Weeks 1-3
1. What genres do the following texts belong to, and how do their intended period contexts, purposes, and intended audiences differ?
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Remember to give some examples from these texts that support your identification (for example: "Voluspa is an example of the _____ genre, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: "Hear my words / you holy gods' (l.1) "By Odin's Will I'll speak the ancient lore" (l.3), etc).
2. What are some possible features of residual (or "secondary") orality preserved in Voluspa, according to the criteria Ong (1982) advances?
3. Identify a central incident that happens in at least four of the above texts, and discuss how it is both similar and different in each example (remember to cite from the original texts).
4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
5. Discuss how Tolkien's use of "tradition" (e.g. older literary sources) differs from the techniques and agendas of modernism (see Week 7 in your Reader).
6. Identify some recent films, TV shows and/or games which have brought back some of the old gods and heroes from obscurity. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
7. How does the film Beowulf and Grendel "problematise" the hero-myth of Beowulf ? [Subject to viewing]
8. Discuss what you think any of these texts desire (in the sense of their intention, how they wish to be received, what pleasures they offer, etc).
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Remember to give some examples from these texts that support your identification (for example: "Voluspa is an example of the _____ genre, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: "Hear my words / you holy gods' (l.1) "By Odin's Will I'll speak the ancient lore" (l.3), etc).
2. What are some possible features of residual (or "secondary") orality preserved in Voluspa, according to the criteria Ong (1982) advances?
3. Identify a central incident that happens in at least four of the above texts, and discuss how it is both similar and different in each example (remember to cite from the original texts).
4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
5. Discuss how Tolkien's use of "tradition" (e.g. older literary sources) differs from the techniques and agendas of modernism (see Week 7 in your Reader).
6. Identify some recent films, TV shows and/or games which have brought back some of the old gods and heroes from obscurity. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
7. How does the film Beowulf and Grendel "problematise" the hero-myth of Beowulf ? [Subject to viewing]
8. Discuss what you think any of these texts desire (in the sense of their intention, how they wish to be received, what pleasures they offer, etc).
1)
ReplyDeleteVoluspa is the famous example of mythological poem, it describes the story of the creation of world relate to gods and mythology. According to Literal Device (2018) states that in general myth is ancient, mystery legend or traditional story. It is used to describe an event or comment a person, but usually making deification instead of real explanation. Although, myth intend supernature and history story. As the examples in Voluspa, “Hear my words, you holy gods.” “by Odin’s will, I’ll speak the ancient lore”. Myth is the foundation of human culture, audience understand history and moral in some fairy tale stories and legend when they read mythological literature, therefore know their culture deeply.
Saga, a literature genre from Iceland, recording short stories could be historical story, ancient fairy tales, hero, romance and the foreign legend story. In 14th century Iceland, saga is mainly used as the literature of record history, so that in these times the theme of saga is specific for one person or one event, likes King’s Saga and Legendary Saga. Volsung Saga is the one of legendary saga, the story about the Sigurd's ancestors and the evolution of this family. In addition, this saga include supernatural factor likes Odin and the Ring Andvaranaut (inspired by The Lord of the Rings). Example in the text likes “Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as he went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of him.”
Beowulf is the typical epic, it is also could be named poetic story. This kind of genre generally concern heroic person, who is incredible brave and powerful, gain a huge victory in war or adventure, this hero also represent a worth of culture, a race or a religion as a symbol of glory. However, epic literature could include myth (delification, supernature) in order to describe the power, the courage of the character. For example in Beowulf “He ruled it well for fifty winters, grew old and wise as warden of the land until one began to dominate the dark, a dragon on the prowl from the steep vaults of a stone-roofed barrow where he guarded a hoard .”
The hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, they are high fantasy literature, also could be described as children’ novel. High fantasy is a genre of literature base on a complete imagine world, mostly involved magic, witchcraft, mystery creature and no human race in the story. For example, The Hobbit a race born in middle land. Audience love to read, listen or watch fantasy because this genre fill full their imagination, their desire, their dream, especially for children. Basicly, high fantasy storyline is the great adventure to gain one supernature feature, for instance the Lord of the Rings. Moreover, fantasy involved romance elements, audience able to experience all possible in this genres.
Reference
High Fantasy Addict.(2018).What is High Fantasy. Retrieved from https://highfantasyaddict.weebly.com/what-is-high-fantasy.html
Literal Device (2018). Fantasy. Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/fantasy/
Literal Device(2018). Epic. Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/epic/
Literal Device (2018). Myth. Retrieved fromhttps://literarydevices.net/myth/
Palsson(n.d.). Saga. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/saga
Yoshuda(n.d). Epic. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/epic
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ReplyDelete1. Voluspa is a mythological poem; typically involves supernatural beings and events which is clear throughout the poem and shown in many ways. Voluspa is an example of the mythological genre, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate; hear my words, you holy gods (opening line), "...sons of Heimdall, by Odins will I'll speak the ancient lore" both of whom are gods and more gods are mentioned throughout the poem. Another example that shows Voluspa is a mythological poem is the reference to a place where nine worlds existed; " I know how nine roots form nine worlds" it’s not possible or scientifically proven, well at least I don’t think so, that there was nine worlds, and earth being the main one. Though there was belief that there once existed nine worlds in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteVolsunga is a saga, Icelandic saga to be exact. Saga tells the tale of heroic achievement. Volsunga is an example of this genre as the poem itself is an account of how Sigurd managed to defeat/slay the dragon or worm as its referred to in the poem. In order to kill the worm he was advised to strike it in the heart to kill it instantly; "So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his left shoulder..." however, Sigurd died soon after because the blood of the dragon was poisonous and if it was to come in contact with skin you would die. Despite the fact that Sigurd died, he died a hero.
