...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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...Essay Wednesday, September 10, 2014 6:59 PM King Hrothgar, the ruler of the Danes, is troubled by the rampages of a demon named Grendel. Every night, Grendel attacks King Hrothgar's wealthy mead-‐hall, Heorot, killing Danish warriors and sometimes even eating them. Hrothgar was a great warrior in his time, but now he's an old king and can't seem to protect his people. Fortunately, a young Geat warrior named Beowulf travels to Heorot Hall from his own lands overseas to lend a helping hand – literally. After explaining that he owes Hrothgar a favor because Hrothgar helped out his father, Beowulf offers to fight Grendel himself. King Hrothgar gratefully accepts his offer. The next time Grendel attacks Heorot Hall, Beowulf is waiting for him. Choosing to fight Grendel in hand-‐to-‐hand combat, Beowulf wrestles the demon into submission and eventually tears off his arm at the shoulder. Mortally wounded, Grendel flees into the wilderness and dies. Beowulf, Hrothgar, and their followers throw a wild party to celebrate. Hrothgar also gives Beowulf many presents and treasures to reward him for his heroic defeat of the demon. Unfortunately, Grendel has an overprotective mother who decides to avenge her son. While all the warriors are sleeping off the party, she attacks...
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...Beowulf essay In Beowulf one if the main themes is revenge, this is shown many ways during the story. Beowulf is our main character in the story , also we have the king that he will help known as King Hrothgar. Beowulf will face many creatures in his journey during this story the important ones are Grendel followed by his mother then finally the dragon. One of the very first times we see the theme is when Grendel comes up for revenge on the King Hrothgar’s people. The next timers when Grendel's mother comes up from her swamp to seek revenge. Finally the last major time the theme comes up is when the dragons reign of terroir will be put to rest. Beowulf is called upon by King Hrothgar when Grendel kills many of his me (lines 35-39). The reason Grendel was so angry with them was because they were singing joyful songs about God. This made Grendel boil with hate so he took action seeking revenge on the king's people. Grendel was mad...
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...Gawain Versus Beowulf Strength can be described as the audacity to fight until the last breath. In the case of both Sir Gawain and Beowulf these were the ideals that these men followed. In the poems Sir Gawain and The Green Knight and Beowulf, the main characters, Sir Gawain and Beowulf, show the physical attribute of strength and valor. However, Sir Gawain and Beowulf are different in the form of strength and qualities. One represented a king who fought for the people and the other who showed loyalty towards the kingship. Beowulf was regarded as an ideal hero by the Anglo Saxon community. The main trait that regards him as the perfect hero was his courage and strength that he shows at the very end of his life. Beowulf shows his physicality throughout the story. "Beowulf, Higlac follower and the strongest of the Geats - greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in the world"(Beowulf 46). This quote exemplifies the fact that Beowulf is considered the best warrior in the region. He is also considered by many people to have superhuman abilities and superhuman strength when he ferociously rips the arm off of Grendel in the poem. Beowulf portrays the ideals of an epic hero as well as the elements of Germanic tribes which gave him super human strength and super human qualities. He is also " A man of great strength " (Helen web). This also reinstates the detail that shows the agile nature in Beowulf and also physical toughness of him as a whole. As a result, Beowulf is a sign of...
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...will be the focus of this essay. Three great heroes from the early classic to medieval periods are Beowulf, Achilles, and Sir Gawain. The paper will look at the similarities and differences of literary heroes in order to discover how heroes changed over time. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are romantic heroes full of bravery, loyalty, humility, courage, and virtue. Beowulf and Sir Gawain were both involved in battles of great magnitude and admired for their super human strength. Both of them battle with the intent to bring honor to the King: Sir Gawain to honor King Arthur and Beowulf to honor Hrothgar. The battles they fight are against good and evil, “Grendel is a shepherd of evil” and the Green Knight represents pre- Christian tribal paganism. The custom of the time period was to keep their word and honor the one who helped them rise to knighthood. Beowulf kept his word as seen in the poem as he returns from the adventures and presents all his gifts to Hygelac as a sign of loyalty (line 2145). Sir Gawain keeps his word with Lord Bertilak, by agreeing to exchange their winnings at the end of each day (Sir Gawain 1105-1113). Beowulf and Sir Gawain differ as heroes in several ways. First, Sir Gawain is an Arthurian Hero and as such holds to a Christian faith while Beowulf holds to the pagan history of Britain. Sir Gawain draws strength from his devotion to Christ and the five social graces of generosity, brotherly love, chastity, courtesie, and piety. Beowulf believes in fate: “Fate...
