Writing is my passion

Couldn't have said it better myself. 

Canterbury Tales 2: "What a character!"

Canterbury Notes

About the Author: Geoffry Chaucer

• Medieval War
• Talented poet
• variation of French/Latin poetry and language
• His writing/language appealed to a higher class ranking, more sophisticated style
• penetrates insight to human character
• honored for his work on his tombstone 
• "the father of English Lit."

Prologue 

• In short, different people coming together to reach the same goal, but taking different paths
• Money plays a role, poverty to rich
• The story is told through a bunch of different characters and their own individual journey 
• story follows customs associated to that time period
• parallel lives going through the same obstacles 
• story comes to a deeper understanding when you show the same picture in variety of ways
• Canterbury, in a sense, is more of a spiritual journey. 
• features characters like: Knight, monks, none, squire, fear, etc. All thought to be high ranking in society's social classes, but yet contradicting because they do not act so
• all in want of a free meal, feast
• prologue told through the cooks tale

Plot

• set in Canterbury because all the 27 people are traveling to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. 
• Host is Harry Bailey 
• each traveler will tell 2 stories there and back, winner gets a free meal

• 1st Knight's tale: 2 knights imprisoned, they fall in love with Emelye, 1 is freed from prison and the other escapes, they fight, Acrite (the freed one) wins but dies falling off his horse, Palamon (escaped prisoner) marries Emelye.

• 2nd Miller's: poor student Nicholas, gets Alisoun(Land lord's daughter) to sleep over. Convinces land lord John to spend the night in bath tub above the ceiling. Absolon(also loves Alisoun) is outside the Nichola's window. Absolon asks Alisoun for a kiss, but she gives him her bottom to kiss instead. Absolon gets a brander, returns and this time when Nicholas sticks his bottom out and farts, he brands him. Nicholas screams for water, the landlord cuts the rope thinking the flood has happened and breaks his arm.

• 3rd Reeve's: 2 students, john and Allan, go to mill so the miller can't steal their corn. Miller unties the horses, they chase it down, miller steals some corn during the commotion. Sleep over at millers house. Allan seduces mille's daughter, and John seduces his wife. Miller is pissed, tries to beat them. His wife, accidentally hits miller, not the boys. They get their stolen goods, and leave.

Character Study

She laughs at the face of danger. She is strong and fearless in time of despair. But yet she stays conservative and locked away in an unopened box. She rarely speaks, but yet her mind wanders and is on the brink of eruption being overfilled with ideas. People pass her by, but she stares straight carrying on with determination. She has faced countless obstacles preventing her from success, but more importantly, from happiness. Forever living in judgement, but yet she finds a way to always carry a smile. Its as if her eyes look through you, capturing your attention, pulling you in by pure fascination. The way she speaks, so soft and at times without confidence.  She ignores the rumors, stereotypes, and negativity from those around her. She tells a story just by the way she carries herself. She has been hurt, cheated, broken, stepped on, taken for granted, and has stumbled, but all of this has only fueled the fire within her. She was raised upon good morals, and determination to fight for everything in life. She possesses ambition, passion, and most importantly the capability to love. She trusts very little, but keeps her faith. She craves adventure, and is willing to take risks. Once naive, she is now and forever triumphant.
She was given the chance of a lifetime to attend and play soccer at California State University East Bay. She sets course majoring in communications furthering her career as a writer. Writing, that has always been her true passion. If you give her a blank space, she will fill the page from every corner with the creativity she keeps coiled within her. He writing is intoxicating, making you want to know more and more . She aims for perfection, and won't settle for anything less. She is athletic, unyielding, minded, and has a heart of gold. She lives and breathes for the city life. Jumping into her college has lead her to the grand streets of San Francisco. She has become diverse, and more confident in the person she is and has always wanted to be. She has followed her dream, and found success.

Netvibes

I found Netvibes to be very useful. But trying to set up/sync certain websites of media into it is really stressful. Its pretty much impossible for me to sync my Gmail account into it with the security being so over powering. Other than problems like that, the website makes it easy to put everything into one place. But in all honesty, I'm not how sure I would visit and keep up with the stories to begin with. Nonetheless, still a helpful tool.

