...While there are many differences between the lead characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf—Beowulf is able to save many people during his battles and is more spiritual, while Gawain’s battle was with himself and he pays more attention to his morals—there are also similarities between the two. In fact, many fail to recognize that both characters share similarities throughout their individual stories. These similarities come with human error making each knight memorable and more realistic. Sir Gawain and Beowulf are very similar in that they both display heroism and feel a need to prove their worth, ultimately showing that one can prevail even when mistakes are made. Sir Gawain and Beowulf, both feel the need to prove themselves,...
Words: 1972 - Pages: 8
...Beowulf is a world-renowned literary work and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. The early English epic Beowulf consists of a marvelous hero, three ghastly villains, and deeds of great honor and valor. The main hero Beowulf has three main battles throughout the story. Each villain symbolizes a specific evil that all people have to face. The first monster Grendel represents rage, Grendel’s mother represents desire for revenge, and the dragon represents greed. The vicious monster Grendel represents the topic of rage throughout the epic. Grendel’s thirst for blood grows due to many different reasons. One reason Grendel was full of rage is because he was separated from God’s love. In the epic it...
Words: 516 - Pages: 3
...In Beowulf, as in many stories the titular character can be portrayed as a hero. However, Beowulf like most stories due to the argument that can be made for him not being a hero. In the poem there are many examples of Beowulf being a “hero”. The examples are seperated by the two stages of his life, youth and adulthood. There maturity of Beowulf as a leader also coencides with his maturity as a leader. As Beowulf grows and becomes a better leader he also becomes a hero. Beowulf can be defined by his strength in his youth. These acts contribute to the lore of him becoming a hero. His swimming match against Breca is a perfect example of him establishing himself as a hero. All heros make mistakes and Beowulf did not listen to the advice of the elders and ended up losing the swimming match. He is also the perfect model for the way a warrior should live as he follow the Germanic Code perfictly. He redeems himself from his swimming loss by defeating Grendel and his mom. He also helps the Danes and this exemlifies an outstanding leader because he goes out of his way to help other countries when they are in need. The expirences in his early life help him to become a good ruler when he does acend to the throne. Beowulf’s adulthood (in the story) focuses more on his encounters with leaders and his warrior as opposed to his youth...
Words: 571 - Pages: 3
...between a poem and a movie based on the same story?’ The poem and the 2007 movie of Beowulf are both unique in their own way. The movie of Beowulf doses a good job of retelling the poem in a Hollywood fashion. But, there are some major differences between the poem and movie, such as Grendal’s Mother, Beowulf kingdom, and of course the Dragon. Let get started on comparing and contrasting shall we. Grendal’s Mother in the poem. Beowulf tracks Grendel’s Mother down in a lake and commences fighting her with armor and sword that he received from Unferth. During the fight, it said in poem that “ Grendal’s Mother whips out a huge knife and stabs at Beowulf’s shoulder but, the chain- mail turns the blade and saves Beowulf life”.(Page 70 Lines 1497-1812). Beowulf’s sword breaks, then Gendal’s Mother tries to stab Beowulf but, can’t because Beowulf had armor on and protected him from getting stab to death. He then finds a giant sword and uses it to stab Grendal’s Mother with it in the neck and kills her. Now, in the movie, Beowulf gose and tracks Grendal’s Mother without any armor. When he finds her she isn’t as hideous as she is the poem. She ends up being a beautiful woman that instead of killing her, he has sex with her. Beowulf’s kingdom in the poem. It’s said the poem that “Hygelac is killed in battle his son inherits the throne with Beowulf‘s support but, is also slain.”(Page 91 Lines 2200-2400). Beowulf returns to his homeland after slaying Grendal and his Mother. He ascends to the...
