Here are the questions for weeks 1 - 3. Please use the comments section to post your answers. Do not make a new blog:
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 cite 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).
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 cite 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).
Question 1.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf is an example of an epic poem, where the central character, Beowulf, displays characteristics of a hero and what Greenfield (1962) would describe as “supremely noble qualities”. As defined by Meyer (2005), an epic poem is a long narrative poem involving heroic deeds significant to a culture. Beowulf battles bravely against monsters in pursuit of glory, and his heroic virtue commands great respect and admiration, as illustrated in the following text: “in the fury of battle”; “scant regard for the dragon as a threat, no dread at all for its courage or strength, for he had kept going at dangerous times”; “he outgrappled the monster and his evil kin”; “I shall fight like that for as long as I live, as long as this sword shall last”;”as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning, if the evil one will only abandon his earth-fort and face me in the open” (Heaney, 1999, p. 70-80).
References:
Greenfield, S. B. (1962). Beowulf and epic tragedy. Comparative Literature, 14(1), 91-105.
Heaney, S. (Trans). (1999). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin.
Meyer, M. (2005). The Bedford introduction to literature: Reading, thinking, writing, Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, MA.
Voluspa is an example of a creation myth, where Womack (2005) describes creation myths as “symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be” (p. 81). Voluspa is a religious tale that provides an insight of the beginnings of the world, as observed in the following text: “Hear my words, you holy gods”; “the holy gods took counsel together: they named night and night’s children, gave names to morning and night, afternoon and evening, ordered time by years” (Terry, 1990, 1966). Voluspa also provides an answer to how the culture’s identity was being created, and the myths have been passed down orally through generations before the written version surfaced.
DeleteReferences:
Womack, M. (2005). Symbols and meaning: a concise introduction. Rowman Altamira.
Terry, P. (Trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are examples of the Fantasy genre. They both inherit elements of myths and legends, but are distinguished by the imaginative, scientifically impossible, and otherworldly settings. The fictional setting of the author’s fantasy writings, Middle-earth, is the equivalent of Midgard of Norse mythology –a setting describing “human-inhabited world”. Tolkein, mingles influences from Beowulf and Norse mythology with magical and dramatic elements from his imagination.
DeleteVolsunga Saga comes under the Saga genre, or Heroic Saga with a side of Family Saga to be more precise. While its title already suggests its genre, there are other features of “Saga” observed in the text. Sagas are long epic tales and stories revolving around the actions of heroes, as the following text illustrate “…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, So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up leapt Sigurd from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and therewith was his arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder” (Morris & Magnussun, 1888, p. 59). In line with sagas, the story revolves around voyages and battles, involving the sufferings, struggles, and eventual death-wound of the hero. “Now when that might worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he leashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before hi were broken to pieces (Morris & Magnussun, p. 60).
DeleteReferences:
Extract Morris, W. & Magnussun, E. (Trans.). (1888). The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga). London: Walter Scott Press, pp.58-62.
Hi Melissa
DeleteI believe that Lord of the Rings is part of the fantasy genre, however, because of its themes, characters and styles it would probably be more accurately classed in the high fantasy genre (which is a sub-genre of the fantasy genre).
The way define the difference between high fantasy and low fantasy is through its setting and epic nature. As Leroux (2004) states “High fantasy traditionally presents the ongoing, epic battle of good versus evil within the construct of a mythic, folkloric, or feudal world”. JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is a prime example of this style of writing and fits perfectly within the sub-genre of High Fantasy. Low Fantasy is defined by Leroux (2004) as “usually set in this world” meaning set in a real world context such as a text like Conan The Barbarian. Ekman (2013) also states that “low fantasy has a primary-world setting whereas high fantasy is set mainly in a secondary world”.
The distinction between high fantasy and low fantasy is important as the fantasy genre is so large. By differentiating between high and low fantasy we can categorize a text more accurately and compare it to its contemporaries. The Lord of the Rings sits alongside texts such as Game Of Thrones, Eragon and A Wizard Of Earthsea as they are all set in an alternative world with similar themes and characters.
References:
Ekman, S. (2013). Here Be Dragons: Exploring Fantasy Maps and Settings. Wesleyan University Press.
Leroux, J., & R., L. B. (2004). Worlds of wonder: readings in canadian science fiction and fantasy literature. Ottawa: University press.