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...and Beowulf: The Great Ruler and Loyal Subjects In The Rule of St. Benedict, an ideal ruler is presented as a good abbot who follows all the rules of God, but also one who properly leads his monks in the word of God. An ideal subject is presented as a loyal monk, who properly follows the rules and teachings of his abbot and follows the word of God. Though, in Beowulf, an ideal ruler is a man who is fierce and almighty warrior. An ideal subject would be a warrior who is extremely loyal and is willing to die for his ruler at any time. The Rule of St. Benedict and Beowulf propose some similar ideals of a good ruler, but they also differentiate in numerous ways; however, this applies to the fairly similar ideals for a good subject as...
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...• The only four Anglo-Saxon works include Beowulf, A History of the English Church and People, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and The Exeter Book. • Important Medieval works include Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, Le Morte D’Arthur, Everyman, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and ballads (“Get Up and Bar the Door”, “Sir Patrick Spens”, “Bonny Barbara Allan”). What essential question(s) will be considered? • What are the elements of Anglo-Saxon and Medieval literature? What key...
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...* Essay Topic Good vs. Evil. How are the concepts of good and evil presented in Beowulf? Does this reveal anything about Anglo-Saxon society? Beowulf is the greatest surviving Old English poem, an epic that recounts the main events in the life of a legendary hero named Beowulf. Beowulf’s destiny is to fight and conquer the monsters that terrorize the kingdom of the Danes. Many events in Beowulf are directly related to the Bible, making the constant battle between good and evil one of the most important themes. Beowulf is a courageous, strong and loyal warrior. He is brave, and he has self confidence bordering on insanity, but he’s also generous and kind towards others. Beowulf shows that he has confidence when he fights Grendel without weapons. When he defeats Grendel, he demonstrates that men are capable of destroying evil if they wish to do so. Beowulf’s qualities make him the epitome of a hero. “Beowulf emphasizes values that were important to Norse warriors, such as courage, loyalty to one's king and comrades, and honor for those who fight and die bravely. The story emphasizes how fragile life and fame can be. Like any person, Beowulf must find meaning in his world while accepting the fact that he will eventually die. He meets that challenge by facing danger bravely and trusting that the story of his deeds will cause him to live on in the memories of those who hear it.” (from the New Catholic Encyclopedia) Goodness is represented throughout the poem by the characters...
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...Trails of heroic fate of Beowulf Introduction The narrative of epic poem Beowulf consists of three episodes in which the hero is engaged in the peculiar mission of fighting with three fabulous monsters (Fisher 1958, p.173). The first monster Grendel is quickly defeated; the second, Grendel’s dam is depicted with greater elaboration but also ends in demise at the hands of Beowulf; and the eventual dragon, distanced from the previous two in a span of fifty years, brings the heroic career of aging Beowulf to an end. The unity of Beowulf’s three fights from ease to death, perceived by some researchers like Klaeber (1950), holds the epic together. Others see the epic poem more than a collection of three different fights in a hero’s life, but it is united and intertwined by two parts—the fights with Grendel and his dam and the final dragon fight—signaling “the opposition of hero and king, youth and age, the beginning and ending of a life achievement” (Tolkien 1936). On the basis of this premise, Fisher (1958) conceives the theme of the epic as the “doom of Beowulf”, the integration of “redemption and judgment treated in a way which skillfully blends the Germanic hero with the Christian saint” (p.171). Wrenn (1958) states the similar notion, arguing Beowulf, a Germanic hero, shows his greatest splendor “ not alone in winning glory by victory, but rather by finding his supremely noble qualities especially in the moment of death in battle”. The essay aims to analyze the three fights...
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...be similar in so many ways as well. Hero’s are often the strongest, smartest, and most looked up to people in their village or country. In this essay I will be comparing and contrasting two great warriors who have earned to become a hero. Beowulf, and the character from the 13th warrior are two amazing hero’s that have a lot of courage and strength for their people and their own soul. Beowulf came to be considered a hero when he hears the tragic story of king Hrothgar. Afterwards he sailed to Denmark to help out the helpless king Hrothgar and his army who have been attacked many times by the cruel Grendel. Grendel in the story is considered to be a horrible demon that lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel attacked the warriors because of the noise they made when they were in Heorot. Therefore Grendel terrorized the warriors every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. Beowulf who at the time was inspired by the story he heard went with some of his closest companions, and asks the great king Hrothgar if he could fight the mean devil Grendel, and without a doubt the helpless king accepts the offer. At last Grendel arrives, to a feast the king held for Beowulf brave remark. Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving himself stronger than the demon, who is terrified. As Grendel struggles to escape, Beowulf tears the monster’s arm off. Badly wounded, Grendel escapes back into the swamp to die. The severed arm is hung high in the Mead Hall as a trophy...