Phonar Notes

• Belief that a picture tells a story. 
• A photograph is about the "experience" not the "evidence"
• Photography is more dead than alive?
• Phones give everything access to cameras, pictures, etc.
• Difference between "images" and "photographs"
• Social Media greatly increased 
• photo is actually a circle
• a photograph is bounded by the edges of a frame
• Photos are all interconnected, sharing, favoring, uploading, etc.
• Military "spooked" locations using Facebook
• Location, ethnicity, location, language, etc, all  influence differently and people understand differently. The same photo could be interrupted in a variety of ways
• Because of that, photography can change the world. 
• start thinking of yourself beyond the usual

Phonar Video

Masterpiece (Work in Progress)

Focused questions: 
Why has journalism become such a tough business? Is it because newspapers have become obsolete? Or is it because we have evolved into a new technological world? What method of communication is most efficient in today's world? How has the world of news broadcast changed over the years? And how has the way we send, receive, and analyze new information progressed over the years? Are these changes good or bad? How will these changes affect us heading into the future?

Project:

Create something (still working on the idea) that will allow people to communicate with one another in the form of something similar to newspaper columns. The system will be public and free for anyone to post their thoughts. Topics will be free of choice evolving around the idea that people can voice their opinion similar to how columnist voice theirs in popular newspapers or magazines. 

Note- I'm thinking something along the lines of maybe like a website, or something more effective to project the articles.

Goal:

From this project, the goal would be to create an interconnected base of writers in order to bounce not only ideas, but create something bigger through the use of the basic system I will be creating. 

Why?

I want to major in writing, communications, journalism, or broadcast in college. Everything in this writing field i find highly interesting. But when i first started developing my interests, i found it hard to gather enough information about what i 'thought' i liked in order to decide on a major for college. I want this system to bring other people who went, or are still going through, the struggles I had. Because newspapers are not nearly as popular as they once were, this website could be extremely helpful in advancing knowledge about current events in the world (or just about anything you could think of since the articles are a free for a all range of topics). Because technology has become woven into our everyday lives on so many different levels, this project could combine everything from news updates, picture galleries, to games. All through the use of other writers being passionate and sharing there ideas. 

Big Question (Part 2)

Fear Doesn't exist

"Find your passion in life," "Be yourself," "Follow your dreams." These are the phrases we hear too often, especially in our senior year of high school. We all want to succeed so bad, that we often have this irrational fear constantly building inside of us. We fear that we're not going to get our homework done by the due date, or that we are going to miss the game winning shot in our sports, or that we can't pay the bills for this month, or that our loved one is not going to make it another day. We fear everything and anything. Why?

My fear consumes me at times. I find myself worrying about everything from being in a fight with my boyfriend, to paying off insurance bills for the first car accident I was in, to worrying if my stress in school is ever going pay off by getting me a degree for a good paying job someday. 

Fear is defined as  an unpleasant emotion. It means to be afraid of something because we see it as dangerous, painful, or threatening. What powerful words huh? I mean, think about it. When we essentially 'fear' something, it brings us "pain" in our heart, and is "dangerous" to our well being, and it is "threatening" our mind and body. 

My big question for all this, is why do we live in fear? From what I've found from my research, my only real conclusion is that we fear simply because we are afraid of failure. We fear that all of our efforts will come too short and that we will have nothing to show for it. We are taught as children that failure is essentially negative, and success is the only option. When in reality, its quiet the opposite. You will never know success until you know failure. 

The goal out of this thought is to bring out the idea that maybe, just maybe, fear doesn't actually exist. Perhaps its just a voice inside our heads with no other purpose but to hold us back from our true potential. 

And you want to know the true beauty of it all? We control our fear equally as much as we control our happiness, our success, and our lives. After 18 years of my life so far, i have finally grasped this concept. I understand now that I have the opportunity to wake up everyday fearless and happy; And it's changed my life. I no longer live in fear of worrying myself to death about my future or what obstacle lies ahead next. Instead, I face it head on. Life is limited, and time waits for no one. Fear is but a four lettered word that people blame when they run out of excuses. You alone are in charge of your own success and fulfillment, so don't wait. 

Simply live. Live your life., and live it to the absolute fullest.. before it's too late. 

