Name____________________________________________
Term 3: Beowulf Group Commentary
A commentary is a close reading essay, focused on the analysis of a specific passage.
Commentary writing is a key component of the IB English curriculum and we focus on it
intensively in sophomore year so that you are familiar with and confident in this important
writing skill.
In fact, you have already started your commentary work. You wrote close reading essays on the
Iliad and the Aeneid, and a commentary has the same format as these essays, with a focus on a
clear argument, relevant evidence, and detailed analysis of author’s choices.
In Term 3, we will be writing three commentaries: one group commentary on a passage from
Beowulf, one individual commentary on an assigned poem, and one commentary on your Term 3
IA (also on an assigned poem).
What are the steps to completing our first group commentary?
We will work through several steps to complete our first group commentary on a passage from
Beowulf. We will work through these steps over the next week in class, but some work will be
necessary outside of class as well.
Steps:
1)
Carefully read your assigned passage and chunk it into 4-5 sections, based on where you see
the natural shifts and transitions in the passage. (Individual Work)
2)
For each chunk of the passage, write a paraphrase/ summary. What is happening?
(Individual Work)
3)
For each chunk of the passage, underline and label the author’s choices that you notice.
Remember, you are not limited to literary devices, but can look at many types of author’s
choices. (Individual Work)
4)
Choose 3-4 author’s choices that seem particularly interesting and important. Write a brief
close reading annotation for each: what is the effect of the language you are noticing?
(Individual Work)
5)
With your group, discuss the passage and develop an argument that answers the guiding
question: Why does the author include this passage in Beowulf? Why is it significant? What
does the author use this passage to highlight, emphasize, contrast, question, consider,
communicate, etc? (Group Work)
6)
Complete the planning chart. Select the choices that best support your argument. Be sure
that you have selected at least one choice per chunk of text, although you are free to include
more. For each choice, write analysis notes that discuss the effect of the choice and its
connection to your argument. (Individual Work)
7)
With your group, discuss your planning charts and select the evidence that BEST supports
your argument. Be sure you have 2-3 choices per chunk of text. Complete your group
planning chart. (Group Work)
8)
With your group, write your commentary. Your commentary should have a clear argument,
rich evidence, and detailed analysis of author’s choices. Do not simply summarize the text.
Remember to integrate evidence smoothly and to identify author’s choices when you
analyze them. (Group Work)
GRADING:
This assignment will be graded out of 100 points, in the Written Assignments category.
You will receive both a group and an individual grade for this assignment.
Group grade: Final product of the commentary
Individual grade: In-class participation and HW completion
See the model commentary on the next page for guidance.
Model Beowulf Commentary: Read and annotate the model. What do you notice?
In this passage of Beowulf, Grendel prepares to attack Heorot during the night. This passage is
significant because it establishes a key conflict in the text, the battle between good and evil.
In the first part of the passage, the author establishes an ominous mood by calling Grendel a
“shadow stalker, stealthy and swift.” This kenning, which depicts Grendel as lurking in the
shadows, shows how he is fearsome and associated with darkness. Furthermore, the description
of the beast as “stealthy and swift” highlights Grendel’s strength and suggests that he is capable
of cunning, which characterizes him as a more formidable antagonist. As Grendel approaches the
hall and the sleeping guards, the author states “that as long as God disallowed it, the fiend could
not bear them to his shadow-bourne.” This reference to God establishes a conflict between the
good men of Heorot who are protected by God and the evil Grendel, described as a “fiend” who
lives in darkness.
In the second section, the author further emphasizes the conflict between good and evil when he
refers to Grendel as “God-cursed.” This kenning highlights Grendel’s evil nature, stating that he
has been rejected even by God. He is also described as “greedily loping” and “hunting for a
prey,” terms that associate Grendel’s movements and motivations with that of an animal. This
dehumanizing language suggests that Grendel is a vile beast and therefore lacks the morality of
man. Finally, he is described as “the bane of the race of men,” suggesting that he is not only
Beowulf’s antagonist but the antagonist to all of humanity. By describing Grendel as the
antithesis of all that is human and good, the author establishes the central conflict as one between
good and evil.
