The oldest English epic poem ‘Beowulf’ was explored in the recent Saturday Special.
Youngsters aged between 7 and 12, in full Anglo-Saxon costumes, were taken back in time into an active approach to the poem. Denmark and the Land of the Geats were visited, longboats were rowed, deep underwater lairs were explored and dragons were fought and defeated.
Discussion were held about what it meant to be a hero and the value of loyalty. All children witnessed and re-enacted how the hero Beowulf bravely determined to rid Denmark of the monster Grendel and his hideous mother. Then just as they thought it was all over – the dragon came.
Grateful thanks to Mr and Mrs Hughs who supplied the costumes and props. The props included helmets, swords and shields, chainmail, drinking horns and reindeer skins. Alistair Hughs (Upper Sixth) was fantastic as Unferth, the Danish King’s warrior and Wiglaf, Beowulf’s trusted and loyal friend. Dan Maloney, the Head of Drama, was exhilarating as Beowulf, completing the session by facing the dragon whose head was so large it had to be seen to be believed.
Richard Scott, Head of History, ensured that lighting and sound effects combined to create firelight in the feasting hall of Heorot, foaming bubbles and serpents at the edge of Grendel’s lake and the dark gloomy atmosphere of Grendel’s mother’s underwater lair. The session ended with a view of Beowulf’s funeral pyre.
As one boy said as he left, the experience was “awesome”.