Vocabulary List #4

obsequious: adjective characterized by or showing servile complaisanceor deference; fawning; servilely compliant or deferential; obedient; dutiful

beatitude: noun supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.

bete noire: noun a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded;bane; bugbear.

bode: verb to be an omen of; to announce beforehand; predict.

dank: adjective unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often,chilly:

ecumenical: adjective general; universal; promoting or fostering Christian unity throughout the world.

fervid: adjective heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm; burning; glowing; intensely hot.

fetid: adjective having an offensive odor; stinking.

gargantuan: adjective gigantic; enormous; colossal

heyday: noun the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength,success; prime; high spirits

incubus: noun an imaginary demon or evil spirit supposed todescend upon sleeping persons, especially onefabled to have sexual intercourse with womenduring their sleep; a nightmare; something that weighs upon or oppresses one like anightmare

infrastructure: noun the basic, underlying framework or features of asystem or organization

inveigle: verb to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talkor inducements (usually followed by into) to acquire, win, or obtain by beguiling talk ormethods

kudos: noun honor; glory; acclaim:

lagniappe: noun a gratuity or tip; an unexpected or indirect benefit

prolix: adjective extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length;long and wordy

protege: noun a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare

prototype: noun/verb the original or model on which something is basedor formed; something analogous to another thing of a later period; someone or something that serves to illustrate the typical qualities of a class; model; exemplar

sycophant: noun a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.

tautology: noun an instance of such repetition.

truckle: verb to submit or yield obediently or tamely (usually followed by)

Literary Analysis #1

Part 1:
1.) Bless me Ultima is a story about a young boy, Antonio, overcoming his family's expectations for what they want his life to be. But instead, he finds his own path and discovers his passions in life, not his parents. His father intended for him to take after his footsteps in running open green lands, while his mother wanted him to become a priest. During this confusing time of Antonio's life, Ultima, his grandmother, is invited to come stay with them. Ultima is a healer and knows a lot about medicine. Antonio's parents welcome her into their home with open arms. She becomes a good influence on the family, and mainly because it's part of their heritage to help the family's elders. Antonio goes through several different incidents that make him question what is right from wrong in the world. For example, he witnesses a man shot to death for killing the sheriff of the town. Another example, seeing his dad sacrifice his dreams and desires all the time and moving. Also, the fight between two friends that leaves one of them dead. To top it off, Antonio's life is at stake in several scenes, and this impacts his thinking dramatically (obviously). By the end of the novel, Antonio becomes a new man with a new perspective on the world. Unfortunately, Ultima passes away by the end of the novel. Her spirit animal, an owl, is killed moments before her, foreshadowing her death. Ultima is primarily responsible for Antonio's new understanding of the world. She affected Antonio and his family in nothing but positive ways. The novel symbolizes the Hispanic heritage through their family's relationships, and that people can rise up and power through anything; even poverty or death.

2.) Themes of the novel include:
The impact of Heritage- Antonio's Hispanic heritage impacted the story on a plot as well as character basis. The rule of heritage allowed Ultima to be welcomed into her relatives home. To other heritages, this seems obscure. Also, Hispanic elders are known for knowledge and wisdom. Younger generations are taught to respect them and honor their teachings. Antonio and Ultima has a great relationship of passing down lessons. 
Independence: Antonio was fully prepared to sacrifice his own dreams to fulfill his parents. But with Ultima's help, he was able to gain his independence and walk his own path in life. This is an extremely hard thing to do at Antonio's age and also because of his culture. It was alsmost impossible to defy his parents in doing what he wanted to do in his own life. This is why this theme sticks out so much. You must always take into consideration other people's opinions, but you must live your life for yourself.
Violence doesn't Solve Anything: Through out the whole story, it seemed like every chapter brought blood shed of some sort. No one should ever stoop to violence in the hopes of solving a problem. Antonio experienced killings in several instances, and it made him question the justification of how people in his town handled situations poorly. Antonio realizes that not everything elders/authority do are right, which is hard for him to understand because he's told to respect all they say/do. This new understanding opens his eyes to the wrong doings in life that often go unpunished or over looked, and it makes him realize the world is not perfect, but often cruel.

3.) - "It seemed the more I knew about people, the more I knew about the strange magic hidden in their hearts."  The tone depicted here is reminiscent of childhood and shows Antonio's loss of innocence as he realizes people have underlying evil. 

