...Wallace Literature 201 Beowulf- Character Analysis For this analysis I chose to contrast Beowulf with The Odyssey’s, Odysseus. Both of the protagonists in these stories have very similar traits and cultural ideals, while maintaining subtle differences. They are both strong and intelligent. They are both boastful, but never without just reason. They are both an ideal representation of the attributes that were praised by their individual societies. However, there are many notable differences in their modus operandi. One of the most notable being their libidos, or absence of. Odysseus was a great leader whose shrewd intellect enabled the Greeks to defeat the Trojans in the war. Beowulf was known to be a great warrior and acute thinker to his fellow Geats and proved to be just as shrewd in assisting the Danes. At the very beginning of the story of Beowulf we are immediately introduced to a shared ideal amongst the Germanic and Greek culture; the importance of family lineage. Much like it is vital for the author to explain the back story of Hrothgar’s lineage and often times refer to Beowulf as “son of Ecgtheow”, it is also vital for Odysseus to give his father’s name when confessing himself to Polyphemus and the loyalty Telemachus shows to his father. One area of difference between the two would be whether are not they exhibit values of “fair-fighting”. While they were both very witty and intelligent, their tactics for using it differed slightly. Beowulf was a much more in your...
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...Eng 201 September 7, 2012 Analysis of Christian and Pagan Themes in Beowulf The heroic poem, Beowulf, written circa ninth century after the Common Era (C. E.), presents a bloody chronicle of a king’s role in the violence and tumultuous Germanic tribes shortly after the Roman Empire’s expulsion from the low countries of Northwestern Europe. Evolving from oral narrative’s, Beowulf’s origins, while traceable to a general place and time in history, remains obscure, and comes to modern readers through a manuscript written around the year one thousand C. E.. Written in the language of the Anglo-Saxons, Beowulf, namesake for the title, defeats three monsters, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and finally after many years of ruling his lands, a dragon. While fictional, the author weaves the main plot centering on defeating these vicious adversaries with a mixture of both pagan and Christian customs. Beowulf illustrates numerous biblical references and Christian influences, while simultaneously reflecting a core of Germanic pagan customs. Christianity and its religious elements, alongside, pagan customs and practices, play a fundamental role in the heroic poem, Beowulf’s narrative. Grendel, the monster that terrorizes Hrothgar’s great Hall of the Hart, traces his lineage back to Cain, one of the two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain commits the first murder according to Christian teachings, slaying his brother, Abel (The Holy Bible, Genesis 4-8). Grendel sprang from, “Cain’s clan, whom...
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...Character Analysis: Beowulf At the beginning of the story Beowulf the character Beowulf was a strong, brave, and powerful hero originating from Geat. Upon coming to the Danes, Beowulf shows courage and his need for a challenge in his fortitude to help rid them of Grendel. He was already a famous young hero who had accomplished much to this point in his life but handles himself with great composure, especially when dealing with Unferth. It is also possible to see Beowulf as a just person who has much wisdom for his age due to his decision to fight Grendel with only his hands as Grendel will not have a weapon during the battle. As the story develops certain characteristics begin to emerge in Beowulf, in particular, his overconfidence and feelings of invincibility after having slain Grendel. After slaying Grendel and then Grendel’s mother Beowulf returns to Geatland where he is eventually made king and rules for many years. At this point we see true characteristics begin to develop even more fully in Beowulf as he matures. Rather than stealing the throne from Headred after King Hygelac dies Beowulf shows his loyalty to his family and the Geats and only takes the throne after Headred is killed in battle. Throughout his reign, Beowulf protects the Geats from all neighboring civilizations and ensures the safety of his people. Once the dragon is disturbed, Beowulf again battles to protect his people, which is ultimately what causes his death. This sacrifice and selflessness shows more...
