Transcript Astrology Anyone? - Summit School District / Overview

Astrology Anyone?
Ancient astronomers divided the path
of the sun across the sky into twelve
signs, each after the constellation
which the sun crossed in its apparent
movement.
Chapter One
• Aries the Ram
– “The old ram stands looking down over
rockslides, stupidly triumphant” (Gardner
5).
• Aries is associated with the planet Mars,
the god of war—hence the references to
Grendel’s war with Hrothgar.
• Aries also corresponds to the first house
in astrology, that of life; thus, Hrothgar
celebrates the life of the victims of war.
Chapter 2: Taurus the Bull
• “Then some thirty feet
away, there was a bull”
(19)
• Characteristics-practicality, extreme
determination and
strength of will –
• somewhat hostile to
change-- they will do
everything in their
power to maintain the
security of the status quo
and be.
The animal associated with
you sign is this tough looking
bull. The Egyptian Hourus
was the bull of heaven, and a
white bull was sacrificed in
Babylonia at the New Year to
placate Ramman, the god of
thunder and lightning.
Chapter 3
• Gemini the Twins
– “It was late spring.
Every sheep and
goat had its
wobbly twins”
(44)
Chapter 4
• Cancer the Crab
– “The sun backs
away from the
world like a crab
and the days grow
shorter, the nights
grow longer, more
dark and
dangerous” (46)
Chapter 5
• Leo the Lion
–“No use of a
growl, a
whoop, a roar,
in the presence
of that beast!”
(57)
Chapter 6
• Virgo the Virgin
– “The shaper
talked . . .how
here and here
alone in all the
world men were
free and heroes
were brave and
virgins were
virgins” (77).
Chapter 7
• Libra the
Balance
–“Balance is
everything,
riding out time .
. .” (91)
Chapter 8
• Scorpio the
Scorpion
– “And so—I watch
in glee—they take
in Hrothulf; quiet
as the moon, sweet
scorpion” (113)
Chapter 9
• Sagittarius the
Archer
– “The trees are an
arrow in a dead
man’s chest” (125)
Chapter 10
• Capricorn the
Goat
– “I watch a
great horned
goat ascend
the rocks
toward my
mere” (139)
Chapter 11
• Aquarius the
Water Bearer
– “I kiss the ice on
the frozen creeks, I
press my ear to it,
honoring the water
that rattles below,
for by water they
come: . . . “(151)
Chapter 12
• Pisces the Fishes
– “ . . .but where the water
was rigid there will be
fish, and men will survive
on their flesh ‘til spring”
(170).
• Beowulf’s speech with
strong images of spring
call forth the first
chapter, a cyclical
pattern, a rebirth