The pillow book was the most personal writing I ever read. Not because I knew the writer was female, the writing style was so feminine and sophisticated. The genre of the pillow book is not easy to determined because the book is the collection of free writings. However, According to the book, it can mainly divided into three genre : “diary-style entries describing datable events at court, catalogues of objects or attributes, and essayistic jottings on general topics”(introduction from Norton book page 1129). Since Shonagon did not know if this writings were going to be published, believe or not, as she mentioned in the end of book, readers can observe her true personality and interact with her pure thoughts personally.  

 Shonagon’s the pillow book represents the japanese Heian literature during eleventh century. Therefore, we can observe the courts life of Heian throughout her own observation. Besides that, I think this book is more interesting because we can find the honest woman’s thoughts during that period. I believe that the woman was not able to be active in society at that time in Japan. She overcame the limitation of social norm and made the movement. In chapter 30, she mention about the appearance of a priest. This is not easy to mention in public even for the contemporary time. However, she wrote honestly “A priest who gives a sermon should be handsome”. Even if she worried about her writing by saying “I may have written glibly enough about sinful matters of this sort in my younger days, but at my age the idea of sin has become quite frightening”(page 1142), she does not hide her own thoughts. This type of her honest writing attracts the readers, despite her personal shortcomings.  The readers are not expecting any rightness or moral lesson from her writing. The undissembled thoughts from woman of the Heian period are interesting enough to grab readers’ attention.   

  Also, her descriptions of things are very sophisticated. When she describe the four season in chapter 1, It’s like a picture. We can imagine the scene of the moment by reading her writing. Especially, the moment of summer night is picturesque. She describe the silent summer night as “it’s beautiful when fireflies are dancing everywhere in a mazy flight. And it’s delightful too to see just one or two fly through the darkness, glowing softly.” It is straightforward without any flowery words but still impressive.

  Overall, I loved her writing skill. To me, She is like a female politician in present who is independent from her husband while express her opinion splendidly. Until now, her writing exercise the influence to many readers.

the Beowulf is an interesting literature that includes two cultural elements in one work. Even though Beowulf is the epic story from pre-Christian Europe, the written script of Beowulf is the work that also influenced by old English Christianity. The Beowulf in old English is the written version of oral delivered poem by the medieval English person. Therefore, the contemporary readers can find the mixed culture in Beowulf, which is the Anglo-saxon culture in Christianity perspective.

The image above is called “The Adventures of Beowulf: Beowulf vs Grendel” by anonymous. I found on http://beowulfadventuresjere96.blogspot.com, when I researched the elements of Anglo-Saxon culture and Christianity within Beowulf. This image so well illustrate the christian perspective at the scene of the Beowulf’s first battle with Grendel.
The Grendel is illustrated in a demonic creature which only can find in christianity. The Grandel in this image has a demon ear which is a triangle shape and pointy demon teeth. Also complexion of grendel is not pink as beowulf’s. In the background of image, there are the broken wood pieces has the figure of the cross which is the symbol of christianity. Also, in Christian art, There are often a bright circle around holy figure which is called a halo. I am not sure if the artist meant to have the bright sunlight next beowulf, but it also clearly show that beowulf is the one who brings the peace by defeating Grendel. In contrast, the left side of image, where grendel’s head faces, is dark without any light.

In the text, Grendel is claimed to be “Cain’s clan, whom the creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts. For killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward”(line 106-114). The narrator add the Christianity into Anglo Saxon’s literature by bringing the biblical character. It makes connection between two culture, but at the same time, the editing seems to be forced to reform the Anglo-Saxon’s tradition to spread Christianity.

When Beowulf decided not to use his sword for fighting Grendel, this scene show his heroic characteristic and also braveness from Anglo-Saxon warrior culture. As the image illustrates, he fights grendel with his bare hand. Sword is also the element of Anglo-Saxon which is symbol of respect.

Overall, Beowulf includes many christian perspective such as “Almighty God rules over mankind and alway has”(line 701-702) while keeping their originality. Therefore, Beowulf is an interesting literature that contains the mixed historical culture.