1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
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 site from the original texts).
4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his Hobbit and 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. 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 ?
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).
6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
ReplyDeleteMovies are so mythic
The movies are regarded as similar to one of the world's oldest art forms, the oral epic. In ancient Greece and Mesopotamia, Egypt and India, the oral prophet told his stories to every part of the world where he lived, similarly movies and Television show all the most recent fact and fiction to us presently. The oral epic relies on traditional values and formulas. However, most of the modern poetry is made of writing and it is more appreciated when it is presented live in front of audiences. Compared with the movies and TV, it is an audio-visual presentation that entertains the people as well as regarded as a vehicle for knowledge development. The cinema is similar to the oral epic in form and function and the same themes can be found in both (Sowa, n.d.).
Oral epic consisted both tragedy and comedy, same as our movies commonly has. The characters of oral epic give ideas of what to be. ("Be like Odysseus and Penelope; don't be like the Wicked suitors"). The mythic themes with their never changing series of events, express active descriptions of what to do. Generation of young Greeks and Babylonians got their ideas of how to struggle with life by listening to the oral bard. Our concepts of right and wrong, reasonable behavior and the relationship between men and women can be discovered of mythic themes created by our media (Sowa. n.d.).
The underlying myth of the movie The Godfather (1973) is the succession myth which is one of human beings ancient myths found in the Greek and Babylonian literatures and other civilizations. A common ancient example is Theogony of Hesiod, a contemporary of Homer. This kind of story explains the underlying realities of family descent and conflict (Sowa, n.d.).
Ancient myths in Modern Movies
Thor (2011) is an interesting movie which tells us about the Norse Mythology. It shows us the endless battle between Asgard and the Kingdom of the Frost Giants, Jotunheim. Although the writers have entirely changed the relationship between some characters but the general mythic narrations of good , evil, duty and trust were present in Thor.
In the Norse religion (Circa 8th or 9th century CE), Odin was the chief god. He had succeeded the old Sky god Tyr, who was known by Roman academics as the chief Norse god. His valkries gathered together the dignified warriors to help him in the approaching battle of Ragnarok (Bee, n.d.).
In the movie Thor, Thor is the son of Odin and Fjorgyn, the goddess of earth. The vikings worshipped the powerful and battle obsessed Odin, however the farmers and the rest of the people probably worshipped Thor. Thor was actually the hot tempered and it was precisely shown in the movie. While he was hot tempered and strong, he was also ethical and outspoken. He was not longing for meaningless battle as Odin did. Thor was fond of and seriously wanted contests to show his strength, but he did not intentionally prefer major war. We can see Thor as he protected people and gods from extreme anger of the Frost Giants. Odin was the only one who wanted to destroy the world to fulfill his uncontrolled desires (Bee, n.d.).
These superhero tales perform similar to the way myths and legends performed in ancient times. Actually we can understand them as modern myths. They explain to us stories of great adventure and teach us moral lessons, showing us how to create ethical adjustments to sometimes in a world of chaos and darkness, assure us of the success of good versus evil.
References
Bee (n.d.). Myth in modern movies: Thor. Retrieved March 20, 2012, from http://geekwing.net/posts/869
Sowa, C. A. (n.d.). Ancient myths in modern movies. Retrieved March 20, 2012, from http://minervaclassics.com/movimyth.htm
As you said, in films we learn many things through the superhero character. Films and movies contain myths and legends. So we can learn with interest. Because film is a medium that easily engages everyone and anyone. Mythical and legendary heroes especially, as characters from myths and legends, give people a sense of hope. Also, through the hero-character, we can learn the background, culture, and history of the legend. The sense of hope provided by the hero positively influences the viewer in an indirect way. This can be the sense of hope itself, as well as being provided a positive motive. These are characters you cannot find in society today, but through these mythical stories anyone can receive such influence. In society today this is increasingly disappearing. We are losing myths and legends. In a society that strives to come up with new inventions and creations all the time, we must remember it is also important to keep old traditions, stories, and culture. By doing so we can have an even more positive affect. We have a duty to keep legends and pass them on to the next generations to come. To do this we must first of all raise interest. We need to incorporate myths and legends into a variety of fields, and make them in such a way that will reach people as easily as myths and legends do through movies. Only then will we successfully share and pass these on to the next generation.
DeleteI like your comment. I think that the movies become one of the means to maintain the mythologies. Although the movies are a little different from the mythologies, the movies tell the same the wisdom and the lesson as the mythologies because the movies are based on the mythologies.
Delete1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
ReplyDeleteVoluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Give some examples from these texts that support your identification.
