NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING

ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON

POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

EPIC – THE STORY OF BEOWULF

 SUMMARY

The Danish king Hrothgar was enjoying a great reign when he begins having
trouble in his kingdom with a monster Grendel that has invaded his mead
hall. The mead hall is the gathering place of the Danes where they sing and
feast, yet Grendel occupies it nightly devouring any Dane who enters. For
twelve years Grendel prevents anybody from entering the mead hall causing
Hrothgar to be miserable. From across the sea the Geats hear of the Danes
terrible problem with Grendel and rush Beowulf and a group of his men to aid
the Danes. The men arrive and immediately prepare to take on Grendel at
night. They camp out in the mead hall and wait for Grendel. When he comes
they are all asleep but Beowulf who is only pretending. Grendel snatches up
one soldier and eats him. Next he reaches to eat Beowulf, who grabs
Grendel's arm and rips it off. Grendel fleas leaving a long trace of blood, and
Beowulf and his men rejoice knowing Grendel is dead. Beowulf hangs the
arm from the rafters of the mead hall. Later that night Grendel's mother
comes to the mead hall to avenge her son's death and snatches up one
soldier quickly while also picking up her son's arm. She fleas quickly however
because she does not have the strength to battle like her son.

Beowulf and his men are enraged so they follow her to her home under a
lake. Beowulf dives into the lake and finds her lair. He struggles with her and
eventually finds a sword that is shining from the light of God, he takes and
uses it to behead her. He later chops the head off of the dead Grendel and
takes it to the surface. He comes out of the water and his men are all joyful
as they go to give the great news to Hrothgar. Hrothgar is ecstatic and gives
gifts to the men. 50 years later Beowulf is the king of the Danes, a Dragon is
terrorizing the people. Beowulf by then is old and yet he still goes to fight the
Dragon and takes a group of men with him. When they arrive all but one of
them flea, Wiglaf, he helps kill the Dragon, who slashed at Beowulf's throat
causing him to die. Beowulf did make a speech before dying saying that
Wiglaf was the last true warrior. Wiglaf later yelled at the other men for
running away. And when all was said and done the Danes built Beowulf a
funeral pyre to honour him. In the end it is obvious that Beowulf was a
legend to the Danes and his legacy lived on for thousands of years. Wiglaf's
bravery at the end to help Beowulf defeat the dragon makes Beowulf proud
and is in the tradition of great warriors like Beowulf. This story has a great
plot that develops because of the three problems that Beowulf encounters.
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

 THE MESSAGE OF THE POEM

o The message of the poem is that a hero had to be strong,
intelligent and courageous. A hero should have all those
characteristics/traits in order for him to be called a hero. For
example, Beowulf is very courageous and intelligent in the way
he decides to confront Grendel. You could say that Grendel is
tricked by Beowulf because he pretends to be asleep and doesn’t
move to attack him until it’s too late. The intelligent and cunning
tactic Beowulf uses to defeat Grendel is a way that he definitely
earns the right to be called an epic hero.

 THE PREDOMINANT FEELING

o The predominant feeling in this epic poem is bravery. Bravery is

a quality that allows someone to do things that are dangerous or
frightening. When you have that quality, no one can defeat you.
All of the trials/problem or any other activities that you have to
do will be a sure win. Based on the epic poem, the protagonist
portray bravery in the epic. One of the situations where bravery
was portrayed is when he fought Grendel, the beast by tricking
him to save the kingdom of King Hrothgar.

 REACTION

o I have read the story of Beowulf when I was in secondary level. I

remember that when I first read it, I was amazed by the main
character. He is so amazing when he fought Grendel, Grendel’s
mother who’s seeking for revenge and a dragon that is
terrorizing the people. I admire him for being brave. It seem like
no one can match him. He can defeat all of the enemies. But
then not every story has a happy ending. Beowulf died, but that
doesn’t mean that his heroic act will be forgotten. The people of
Danes will always remember him because he save them from
danger.
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

 VOCABULARY WORDS
o Reign –the period of time during which a king, queen, emperor;
ruler of a country
o Devouring –to eat up greedily or ravenously
o Mead –archaic
o Fleas –a very small insect that lives on animals and that has
strong legs use for jumping
o Rejoice –to feel or show that you are very happy about
something
o Rafters –any of the parallel beams that support a roof
o Avenge –to harm or punish someone who has harmed you are
someone or something that you care about
o Enraged –to make someone very angry
o Lair –the place where a wild animal sleeps
o Ecstatic –very happy or excited
o Pyre – pile of wood for burning a dead body
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

