My Un-Textbook Selections

(14th-century tapestry)

It was extremely hard to choose only a few units to describe why I want to read them. I am so interested in so many different things that I feel my selections are culturally diverse within England (which is what I wanted).

So here goes my list:

Unit: Beowulf - In the 9th grade we read a translation of the Old English epic poem and I really enjoyed it. I am mostly wanting to revisit Beowulf because I would like to read it in prose form. Trying to understand Beowulf as a poem at the age of 14 was pretty challenging, and I hope to learn something new from rereading it.

Unit: Czech Folktales - Besides the similar tropes that run through most folktales, I know nothing about the ones from eastern Europe. I want to see how they compare and contrast to the ones from the west. I'm worried that I may not understand some of the cultural references that they may make, but I hope to learn a lot from them,

Unit: Kalevala - Much like the Czech Folktales, I am mainly interested in this because I know absolutely nothing about it. Based on the description though, I am excited to do the listening portion of the Unit. I think having an aural factor added into story telling can enhance the experience one has with a story.

Unit: Welsh Fairy Tales - I am mainly attracted to this unit because I have quite a bit of Welsh in my bloodline. I think it would be awesome to read stories that may have been told to my ancestors. I cannot decide between the two Welsh Fairy Tale sections, so it is likely that I will do both. I am probably most excited about this section. I am curious to see if Changelings will be mentioned.

Unit: Canterbury Tales - The Canterbury Tales were only briefly mentioned in high school, and I am excited to read these tales. I have only read a small portion of one, and I can barely remember which one it was. I also find Middle English interesting, so I can not wait to revisit these tales to compare the difference between this style of writing to that of today's.