Hi James, thank you for adding that. I agree with your precise categorisation. It was interesting to read about how high fantasy and low fantasy are distinguished. That was insightful!
Delete6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
ReplyDeleteOld myths play multiple roles in the modern world, 1) as an inspiration in modern fantasy film and literature, 2) for entertainment purposes, 3) as an educational tool, and 4) where heroic figures serve as role models.
1) First, elements from old myths have appeared in modern literature and film, for instance, in The Hobbit, which was based on Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon sources, namely Beowulf and Volsunga Saga. Author Tolkien borrowed the concepts of magic, status and power, and heroes battling monsters from old myths and created a fantasy world from his vivid imagination.
For example, some features of Beowulf have been spotted in Tolkien’s work: in Beowulf, “… someone managed to enter by it and interfere with the heathen trove. He had handled and removed a gem-studded goblet; it gained him nothing, though with a thief’s wiles he had outwitted the sleeping dragon and driven him to a fury, as the people of that country would soon discover…” and in the Hobbit, “…Bilbo enters the dragon’s lair, and steals a golden cup for them. Smaug, the dragon, wakes and kills their ponies…” (Critical Reader, Week 1, p.6).
The Hobbit turned out to be a huge hit and sparked the beginnings of the modern fantasy genre. Following the success of The Hobbit was the sequel, The Lord of the Rings, where old myths continue to flourish. Old myths have laid the groundwork for promising writers to build upon, and continue to endure through generations.
2) Secondly, old myths provide entertainment in the modern world, for readers, film enthusiasts, tourists, and video gamers. Authors who drew inspiration from old myths have produced gripping literature and films that readers and viewers can indulge in. The blockbusters Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings for instance were great commercial success and have garnered a strong following. Subsequently, the Hobbiton Movie Set was constructed, mirroring the world of Tolkien’s books and films. According to Avakian (2015), the 1,250-acre Hobbiton is amongst the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand, attracting over 350,000 visitors each year. Apart from exploring the hobbits’ settlement, visitors can dine and wine within the premises (Avakian, 2015). Video games were another form of entertainment that embraces old myths, such as Disney’s Hercules, an adaptation of Heracles from Greek mythology; Tomb Raider, based around an ancient prophecy; and Age of Mythology, inspired by myths and legends of the Greeks, Egyptians, and Norse (Pemberton, 2011).
DeleteAvakian, T. (2015). The Hobbiton Movie Set is one of the biggest tourist attractions in New Zeaaland. Retrieved March 13, 2017, from https://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-hobbiton-movie-set-is-a-top-tourist-attraction-in-new-zealand-2015-6?r=US&IR=T
Pemberton, J. (2011). Myths and Legends: From Cherokee dances to voodoo trances. Canary Press eBooks.
Thorough and excellent answers here Mellissa. With regard to q 6, I sometimes wonder if there is not a kind of hunger for myths and archetypes in our modern world, which seems stripped bare of mythological resonance.
DeleteI agree to a large extend, however one of the most recognisable remnants of old myths in modern society occur on a daily basis. Old myths have been integrated into our everyday lives, through the system of the seven days in a week, where the origin of the names Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, can be traced back to Norse mythology, named after celestial bodies (Mackley, 2012). Sunday is equivalent to “the Lord’s day”, deriving from “Sunna” in Germanic mythology; Monday stems from “Moon’s day”, Mani means moon in Germanic mythology; Tuesday comes from “Tiw’s day” is associated with Day of Mars in Norse mythology; Wednesday is associated with the day of the Germanic god Woden; Thursday represents Thor’s day; Friday is the day of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Frige; and Saturday presents the Day Saturn (Mackley, 2012).
DeleteReference:
Mackley, J. S. (2012). The Anglo Saxons and their gods (still) among us. Retrieved 15 March, 2017, from http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/4947/1/Mackley20124947.pdf
Awesome response to the texts Melissa! It's evident that you have done a lot of research on the texts.
DeleteIn terms of what you say in your comment above I agree with you to some extent. Myths have been used for various every day words like the days of the week, the planets in our solar system etc... but those are everyday words that many of us don't even realise are derived from mythos. I had no idea the days of the week was derived from norse mythology until yesterdays tutorial.
