed. Eventually they were blessed with twins-- a girl named Brenna and a boy named Brennan, Usually this is tides for celebration throughout a kingdom but it would soon change to sorrow and despair.  On their first birthday the children were lost, and rather than take the blame for it the children’s nurse told everyone it was their mother’s fault they were missing.  Reaghan allowed his people to pass judgment upon his wife and she was set to punishment and was sent outside of the castles walls to serve in nearby villages as farmer’s hand, this lasted for 7 long years.  One day an elder man came with 2 beautiful children in tow, he stopped at the farm where Erea was serving her punishment and she offered him what little she could. The man smiled and refused and said “You need not work anymore, your children have returned!”  They returned to the castle where it was explained that the man found the children abandoned in a small field outside of the castle walls. The man had taken them in and raised them as his own; once word reached him about the punishment she was enduring he hastily brought the children home.  The king ashamed he had allowed this to happen to his children and the horrible punishment to be bestowed upon his wife begged for her forgiveness.  Erea did not punish him, nor deny him her pardon, she merely told him she loved him and that she did not bare any ill feelings. For her kind act she is not only known as the goddess for inspiration and sympathy, but also for forgiveness he story is meant to be a reminder to people that we will all suffer great losses throughout our lifetime. It is what we do when such pain and anguish is experienced that shapes the course of who and what we are as human beings. Our choice at such times is to either wallow in self-pity or to remain steadfast and strong, rising above the adversity. But perhaps even more important, Erea's story exemplifies of the healing power of forgiveness.

http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/celtic-baby-names

Celtic Myth

http://www.silvermooncrow.com/Pwyll.html
http://www.silvermooncrow.com/Math.html


What are the most prevalent values of the Celtic/Irish People?

• Virginity ( purity) 
• Nature ( animals) 
• "Eye for an eye" (truth)

Most people find Celtic stories very strange and unlike any other myths  they've read. What is so different?  Why is this? 

• Most people if the betrayed or ruler wished punishment were forced to change to animals. Instead of death
• They have high standards about moral judgement, like you should know what ever deed you have done is right or wrong. And if you receive punishment you know why it was done. 

Values In Modern Society

choose a value  (violence, peace, ect) at least 5 examples of stories or representations in modern society

• Lacking of Moral Values
• People today lack values and plain common courtesy.
•  Their is no respect for their elders, or others in general. 
•  There is no consideration for the feelings or opinions of others.
• http://tinyurl.com/e366t ( Full Metal Jacket)
• Parents today are afraid to discipline their children for the fear of being accused of child abuse. 
• http://tinyurl.com/7wmyolj ( Child abuse)
• Their values are based, not on the character or moral values of people, but rather on their position or status in society or how much money they make. 
• Wall Street (1987)
• This Oliver Stone classic comes with the tag line, "greed is good" and that’s just what values the film reflects with its corrupt, money-hungry characters caught up in the 80′s ideal excesses.
• There is too much technology and fantasy.
•  Nurtures false courage to express the rude thoughts that they wouldn't otherwise express in person and not enough face to face communication and reality.
• People have lost patience for one another because of fast paced life styles.

Modern Myths

http://tinyurl.com/b24rj4g

Modern Mythology  ( Notes)

• "Comic books are modern mythology."
• Wonder Woman
• Obvious example of a superhero
• Greek
• Formed from a lump of clay and was given powers from the gods
• Inherent strength of woman hood
• Super Man 
• Most overtly mythic superhero in the entire pantheon of characters.
• " A being beyond the scope of humanity"
• Modern Man's Ultimate Ideal
• Hulk
• Example of Inner Struggle
• Savage Hulk (well known) - ( Scared, angry Child, abused by his father, loner)- Most prominant Hulk
• Grey Hulk ( weaker and craftier . Sadistic, manipulative, and selfish.) - What he never let himself become
• Professor Hulk (egoistical and flashy "classical superhero.)- What Bruce wanted to be 
• Devil Hulk- ( A creature of pure, unadulterated evil) - Persona of all of Bruces darkest thoughts and desires.
• Silver Surfer
• Demi-God position 
• Works for Galactus (ending as a vengeful god)
• This being is beyond good and evil and sought to destroy earth simply because he needed sustenance.
• The Silver surfer was inspired by purity
• This ultimately lead to him spearing earth
• Was outcasted by Galactus 
• Religious imagry  ( described as a christ figure) 
• Bat Man
• "Avenging angel of the night"
• Perfect example of how a person can rise from the depths of tragedy and despair.
• He Has no powers but he is called the "man among gods" using only his training and wits and knowledge of weapons.

Questions to answer

• Why do the authors/ artists create characters to mimic society and/or societal issues?


• I think the characters are made for the same reasons as any other myth or story is made. They're made to help us understand why the world is how it is, and it captures our attentions with a story so that it's message may get absorbed though the entertainment. Societal issues are important to understand so that the new generation that comes will not make the same mistakes as we did. As an example the author talked about the Great Depression, as the author of the article says ; "The Great Depression, a dark time the history of the United States, when the nation was wracked with the pain of poverty and misery, Superman was a powerful crusader for social justice, fighting for the poor and downtrodden. The Superman of the depression was ferocious, tearing through doors and demanding justice for the innocent." It helps us as adolescence and sometimes as adults understand the world in books and through cartoons, since it doesn't seem like learning it becomes fun.