-"I had been afraid of the awful presence of the river, but with Ultima, I learned that my spirit shares in the spirit of all things."  The tone shown here is Antonio's enlightenment in his new understanding of his own dreams. He sees that nature plays a role in society and that everything is interconnected and he finds a beauty in his own fulfillment of his life. 

-"Good is always stronger than evil, always remember that. The smallest bit of good can stand against all the powers of evil in the world, and it will remain triumphant."  The tone here is plane and simple faith. Antonio and Ultima share faith in the world, that good will always out weigh the evil, and that people are filled with more good than bad. They share hope, faith, and dreams for a better world, and they trust and believe in it through out the whole novel. 

Part 2: Characterization
1.) "Antonio will be a man of learning."-Ultima. This is direct characterization of Antonio. Ultima sees his potential and his bright future. 
"Take them to my room!" This was the first time I had spoke to my mother as a man; she obeyed.-Antonio 
This is an example of indirect characterization because Antonio's actions describe his charcter, not the narrator listing them. His dominate expression shows his maturity and urgency as a man rather than a child. 
My lasting impression of Antonio after these quotes from the novel leave me to think of Antonio as an individual with the desire to learn and grow, not only physically but mentally. He Makes a huge transition from a child into adulthood quite dramatically. Ultima, along the way, helps him to realize his true capabilities. 

2.) The book is based around Hispanic Culture, so the author does change syntax and diction quite often. exmaples being Spanish phrases like "Llano" and "Vaquero" are used when referring to Antonio's father. Also, the author is specifically focused on the diction for Antonio and Ultima. They are much more developed and have specific plot situations that display their character more in depth. 

3.) The protagonist, Antonio, is extremely dynamic and round. He goes from complete child-like ignorance of the world he thought he knew, to undergoing one of life;s biggest changes as he enters adult hood and sees the world is not all sunshine and rainbows. It's filled with hidden evil and wrongdoings. life is filled with injustices, and Antonio begins to realize this through harsh situations like death. This change he experiences makes him an ideal dynamic character. 

4.) I found it really easy to relate to Antonio in certain aspects. From battling poverty, to realizing the harsh realities of the world, and having to experience a loved once death so early in life. All these obstacles share a great deal in difficulties mentally. Although not all of Antonios set backs were relatable (I never experienced someone trying to murder me). But, From the change he made from child ignorance to adult realizations is very relatable from a teenager's eyes. 

Analysis of Young Goodman Brown

Plot:

In short, the story depicts a man encountering the devil and is forced to face his own insecurities/flaws. While along the way he questions the faithfulness of those around him, even his one beloved wife, faith.  He soon realizes that the people in his village are guilty of following the devil. But was it all a dream or a figment of imagination? The story never really clarifies. It leaves it up to the readers interpretation. The story leaves you with Goodman Brown forever living his life in fear and gloom.

Symbols:

Faith's pink ribbon- Even her name is an iconic symbol in the story: Faith. The story revolves around religious faith and to steer clear of the devil and his evil ways. Also, her ribbon symbolizes purity in a time where women were held to a different standard in the biblical world.

The staff- The snake carved into the staff represents a serpent associated with the pits of hell. By Goodman Brown taking the staff, he subconsciously make the decision to walk towards hell.  

The Forest- The forest depicts a satanical and demonic background to the story giving it an edge. It helps in hiding Goodman Brown out of sight from other people come to the devils ceremony. It symbolizes sneakiness, lying, cheating, witchcraft, temptation, and all other negative traits a dark creepy forest brings. 

Themes:

Religion- the whole story is based off of religious values and morals. The devil questions these values and causes temptation, doubt, and persuades people into evil acts. In short, the story is a battle of good vs evil or in another form, god vs the devil. 

Judgement- Goodman Brown was constantly hiding in the story because he was ashamed of what others would think of him if they say him associating with the devil and attending the ceremony. We often worry too much about what others will think of us, that we lose sight of what it is we find valuable and important. Judgment played a big role in the story due to Goodman Brown's insecurities in his own individual faith.

Good vs Evil/ Right vs Wrong- the stories whole plot is built around the reoccurring battle of what is right and wrong in life. Were Goodman Brown's decisions justified? Was he really subsiding with the devil, or was it an inner test to make him realize he was faithful? life is full of paths, leading to an endless amount of places and answers. This battle is in all of us, every moment, and unfortunately, it is one we will never win.   