METRICAL TALE – THE LADY OF THE LAKE

 SUMMARY

The discovery of the body of a woman in Little Fawn Lake at first

seems unrelated to Philip Marlowe's search for the wife of perfume tycoon
Derace Kingsley. However, as the plot progresses in the novel The Lady in
the Lake by Raymond Chandler, this gruesome discovery soon helps Marlowe
to solve a chain of seemingly unrelated murders. Not only does Marlowe
solve these murders, he also uncovers a dirty police officer and the woman
the officer has been trying to protect. Marlowe begins a seemingly
uncomplex case in which he is hired by Kingsley to locate his wife Crystal
who has been missing for one month. Kingsley had believed his wife had run
away with her boyfriend, Chris Lavery. However, Kingsley had seen the
boyfriend the day before. Lavery had seen Crystal in nearly a month as well.
Marlowe first speaks to Lavery, then visits Little Fawn Lake, where the
Kingsley's own a cabin. It is here that Marlowe and Bill Chess, who lives at
the lake, discover the body of a woman who'd drowned in the lake. Chess
identifies the dead woman as his wife Muriel. She, like Crystal, has been
missing for one month.
Marlowe's investigation leads him back to Lavery, whom he discovers
has been murdered, most likely by a woman. All indications point toward
Crystal as the murderer. Crystal contacts her husband, needing money to get
out of town because she is in trouble. Marlowe meets with Crystal to give her
the money but insists that he talk to her first. As they are talking, Marlowe is
knocked out. When he regains consciousness, he finds the girl he believes is
Crystal Kingsley dead. In his attempt to get away from the scene without
begin implicated in the murder, Marlowe is intercepted by police officer Al
Degarmo. Marlowe deceives Degarmo into believing that Marlowe thinks
Kingsley killed Crystal. The two travel to Kingsley's cabin on Little Fawn Lake,
where Marlowe uncovers what he has really determined in his investigation.
Marlowe has determined the woman who drowned in Little Fawn Lake was
actually Crystal Kingsley. Mildred Haviland, who had introduced herself to Bill
Chess as being named Muriel, killed Crystal in an effort to leave her husband.
Mildred was also responsible for the murder of Florence Almore, the wife of a
doctor with whom she was having an affair. Officer Degarmo, who was also
Mildred's ex-husband, covered up the murder to keep Mildred from going to
jail. Mildred was also responsible for murdering Lavery because she was
afraid Lavery might mention to Bill Chess that his wife was actually alive.
Marlowe determines that Mildred was killed by Degarmo. In the conclusion of
the novel, Degarmo is killed when he is shot by a sentry guard and his car
crashes in Puma Point canyon.
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

 THE MESSAGE OF THE POEM

o The message of the poem is that no secrets that cannot be

revealed. There will always come a time where your secrets
will be revealed and you have to face the consequences of
those actions. Many of the people believe that if you keep that
secret to yourself, no one can know it. But there is still that
someone who knows your dirty little secret and just waiting
for a time to reveal it. So better be cautious of your actions.

 THE PREDOMINANT FEELING

o The predominant feeling in this poem is mysteriousness and

the feeling of revenge. The story revolves around the
continuous killings of people. The investigation that has been
done lead to the murderer but it was too late. She got killed
already. Revenge because the purpose of her killing is that
she want to seek revenge because she felt betrayed.

 REACTION

o Reading this poem makes me feel dizzy. I am confused on

how to understand the poem. I mean there are many killings
that happen. And why the story is like that? So, it’s a story of
revenge huh? I don’t know If I understand the poem well,
because there are some situations which are not clear to me.
But I think this is how the story goes. The story starts with the
investigation about the dead body of the lady found in the
lake. Then it so happen that the killing became continuous. It
was really confusing. I read the story twice, and somehow I
understand it. But maybe, if I read it again and again, I might
be able to understand the whole story.
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

 VOCABULARY WORDS

o Tycoon – a very wealthy and powerful business person

o Gruesome – horror or disgust
o Regains – back to an original place, condition
o Intercepted – a message , a code or a signal
o Deceives – to make someone believe something that it is not
true
o Sentry – a soldier who guards a door, gate
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

BALLAD – THE BALLAD OF A MOTHER’S HEART

The night was dark,  

For the moon was young,  Without another word,

And the Stars were asleep and Youth left and went to his mother
rare, dear.

The clouds were thick, He opened her breast and took her
heart!
Yet youth went out,
But he did not shed a tear.
To see his Maiden fair.
 
 
Then back to his Maiden fair,
Dear one,
He run unmindful of the rain.
He pleaded as he knelt before her
feet in tears, But his feet slipped, And he fell
down,
My love is true, 
And loud, he groaned in pain.
Why have you kept me waiting all
this years?  

The maiden looked at him. Still in his hand he held the prize,

Unmoved it seemed, That would win his Maiden’s hands.

And whispered low. But he thought of his mother dear,

  So kind, so sweet, so fond.

Persistent Youth,   

You have to prove by deeds, And then,

Your love is true. He heard a voice!

“There’s not a thing Not from his lips,

I would not do for you, Beloved” But all apart!

said he,
 
“Then go,” said she “to your
mother dear, “Get up!” it said,

And bring her heart to me.” “Were you hurt, Child?”

It was his mother’s heart.

NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY

 THE MESSAGE OF THE POEM

o The message of the poem is about how strong a love of a

mother is. No one can surpass a love of a mother to her
children except our God.

 THE PREDOMINANT FEELING

o The predominant feeling in this poem is the feeling of regret.

The boy was blinded by his love to the maiden that he even
killed his mother to win the heart of his beloved. But even
though he had done such thing to his mother, the mother still
care for him.

 REACTION

o “A ballad of a mother’s heart”, what a catchy title. Reading

only the title can make you really think it’s about the love of a
mother. The first time I read this poem, I was shock and I
almost cried. Reading the last part of the poem really touched
my heart. Just thinking that it might happen to my mother
made me emotional. I felt mad to the boy, because how on
earth can someone do such a thing to his own mother. I
understand that he really wanted to win the maiden’s heart
but it’s not the answer. I think that he misinterpreted what the
maiden wanted to say. It should be like the maiden should
meet her mother and win her heart. The boy was blinded by
love and I pity him for that. He even gamble his mother’s life
not even sure that he will win the maidens heart by doing
that. I’m so disappointed in him. I would never do such thing
to my mother, one’s life is precious and he has no right to end
his mother’s life. The poem was trying to say that, “Loving
someone is good, but loving too much is dangerous”.

 VOCABULARY WORDS

o Maiden –a young girl or woman who is not married

o Deeds –something that is done; an act or action
o Groaned –a deep sound because of a pain or some strong
emotion
o Unmindful –not aware of something that might be important
o Slipped –to move with a smooth sliding motion
o Shed –to cause to be dispersed with penetrating
NICA JANE MACAPINIG READING AND WRITING
ABM 3 MRS. TESSIE BRIBON
POETRY NARRATIVE POETRY