That is a valid point Rayna, which further emphasises the subtlety of old myths' perennial existence. These features that are a part of our daily lives are taken for granted and we never question the origin behind them! And as Mike has highlighted, there is no hunger to uncover these mythological associations.
DeleteWhile there is diminishing interest in myths and archetypes in our modern world, there is still a desire for meaning in the logical world, entertainment, and a desire for something extraordinary in our ordinary lives. As people are grasping for a better understanding of the world, they reach back to old mythologies for enlightenment. The study of old myths is also a possible solution to counter the decline in traditional Christian belief. So to a certain extend, there is still some sort of hunger for myths in our modern world.
DeleteAgain, great work Melissa. Check out the theory of archetypes. Mythological figures like heroes and villains could correspond to aspects within ourselves that we need to dramatize by externalising them into myths. This helps us to deal with our own inner emotional and psychic forces.
DeleteThank you for your comment, you have just stimulated my interest in researching more on archetypes. Very much prevalent in our modern world, we are still able to identify archetypes through its identifiable, constant and unchanging characteristics. The psychological dimension to the archetype and attachment to reality is very much worthy of continued discussion.
DeleteDragon Slayer (Week 1 - 3 blogs post)
ReplyDeleteThis blog post will be a personal response to the text Voluspa. However, it will be incorporating questions 1, 2 and 6.
A “mythology” is simply a collection of sacred stories, once verbally shared by people, whom have passed it on for many generations. One such text is Voluspa. Voluspa is thought to be a prophecy which was foretold by a woman known as Volva. Voluspa is a norse mythological poem which tells a tale of the creation and destruction of the universe. There are numerous references to gods in this poem which illustrates its mythological origin. “You holy gods”, “far-famed Thor, the son of Earth, the son of Odin”. It is also evident from the beginning that this myth was once told verbally as you can see features of residual orality in the text. “Hear my words”, “I’ll speak the ancient lore…”. Phrases such as these would not be found in literature which was written first.
Often the main purpose of mythology is to explain the mysteries of the universe. These are texts dating back thousands of years and have now been converted to written text. However, the true history of these myths will remain as mystery forever. However, speculations have surfaced in the past as to whether Voluspa has been altered due to cultural influences in history. Ong, W. (1982) explains that “of the 3000 languages spoken only 78 have literature. There is yet no way to calculate how many languages have disappeared or been transmuted…” Which makes one wonder whether the original [verbally spoken] Voluspa mythos was tampered with during the transcription of it. As references from the passages in extract 3 show connotations towards Christianity. For example; “She sees a hall, fairer than the sun, thatched with gold” which is thought to be referring to heaven.
Today’s generation may be more familiar with this mythology through the ‘Marvel Comics Franchise’ whom have repopularised this norse mythology through their cinematic universe. Thor 2011, 2013 and the Avengers 2012. Voluspa refers to the nine worlds; the gods, Odin, Loki, and Thor; it also mentions the Bifrost and Heimdall. The movies also noticeably refers to all of these. “Loki” being a prominent villain in these movies much like his portrayal in the poem. “Westward the ships sails, Loki steers”, “Monsters, and the wolf Byleist’s brother, Loki, leads them”. The upcoming movie in the franchise is Thor Ragnarok. Ragnarok in the mythology means the end of the world. These movies were created for entertainment purposes and may have additional stories added to the original mythology to enhance the viewers experience. In saying that, marvel comics has been extremely influenced by norse mythology to create this ‘superhero’ figure, Thor, the god of thunder. Who has been reimagined as somewhat relatable in the 21st century context through these movies as opposed to the context of the poem. For example; Thor uses the Bifrost to travel to Midgard in present day New Mexico (2011) and London (2013) to meet his girlfriend Dr. Jane Foster. This is an example of how the marvel universe added elements on to the original mythos to enhance the viewers experience. This is not something that would not have been told thousands of years ago. During those times, Thor’s only purpose was protecting earth and killing the serpent which is not as relatable in present day.
reference
DeleteOng, W. (1982) Orality and Literacy: the
technologizing of the word. London: Methuen.
p.1-15
Strong answer, Rayna. With regard q 6, see my comment to Mellissa above. Loki, for example, is a trickser god, like Maui. The trickster is a prominent archetype.
DeleteThank you for the comment :)
DeleteThat's a good point. Perhaps trickster would have been a better word to use there.
