Task 1. Viking culture analysis
How are the Vikings represented in modern media?
Task brief:
The Vikings are popular in modern culture, tv shows, movies to cartoons and advertising.
But are these representations accurate?
For your investigation of Viking culture you will need to do the following:
Choose a modern representation of Viking culture.
It could be a movie, music video clip, fiction for children or teenagers, cartoons, toys (Lego for example).
Compare the media representation with the historical facts about how Vikings actually lived and worked, and what they valued and believed.
How are the gods represented?
How is daily life represented?
In each case, explain why the modern representation is a weak or strong example of historical Viking culture.
Make five (5) suggestions for how your modern representation could be improved to reflect the actual history of Vikings.
The Podcast option
Produce a script which will be recorded as a podcast - this document will need to be detailed with questions, historical answers (link your evidence) and it should include some fun facts which are relevant to the topic.
You will present your information as a podcast. The task template can help to guide your writing and the format of your podcast - you must present your report as a podcast with your script written as a separate word document.
Script for podcast - 800 words
Submission: via task page on Canvas
How to do the Viking culture analysis task
Title:
Use an engaging, catchy title that tells the reader what they can expect to learn from your culture analysis
Introduction
Describe your modern representation. Why have you chosen it to study as a present day example of Viking culture?
Include images to support what you are saying. Make sure that you label your images.
Discussion
Compare the modern representation with historical examples.
How did Vikings respond to their landscape, climate and the seasons.
What was daily life really like?
How did they interact with other people in their voyages and travels?
Vikings believed in many gods, have they been portrayed correctly?
Conclusion
Based on the points that you have discussed, how well does your artefact represents true Viking culture.
What would you recommend to make the accuracy of your artefact even better?
Bibliography (This is not included in the total word count for the task)
Include at least one hard-copy source (e.g. a book)
Hagar the Horrible cartoon strip by Dik Browne and Chris Browne portrays Vikings as people with insatiable appetites.