Overview
This semester we have read epics about heroes: Gilgamesh, Achilles, Beowulf, and Davis (juror #8). I want to step back now (pull the camera back, so to speak) and examine larger and contemporary issues. First, I am well aware of the fact that all these heroes are men. Second, I know many of you have read some of these works (or parts) in high school. Third, I understand that most of you are not English majors.
Having said all this, let me throw out some questions and I do this in light of a fascinating article discussing the growth of hero movies in current movies, Marvel and DC Comics, specifically. First read the following article. It will only take about five minutes to read. Before Marvel and DC: Superheroes of the Ancient World.
Now, here are some of my thoughts. Being a teacher is often about self-revelation, so here goes. I will admit I am not a fan of these movies. My children and my wife are. Maybe I am in the older generation as mentioned in the article. I am drawn to Beowulf because he is heroic, but he is flawed (full of pride). Achilles is a great hero, but his anger guides his thinking. I can relate to having flaws: too much pride, too much anger. I have many flaws and no one ever accused me of being a hero. But I like to imagine there are heroes in the world. However, Marvel and DC movies seem to not treat the heroes in the same depth as the works we have read. In addition, I am not a fan of CGI. I agree with Martin Scorsese when he opines that the movies are "theme parks." I prefer Beowulf.
That is my take. Now, I want to hear from you. Take ONE of these questions and run with it. Your posting/answer needs to be around 300 words. You do not have to respond to a classmate, but you may if you want to. Spelling and grammar count. A rubric is below. This will count as an embedded quiz.
The Questions:
1) What is your opinion of Marvel and DC superhero movies in comparison to the much older stories we have read? Do you agree with the article that the movies have similar themes?
2) One objection to Marvel and DC superhero movies is the violence. And yes, Beowulf rips off an arm, and scenes from the Iliad are equally violent. Comment on the use of violence in the texts we have read in comparison to the movies. Is the violence in the movies more real or less real?
3) In the texts we have read, how are women portrayed? Why are there so few heroic women in these ancient stories?
4) No matter what epoch (and in what format), society longs to hear about heroes. Why?
Criteria | Excellent 5 points | Good 4 points | Fair 3 points | Insufficient 2 points | Poor 1 point | Criterion Score |
Quality of Post: Thoughtful post. Addresses question well. | /5 | |||||
Grammar/Word Choice: Post is grammatically correct with correct punctuation. Word choice is almost uniformly excellent. | /5 | |||||
Writing/Organization: Good paragraph and sentence structure. Posting has a clear and logical sequence | /5 | |||||
Interacts well with the article | /5 | |||||