In the beginning of the third section, the kenning “cloud-murk” is used to describe the way
Grendel approach Heorot. This kenning describes the fog, and by doing so it reinforces his role
as a creature of the darkness. This helps to establish the contrast between the cursed and dark
world of the beast Grendel, and the bright world of the Danes. Heorot is described to shine
“above him, a sheer keep of fortified gold.” By presenting Heorot as occupying a place that is
physically elevated above Grendel and the fog that accompanies his movements, the home of the
Danes is then implied to be a place of higher moral standing. This is further supported by having
Heorot closely associated with “fortified gold,” a far cry from the shadows and darkness in
which Grendel dwells. The conflict between good and evil is further emphasized when almost as
if upon its own will, Heorot’s “iron-braced door turned on its hinge when [Grendel’s] hands
touched it.” The home of the Danes is characterized as so pure and so good that the moment evil,
as seen through Grendel’s touch, is upon it, Heorot itself seems to rejecting any and all
association with darkness.
In the fourth section of the passage, Grendel enters Heorot and the author describes him as
“ripp[ing] open the mouth of the building.” The mead-hall is personified here, which makes
Grendel’s action of “ripp[ing}” open its door appear especially violent, further characterizing
Grendel as maliciously causing pain to the building (and by extension, the people) of Heorot.
Grendel is also described as “pacing the patterned floor with his loathsome tread.” The author’s
choice to describe his tread as “loathsome” illustrates the totality of Grendel’s malice; even his
footsteps are evil. This description of Grendel’s “loathsome tread” contrasts with the description
of Heorot itself, as the “patterned floor” indicates that this is a place where beauty and detail are
appreciated, a description that associates Grendel with evil and Heorot itself with good. In
addition, the author hints at the source of Grendel’s evil when he states that “a baleful light,
flame more than light, flared from his eyes.” The choice to describe the glint of Grendel’s eyes as
“flame” may refer to hell, further establishing the conflict between Grendel and the people of
Heorot as a battle between good and evil.
In the final section of the passage, the author describes Grendel’s victims as innocent “men in the
mansion, sleeping, a ranked company of kinsman and warriors.” This description portrays the
men not just as innocent but also brave and honorable, as they are depicted as not only “warrior,”
but also “kinsman,” united as a family against Grendel, who is alone. The contrast between the
men sleeping and Grendel’s “demonic glee” while he stands over them picturing how he will “rip
life from limb” exemplifies once more the conflict between good and evil in the text. Finally, the
author provides a resolution to the conflict between good and evil as he predicts that Grendel’s
“fate that night was due to change; his days of ravening were over.” Thus, the author conveys
that good will ultimately prevail in the battle between good and evil.
STEPS 1 and 2: Chunking and Summary/ Paraphrase
1. Carefully read your assigned passage and chunk it into 4-5 sections, based on where you see
the natural shifts and transitions in the passage.
2. For each chunk of the passage, write a paraphrase/ summary. What is happening?
The hero observed that swamp-thing from hell,
the tarn-hag in all her terrible strength,
then heaved his war-sword and swung his arm:
the decorated blade came down ringing
and singing on her head. But he soon found
his battle-torch extinguished: the shining blade
refused to bite. It spared her and failed
the man in his need. It had gone through many
hand-to-hand fights, had hewed the armor
and helmets of the doomed, but here at last
the fabulous powers of that heirloom failed.
Hygelac’s kinsman kept thinking about
his name and fame: he never lost heart.
Then, in a fury, he flung his sword away.
The keen, inlaid, worm-loop-patterned steel
was hurled to the ground: he would have to rely
on the might of his arm. So must a man do
who intends to gain enduring glory
in a combat. Life doesn’t cost him a thought.