Vocabulary List #3

accolade noun: an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit; a touch on a person's shoulders with a sword at the bestowing of a knighthood.

acerbity noun: expressing harsh or sharp criticism in a clever way

attrition noun: : a reduction in the number of employees or participants that occurs when people leave because they resign, retire, etc., and are not replaced; the act or process of weakening and gradually defeating an enemy through constant attacks and continued pressure over a long period of time

bromide noun: a drug that makes a person calm; a commonplace or tiresome person; a commonplace or hackneyed statement or notion

chauvinist noun: undue partiality or attachment to a group or place to which one belongs or has belonged; an attitude of superiority toward members of the opposite sex; behavior expressive of such an attitude

chronic adjective: continuing or occurring again and again for a long time; happening or existing frequently or most of the time; always or often doing something specified

expound verb: to explain or state something; to give details about it

factionalism noun: a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization,

immaculate adjective: Especially of a person or their clothes, perfectly clean, neat, or tidy.

imprecation noun: a spoken curse.

ineluctable adjective: unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable.

mercurial adjective: of a person, subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.

palliate verb: make, a disease or its symptoms, less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause.

protocol noun: the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs

resplendent adjective: attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous, splendid and expensive looking.

stigmatize verb: describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.

sub rosa adjective/adverb: happening or done in secret.

vainglory noun: inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity.

vestige noun: a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.

volition noun: the faculty or power of using one's will.

Beowulf Essay

It's in All of Us 

We identify a hero by bravery, courage, and confidence. And sure, we all want to be heroic, but there’s something in our heads that tells us we cant. The story of Beowulf exemplified the meaning of a hero. The basis of challenges faced in Beowulf, fate, god, and human action outlined for generations the same story of heroic proportions. Within the last couple years specifically, there have been countless heroic tales depicting the same plot of that of Beowulf. In the latest X-men film, the characters undergo the same challenges Beowulf fought. In addition, the extremely popular Hungar Games trilogy features a character modeling yet again Beowulf’s character and a vastly similar plot; except the story is focused through a feminist lens. Both stories plots, characters, and literary devices derived from the original heroic story of Beowulf. Beowulf was above it’s time in the sense that it successfully created a relatable story of what we all strive to be: a Hero.

            All good heroes answer the call to adventure. Beowulf certainly did. But his demeanor raises the question: was his character considered cocky or confident? This is a hard balance to find. Wolverine of the X-men raises the same question. Bad tempered, assertive, and aggressive traits are a match between the two. In Beowulf, he stated he would fight without armor. This was indeed courageous. But this confidence could be viewed as a flaw of arrogance. Wolverine’s arrogance is revealed through out all the X-men’s work, but in the latest movie he volunteers to be the hero of the story while the rest live in fear. No matter which way you view their confidence, either a positive to take action, or a flaw to their defeat, a hero could never conquer if he feared death and did nothing. Both Wolverine and Beowulf display the importance of human action as heroic characters.

             We often look to others, skipping over ourselves when we are in need of a hero. Katnis Everdeen is a teenage girl thrown into a battlefield fighting for her life. Along the way, she not only learns and grows, but she becomes a true hero. She gave people one of life’s biggest gifts of all. She gave people something to believe in. She became a symbol of perseverance and to not live in fear. Another important factor to the Hungar games, is that the stories are told through the eyes of a strong independent female character. She is viewed as inferior to equality being a woman, but surpasses all doubt. Beowulf exposed the opposite. When Beowulf went to battle, his men deserted him out of fear and left him isolated on his own. Katnis illustrates the heroic quality of fate and fight for what you believe in. While Beowulf demonstrates to take a stand, even if your standing alone.  

Scholarships (Will Work For Food)

We The Students Scholarship Contest

Link: https://www.scholarships.com/Award.aspx?AWARD_ID=46

Hoods Memorial Scholarship

Link: https://www.scholarships.com/Award.aspx?AWARD_ID=52

$10,000 Anti-Texting and Driving Scholarship

Link: https://www.scholarships.com/Award.aspx?AWARD_ID=85

Toot Your Own Horn

Link: https://www.scholarships.com/Award.aspx?AWARD_ID=45

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest   

Link: https://www.scholarships.com/Award.aspx?AWARD_ID=72

Cappex Monthly Scholarship

Link: http://www.cappex.com/page/account/quickApply.jsp?scholarshipID=gp&code=HO1007-5-

Also interested in grants

Links: calgrants.org and fasfa.com.

