English 12
Beowulf Unit
Epic Poem
Write an epic story/poem/song where you
 have an epic hero; remember they:
o have super human strength
o are of noble lineage
o save people (the world)
 have the epic hero go on a quest/journey
 have the epic hero encounter a difficulty or obstacle
(aka: monster)
 have a pronounced theme
(the central insight about human experience revealed through
literature)
o most epics of this time period include the theme of good vs.
evil as they transitioned into Christianity as the dominant
religion, but feel free to explore other themes.
You must include the following:
_____1. an example of a kenning (3pts)
_____2. an epic hero (well developed protagonist)
_____4. an antagonist (well developed; i.e. motivated monster)
_____5. an nicely developed setting (clearly defined/ described)
_____6. a quest/journey (does the hero go on an adventure?)
_____7. a visual (does the picture help with the story/poem?)
I expect the Epic Poem to be 8-10 (one full page to a page and a half) stanzas
in length. Your characters must be well-defined, your quest obvious, and the
obstacle you create daunting. I am expecting an EPIC hero. I also expect the
visual to complement and help to explain the Epic Poem. Please see the rubric
attached for further clarification of the assignment.