Then the prince of War-Geats, warming to this fight
with Grendel’s mother, gripped her shoulder
and laid about him in a battle frenzy:
he pitched his killer opponent to the floor
but she rose quickly and retaliated,
grappled him tightly in her grim embrace.
The sure-footed fighter felt daunted,
the strongest of warriors stumbled and fell.
So she pounced upon him and pulled out
a broad, whetted knife: now she would avenge
her only child. But the mesh of chain-mail
on Beowulf’s shoulder shielded his life,
turned the edge and tip of the blade.
The son of Ecgtheow would have surely perished
and the Geats lost their warrior under the wide earth
had the strong links and locks of his war-gear
not helped to save him: holy God
decided the victory. It was easy for the Lord,
the Ruler of Heaven, to redress the balance
once Beowulf got back up on his feet.
(1518-1556)
STEPS 3 and 4: Recognizing and Labeling Author’s Choices
3. For each chunk of the passage, underline and label the author’s choices that you notice.
Remember, you are not limited to literary devices, but can look at many types of author’s
choices.
4. Choose 3-4 author’s choices that seem particularly interesting and important. Write a brief
close reading annotation for each: what is the effect of the language you are noticing?
The hero observed that swamp-thing from hell,
the tarn-hag in all her terrible strength,
then heaved his war-sword and swung his arm:
the decorated blade came down ringing
and singing on her head. But he soon found
his battle-torch extinguished: the shining blade
refused to bite. It spared her and failed
the man in his need. It had gone through many
hand-to-hand fights, had hewed the armor
and helmets of the doomed, but here at last
the fabulous powers of that heirloom failed.
Hygelac’s kinsman kept thinking about
his name and fame: he never lost heart.
Then, in a fury, he flung his sword away.
The keen, inlaid, worm-loop-patterned steel
was hurled to the ground: he would have to rely
on the might of his arm. So must a man do
who intends to gain enduring glory
in a combat. Life doesn’t cost him a thought.
Then the prince of War-Geats, warming to this fight
with Grendel’s mother, gripped her shoulder
and laid about him in a battle frenzy:
he pitched his killer opponent to the floor
but she rose quickly and retaliated,
grappled him tightly in her grim embrace.
The sure-footed fighter felt daunted,
the strongest of warriors stumbled and fell.
So she pounced upon him and pulled out
a broad, whetted knife: now she would avenge
her only child. But the mesh of chain-mail
on Beowulf’s shoulder shielded his life,
turned the edge and tip of the blade.
The son of Ecgtheow would have surely perished
and the Geats lost their warrior under the wide earth
had the strong links and locks of his war-gear
not helped to save him: holy God
decided the victory. It was easy for the Lord,
the Ruler of Heaven, to redress the balance
once Beowulf got back up on his feet.
(1518-1556)
STEP 5: Developing an Argument
With your group, discuss the passage and develop an argument that answers the guiding
question: Why does the author include this passage in Beowulf? Why is it significant? What does
the author use this passage to highlight, emphasize, contrast, question, consider, communicate,
etc?
Our argument is:
STEP 6: Complete the planning chart. Select the choices that best support your argument. Be
sure that you have selected at least one choice per chunk of text, although you are free to include
more. For each choice, write analysis notes that discuss the effect of the choice and its
connection to your argument.
Evidence/ choices
Analysis Notes
STEP 7: With your group, discuss your planning charts and select the evidence that BEST
supports your argument. Be sure you have 2-3 choices per chunk of text. Complete your group
planning chart.
Argument:
Evidence/ choices
Analysis Notes
STEP 8: With your group, write your commentary. Your commentary should have a clear
argument, rich evidence, and detailed analysis of author’s choices. Do not simply
summarize the text. Remember to integrate evidence smoothly and to identify author’s
choices when you analyze them.