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...image of a “knight and shiny armor”. A modern hero like Harry Potter, from the Harry Potter series, and an Anglo- Saxon hero like Beowulf, from Beowulf, are fairly similar, yet are completely different. These heroes have different motives, these two heroes are set in different times. Harry Potter was set in the nineties and Beowulf in the eighth century. Having different time settings makes the motives of the heroes different. Harry Potter’s reasoning to do things is based out of love. Love is a big part of his life even though his parents, his godfather and his mentor died he is still able to love. Without love he wouldn’t be alive, he would have died an infant. Harry relies on love to trust in his friends to help him in his battles. Beowulf never really had anything close to family, so he did not have anything equivalent to love. Which made him have different motives. That were simply fighting in favor of his king. His battles were never for personal reasons because he did not have an emotional attachment to anything. For example, when he went to go fight Grendel it was because he owed him a favor not because the battle was centered around him. Beowulf is very self-confident. When he was waiting in the hall he said that “Grendel is no braver, no stronger than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not, easy as it would be.” (Raffel 44). Beowulf claims that he can defeat a demonic monster that was spawned by Cain and that it would be too easy a fight if he used a sword....
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...each other. Topic sentence/Detail: In the poem Beowulf, Grendel and Beowulf perform actions that make them a hero or villain. Thesis: The difference between Grendel and Beowulf is one is evil and the other is good. Similarities between Grendel and Beowulf are both feel satisfied after they fight someone and win and in the end they both accept their deaths. Body 1: Good and evil Topic sentence: A difference between Beowulf and Grendel is that one is a hero and the other is a monster. Beowulf defeats Grendel to end years of suffering in Herot hall. Grendel is the monster who eats men in Herot hall for 12 winters. Quote 1: For example lines 37-38 Grendel “snatched up thirty men, smashed...
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...The Reasoning for Beowulf’s Killing (An Analysis of why Beowulf Killed The Three Monsters in The Story Beowulf) Beowulf is an epic poem of a man, who had the strength of 40 men, called Beowulf. He is a Norsemen which were scary, brutal killing men. The tale begins as an oral story, told around campfires and not being written down until several years later. These men live by a code called the Anglo-Saxon code. The code set guidelines on how the Norsemen are supposed to act and behave. This code gave an understanding of the power of a role model, which the men would look to, or in other words, the leader. Beowulf faces three monsters in the poem, and tries to defeat them all. In the epic poem, Beowulf, Beowulf has three motivations for killing the three monsters. In the story, Beowulf, Beowulf’s motivation to kill the first monster, Grendel, was because of duty. Beowulf travels from his country to Harot in order to fight Grendel because his people knew of his ability to fight, therefore, making it his duty to kill the monster. When Beowulf meets Hrothgar, the aging lord of the Dunes, and gives him information about where he comes from and his background. Obligation is another word associated with duty, which made Beowulf...
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...Critical Analysis The story “Beowulf” is a heroic tale about the battle of good and evil. Beowulf represented good and those he battled represented evil. Beowulf was a knight that fought evil creatures to protect the land and people. Beowulf traveled from his home to help a king named Hrothgar to defeat some evil beings. In the end Beowulf dies but he was a hero because of his endurance and victory in each of his battles. This work displays a mixture of Anglo-Saxon paganism and Christianity ideas. The concept of Anglo-Saxon paganism was expressed in this poem through pagan rituals and traditions. In pagan cultures they honor their leaders but also certain items as well. Beowulf shows great respect and honor for a sword, Hrunting, that he used when battling Grendel’s mother. Another example a pagan custom expressed in this poem would be the funeral pyre. A funeral pyre is a form of cremation, a big fire is started on an alter and a ritual is followed to burn the body. There were many elements throughout this poem that reflected Christianity. Throughout the poem Beowulf prays to and acknowledges his God. It was obvious he looked to and depended on a higher power. Before his battle with Grendel he prayed to God and asked that God grant victory to whoever deserved it. Beowulf consulting God showed he had faith and that he depended on God to help him through his situations. In the Christian faith God is the ultimate power and provider of everything that we need...
