Week 5 Discussion: Beowulf, Reputation, and Modern Ideas of Success

Course Context

Course: ENG  – Literature and Society (example: mid‑sized state university / Rutgers‑style first‑year composition with literature focus)
Activity type: Online discussion board post with peer replies
Focus: Reputation, success, and social values in Beowulf and in contemporary culture
Timing: Week 5, after finishing the main Beowulf unit and a short reading on heroism or success in modern society

Discussion Prompt

Beowulf’s world places a high value on public reputation, visible bravery, and praise from others in the hall. Many characters talk about what people will remember, how stories will be told, and what counts as proof that a life has mattered.

Course readings suggest that present‑day societies also link success to recognition, visibility, and specific kinds of achievement, although the forms of recognition have changed. Online profiles, awards, and social media attention often sit where boasting in the mead hall once stood.

Initial Post (250–350 words)

Write a 250–350 word initial post that addresses the points below:

• Identify one moment in Beowulf where reputation or public judgment clearly shapes a character’s decision. Examples might include Beowulf’s early boasts before fighting Grendel, the response of the Geats to his final battle, or reactions to stories told about previous kings.

• Explain what the scene suggests about how people in the poem measure a “successful” life. Use at least one brief quotation or precise reference to support your point.

• Compare that value system to a specific situation in current culture. You might consider athletes, influencers, political leaders, or ordinary people whose worth is linked to public perception.

• Bring in at least one idea or short quotation from a scholarly or critical source about Beowulf, heroism, or modern success, and respond to it in your own words.

Reply Posts (2 × 100–150 words)

Write two replies of 100–150 words each to classmates:

• Offer an additional textual example that supports or complicates their reading of reputation in the poem.

• Ask a question that helps them think further about similarities or differences between Beowulf’s world and the present.

• Connect their post to another course reading or to a pattern you see across several scenes in the poem.

Participation and Submission Details

• Post the initial response by Thursday 11:59 p.m.

• Post both replies by Sunday 11:59 p.m.

• Use paragraphing to make your posts easy to read, and follow standard academic English conventions.

• Use MLA in‑text citations for the poem and for any secondary sources, and include a brief Works Cited section at the end of your initial post.

Grading Rubric (40 points)

1. Depth of Initial Post (18 points)

i. Excellent (16–18): Clear focus on a specific scene; insightful explanation of how reputation shapes action; thoughtful comparison to a concrete modern example; meaningful engagement with at least one scholarly or critical source.
ii. Good (13–15): Solid focus and explanation; comparison present but may be brief; scholarly or critical source used but not fully discussed.
iii. Satisfactory (10–12): General comments on reputation with limited textual detail; modern comparison loosely connected; minimal or surface‑level use of a source.
iv. Limited (0–9): Mainly plot summary or very general statements; missing comparison or scholarly reference.

2. Use of Textual and Critical Evidence (10 points)

i. Excellent (9–10): Specific quotations or references from the poem are accurately used and clearly connected to claims; secondary material is correctly represented and linked to the argument.
ii. Good (7–8): Some specific evidence from the poem and at least one secondary source; connections mostly clear, with minor gaps.
iii. Satisfactory (5–6): Limited or generalised evidence; quotations not fully explained; little detail from secondary material.
iv. Limited (0–4): Minimal or inaccurate evidence; misreading of key points; secondary sources largely absent.

3. Peer Interaction (8 points)

i. Excellent (7–8): Two timely replies that engage substantively with peers, add new examples or perspectives, and use respectful, academic language.
ii. Good (5–6): Two replies that address peers’ ideas and offer some extension or question.
iii. Satisfactory (3–4): One or two brief replies that mostly agree or restate points without much development.
iv. Limited (0–2): Very short or missing replies; comments off topic.

4. Writing and MLA Format (4 points)

i. Excellent (4): Clear, readable prose; strong sentence control; accurate MLA in‑text citations and Works Cited.
ii. Good (3): Mostly clear writing with a few errors; MLA mostly correct.
iii. Satisfactory (2): Understandable but sometimes unclear or repetitive; MLA incomplete or inconsistent.
iv. Limited (0–1): Frequent errors that disrupt meaning; citations largely missing or incorrect.

Sample Initial Post (Model)

Public reputation shapes nearly every major decision in Beowulf, especially when the hero talks about how future generations will remember his actions. In the early part of the poem, Beowulf insists on facing Grendel without weapons and explains that he wants his courage to be known widely among the Danes and the Geats. The choice clearly raises the risk to his own life, yet it also promises a story that will circulate in the mead hall and solidify his status as the most impressive warrior of his time.

A modern student essay from Rutgers notes that Beowulf “always searched for glory” and placed the needs of others above his own, which fits the poem’s admiration for self‑sacrifice while also highlighting how tightly heroism is tied to public praise. Current culture often celebrates a similar pattern when athletes or public figures push their bodies or reputations to extremes in order to maintain visibility and respect. Social media attention and constant performance can function like a digital mead hall, where stories and images stand in for the oral tales that once shaped Beowulf’s world. The comparison suggests that societies continue to reward visible risk‑taking and bold self‑presentation, even when such behaviour carries real costs for well‑being and long‑term security.

In addition, Beowulf’s pursuit of reputation demonstrates how social values shape personal decisions. His awareness of communal memory shows that reputation is not just a personal goal but a reflection of cultural ideals. Modern parallels can be seen in professional environments where recognition often drives behavior, such as in workplaces that reward visible achievements or leadership roles. Understanding these dynamics highlights the continuing influence of social perception on individual actions (Heaney, Beowulf).

Works Cited (MLA)

• Beowulf. Translated by Seamus Heaney, W. W. Norton, 2000.

• “Beowulf vs Modern Society: An Essay Analysis on Heroism and Society.” Studocu, Rutgers University, 18 Dec. 2018, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/rutgers-university/english-composition/beowulf-vs-modern-society-essay/26353152.

• “Discussion 3: Beowulf.” CHS AP English, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, http://chsapenglish.weebly.com/old-blog/discussion-3-beowulf.

• “Beowulf Twenty‑One Questions for Discussion.” Scribd, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, https://www.scribd.com/document/921428003/Beowulf-Twenty-One-Questions-for-Discussion.

• Literature Times. “Exploring the Heroism and Cultural Significance of Beowulf: A Literary Analysis,” 2023, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, https://literaturetimes.com/exploring-the-heroism-and-cultural-significance-of-beowulf-a-literary-analysis/.

Critical / Learning Resources

• Studocu 2018, ‘Beowulf vs Modern Society: An Essay Analysis on Heroism and Society’, Rutgers University, viewed 2 February 2026, https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/rutgers-university/english-composition/beowulf-vs-modern-society-essay/26353152.

• CHS AP English 2011, ‘Discussion 3: Beowulf’, viewed 2 February 2026, http://chsapenglish.weebly.com/old-blog/discussion-3-beowulf.

• Scribd 2025, ‘Beowulf Twenty‑One Questions for Discussion’, viewed 2 February 2026, https://www.scribd.com/document/921428003/Beowulf-Twenty-One-Questions-for-Discussion.

• Literature Times 2023, ‘Exploring the Heroism and Cultural Significance of Beowulf: A Literary Analysis’, viewed 2 February 2026, https://literaturetimes.com/exploring-the-heroism-and-cultural-significance-of-beowulf-a-literary-analysis/.