Voluspa is an example of the mythological poem genre, the feature of it is to explore gods. It tells a story of the creation and extinction of a world. This world is based on the “ash tree-Yggdrasil” and divided into three layers and nine worlds. The story started with four races called giants, gods, elves and dwarves. The front part of the poem tells the story about how Odin creates the world and the second part describes the battle of gods which is caused by the death of Balder. After the extinction of the world, survived gods set up the new world again.
As the following references to gods from the poem illustrate:”Far-famed Thor, the son of Earth, the son of Odin, goes forth to fight the Snake (l.75-76)” In the last battle, Thor and Snake perished together.
“Balder’s return brings an end to sorrow. Hod and Balder will live in Odin’s hall (l.90-91)” The battle of gods has gone with the time. At the same time, the god of light and the god of darkness resurrect.
Volsunga Saga is an epic prose; it tells the story of a hero who called Sigurd killed the dragon of Fafnir. Sigurd is a hero of north mythology. The main form of this article is dialogues. “Sigurd answered, ‘Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast; neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared hither’”
Beowulf is a heroic epic poem. There are three significant battles in Beowulf‘s life. This text is about his last battle--against Dragon. After defeating Grendel and Grendel’ mother he came back to his hometown--Geatland in Sweden. There, he became the king of Geatland. Fifty years past, one day a slave stole a gem-studded goblet from the treasury guarded by dragon. This made dragon angry and destroyed Beowulf’s country. Hearing the event, Beowulf felt ominous and he memorized the death of Hygelac and his lucky escape from that battle. “Then Beowulf was given bad news. His mind was in turmoil, unaccustomed anxiety and gloom confused his brain. After manner trials, he was destined to face the end of his days in this moral world” On the way attacking the Dragon, he thought of his youth. In the last battle, as the king of the country, Beowulf killed the evil dragon for his people but at the same time he lost his life. “The wide kingdom reverted to Beowulf. He ruled it well for fifty winters, grew old and wise as warden of the land until one began to dominate the dark”
Hobbits
DeleteIt is a child fantasy novel. In the novel, there are many fantasy things, such as gwarves, elves and dragon, it also have the hero who killed the dragon. Each image standard for their own meaning, so that children can tell the right from wrong when reading the book. For example, dragon standard for evil, “just now he was enjoying the sport of town-baiting more than he had enjoyed anything tor years.” Bard standard for brave and wisdom, “he shot with a great yew bow, till all his arrows but one were spent. The flames were near him. He bent his bow for the last time” Elves standard for kind-heart, “but the king, when received the prayers of Bard, had pity, for he had at first been direct towards the Mountain, he hastened now down the river to the Long Lake” This chapter mainly told that the evil dragon attacked the village and people fled all over. At the last emerge moment, Bard killed the evil dragon saved villagers and helped them rebuild their homes.
Lord of the Rings
It is epic fantasy novels. It has six ethnic: hobbits, dwarves, men, elves, Orcs, Uruk-Hai. Differ from the Hobbits, The lore of the Rings has complex structure and huge content. The story told that Frodo Baggins inherited the lore of the ring from his uncle Bilbo Baggins. He shouldered the heavy responsibility and countered with the evil forces lead by Sauron. At last he through the lore of the ring into volcano and destroyed it. This novel is full of responsibility, justice, faith, loyal, greedy, betray, protection, battle and so on.
“Behold Eorl the Young!” said Aragorn, “Thus he rode out of the North to the Battle of the Field of Celebrant”
“‘Nay, lord,’ said Aragorn, there is no rest yet for the weary. The men of Rohan must ride forth today, and we will ride with them, axe, sword, and bow. We did not bring them to rest against your wall, Lord of the Mark. And I promised Eomer that my sword and his should be drawn together”
Heaney, S. (Trans). (1999) (Trans). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin
Morris, W. & Magnussun, E. (Trans.). (1888). The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga). London: Walter Scott Press
Terry, P. (Trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937).The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1993;1954).The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. London, HarperCollins
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ReplyDelete6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
ReplyDeleteI think, myth came from an ancient story or a legendary story. Myth has originated in two different ways. One way was passed from mouth to mouth and another was derived from a written form. So myth affects the modern world of life and remains in the history. Myth can be divided into many kinds. For example, there were Greek and Roman Mythology, Dangun mythology of Korea and so on. It still remains in our modern life from past to present.
Nowadays, myth trailed off into silence like history. People are not interested in myth or past. Of course, we can learn a good lesson in myth but it gradually disappeared. There are various kinds of common examples in movies or books, if we look at myth which exists in present. We can get interest about myth when we see the movies that deal with mythological subjects. Also we will be able to know well through books. These books use characters of Greek and Roman Mythology and make movies by using gods.