 

Beowulf Questions

*The following notes were a collaboration and done in a group effort with: Judith Lee, Sierra Sanchez, Haley Kestler, Imanie Patel, Victoria Tonoscia, Taylor Williams, Megan Stevens, Elizabeth Smith, Shailynn Joseph, Stevie Wisz, Courtney Reyburn, and Hannah Hurd.*

1.   Hrothgar that he shouldn’t deny their help because Beowulf is their leader. In reply Hrothgar says he knows Beowulf’s father, and tells Wulfgar to go get the Geats. I’m not that surprised of Hrothgar and Beowulf knowing each other, because Beowulf wouldn’t put his life and lives of others in harm’s way if he didn’t know Hrothgar.
2. Beowulf tells Hrothgar that he is very skilled and experience and he plans to take on Grendel without any weapons, and for Hrothgar not to refuse him. Hrothgar paid off Beowulf’s father’s debts during a warning period for the Geats.

[Feast at Heorot] (lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. Unferth’s jealousy causes him to claim that Beowulf can’t beat Grendel, and he brings up a time in the past when Beowulf lost a swimming competition to Breca. Beowulf tells Unferth that he’s drunk and the true story was that he was separated from Breca and pulled underwater by a sea monster, that he later killed. This episode shows how brave and confident Beowulf is throughout the story. Beowulf then accuses Unferth of him not being as brave as he said he was supposed to be, and if he was then Grendel would’ve never came to Herolot.
2. Queen Wealhtheow hands out mead Goblets to Hrothgar and then to the rest of the men during the feasting. Then she thanks God for Beowulf and after sits down next to Hrothgar.

The Fight with Grendel

1. Beowulf's preparations for his battle with Grendel differ from normal heroes in poetry in that he shed his armor instead of putting more on because he planned to fight Grendel with his bare hands instead of with a sword and such.
2. When Grendel enters Heorot, he immediately begins to eat the sleeping soldiers as he did many times before. Instead of eating Beowulf, Grendel is surprised with a fight as Beowulf never fell asleep and Grendel wasn't initially able to escape Beowulf's tight grasp. Despite Beowulf's death grip, Grendel managed to escape, but not without leaving his arm behind.

Celebration of Heorot

1. Sigemund was a great hero who slayed a horrible dragon that was a keeper of a treasure chest that hr won by slaying him. The treasure won by Sigemund symbolizes the gold rewards that Beowulf earned from the ring-giver, King Hrothgar. Sigemund's story is told to celebrate Beowulf and compare both of their heroic acts. Heremod is known as an evil Danish king who turns against his own people. This clearly resembles the reverse of Beowulf’s characteristic and by comparing and contrasting Beowulf to two different kings, the narrator indicates that Beowulf will be king later in the story.
2. Hrothgar responds to Beowulf's deed by celebrating him and pronouncing him as both a son and man that will never be forgotten. Hrothgar then goes on to give Beowulf many gifts, including a sword. Since Beowulf was successful in his attempt to save the Danes, Unferth doesn't have much to say to him as he has become much more humble. 
3. The singer sings the story of Finn during the feast. Basically, in the story Finn, Lord of the Frisians, marries Hildeburgh, a Dane, to end a feud between the two tribes. The idea was to use the bride to ensure that the families wouldn’t feud anymore but obviously this was a bad idea. The Frisians killed Hildeburgh’s brother when he came to visit her. Finn was also eventually killed out of revenge.
4. Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to give the throne to Beowulf, but to trust in his biological son’s abilities to rule as king.  She believes that the throne should stay in the bloodline.
5. It is foreshadowed that Beowulf gives the necklace to his uncle Hygelac, who wears it until he dies in battle.  She also asks Beowulf to guide and protect her children, but not to take the throne from them when Hrothgar dies.
6. So many men remain in the beer hall to sleep because they believe it is as safe as it once was now that Grendel is dead.  This is a mistake because Grendel’s mother comes to the hall for revenge for her son.  She takes one of Hrothgar’s esteemed men and the arm of Grendel back to her cave.