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...“A Selfish Hero” Many people recognize Beowulf as the hero of Anglo-Saxon times. Judging by his amazing resume of feats and strengths, this is not hard to believe. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of a perfect and valiant hero, or so it seems. However, Beowulf, written by an unknown author, illustrates the great length the character goes through to succeed. Beowulf does anything in his power to prevail, leading him to become a selfish individual. Examining Beowulf's speech, thoughts, and actions, it becomes evident of the selfish hero within. Firstly, Beowulf's speech proves that he would do anything to prevail, illustrating his inflated ego. Although defeated in some battles, Beowulf manages to carry out every mission in order to justify his loses and make himself look successful. Unferth, who attempts to criticize Beowulf’s battles says, "Then winter churned through the water, the waves ran you as they willed, and you struggled seven long nights to survive. And at the end victory was his, not yours” (22;6;248-51). However, upon hearing this, Beowulf accuses Unferth of being drunk in order to make people believe he never understands what he says. "Ah! Unferth, my friend, your face is hot with ale, and your tongue had tried to tell us about Brecca's doings” (22;6;263-65). After hearing this, people are lead to believe Beowulf never takes this criticism seriously, for Unferth‘s drunkenness hazes his rationality. Thus, Beowulf makes Unferth, appear envious, while making himself...
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...the evolution of society. In the days of Beowulf and the Vikings, a hero was a man who was strong and courageous, willing and able to protect his tribe and provide for his people. But today, since our culture has vastly changed, so has the meaning of this word; now it is used for the brave and selfless people of the world. Though Beowulf may have acted in ways that were not so heroic, he should be recognized as a hero. Many people recognize Beowulf as the hero of Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf was the first poem told in Anglo-Saxon England sometime between the 8th and 11th centuries, but it's not actually set in that time and place. It's actually set several hundred years earlier, in the 5th or 6th century. Beowulf does not take place in England, instead, the action happens in the land of the Danes what is known as the nation of Denmark and the land of the Geats which today is known as the nation of Sweden. The main action of the story is set around 500 a.d. Judging by Beowulf’s many feats and strengths, Beowulf’s heroism is not hard to believe. When Beowulf slays the monster Grendal in the classic tale," he was considered a great hero. The slaying of Grendel required courage, bravery, intelligence, perseverance, and mental and physical strength. Certain passages in the story support the opinion that Beowulf has all these qualities. However, in the epic, Beowulf explores the great lengths the character had to go through to succeed. Beowulf did anything in his power to prevail, leading...
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...The epic story of “Beowulf” is a story about Beowulf, the man who is the true definition of bravery and heroism. This story recaptures Beowulf's quest as he destroys monsters that terrorize the kingdom of Herot and the people who subside within it. Throughout the story vivid imagery and detailed monologue help upholds the story to an epic quality. But, for for it to truly to be an epic it must have a few needed elements such as references to god and battles between good and evil. A moment in Beowulf that truly captures this epic mentality can be found near the end of the story. Beowulf is out of his youth and is living in his old age as king. He along with some of his geats are set up outside the cave, where a diabolical dragon awaits to destroy anyone in sight. Beowulf stands up and begins his great final speech to his geats, unweary what there future holds.(2510-2510) This moment adds so much momentum to the story and so the way it embodies Beowulf as a story and a character. This moment shines above the rest and fully demonstrates the elements of bravery, self-sacrifice, and overall heroism. Of all the things Beowulf is, Beowulf is the true definition of bravery. He demonstrates this in many different ways through the text but it is the most apparent in his...