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...Beowulf/SGGN Essay Beowulf, a strong and courageous king, willing to defend his people and his honor at any given moment, was the definition of an epic Anglo-Saxon hero. He conquered his enemies with strength and power and ruled over his people with wisdom. From the 7th century, in which Beowulf was written, to the late 14th century there was an evolution in the type of heroic characters that were portrayed in epic stories. You can see this change in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Gawain, a noble knight of king Arthur, was humble and full of integrity. Although claiming to be the least of Arthur’s knights he was well respected across the land. He was a man of his word and a true representation of a chivalric hero. Both characters in these stories were brave and daring and shared some heroic qualities but they held individual traits as well that made them distinct and one of a kind. Beowulf is depicted in the self titled poem to be adventurous, brave, strong, determined, and willing to take any challenge. The poem focuses on three main battles that help the audience determine his character; his fight against Grendel, his victory over Grendel’s mother, and his defeat with the fire breathing dragon. In these confrontations you can understand that he was a hero, a guardian, and a protector. He rescued those in need by conquering whatever was threatening them. One example is shown when Beowulf is introducing himself to King Hrothgar. He says, “ I battled...
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...Beowulf Essay The ideal hero, thats funny to think about, because they seem to always let you down in the end. The true meaning of a hero is someone that you can follow, not a ‘“don’t do what I do but do as I say” kind of man. A hero/heroine refers to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice that is, heroism for some greater good of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence. Roma Chatterji has suggested that the hero or more generally protagonist is first and foremost a symbolic representation of the person who is experiencing the story while reading, listening or watching, thus the relevance of the hero to the individual relies a great deal on how much similarity there is between the two. One reason for the hero-as-self interpretation of stories and myths is the human inability to view the world from any perspective but a personal one. The word hero/heroine is sometimes used simply to describe the protagonist of a story, or the love interest, a usage which can conflict with the superhuman expectations of heroism. The larger-than-life hero is a more common feature of fantasy (particularly sword, wizards and epic fantasy) than more realist works. Christianity traditionally has emphasized humility as its main form of heroics. To illustrate that no virtue can possibly be perfectly acquired or continue...
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...Essay 1 In the story Beowulf, He was A hero of the geats who came to help Hrothgar, king of Danes and his people from being attacked by an evil monster named Grendel, and his conniving mother. Beowulf slays both of the monsters with ease. Throughout the story, Beowulf displays many attributes of a hero. One quality that Beowulf possesses is unnatural strength. For example, the texts says “That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder.” (273). Beowulf had pulled off the arm of Grendel with his bare hands, and sent him off running for his life, and in the Beowulf movie he rips out the heart of the dragon with his bare hands. This shows that Beowulf...
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...Kayla Romine Mr. Kaplan English 12 P.4 25 October 2011 Heroes Essay “Hero” is one of the thousands of words a person is capable of looking up in the dictionary and the definition is not exactly described what it is stated as. Many Americans believe that the definition they are capable of getting out of the dictionary is the most correct and reliable definition. However, that is not the case because everyone in the world as their own definition of a hero. On the website of The My Hero Project by Ashley from Fredericksburg it is stated, “ When asked "What is a hero?," Christopher Reeve replied that he used to believe a hero was someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences. Now he believes that ‘A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.’ ” A hero does not have a specific definition that could be set in stone for each individual to comprehend. As in the Iliad with Achilles and in the epic of Beowulf, both were heroes in different ways. Whether it be them being main characters or being a male. Beowulf's’ heroic strengths and weaknesses versus the strengths and weaknesses of Achilles’ will be further described. Although the characteristics between the two are widely different, they are both fueled by pride and glory. The only reason Achilles goes to Troy is to enhance his own glory. On the other hand, Beowulf is not as persistent, but the value of glory in his society implies...
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...Beowulf: Christian or pagan? The epic poem, Beowulf, which was composed about 850 CE, is a tale of a warrior named Beowulf. The plot of Beowulf primarily revolves around the expeditions and fights that Beowulf undertakes throughout his life. Regarding this poem, one of the essential controversies is whether it is a Christian or pagan poem. In the text, Beowulf is depicted as the one who values his own fame most and is hallowed highly by people due to his violence in battle. These characteristics of Beowulf seem to separate the poem from Christianity. Although the poem appears to be originally pagan, Beowulf is a Christian poem in terms of its historical background, biblical allusions, and the characters’ beliefs and reliance on God. First, the author of Beowulf lived in a period when the transformation from Germanic paganism to Christianity occurred. When Beowulf was written, the old paganism was dying out, and the influx of Christianity from Europe and Ireland had taken place. “This transformation reached every level of society and affected nearly every aspect of daily life” (Streissguth 83). Due to this Christian influence, people had to make a radical change, discarding the old beliefs that value courage, vengeance, and violence in gory battle. The poet of Beowulf was also a part of this drastic change of the era. The “nameless author undoubtedly was a Christian” (Bloom 1). We can observe the author’s Christian quality when he blames people who return to paganism in the poem:...
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