Besides the movies, TV shows have also portrayed Loki as a trickster. Such as the TV show supernatural which incorporates a lot of mythology and "supernatural" legend in to the story line. In the show you can see the main characters meet with the angel Gabriel (who in the bible is a messenger for god). What's interesting is that in the show he is also referred to as Loki the trickster god. Which now that i think about it is similar to the idea of having christian influences on the norse mythology. Perhaps this is just a coincidence or the writers of the show were aware of this.
Question 4: Old Norse, Old English and Tolkien
ReplyDeleteThroughout JRR Tolkien’s books there is a lot of strong Old Norse and Old English influences that are prominent within his works. Drawing inspiration from the texts and mythologies of Old Norse and Old English, Tolkien shaped his Lord of the Rings and Hobbit world with many characters and themes that are drawn directly from these texts. Much of the imagery and style of his work is influenced by the works in these styles of texts and it is very clear that they served as a heavy influence and inspiration for Tolkien as he created his own world.
Characters:
The character of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings is a prime example of Tolkien’s influence from Norse texts and characters. Within Norse mythology and folklore the character of Odin is portrayed as a long bearded god with many supernatural powers such as healing. Gandalfs physical appearance as well as his powers are clearly influenced by the character of Odin from the Old Norse texts with Drout (2013) stating that “like Odin, Gandalf is a visitor from a higher realm who travels through middle earth in the likeness of an old, bearded, and yet vigorous man” (Page 473). Drout (2013) states that “Odin’s less favourable traits are given to villains, to Morgoth and Sauron… both Sauron and Morgoth work through deceit; both create unrest; both keep wolves. Sauron, like Odin, is a shifter of shapes.” (Page 474) These characters that clearly draw on traits and appearances of Odin highlight the Norse Mythologies effect on Tolkiens work.
Themes and Ideas:
Within Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings the idea of Middle Earth plays a significant factor in the text. Within the old English poem Beowulf the word ‘middangeard’ is used to describe this idea of what Tolkien called middle earth. Middangeard is the same word as Midgard (the Old Norse term for middle earth) and is a term used in many fantasy texts from the Old English and Old Norse eras to describe this setting of an alternative land. Wettstein (2002) states that “according to Norse Mythology, Midgard is one of three worlds that compose the universe… This world is a place of swift passing of time and the battleground of good and evil”. This idea of Middangeard and Midgard is the source of inspiration behind Endor, which was Tolkien’s translated name for middle earth.
References:
Drout, M. D. (2013). J.R.R. Tolkien encyclopedia: scholarship and critical assessment. New York: Routledge. 473
Drout, M. D. (2013). J.R.R. Tolkien encyclopedia: scholarship and critical assessment. New York: Routledge. 474
Wettstein, M. (2002, October). Norse Elements in the work of J.R.R Tolkien [PDF]. Http://www.academia.edu/
Well set out and thought out, James. Note that Tolkien was a linguist (philologist)and used Ancient Norse and Old High German to create his 'imaginary' languages for Elves and Orcs.
DeleteQ6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
ReplyDelete“The religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples never had a true name- those who practiced it just called it “tradition”.”(McCoy, n.d.). Old myths in today's society is one of the reasons that gives us (today generation) recognition. Our religion, our beliefs relate to the old Myths. Every tradition we uphold, every tradition we create, all links to Old Myths, old learnings of what our elders have taught us when we were young. I.e. dragons in English myth means danger; always an antagonist (enemy, have to slay them). However, Chinese Myth-Tradition believe dragons symbolise “power, strength, and good luck for people who are worthy of it” (wikipedia. n.d.). Old Myths, no matter Old Norse, Greek Myths or any other religious myths, always succeed on telling us the story of Good versus Evil.
Old Myth today are incorporated in different area’s, i.e. the days of the week through to the creation of time. These days ancient Myths are retold by artists in TV, in the hope to indirectly teach young generation today about Christian, Old Norse myths. There are five-year-old kids running around announcing they want to be like “Thor” or similar ancient heroic figures. However, alongside those attempts, old Myths are becoming more and more “disambiguated” today, i.e. “Thor” is not only a hero figure, the name is used as: Entertainment (marvel comics, films), technology, brand names, weaponries, etc (wikipedia, 2017). This over time removes the power of the character formed by Norse, Germanic peoples. It just becomes another commonly used name.