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER

[Another Attack]

1. Grendel's mother came to Heorot to take her son's claw. It was out of anger and vengeance, not exactly similar to Grendel's reason.
2. Hrothgar's response was asking Beowulf to go to her lair and kill her, too. She had killed Hrothgar's best friend.
3. The mere (her lair) was an underwater lair under a dark lake. It had an eerie feel and was described as being very dark. 

[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother]

1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar to respond (if he should die) in a caring way for his own men that he should leave behind.

2. Beowulf sinks into the water for a few hours before he enters the mere.

1. He prepares for the battle by telling Hrothgar what he desires just incase he dies. Beowulf takes his ring-marked blade sword.
2. When Beowulf enters the mere, Grendel's mother grabs him but his armor defended him. It's surprising that it take half a day to get down there but those monsters have each other.
3. The sword breaks while Beowulf trys to strike Grendel's mother.

6. Beowulf escapes because his mail protected him from the blow.

1. Beowulf notices and uses an enchanted sword hung on the wall. He escapes by drawing the unnaturally heavy sword built by giants and slicing Grendel's mothers neck with it. When she died, the cave burned with light. The sword melted so that the hilt was all that was left.
2. When Beowulf returned to the surface, he found his men waiting, but none of the Danish. It is clear that the Geats were skeptical of his return, so they were pleasantly surprised.

[Further Celebration]

1. He gives Grendel's head and sword hilt.

1. Hrothgar tells Beowulf an important story about how someone good with deeds and intentions can just as quickly turn bad. Heremod let greed take him over and that led to his ultimate demise. Hrothgar wants Beowulf to know not to let the praise he is receiving go to his head.

3. Beowulf gives Unferth the sword before he leaves.

(Beowulf Returns Home) #1,2

1. Hrothgar is worried Beowulf may become too arrogant and be unable to fight successfully if these small battle victories get to his head.
2. Hygd is Geat’s queen. She is a good queen where as Modthryth is a bad, evil queen.
3. Beowulf reports to Hygelac because he knows that the wedding could cause problems with the family. Beowulf expects the wedding to recreate family tension and violence and Hygelac to not like the idea. We would expect this from Beowulf because he likes to stop situations before they occur and likes to plan for the problem If it can't be fixed.
4. Beowulf reports about his own adventures as slightly exaggerated, but mostly accurate in the ways they are told.
5. What Beowulf does with the treasures he is given is he offers them to his Lord and gives it to other people also. What Hygelac gives Beowulf is land, a large house, and the sword of the Geats.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99)

[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1. Part 2 takes place fifty years later. The king that have died in the mean while are King Hygelac and King Heardred. The danger that now exists Is a dragon.
2. The dragon is angry because someone stole its treasure even though the man only took the cup because he was scared by the dragon. The treasure was put there by a lord who had lost all of his friends and family. 

3. He destroyed everything as he searched for the thief. 

1. Beowulf thinks he is being punished for something he has done.  He decides to order a new shield and fight the dragon with only a few people.
2. Hygelac died fighting a monster and after Beowulf swam through the ocean with 30 sets of armor. Queen Hygd offered Beowulf the chance to become king but he declined and decided to advise Heardred. 
3. Heardred was killed along with his father at the shield wall fighting the Heatho-Scilfings. After Heardred's death, Beowulf was ascended to the throne. Under his reign, the feuding with the Sweden terminated when Beowulf avenged Hygelac and his sons deaths. Conscious of avenging his fellow lords, Beowulf befriended Eadgils (one that was provided shelter by Heardred but was part of his death) and assembled an army to scrutinize Onela.
4. Beowulf was accompanied by 11 others when approaching the dragon.
5. Herebeald was killed by his brother on accident. Hrethel was devastated to see his young son be sent to the heavens so early on in his life. From this devastating loss on, Hrethel grieved his sons death and gradually lost his passion, love, and care of his kingdom. War sprung up between Swede's and the Geats over waters which resulted in the death of Haethcyn, a Geat member. In revenge for Hygelac's death, Beowulf attacked the dragon with a sword, failing to harm the monster, and was blasted by the enraged dragon's fierce, powerful, and poisonous fire Breath, bitten on the neck by the dragons sharp teeth and was killed.

