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A Comparative Study on Heroes in Hindu and Anglo-Saxon Cultures

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Instructor: Deena Whitehurst

Students: High School

Objectives:

1. Students will research Hindu and Anglo-Saxon religions and cultures.
2. Students will research legends and myths about Hindu and Anglo-Saxon religious and cultural heroes.
3. Students will identify rituals and cultural commonalities between the two cultures.
4. Students will write a comparison and contrast essay on the two cultures and their heroes.
5. Students will gain added insight into being tolerant and respectful of others’ ideas and beliefs.

Materials:

1. Beowulf text
2. Handout of the story “The Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon.” (PDF)
3. Access to a computer lab with computers ready for Internet searches

Procedures:

1. Students, in groups, will research Anglo-Saxon history, religion, culture, myths, legends, and its heroes.
2. Students, in groups, will research and report on Hindu gods and goddess: Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Indra and Kumara, Durga, Parvat, Lakshmi, Sarasvati.
3. Students will read Beowulf and the story “The Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon”
4. Groups will compare the legends, myths, and religious practices of heroes in the two cultures.
5. Students using information from the readings and the group work, will write an individual comparison/contrast essay on Hindu and Anglo-Saxon cultures, their heroes, and the religious practices in the two cultures.