Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Dream of the Rood

"The Dream of the Rood" is an example of early English literature, possibly written by the Anglo-Saxon poet Caedmon. It is the story of a person who has a vision or dream of talking to the Rood, the Cross on which Jesus Christ died. The following translation is by Richard Hamer (1970) as found in the website of Oxford University.

The Ruthwell Cross, a large stone Cross dating back to the eighth century. In have some lines from "The Dream of the Rood" carved on it using runes. See the Wikipedia article here.

1
    Hear while I tell about the best of dreams
    Which came to me the middle of one night
    While humankind were sleeping in their beds.
    It was as though I saw a wondrous tree
5
    Towering in the sky suffused with light,
    Brightest of beams; and all that beacon was
    Covered with gold. The corners of the earth
    Gleamed with fair jewels, just as there were five
    Upon the cross-beam. Many bands of angels,
10
    Fair throughout all eternity, looked on.
    No felon's gallows that, but holy spirits,
    Mankind, and all this marvellous creation,
    Gazed on the glorious tree of victory.
    And I with sins was stained, wounded with guilt.
15
    I saw the tree of glory brightly shine
    In gorgeous clothing, all bedecked with gold.
    The Ruler's tree was worthily adorned
    With gems; yet I could see beyond that gold
    The ancient strife of wretched men, when first
20
    Upon its right side it began to bleed.
    I was all moved with sorrows, and afraid
    At the fair sight. I saw that lively beacon
    Changing its clothes and hues; sometimes it was
    Bedewed with blood and drenched with flowing gore,
25
    At other times it was bedecked with treasure.
    So I lay watching there the Saviour's tree,
    Grieving in spirit for a long, long while,
    Until I heard it utter sounds, the best
    Of woods began to speak these words to me:
30
    "It was long past - I still remember it -
    That I was cut down at the copse's end,
    Moved from my root. Strong enemies there took me,
    Told me to hold aloft their criminals,
    Made me a spectacle. Men carried me
35
    Upon their shoulders, set me on a hill,
    A host of enemies there fastened me.
    And then I saw the Lord of all mankind
    Hasten with eager zeal that He might mount
    Upon me. I durst not against God's word
40
    Bend down or break, when I saw tremble all
    The surface of the earth. Although I might
    Have struck down all the foes, yet stood I fast.
    Then the young hero (who was God almighty)
    Got ready, resolute and strong in heart.
45
    He climbed onto the lofty gallows-tree,
    Bold in the sight of many watching men,
    When He intended to redeem mankind.
    I trembled as the warrior embraced me.
    But still I dared not bend down to the earth,
50
    Fall to the ground. Upright I had to stand.
    A rood I was raised up; and I held high
    The noble King, the Lord of heaven above.
    I dared not stoop. They pierced me with dark nails;
    The scars can still be clearly seen on me,
55
    The open wounds of malice. yet might I
    Not harm them. They reviled us both together.
    I was made wet all over with the blood
    Which poured out from his side, after He had Sent forth His spirit. And I underwent
60
    Full many a dire experience on that hill.
    I saw the God of hosts stretched grimly out.
    Darkness covered the Ruler's corpse with clouds
    His shining beauty; shadows passed across,
    Black in the darkness. All creation wept,
65
    Bewailed the King's death; Christ was on the cross.
    And yet I saw men coming from afar,
    Hastening to the Prince. I watched it all.
    With sorrows I was grievously oppressed,
    Yet willingly I bent to those men's hands,
70
    Humbly. They took up there Almighty God,
    And from the heavy torment lifted Him.
    The soldiers left me standing drenched with moisture,
    Wounded all over with the metal points.
    They laid Him down limb-weary; then they stood
75
    Beside the corpse's head, there they beheld
    The Lord of heaven, and He rested there
    A while, tired after the great agony.
    The men then made a sepulchre for Him
    In sight of me. They carved it of bright stone,
80
    And set therein the Lord of victories.
    Next, wretched in the eveningtide, they sang
    A dirge for Him; and when they went away,
    Weary from that great Prince, He stayed alone.
    Yet we remained there weeping in our places
85
    A good long time after the warriors' voices
    Had passed away from us. The corpse grew cold,
    The fair abode of life. Then men began
    To cut us down. That was a dreadful fate.
    In a deep pit they buried us. But friends
90
    And servants of the Lord learnt where I was,
    And decorated me with gold and silver.
    Now you may understand, dear warrior,
    That I have suffered deeds of wicked men
    And grievous sorrows. Now the time has come
95
    That far and wide on earth men honour me,
    And all this great and glorious creation,
    And to this beacon offers prayers. On me
    The Son of God once suffered; therefore now
    I tower mighty underneath the heavens,
100
    And I may heal all those in awe of me.
    Once I became the cruellest of tortures,
    Most hateful to all nations, till the time
    I opened the right way of life for men.
    (OE 90) So then the prince of glory honoured me,
105
    And heaven's King exalted me above
    All other trees, just as Almighty God
    Raised up His mother Mary for all men
    Above all other women in the world.
    Now, my dear warrior, I order you
110
    That you reveal this vision to mankind,
    Declare in words this is the tree of glory
    On which Almighty God once suffered torments
    For mankind's many sins, and for the deeds
    Of Adam long ago. He tasted death
115
    Thereon; and yet the Lord arose again
    By his great might to come to human aid.
    He rose to heaven. And the Lord Himself,
    Almighty God and all His angels with Him,
    Will come onto this earth again to seek
120
    Mankind on Doomsday, when the final Judge
    Will give His verdict upon every man,
    What in this fleeting life he shall have earned.
    Nor then may any man be without fear
    About the words the Lord shall say to him.
125
    Before all He shall ask where that man is
    Who for God's name would suffer bitter death
    As formerly He did upon the cross.
    Then they will be afraid, and few will know
    What they may say to Christ. But there need none
130
    Be fearful if he bears upon his breast
    The best of tokens. Through the cross each soul
    Nay journey to the heavens from this earth,
    Who with the Ruler thinks to go and dwell."
    I prayed then to the cross with joyous heart
135
    And eagerness, where I was all alone,
    Companionless; my spirit was inspired
    With keenness for departure; and I spent
    Much time in longing. Now my hope of life
    Is that I may approach the tree of triumph
140
    Alone more often than all other men,
    Honour it well; my wish for that is great
    Within my heart, and my hope for support
    Is turned towards the cross. I have on earth
    Not many noble friends, but they have gone
145
    Hence from earth's joys and sought the King of glory.
    With the High father now they live in heaven
    And dwell in glory; and I wait each day
    For when the cross of God, which here on earth
    I formerly beheld, may fetch me from
150
    This transitory life and carry me
    To where there is great bliss and joy in heaven,
    Where the Lord's host is seated at the feast,
    And it shall set me where I afterwards
    may dwell in glory, live in lasting bliss
155
    Among the saints. May God be friend to me,
    He who once suffered on the gallows tree
    On earth here for men's sins. Us He redeemed
    And granted us our life and heavenly home.
    Hope was renewed with glory and with bliss
160
    For those who suffered burning fires in hell.
    The Son was mighty on that expedition,
    Successful and victorious; and when
    The one Almighty Ruler brought with Him
    A multitude of spirits to God's kingdom,
165
    To bliss among the angels and the souls
    Of all who dwelt already in the heavens
    In glory, then Almighty God had come,
    The Ruler entered into His own land.

Beowulf



A summary of the great English epic poem Beowulf from GradeSaver.com. For a more detailed summary, go to this page from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Image courtesy of the Daily Telegraph.
The poem begins with a brief genealogy of the Danes. Scyld Shefing was the first great king of the Danes, known for his ability to conquer enemies. Scyld becomes the great-grandfather of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes during the events of Beowulf. Hrothgar, like his ancestors before him, is a good king, and he wishes to celebrate his reign by building a grand hall called Heorot. Once the hall is finished, Hrothgar holds a large feast. The revelry attracts the attentions of the monster Grendel, who decides to attack during the night. In the morning, Hrothgar and his thanes discover the bloodshed and mourn the lost warriors. This begins Grendel's assault upon the Danes.

Twelve years pass. Eventually the news of Grendel's aggression on the Danes reaches the Geats, another tribe. A Geat thane, Beowulf, decides to help the Danes; he sails to the land of the Danes with his best warriors. Upon their arrival, Hrothgar's thane Wulfgar judges the Geats worthy enough to speak with Hrothgar. Hrothgar remembers when he helped Beowulf's father Ecgtheow settle a feud; thus, he welcomes Beowulf's help gladly.

Heorot is filled once again for a large feast in honor of Beowulf. During the feast, a thane named Unferth tries to get into a boasting match with Beowulf by accusing him of losing a swimming contest. Beowulf tells the story of his heroic victory in the contest, and the company celebrates his courage. During the height of the celebration, the Danish queen Wealhtheow comes forth, bearing the mead-cup. She presents it first to Hrothgar, then to the rest of the hall, and finally to Beowulf. As he receives the cup, Beowulf tells Wealhtheow that he will kill Grendel or be killed in Heorot. This simple declaration moves Wealhtheow and the Danes, and the revelry continues. Finally, everyone retires. Before he leaves, Hrothgar promises to give Beowulf everything if he can defeat Grendel. Beowulf says that he will leave God to judge the outcome. He and his thanes sleep in the hall as they wait for Grendel.

Eventually Grendel arrives at Heorot as usual, hungry for flesh. Beowulf watches carefully as Grendel eats one of his men. When Grendel reaches for Beowulf, Beowulf grabs Grendel's arm and doesn't let go. Grendel writhes about in pain as Beowulf grips him. He thrashes about, causing the hall to nearly collapse. Soon Grendel tears away, leaving his arm in Beowulf's grasp. He slinks back to his lair in the moors and dies.

The Danes, meanwhile, consider Beowulf as the greatest hero in Danish history. Hrothgar's minstrel sings songs of Beowulf and other great characters of the past, including Sigemund (who slew a dragon) and Heremod (who ruled his kingdom unwisely and was punished). In Heorot, Grendel's arm is nailed to the wall as a trophy. Hrothgar says that Beowulf will never lack for riches, and Beowulf graciously thanks him. The horses and men of the Geats are all richly adorned, in keeping with Hrothgar's wishes.

Another party is held to celebrate Beowulf's victory. Hrothgar's minstrel tells another story at the feast, the story of the Frisian slaughter. An ancient Danish king had a daughter named Hildeburh; he married her to a king of the Frisians. While Hnaef, Hildeburh's brother, visited his sister, the Frisians attacked the Danes, killing Hnaef and Hildeburh's son in the process. Hengest, the next leader of the Danes, desired vengeance, and in the spring, the Danes attacked the Frisians, killing their leader and taking Hildeburh back to Denmark.

After this story is told, Wealhtheow presents a necklace to Hrothgar while pleading with her brother-in-law Hrothulf to help her two young sons if they should ever need it. Next she presents many golden treasures to Beowulf, such as necklaces, cups, and rings. Soon the feast ends, and everyone sleeps peacefully.

In the night, Grendel's mother approaches the hall, wanting vengeance for her son. The warriors prepared for battle, leaving enough time for Grendel's mother to grab one of Hrothgar's counselors and run away. When Beowulf is summoned to the hall, he finds Hrothgar in mourning for his friend Aeschere. Hrothgar tells Beowulf where the creatures like Grendel live‹in a shadowy, fearful land within the moors.

Beowulf persuades Hrothgar to ride with him to the moors. When they reach the edge of the moors, Beowulf calls for his armor, takes a sword from Unferth, and dives into the lake. After a long time, Beowulf reaches the bottom of the lake, where Grendel's mother is waiting to attack. Beowulf swings his sword, but discovers that it cannot cut her, so he tosses it away. They then wrestle until Beowulf spies a large sword nearby. He grabs it by the hilt and swings‹killing Grendel's mother by slicing off her head. Still in a rage, Beowulf finds the dead Grendel in the lair and cuts off his head as a trophy.

As they wait, the Danes have given up all hope for Beowulf because he has been underwater for such a long time. They are shocked when Beowulf returns with Grendel's head and the hilt of the sword (which melted with the heat of Grendel's blood). They bear the hero and his booty back to Heorot, where another celebration takes place. Beowulf recounts his battle; Hrothgar praises him and gives him advice on being a king. A grand feast follows, and Beowulf is given more priceless treasures. The next morning, the Geats look forward to leaving Denmark. Before they leave, Beowulf promises aid for Hrothgar from the Danes. Hrothgar praises Beowulf and promises that their lands will have an alliance forever. As the Geats leave, Hrothgar finds himself wishing Beowulf would never leave.

The Geats return with much rejoicing to their homeland, where their king Hygelac and his queen Hygd greet them. In an aside, the narrator compares Hygd to the queen of the ancient Offa, who is not tamed until Offa comes to subjugate her. Beowulf tells his lord the events of his trip to Denmark. In the process, he tells another story that had previously been unmentioned. Hrothgar betrothed his daughter Freawaru to a prince of the Heathobards in order to settle an old feud. Beowulf speculates that someone will goad this Heathobard prince to take vengeance upon the Danes for all their past wrongs. Hygelac praises Beowulf for his bravery and gives him half the kingdom. They rule the kingdom together in peace and prosperity. Hygelac is killed in a battle soon after, so Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and rules the kingdom well.

In the fiftieth year of Beowulf's reign, a monster arises to terrorize the Geats. A treasure trove was left by an ancient civilization, which guarded it jealously until only one member of the race was left. After the last person's death, a fire-breathing dragon found the treasure and guarded it for three hundred years. One day, a slave stumbled upon the treasure and stole a cup as an offering to his lord. The dragon awakened to find something missing from his treasure, and began his rampage upon the Geats.

One day, Beowulf learns that this dragon has destroyed his own great hall. This attack sends him into deep thought. Soon he orders a shield to use for battle, but not without a heavy heart at what may happen to him. He recalls Hygelac's death in battle and his own narrow escape from this battle. He recalls a number of battles he has seen as he travels to the dragon's lair with eleven of his thanes. The servant who stole the cup leads them to the lair.

As they wait to attack the dragon, Beowulf recounts the Geat royal family's plight, in which Hygelac's oldest brothers killed each other and left their father to die of a broken heart. Beowulf says he served Hygelac well, and a sword (named Naegling) that he won while serving Hygelac will help him save the kingdom once again. Beowulf leads the charge to the dragon's cave. The shield protects him from the dragon's flames, but his men flee in fear, leaving only one man behind. This man is Wiglaf, Beowulf's kinsman through Ecgtheow. Wiglaf becomes angry, but swears that he will stay by Beowulf's side.

Just then the dragon rushes up to them. Beowulf and the dragon swing at each other three times, finally landing mortal blows upon each other the last time. The dragon is beheaded, but Beowulf is bitten and has a mortal poison from the dragon flowing through his body as a result. Wiglaf bathes his lord's body as Beowulf speaks on the treasure. He says that Wiglaf should inherit it as his kinsman; then he dies.

After his death, the cowards return, to be severely chastised by Wiglaf. He sends a messenger to tell the people of their king's death. The messenger envisions the joy of the Geats' enemies upon hearing of the death of Beowulf. He also says that no man shall ever have the treasure for which Beowulf fought. Wiglaf and Beowulf's thanes toss the dragon's body into the sea. They place the treasure inside a mound with Beowulf's body and mourn for "the ablest of all world-kings."
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Here is a trailer (courtesy of YouTube) of the 2007 film "Beowulf" starring Ray Winstone and Angelina Jolie:



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Biag ni Lam-ang

A summary of the Ilokano epic "Biag ni Lam-ang" by Pedro Bukaneg, as retold in Kapitbisig.com. For a complete English version of the epic poem, go here. For a Tagalog summary, go to the "Gabay ng Mag-aaral" blog site here.


Image courtesy of the Memoriter blog site. For a blog entry on Iloko literature, visit the blog here.

A couple named Don Juan and Namongan lived in a faraway barrio of Nalbuan. One day, Don Juan left his pregnant wife and went to the mountain to punish a group of Igorots. While he was in the mountain, Namongan gave birth to a baby boy. The baby was different from other babies because upon birth he could already speak. He wanted his name to be Lam-ang. And he was the one who chose his [own] godfather when he was baptized.

“Where is my father?” Lam-ang asked his mother Namongan one day.

“He is in the mountain to settle his feud with a group of Igorots there,” said his mother.

Lam-ang felt sad. He hadn't seen his father since he was born and he was terribly longing to see him.

“Would it be long before he comes back?”

“I don't know,” answered his lonely mother Namongan who was also terribly missing her husband. “I don't even know if he is still alive.”

One day, Lam-ang had an unusual dream. In his dream, he saw how his father was mercilessly killed by a group of Igorots. He was seething with anger when he woke up. He decided to follow his father to the mountain. He was then nine months old, when he reached the Igorot's village, he saw them dancing around the head of his father that was on top of a thin bamboo pole. In his rage, he fought all the Igorots and slew them all, including the leader of the group whom he tortured first before he killed.

On his way home to Nalbuan, he passed by the Amburayan River. There he took a bath with his lady friends scrubbing his body of dirt and blood that eventually killed all the living creatures in the river. 

When he was old enough to marry, he heard of the beautiful Ines Kannoyan and fell in love with her. He went to Ines' place to court her taking with him his white rooster and his favorite dog. When he arrived at her house, he was annoyed to see Ines' many suitors in front of the house.

He asked his rooster to crow and the rooster did. At once, Ines' house crumbled to the ground killing all her suitors. Then he asked his dog to bark and the dog did. The crumbled house stood again at once. Ines and her parents went out of the house to meet him. The white rooster expressed Lam-ang's feelings for Ines Kannoyan.

“My master, Lam-ang, loves you very much and he wants to marry you”, the white rooster said to Ines in the language she clearly understood.

“I'll marry you if your wealth could equal our riches”, answered Ines Kannoyan.

Ines' challenge to him did not dampen Lam-ang's spirit. He went home at once and came back with a big boat full of gold, the value of which surpassed Ines' family's wealth. Then they were married and they lived happily.

Years passed and came Lam-ang's turn to catch a fish known as "rarang". It was an obligation of every married man in the community to catch a "rarang". Lam-ang, however, felt that he would be killed by a "berkahan" (a kind of fish that belonged to the shark family) once he set out to catch a "rarang". But he had to do his duty and one night, he sailed out to the sea. He was killed by a "berkahan" as he had foreseen.

Ines wept in sorrow. Lam-ang's white rooster thought of a way to bring Lam-ang back to life again. Ines Kannoyan paid a deep-sea diver to locate all the bones of Lam-ang under the sea. The diver found all the bones very easily and Ines put them together. Then, together with Lam-ang's white rooster and favorite dog, she held prayer vigils every night, until one day, Lam-ang came back to life. And they lived happily ever after.
* * *
Here is an Ilocano Visayan(!!!)-language [and apparently amateur-made] video on "Biag ni Lam-ang" from YouTube:



Syllabus in Speech and Oral Communication

The Communication Process. Diagram courtesy of MindTools.Com.


Course Description:

A course on the principles of speech and oral communication; including speaking and listening, correct pronunciation and diction, and the appropriate use of language in communicative situations.

Course Objectives:

At the end of the semester, the students should be able to:

      1. explain the components of the communication process;
      2. recognize the levels, types and functions of communication;
      3. apply correct pronunciation and diction;
      4. use English as a second language in different communicative situations.

Course Outline:

I.   Introduction to the course
     A. Getting to know the instructor, the students, and the course
     B. Distribution of course syllabus
     C. Introduction to Speech and Oral Communication

II. Communication and Language
     A. Properties of language
     B. Aspects of communication
         1.   Verbal aspect
         2.   Extralinguistic aspects
         3.   Paralinguistic aspects
         4.   Metalinguistic aspect
     C. Types of communication
     D. Elements of communication
     E. The communication process
     F. Barriers to communication

III.    Listening in Communication
     A. The listening process
     B. Types of listening
     C. Levels of listening
     D. Roadblocks to listening
     E. Good listening

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

IV. The Mechanics of Speech
     A.   The organs of speech
     B.  Voice
     C.  Posture
     D. Breathing                      

V.  The sounds of English
     A. Vowels
     B.  Consonants
     C.  Dipthongs

VI.     The Rhythm of English
     A. Word stress
     B.  The unstressed vowel

MIDTERM EXAMINATION

VII. The Intonation of English
A.     The music of language
B.     Intonation and stress
C.     Phrasing
D.     Special stresses

VIII. Variants that Affect Speech
      A. Aspiration
      B. Syllabic consonants
      C. Vowel length

IX. Drills and Exercises on English Vowels
A.     Front closed vowels [iy] and [ɪ]
B.     Middle open vowels [ey] and [e]
C.     Near-open and open vowels [æ] and [a]
D.     Back closed vowels [uw] and [u]
E.      Back middle vowels [ow] and [o]
F.      The schwa (Mid-central vowel) [ə]

X.  Drills and Exercises on English consonants
      A. Dentals hard and soft [th] and alveolars [t] and [d]
      B. Labiodentals [f] and [v] and bilabials [p] and [b]
      C. Sibilants [s], [z], [sh] and [zh]
      D. Affricates [ch] and [j]
      E. Three ways of pronouncing the final [s] and the prothetic [s]
      F. The retroflex [r]

XI. Speaking situations
A.     The art of conversation
B.     Using the telephone
C.     The interview
D.     Small group discussion
E.      Preparing an oral talk

FINAL EXAMINATION


Textbooks/Materials:

Diaz, R. H. (2005). Speech and oral communication for college students. Mandaluyong: National Bookstore. (Course textbook.)

Concepcion, P. G., E. M. de la Cruz & L. P. Enriquez. (1984). Speech communication for Filipinos. Manila: Rex Bookstore. (Copies available at the library.)

German, K., B. E. Grondeck, D. Ehninger, A. H. Monroe. (2001). Principles of public speaking. Singapore:  Pearson Education Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (A book a public speaking for various occasions. Copies of various editions are available at the library.)

Egipto, J. J. L. (2000). English sounds in focus. Quezon Ciy: Katha Publishing.

Mata, L. S. & Soriano, I. S. (1998). English pronunciation for the Filipino college students (3rd ed.). Quezon City: Ken Inc.

Other books on speech and oral communication and public speaking are available at the circulation section and Filipiniana section of the college library.