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon]

1. Beowulf tells his companions to not fight the dragon because he knows it will be his very last battle.
2. The first time Beowulf and the Dragon fight, Beowulf enters the fight with confidence as he had defeated all of the major giants with just a sword and armor. When he throws his first blow with the sword he is frightened when the sword breaks. Beowulf's companions all leave except for one of them, Wiglaf. Wiglaf remains loyal to Beowulf because he had provided so much for them and gave them gifts even when he had done all the killing. Wiglaf could not imagine going against someone who had remained so loyal to him and his family. Wiglaf tells the others that Beowulf has provided them with good armor and weapons and that if one man falls they all fall together. He also explains that although Beowulf usually does the killing on his own, they must be there to support him when he needs it. Wiglaf calls out to Beowulf telling him that he has come to help. Wiglaf then goes to help him and the dragon blows fire, which makes his shield useless.
3. The second time Beowulf attacks the dragon, Wiglaf works with him. Beowulf is bitten in the neck and is extremely wounded. Wiglaf is able to stab the dragon and wound him very badly. Beowulf gains one last serge of energy in order to strike the dragon one last time to his death. Wiglaf and Beowulf kill the dragon together; if one had not been there the dragon would not be dead. Beowulf dies in the fight with the dragon as he has been struck in the neck.
4. Beowulf asks Wiglaf to go and find the gold that they had just recaptured from the dragon. He wants Wiglaf to bring the gold to him before he dies. Beowulf finally sees the gold and thanks god for allowing him to defeat the dragon and provide treasure for the people. Beowulf wanted his body to be burned at the coastal headland and for it to be known as Beowulf's Barrow.

Beowulf's Funeral

1. As Wiglaf attempts to save Beowulf, the rest of the Geats return, but Beowulf is dead. Wiglaf tells the men that Beowulf had left all the treasure to them but that it was worthless because they had not stayed to fight with Beowulf. Wiglaf says that death will be better then such a life of shame to the men who had left their lord wounded on the battle field. Wiglaf expects that the Geats empire will be destroyed in the future.
2. The messenger tells the city of Beowulf’s death. After Ongentheow killed Haethcyn, the Geats were threatened by Ongetheow, but they were saved by Hygelac the next day. Hygwlac proceeded to then kill Ongetheow and his men to avenge the death of his kin even though that morning Ongetheow and his men retreated the area. The messenger said to not get involved with the gold because it was cursed and anyone who steals it will get the punishment on the to. The final image of the messenger’s speech was the dragon that killed Beowulf.
3. Wiglaf tells the crowd that if Beowulf listened to the people then he still would be alive. He also states that Beowulf was a brave and honorable man and not to think less of him or what he did. Although this was a disappointment, he was still given a proper burial because he was a military warrior/hero. 
4. The dragon that killed Beowulf is pushed of a cliff by Wiglaf’s men and falls into the ocean and everyone was relieved.
5. During the funeral celebration (weird) everyone is sad of the great loss of Beowulf and mourns. It is ten days long and everyone places rings and jewelry to give respect to the fallen hero. After the funeral celebration, the people of Beowulf’s kin praise him and talk of his achievements.  
6. At the end of the poem, the Geats said that Beowulf was the “kindest of kings, friendliest, and most honorable man.” He was a most honorable man because he fought for his kin and people and was unselfish in his duties and gratitude. The description of friendliest and kindest is deceiving because although the Geats thought he was kind, Beowulf’s enemies did not think so. He killed them with no mercy and no regrets so his characteristics are based on perception.  

Vocabulary list #2

accoutrements- noun personal clothing, accessories;the equipment, excluding weapons and clothing, of a soldier

apogee - noun apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth; a final climactic stage

apropos - adj. of an appropriate or pertinent nature; adv. by the way; at an opportune time

bicker - noun a quarrel about petty points; verb argue over petty things

coalesce - verb fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements

contretemps - noun an awkward clash

convolution - noun the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly

 cull - noun the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; verb remove something that has been rejected;look for and gather

disparate - adj. including markedly dissimilar elements;fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind

dogmatic - adj. characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative

licentious - adj. lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained

mete - noun a line that indicates a boundary

noxious - adj. injurious to physical or mental health

polemic- adj. of or involving dispute or controversy; noun a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)

populous - adj. densely populated

probity- noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles

repartee - noun adroitness and cleverness in reply

Supervene - verb take place as an additional or unexpected development

 Truncate- adj. terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; verb make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane

unimpeachable - adj. beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame