I mentally groaned as I started my final year of English. British Literature. Another year reading classics I've already read, then writing boring, formal essays on them, with not one ounce of creativity involved. But credits are credits. I made a start.
I was not particullarily enthralled to be reading "an excerpt from Beowulf", because I had read the same excerpt two years ago for a different English course. But I was seriously not looking forward to the first essay. I groaned as I read the first essay option.
"What role do pagan and Christian values play in Beowulf? Do you think the poet is trying to merge two irreconcilable worldviews? Defend your thesis with examples from the poem."
In other words, just the sort of thing I hate. Then I read the other option.
"Write a short epic based on a similar storyline to the excerpt of Beowulf that you studied."
I think my jaw might have dropped open. I couldn't beleve my luck. Creative writing for my first assignment! I always get high marks for English, but this year started off with a bang, getting my second 100% in English for my whole high school career (yes, the other 100% was a creative writing assignment as well).
Here is my story:
A Furore Normannorum Libera Nos, Domine
Long ago, near England fair
in the islands of Faroe
The dangerous dragon Dethwell dwelt
in a cave hid amidst the mountains
Not abounding kinship and kindness
this monstrous beast levied
high wages in exchange for
letting certain vikings dwell there
These nordic folk were forced
to travel vast distances to find
gold for their vile master
for him no one could defy
The leader of these folk
named Egric the Hammer
was stronger and stouter than
any other in that clan
A ship set course
south and east across
the wave-way with
the stout chieftain at the prow
They sailed far in search
of Catholic abbeys in order
to steal the holy treasures
For they feared none but Dethwell
The Island of Lindisfarne
was a renowned and holy place
where an abbey resided
under the care of St. Cuthbert
Residing in the sacred building
were many treasures of gold
crucifixes, candle sticks
and many a bejewelled container
Then, the ship-men fierce
did fall upon the Island of God
stripping it of many treasures
including one more precious than most
Egric took a golden chalice
right off the sacred altar
thinking only, that twas made of gold
unknowing of the significance it bore
“Oh, woe upon us,” St. Cuthbert cried
“the heathen hath taken the Holy Grail”
upon this cry, every good monk
fell at once to the floor in prayer
“From the fury of the Northmen deliver us, O Lord."
they cried, as the vesper chimed
unknowing that, sailing in a sea vessel
was the means of their salvation
The norsemen fled from the island,
loading the hoard onto the ships
And set anchor, only to find
Oswald, king of Northumbria awaiting
The heathens fled
the Christians pursued
straight to the Faroe Islands
were the beast of evil waited
Fire blazed, smoke billowed
as the hoard-gatherer dived
setting the mast ablaze
in the heat of his fury
“Hold your ground, bold men
this worm of dark must perish”
so saying, did the mighty Oswald
hold his axe high in the air
Dethwell swooped down
intending to kill the king
But Oswald struck, just once
Straight into the monsters gut
With a single shriek of rage
Dethwell was no more
as he tilted, then fell
straight into the salt waves
Thus was the Holy Grail won
also, the Faroe Islands freed
And added into every prayer
"A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine”
Bibliography
Canonical hours. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_hours
History of the Faroe Islands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Faroe_Islands
Lindisfarne. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindisfarne
Viking Age. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Age
Vikings and Anglo-Saxons. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/timeline/vikinganglosaxons_timeline_noflash.shtml#top
