Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Beowulf: Now it's Educational!

In my continuing efforts to flog the Beowulf film as an official webmaster, I think it important to keep up with the latest goings-on. That includes a new handout for teachers to use the film as a kind of educational tie-in. This handy guide helps students look at how heroism has been identified in Beowulf's time and our own, presumably leading to lively discussions of gender, ethics and the importance of movie tie-ins. No doubt the "Monsters: A Case Study" assignment will allow students to identify other favorite movie monsters and to think about renting those favorite DVDs again. There are also two tie-in books: a script book and a mass market paperback novelization. I faxed Harper Collins to see whether I might get promo copies. Fingers crossed!

While this seems at times to be pointless silliness, let me remind you that anything that popularizes the Middle Ages is good for medievalists (even if it requires endless patient explanation of why it wasn't like that) and I am writing a book on masculinities and medievalisms, so this fits perfectly. And don't forget: it's educational!

2 comments:

Gene Kannenberg, Jr. said...

A spoiler in the "educational" pdf:

THE DRAGON - Portrayed as a delicate, golden young man whose anger and hatred transform him into a terrifying, fire-wielding monster,the dragon proves Beowulf’s most implacable foe.

Whaaaaaaaaaaat.....?

Oh, Neil. You make me sad.

C. Margery Kempe said...

Neil's making a packet of money. He has nothing to worry about (assuming the back of his house hasn't fallen down again).

So who turns into the dragon? Do Beo and Jolie get it on, too?