• 
  Do you agree with the conclusions about the heroes made by the author? 
• I agree with the conclusions, because honestly I had never thought to look at the super heroes like that before, nor had i ever realized there were 4 other hulk versions which clearly shows how you can batter inner issues though split personalities. Each conclusion clearly states the problem or issue the character faced and their back story clearly shows you how they got there, and though their time on earth or during their adventures they are able to battle or figure them selves out whether its though killing bad guys or sacrificing them selves for a greater good. 

Germanic Religion

14. Worship and Practice ; http://tinyurl.com/b23e5sk

God appeasement

Types of Worship 

• Sacrifice
• Human Sacrifice 
• Prisoners of War (Romans)
• Animals

Types of Practices

• Conducted in open Groves or Forests.
• human sacrifice (tribal)
• Temples
• Open Roofed Temples
• In Germany
• Very few
• Waterfalls
• Scandinavia 
• Sacrificial Feasts
•  Adam of Bremen
• Every nine years a great festival was held at Uppsala,
•  Sacrifice was conducted in a sacred grove that stood beside the temple. 
• The victims, human and animal, were hung on trees. 
• One of the trees in this grove was holier than all the others and beneath it lay a well into which a living man would be plunged.

Class Work / Disscussion

10 Vigilantes: http://tinyurl.com/cjaylhy  (not used in post)


Myth Sources: http://tinyurl.com/bkvn7z5


The way the myths have changed from being told by mouth and being written down would be different depending on who wrote them. According to the article the Norse i would guess frown upon what we consider heroes because it states; " The gods, and particularly Odin, are frequently said to take part in the affairs of men, but, since few of the heroic sagas were written before the 14th century and the aim of their authors was often entertainment rather than instruction, these sagas can be used as sources only with utmost discrimination. " meaning that heroes like we know of from Disney and other places are used just for entertainment while it should be  used as something to teach a lesson to younger generations who hear the tale. There is also a tale that speaks of the Norse having something to do with the Swedish as quoted here : "The first section of this book, the“Ynglinga saga,” is of particular interest, for in it, Snorri described the descent of the kings of Norway from the royal house of Sweden, the Ynglingar, who, in their turn, were said to descend from gods. Snorri used such written sources as were available; he also relied on skaldic poems, some of which were very old. Snorri visited Norway twice and Sweden once, and he probably used popular traditions that he heard in both countries. " leaving us to conclude that where he got his information was not quite clear but actually just spread out from his visits to the countries. There is also talk in another work mentioned that some scenery described was christian like, which may conclude that by the time the information was written down that Christianity already started to spread across the country. 

Traits for Western and Eastern Europe Myths.

Men
Protective
Violence
Insanity ( sanity)
strength is power?

Women
tormentor
deciders

Creation Myths Homework

Think about creation stories you already know, look at those and think about how it tells you about the values of those people then do the same with these.



Norse Creation Myth  http://tinyurl.com/anw66qc

Values:people come from the earth, people must die so more can be born

Things that don't make sense: Cow licking stone?





Celtic Creation Myth http://tinyurl.com/bgbc6ah

Values: People come from the earth, people must die so another can be born.

Things that don't make sense: People come from animal incest?

Myths

1. Celtic Mythology

Legend of the Priest and Were-Wolfs :http://www.luminarium.org/mythology/ireland/werewolves.htm

This myth speaks of a priest who stumbles across a wolf who can speak human. According to this every 7 years a man and a woman are cursed with a transformation into this said wolf and remain so for 7 yeas until which time they transform back into humans and the curse take over another 2 souls. The wolf begs to this priest saying his wife is ill and is in need of his help, although he is skeptic he goes with the wolf to save his wife. The wolf being grateful helps the priest on the right path out of the woods. The priest confused on whether he had done good went to many people and in the end goes to the pope. The ending of this myth is not known.

     To me this is a myth based on conscience of a person. Since the man followed his conscience on the matter to help the ware wolfs wife he had done a good deed, but where the ending is not stated once the pope was consulted one could conclude he was thought to be crazy and was executed but perhaps since ware wolfs are thought to be part of witch craft he could have been exiled for blasphemy.

    2. Greek Mythology

Apollo and Daphne :http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/myths/a/102110-Apollo-And-Daphne-By-Thomas-Bulfinch.htm

This myth speaks of The God Apollo and the Goddess Daphne, to whom became victims of cupids arrows. Apollo fell in love with Daphne after being shot by a golden arrow in the heart by cupid. Daphne had no will to be married to any man so after being hit with the other arrow ran away from Apollo's wanting embraces. Whilst being chased over stones and though the woods She cried out to her father Peneus to change her form or help her escape. He changed her into a tree and Apollo vowed " if you cannot be my wife, you shall be my tree." She was to remain youthful and green and made into wreaths and wood and was eternally grateful.

     

     This myth though it is strange makes since. The woman did not wish to live a life where she was tied down and in consequence to this became part of the earth ( which is i guess kind of like heaven for a nymph) and is now eternally grateful to a man who will make sure she is well taken care of and put to good use.

Video Response for Class on 1/7/2012

     In this video Devdutt Pattanaik  speaks about how western myths and eastern myths have different outcomes during life and how it influences our own. He speaks about how in India when you die you are reborn into the same life again and again until you learn the purpose so people in India are more likely to have a more mellowed out attitude. In comparison, people in the West go on you have only one life and when you die it's for good. So they are more likely to put them selves out there and battle opinions to the death because they only get one chance to make their lives meaningful. Although he does have a weirdly funny accent he has many good points on how myths and legends effect our lives and businesses. For his speaking style he spoke a little too fast for my own taste but never the less managed to capture my attention with his slides and stories to go along with his presentation.



Kiersten


http://www.ted.com/talks/devdutt_pattanaik.html