An old Edda: Voluspa, is closely shown through the Marvel film trilogy, Thor. The achievements of Thor, the jealousy of Loki, etc reflects through the trilogy. The industry uses the figures Odin, god of Sun; Thor, god of Thunder; Loki, god of Mischief etc. Also incorporated some of the “evil”, “dangerous” characters that are a danger to the god figures, i.e. Frost giants, the snake etc. Loki being the main antagonist in the films Thor repeatedly had to come to Earth (midgard) to “fight crime, defend Earth and contend with the jealous and hateful Loki, who plagued Thor with many devious tricks and outright confrontation.” The idea of Thor being the ‘defender’ of Earth is shown through this. The danger towards Earth from Loki of course created a group with other superheroes of the Marvel industry, called the Avengers, (marvel, n.d.).
Old Myths could be one way to predict the future, to predict today. The role of the character “Loki” in Thor movies, and Old Norse Mythology is of a ‘trickster’. Opposing to Thor, who is the hero figure throughout both media. The relationship of Thor and Loki introduces us to an emotion of jealousy and unfairness between siblings. This idea still has effect on the modern world, as the idea of parents choosing one sibling over the other to cherish their affection upon. Making one kid rather rebellious, even a ‘trickster’ i.e. the villain of the household. If you think about it, if Odin had possibly treated his sons, including, Loki, equally there wouldn’t have been any clashes in the first place. This makes the Norse mythology really “animistic” since “there is always some element of feeling, understanding, evaluation, and choice present” (Animism- Norse Mythology for Smart People, n.d.)
DeleteCITATION:
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Chinese dragon - Wikipedia. Retrieved April 2, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_dragon
Wikipedia. (2017, March 12). Thor (disambiguation) - Wikipedia. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_(disambiguation)
McCoy, D. (n.d.). Norse Mythology for Smart People - The Ultimate Online Resource for Norse Mythology and Religion. Retrieved from http://norse-mythology.org/
Animism - Norse Mythology for Smart People. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://norse-mythology.org/concepts/animism/
Marvel. (n.d.). Thor (Thor Odinson) - Marvel Universe Wiki: The definitive online source for Marvel super hero bios. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from http://marvel.com/universe/Thor_(Thor_Odinson)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQ1 & 2
ReplyDeleteVoluspa is a Mythology which describes the creation and the destruction of the world. The particular poem comes under the Norse Mythology, “Poetic Edda”, alternative given name being: “Elder Edda”. This particular Edda is based on Religious and Mythical Theory of the Norse Religion, as it refers to gods, i.e.
“Here my words you holy gods,
Great men and humble sons of Heimdall;
By Odin’s will, I’ll speak the ancient lore,
The oldest of all that I remember.”
The first verse, basically beckons the gods to hear the person reciting the poem. It’s calling for attention, explaining that when written, the Edda was translated directly from an orally said tale. The only mean to keep the Myth preserved and passed on through many generations. As stated by Ong, W. (p.14) (1982), “without writing, human consciousness cannot achieve it’s fuller potentials”. Ong, also explained (p.15) that literacy development helps preserve history, philosophy, “understanding of literature and of any art”, since nowadays the oral culture does not have much attention than the literacy.
“It is the era of electronics” Ong explains, “also an age of ‘secondary orality’,” telephones, radio and television, “which depends on writing”. Although, Voluspa has a sense of Female authorship, it is not definite who the original authorship might be, therefore it is quite questionable whether Voluspa is written exactly the same as recited, or tampered with? As after a rather ‘depressing’ end a confusing sense of Christianity has been added to the end of the poem.
She sees the earth rising again
Out of the waters, green once more;
An eagle flies over rushing waterfalls,
Hunting for fish from the craggy heights.
This achieves to tamper with the reader’s understanding of literature as “dissociating words from writing is psychologically threatening, for literates’ sense of language” (p. 14). The poem shows an example of heaven and hell, and life with the use of eagle searching for food. This confusion is incorporated through the film 2012, released in 2009, where the world is being destructed, but during the end the movie shows a honestly new beginning, all because of the governmntal Arks. An idea of an abrupt end in Voluspa, symbolising hell and heaven might refer to a very confusing sense of good versus evil alongside a bright future for upcoming generations.
CITATION:
DeleteOng, W. (1982) Orality and Literacy: the
technologizing of the word. London: Methuen.
p.1-15