Beowulf is an epic poem. Epic poems are from ancient oral traditions and tell the deeds of heroic or legendary figures. Beowulf is an example of epic genre as the following references to his deeds throughout his time; "triumphed in Heorot in the fight with Grendel" and "...ever since I killed Dayraven the Frank in front of the two armies". It gives the impression that he has and continues to win a lot of wars. Another example that further shows that Beowulf is a epic poem is another deed of his where he defeated a dragon. The king seemed incapable of doing so and this is where Beowulf comes in and saves the day pretty much. He insists that he will fight the dragon in a hand-to-hand combat; "I would rather not use a weapon if I knew another way to grapple with the dragon and make good my boast as I did against Grendel in days gone by..."
The Hobbit is another epic, supposedly made for children. The Hobbit is an example of the epic genre, as the following references to a deed of a heroic figure, that heroic figure being Bard; "the dragon swooped once more lower than ever, and as he turned and dived down his belly glittered white with the sparkling fires of gems in the moon - but in one place. The great bow twanged. The black arrow sped straight for the string, straight for the hollow by the left breast where the foreleg was flung wide." Bard shot down the dragon and saved the town from further destruction.
Lastly, Lord of the Rings. LOTR is a high fantasy, subgenre of fantasy. High fantasy normally involves features such as imaginary world, good vs. bad, magic, elves and dwarves etc. LOTR is an example of high fantasy, as the following references to magic; "he raised his staff. there was a roll of thunder. the sunlight was blotted out from the eastern windows; the whole hall became suddenly dark as night." Another is example is wizards; "the staff in hand of a wizard may be more than a prop for age." The wizard that is being referred to is Gandalf.
ReplyDelete3. A central incident that happens across at least four of the texts is some sort of a fight or war. Volsunga; hero vs. dragon, Beowulf; dragon vs. hero, The Hobbit; dragon vs hero and Lord of the Rings; war between good vs. evil. Volsunga, Beowulf and The Hobbit are similar in the sense that they each involve accounts of a fight between a hero and a dragon, and the hero coming out as on top by defeating the dragon. Beowulf is different to the other two in the sense that he had no help in terms of someone telling him what to do beforehand. As for Volsunga and The Hobbit they both were advised prior to defeating the dragon. For example in Volsunga; "Then answered the old man and said "thou doest after sorry counsel: rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee down in one thereof, and so thrust the wormʹs heart through" and for The Hobbit, "Suddenly out of the dark something fluttered to his shoulder. He
started — but it was only an old thrush. Unafraid it perched by his ear and it brought him news. Marvelling he found he could understand its tongue, for he was of the race of Dale. "Wait! Wait!" it said to him. "The moon is rising. Look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies and turns above you!".
6. Some recent films, TV shows and games which have brought back some of the gods and heroes from obscurity is films such as Thor, Beowulf, The Dragons Blood, Hercules, Clash of the Titans and Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Games; God of war, Viking; Battle for Asgard and Ragnarok and as for TV shows Game of Thrones, Stargate SG-1, Supernatural and Vikings. On to the place or purpose of old myths in the modern world, from my perspective I think it in some sense it gives an insight to those who don’t know nothing about old myths and are used as the foundation or plot for films. People still read and are interested in old myths, they are important to the history of ancient civilisation but also again gives insight into the kind of literature and/or beliefs that were common at the time. These old myth literature are used in schools and universities for the purpose of research study. I think that if it has been influential and talked about for this long that it will only continue to be looked and grow for generations to come, and possibly further generations will use these myths as a basis for a film of some sort or a novel.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
ReplyDeleteCollins dictionary. (2018). Defintion of 'epic'. Retrieved March 16, 2018 from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/epic
Gamepressure.com. (n.d.). Norse mythology. Retrieved March 16, 2018 from https://games.gamepressure.com/?PLA=1&TEM=167
Ranker. (n.d). Movies and shows based on mythology. Retreieved March 16, 2018 from https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-and-shows-based-on-mythology-/ariannafelidae?var=7&utm_expid=16418821-388.8yjUEguUSkGHvlaagyulMg.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.nz%2F
TV tropes. (n.d.). High fantasy. Retrieved March 16, 2018 from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HighFantasy