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supporting independent Catholic Home Educators since 1994
"Fighting for the Lives & Souls of Our Children"
Special Class Offerings
J. R. Skelton, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Beowulf: Poetry Forming
Christian Heroes
Achilles, Aeneas, King Arthur…The story of Beowulf is the story of humanity in a long line of heroes; an epic story about foundations and the struggle between good and evil. It is an eternal story that has been told throughout human history, in every culture. Why is it that this particular recounting of man’s struggle against evil has so heavily influenced author J.R.R Tolkien? Why is this such an important landmark of English art and culture? How is this poem still relevant to mankind today, especially to Christians? How can Beowulf provide a guide to becoming Christian heroes today?
Class Concluded
Class Structure
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Four online class sessions focusing on reading Beowulf and discussing how the Anglo-Saxon poem provides a guide for Christian heroism in the modern world. Discussions will also revolve around the role which poetry plays in man’s search for truth and beauty, its place in salvation history, and in communicating virtue for modern audiences.
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Classes will comprise both lecture style and Socratic discussion. Students can expect small reading quizzes and an optional 2-page essay due on the last day of class, which will be graded with feedback by the instructor.
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Suggested grade levels: 11th and 12th Graders
Pricing: $40 per registrant.
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Course requirements: Beowulf: A New Verse Translation
by Seamus Heaney
(Comparable verse translations are also acceptable)
Classes on September 5, 12, 19, and 26.
Classes are to be held over Zoom at 4:00pm PST (6:00pm CST, 7:00pm EST)
About the Instructor
Andrew Kays graduated from Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in 2022 with a BA in Literature and an Apostolic Catechetical diploma. He previously studied Beowulf under Dr. Anthony Esolen, and wrote his undergraduate thesis on the importance of poetry in the modern era.