As for Korea, there is a Dangun mythology. This myth contains the history of Korean and we can see the Korean national character and lifestyle through it.
So if someone didn’t know about Greek and Roman Mythology, they can understand easily through these materials. We can also learn through books of myth. That is one of the most common ways.
Dangun mythology is known as the Korea’s myth and it has one story. “A bear and a tiger who shared a cave near the sacred sandalwood tree wanted very much to become human beings. Every day they prayed so earnestly before the tree that the Heavenly Prince decided to give them a chance to become human. The Heavenly Prince gave the bear and the tiger a bundle of mugwort and twenty bulbs of garlic and told them that if they ate only these and stayed in the cave for one hundred days that they would become human. So the bear and the tiger took the garlic and the mugwort and went into the cave. After a short time the tiger ran away because it could not stand the long days of sitting the cave and eating only garlic and mugwort, but the bear endured the boredom and the hunger, and after only twenty one days the bear was transformed into a beautiful woman.”
This story shows a great perseverance about Korean. Moreover, Myth has settled down as one of the Korea histories and has influenced in modern society. Therefore, children can develop their desires as looking up to the heroes in the myth also people can get lesson from the myth. As like this, old myth exist in today.
-Reference
Korean Creation Myth (n.d.). In North Austin Tae Kwon Do. Retrieved April 5, 2012, from http://www.natkd.com/korean_creation_myth.htm
I totally agree with your opinion.
DeleteTo further add to “Dangun mythology”, after the bear changed into a beautiful woman, the woman was married with a son of GOD. The woman gave birth to a baby, Dangun. He founded a country which is Korea now, and he governed the country for 1500 years (Doopedia, n.d). The foundation day in South Korea is based on this mythology. Nowadays, North Korea also designated the foundation day as the holiday. For this reason, “Dangun mythology” is important to Korean, and Korean has learned about the mythology since the children (Lee, n.d).
As you mentioned, a number of people do not think about the importance of the mythologies though we can learn from the many mythologies. I think that the reason is why the books are difficult to read. Because of the mythology, people are difficult to imagine and understand the story. And, the books are usually written the difficult words that we do often not use. In spite of the reason, nowadays, there are the animation and the comic books about Greek and Roman Mythology for the education in Korea. Through these, the children read and watch the Greek and Roman Mythology easily.
In my opinion, it has a number of meanings that the older people who already read mythologies made the books, the movies and the cartoons. That is the reason why they earned the wisdom and the lesson from the mythology.
Reference
Doopedia. (n.d.). Dangun mythology. Retrieved June 18, 2012 from http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=387633&mobile&categoryId=107
Lee. (n.d.). Foundation day. Retrieve June 18, 2012 from http://blog.naver.com/lseonghyeonl?Redirect=Log&logNo=70094861459
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ReplyDelete1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
ReplyDeleteVoluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Give some examples from these texts that support your identification.
Voluspa is an example of Norse mythological poem genre. The story of Voluspa is the creation and doom of the world because it is appeared many characters and concepts of the Nordic legends, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: “Silence I ask of all the sacred folk, high and low ones, Silence of the kin of Heimdall”. The first two verses are the ritual formula used to ask silence at the beginning of the Icelandic general meeting (Yves Kodratoff, 1998)
Volsunga Saga is an example of the Norse epic genre. The subtitle is “The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer”. Sigurd is the main character who is represented a legendary hero who kill a dragon in the Volsunga Saga. (L. Byock, 1990) As the following references to Sigurd from the text : "I am Sigurd, the son of Sigmund," answered the hero. "Upon my death you may well take my treasure," replied Fafnir, "but you shall receive little benefit from it. It will be your death. I advise you to ride away from here while you still can." Then Fafnir died.
