This week, the Brit Lit students are tackling the oldest poem in the English language, Beowulf. There are entire semester-long courses in college dedicated to the study of Beowulf and we are only able to give it four days, so we are certainly only dipping our toes in the pool that is literary analysis of this seminal piece of English literature. Due to this, we have been focusing our conversation on the theme of leadership in the poem. What does Beowulf tell us about what makes a good leader? Has our definition of strong leadership changed all that much in the 1,000+ years since this poem was put on paper? As we face a truly volatile moment in American history with the current presidential election, the idea of leadership should be paramount in most citizen's minds, making our reading of Beowulf more relevant than ever.
In his 1965 article "Beowulf The Hero and The King", the professor John Leyerle states, "The hero follows a code that exalts indomitable will and valour in the individual, but society requires a king who acts for the common good, not for his own glory. The greater the hero, the more likely his tendency to imprudent action as a king." For this week's blog post, I want the Brit Lit students to really analyze this quote. What is Leyerle arguing here? Identify the conundrum he presents here and discuss how you see it playing out in both Beowulf and our current political situation. Has your reading of the poem impacted your understanding of leadership and its complexities in any way? If so, share how.
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