9/4 British Lit

Work on planning your essay out. Create and outline if that will be helpful, and work on your thesis statement.

Option 1:  In Beowulf, evil is represented by physical monsters such as Grendel and the dragon. In The Canterbury Tales, however, the Pardoner shows that people can become their own kind of “monster” through greed, dishonesty, and corruption.

Compare how evil is shown in the two works. How is Grendel or the dragon different from the greed and corruption shown by the Pardoner? What does each text suggest is the greater danger to society: external evil (an outside enemy) or internal evil (the evil within people)?

Option 2: Beowulf is presented as a strong, brave, and honorable hero who is willing to risk his life for others. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer gives us very different kinds of people, including the dishonest and hypocritical Pardoner and the arguing pilgrims.

Compare Beowulf with the characters in The Canterbury Tales. What qualities make Beowulf a hero? How do the characters in Chaucer's work challenge or change our idea of what a good or honorable person should be?

Option 3: In Beowulf, Beowulf follows a heroic code that values courage, loyalty, honor, and glory. In the Pardoner's Tale, the three rioters ignore these kinds of values and allow greed and selfishness to control their choices.

Compare the values that guide Beowulf with the choices made by the three rioters. What happens when people live by a code of honor and loyalty? What happens when people are guided by greed and selfishness? What do these two stories teach us about human nature?