Beowulf is an example of a heroic epic poem of the German. Beowulf is composed of 3,182 lines. It is only oldest epic poem that is well preserved among much German epic poetry in the world. This poetry is divided into 2 chapters. The first chapter describes Beowulf as a liege and becoming a king. The second chapter tells the process that Beowulf kill a dragon after becoming king and dead of Beowulf.(Naver.com, n.d) “Beowulf's ancient iron-grey swordlet him down in the fight. It was never his fortuneto be helped in combat by the cutting edgeof weapons made of iron”.(Heaney,S. 2000. p.106) “ Beowulf discovereddeadly poison suppurating inside him,surges of nausea”.(Heaney,S. 2000. p.107)
The hobbit is a fantasy novel and children's literature written by Tolkien in 1937. Tolkien wrote The hobbit for his children to read tales before going to bed. It is a first fantasy novel and story before The Lord of Rings. The main character is Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins ` uncle, and it is the story of Bilbo Baggins. Much interesting and important story to understand The hobbit appeared such as the first meeting with Gollum character of The Lord of Rings. The hobbit has many factors like dragon, hobbits and the one ring. (Gradesaver.com. n.d.) For example, “Fire leaped from the dragon`s jaws.” “The dragon swooped once more lower than ever.” (The Hobbit, 1937)
ReplyDeleteLord of the Rings is an epic fantasy novel written by Tolkien. It is more complex than The Hobbit, but based on The Hobbit. The main villain is the Dark Lord who created the One Ring. The whole story of Lord of the Rings is episode related with the One Ring. Like The hobbit, Lord of the Rings has many factors of fantasy and epic. For example, “Suddenly through a rent in the clouds behind them shaft of sun stabbed down. The falling showers gleamed like silver, and far away the river glittered like a shimmering glass.” “the king raised his hand, and with rush like the sudden onset of a great wind the last host of Rohan rode thundering into the West.” (The Two Towers. 1954.p.513)
Reference
D. L. Ashliman .(2010) The Saga of the Volsungs a summary in English Retrieved April 21, 2012 From http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/volsungsaga.html
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937).The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1993;1954).The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. London, HarperCollins
Gradesaver.com (n.d.) The Hobbit summary. Retrieved April 21, 2012 from http://www.gradesaver.com/the-hobbit/study-guide/short-summary/
Heaney,S. (Trans). (2000). Beowulf : A NEW VERSE TRANSLATION. London. W.W. NORTON & COMPANY
Yves Kodratoff (1998). Völuspá - The prediction of the prophetess Old Norse and English versions with commentary. Retrieved April 21, 2012 From http://www.nordic-life.org/nmh/voluspa.htm
Jesse L. Byock (1990) The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, translated (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press)
This may be shown the answer about question 1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
ReplyDeleteVoluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Give some examples from these texts that support your identification.
Voluspa is an example of a mythological poem, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: “Far-famed Thor, the son of Earth, the son of Odin, goes forth to fight the snake.’ (Sacred-texts.com, n.d.)
Volsunga Saga is an epic prose, and the story that talks about the hero, Sigurd.
As the following references to Sigurd from the epic prose, “…and Sigurd smote therewith at Lyngi the king, and clave him down, both helm and head, and mail-clad body, and thereafter he smote Hjorward his brother atwain, and then slew all the other sons of Hunding who were yet alive, and the more part of their folk withal.” (Sacred-texts.com, n.d.)
Beowulf is an old English heroic epic poem and indicates the process that Beowulf becomes the King with three battles. This sentence is shown that Beowulf became the king: “But Onela, son of Ongentheow, sought his house and home again once Heardred fell, leaving Beowulf as lord of the Geats and the master of the gift-throne. He was a good king!” (enotes.com, n.d.)
The hobbit is an example of a fantasy novel, which was written by Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien involved a mythology of England and stories for his children in The hobbit. So, this book is the story about the journey of Bilbo Baggins. When the wizard Gandalf visits the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had
a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung
down below his waist, and immense black boots. (childlit.uw.hu,n.d)
Lord of the rings is one of the high fantasy novels and was written by Tolkien, J.R.R. This story is based on The hobbit.
Reference
Childlit.uw.hu. (n.d.). The hobbit. Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://childlit.uw.hu/Text/J.R.R%20Tolkien%20-%20The%20Hobbit.pdf
Enote.com. (n.d.). Beowulf. Retrieved http://www.enotes.com/jax/index.php/works/download/type=gutenberg/notes=beowulf-text
Sacred-texts.com. (n.d.). The poetic edda: voluspo Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe03.htm
Sacred-texts.com. (n.d.). The volsung saga index Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/vlsng/index.htm
Lord of the rings is the epic tale that Frodo Baggins, a hero of Hobbit, leads the war for a ring in “The Middle Earth”. The war is between good and evil, Frodo Baggins with friends and Sauron with the followers (Doopediea, n.d.). In “Lord of the rings”,
DeleteI threw down my enemy, and he fell from the high place and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin. Then darkness took me; and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell. Naked I was sent back — for a brief time, until my task is done. And naked I lay upon the mountain-top (The Two Towers. 1954).
Reference
Doopedia. (n.d). Lord of the rings Retrieved June 18, 2012 from http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=765311
Tolien, J.R.R (1993; 1954). The Lord of the Rings: The Two towers,London: HarperCollins.