For Wednesday: Giving Life to Dead Words

For Wednesday's class, I want you to watch this brief clip (about 10 minutes) which features Julian Glover's dramatic interpretation of Beowulf.  You might recognize him from many British movies and shows, most recently as Dr. Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.  The clip has a short preface by the famous actor John Gielgud, which gives a brief overview of the poem  for those unfamiliar with it.  However, watch the clip (even though most of you haven't read the poem yet) and consider how he's reading it: why is it so dramatic, so forceful, so over-the-top?  Do we read poetry like this today?  What does such a reading add to the poem?  If you find yourself laughing, consider why such a reading is humorous.  Are we culturally conditioned to find passion and dramatic interpretation silly? Or is this simply a more dated (British?) style of acting?  

However, these questions aside, I hope you enjoy it!