There are many issues of equality that we think of as “modern” problems. Most people know that sexism has been around for as long as humans have; but what many people, myself included, don’t think about is the ableism that has always lingered in society. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever really considered how… Read more Medieval Ableism and Bad Friends
Kayla Orthman
Separating Racism From Fantasy: Is It Even Possible?
I have always been a person that likes to give people the benefit of the doubt. Up until now, most of the times I heard about Tolkien being racist were brushed aside. This is definitely not something I’m proud of, however I didn’t get any real evidence of it until reading Orcs, Britons, and the… Read more Separating Racism From Fantasy: Is It Even Possible?
Beowulf’s Ego
When Beowulf fights the dragon that has been terrorizing the locals, he goes to kill her by himself. He tells his men to stay behind, that “This is [his] fight” (2532). Throughout the poem, Beowulf has proven that his ego is too big for him. He does things on his own constantly, despite having an… Read more Beowulf’s Ego
Beowulf, Collab Day 2
Grendel’s Mother: or, if Mother Mary Went Off
Throughout our reading of Beowulf, a common theme has been that of Christianity. Grendel is a descendent of Cain, who in the Bible committed the first murder. Characters are openly believers in God, commonly saying things like “God’s in charge, always has been, / always will be” (Headley line 1060). There is no shortage of… Read more Grendel’s Mother: or, if Mother Mary Went Off
Beowulf Collab 1
Alliteration and it’s Effects in “Beowulf”
In Maria Dahvana Headley’s prologue to her translation of Beowulf, she refers to it as “3,182 lines of alliterative wildness” (Headley ix). Throughout my reading of the first 900 or so lines, I picked out many effective uses of alliteration in the storytelling. Alliteration is one of my favorite literary devices (no, I don’t know… Read more Alliteration and it’s Effects in “Beowulf”