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...“The Wulf and the Sheep” (An Analysis of the Motivation of the Epic Hero Beowulf) What drives the heroes to commit acts of upright morality rather than making decisions that would lead them down the road of infamy? If you were in the place of the hero would uphold the “right” instead of enveloping yourself in the “wrong”? Why would you ever want to be a hero? The great Anglo Saxon epic Beowulf seeks to provide us with the answers to these questions. Beowulf is clearly motivated by a lust for something, why else would he seek to help the Danes slay a monster that has no effect on his homeland? Beowulf slew the fiends out of duty, an aspiration to be the hero and he slew the dragon to ensure the security and prosperity of his people. Beowulf made great strives to achieve to accomplish his duty. He felt obligated to use his abilities to save the Danes from their plight. Why did he feel this way? He felt that way because he had been told by the wisest of his people that he was capable of saving the Danes from Grendel and therefore, should save them....
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...these works through the lens of archetypal analysis, or through patterns within the “Monomyth,” as revealed in The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. In Beowulf, for instance, Beowulf is the hero; meanwhile Grendel is his nemesis until his death. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain is also the hero, but he is not the trickster in the story. Therefore, similarities both of these works do have, but contradictions also exist. . Certain similarities and differences, however, stem not from age-old Monomythic patterns, but rather from differences in worldviews, varied paradigms held by cultures separated by roughly 350 years of development. Thus, some values...
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...A number of topics present themselves as themes in the text, Beowulf. The role of a theme in a text more often than not is to assist in bringing out the underlying message and consequent value of any piece of literary work. This is notwithstanding whether it is ancient or not. Furthermore, this serves to enhance acute comprehension of a text in a multi-faceted way that ensures total appreciation and due association. The themes in the text, Beowulf include, among others, courage, mortality, the supernatural feat, religion, traditions, identity establishment and customs and good vs. evil. Nevertheless, the most dominant theme is the war/combat as presented throughout the whole text, Beowulf and is undeniably a focal point of concern. Hence; it is in light of this that this essay looks at the topic of war/combat as evidenced in the text....
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...In the poem Beowulf the idea of warrior culture is described through literary, poetic and real life situations. Beowulf is an epic poem about a hero who sparks up an old rooted allegiance to help save the Danish people from a terror far greater than anyone has ever seen. However, this is only the beginning of his journey as he ends up defeating the monster and later dies in his old age fighting off a dragon in his last breathe. The journey itself is one that displays the warrior culture that lives within the Anglo-Saxon period and through the lenses of literary, poetic and real life situations the reader is shown how society was built and society had valued. From the very beginning of the poem we see that weapons and gifts are a big part of the warrior culture, they represent honor, glory, pride and status within a society. Anglo-Saxon society in literary terms was centered on a warrior chieftain and his retinue of loyal followers who were expected to defend him to the death. Loyalty is essential and is rewarded by the chief's generosity...
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...Emanuel Dozier ENG271WEB Dr. Willis 4/22/13 Beowulf: Epic Heroism There are many answers people will give if they were asked the question what makes a good hero. If myself were asked what makes a good hero, my answers would simply say courage, morality, honor, strength, unselfishness, and loyalty. Reading all of the works this semester; analyzing the characters traits of heroism, without a doubt the poem Beowulf displays the most epic heroism of all the works from reading this semester. David Aaron White said it best in his article; “In the poem Beowulf, one's value as a hero is built on what he has done, and what he will do or the good of other people” (Literary analysis: Heroism as portrayed in Beowulf). Compared to the others the character Beowulf, he represents the true qualities that myself look for in a hero. It’s not even close to me; also his faith in God and knowing that he is in control shows his tremendous character that a lot of people would love in a hero. Beowulf defines heroism, from his bravery, honor, strength, and unselfishness to put others lives before his, and in terms of positive morals he fits that description perfectly. In the epic poem Beowulf, “Much of this epic poem is dedicated to conveying and exemplifying the heroic code which values such attributes as strength, courage and honor.” (Beowulf and the Heroic Code). Beowulf heroic ways in the story cannot be ignored he had several amazing heroic displays in the story. Beowulf’s first...
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