Words: 574 - Pages: 3
...Beowulf and “Personal Dragons” Paper In this world we have dragons to face against to solve and defeat. Everybody has at least one problem in this world, even Beowulf has one. The problem we have today is money and we can’t get what we want. Money can’t buy happiness, which is what they all say. In Beowulf there were two dragons in the story one is swimming since I don’t know how to swim. I am also not a morning person when I get up and try to take a walk and play a game. My dragons would get up to play a game to walk and exercise since it would be a good fit. The story that Beowulf would take a risk for swimming in the ocean. I say not everyone gets everything what they want in life. In the story Beowulf wanted to defeat the dragon and end...
Words: 332 - Pages: 2
...of monsters. The hero, Beowulf, came from a distant land where he was very famous for slaying sea monsters. He had heard of a beast that was troubling a town far away. This beast was called Grendel. Grendel was a terrible monster who loved to terrorize the town and had a thirst for blood. Beowulf is then able to slay him along with his mother and a dragon. The first main problem that occurs in the poem is the fight with Grendel. In the poem, Grendel had terrorized the town and killed many people in the mead hall. Grendel returned to the mead hall to kill many times. He also had a weakness toward loud noises. When Beowulf finally fought him , he was able to kill Grendel by breaking his arm which caused him to bleed to death. In the movie, Grendel came to the mead hall only two total times. He also had an over exaggerated sensitivity to loud noises. His main weakness in the movie was his ears, and that is how Beowulf killed him. Beowulf made loud noises to distract Grendel. He then stabbed and punched Grendel’s ears until they popped. In the movie, Grendel’s mom was a beautiful girl made of gold. She had past relations with the town’s king . The gold horn that was the symbol of the king’s monarchy was actually given to him by Grendel’s mother. She then stole the horn and Beowulf went to retrieve it and attempted to kill Grendel’s mother. This is where the movie really takes a twist and makes it even more different from the poem. Beowulf finds Grendel’s mother very...
Words: 581 - Pages: 3
...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 of Beowulf, King Hrothgar and Wiglaf. Evil is...
Words: 930 - Pages: 4
...a matter of fact. A hero is one that is willing to sacrifice their own life for what they believe will create a greater good, for what they believe is right. In Beowulf, “ In his far-off home Beowulf, Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats-greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world-heard how Grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat fitted out, proclaiming that he’d go to that famous king, would sail across the sea to Hrothgar, now when help was needed” (Page 23). Beowulf set out sea to Hrothgar to defeat Grendel and Grendel’s mother on his own choice and that it was his duty to do so. Beowulf could have ended his life trying to defeat Grendel and Grendel’s mother. It often seems that heroes survive. They are the ones that are there at the final battle, defeating what they believe to be the thing that prevents good, peace, righteousness, or whatever it is they...
Words: 527 - Pages: 3
...story of Beowulf represents what qualities a hero should embrace. Many heroes are portrayed as men with god-like gifts, or born half god; Beowulf is simply born strong, courageous, brave, and selfless. He does what good he can do where he can. His mood and tone are always that of someone doing the good deed, for the sake of the deed itself. In the film Beowulf, filmed in 2007, the hero still retains some of his virtuous qualities but in a smaller form. Beowulf still comes to Hrothgar’s to repay his father's debt, however, in the film Beowulf gives lust, and is clearly attracted to Hrothgar’s Queen. In the book, Beowulf does not think twice about the queen. His virtues keep him from drifting off task, as he is simply there to kill the monster, which plagues the Danes. The film may not have meant to, but does portray Beowulf as prideful concerning his achievements. A portion in the story addresses Beowulf’s swimming race with Breca. In the film, Beowulf is matched in strength with Breca and claims he was saving his strength for the last loop. In the book, Beowulf makes note that he and Breca were tied, and neither could beat each other. Unferth challenges whether or not Beowulf can even beat Grendel, because of his loss of the swimming race. Beowulf’s response in the book shows his maturity and a level head. Though he is young he manages to answer very calmly, traditionally Beowulf would have had rights to challenge Unferth, despite having this opportunity Beowulf declines...
Words: 1708 - Pages: 7
...Beowulf is a complexity to say the very least. This is one of the few recorded narratives that contains two clashing themes. The main reason why this happens is due to the small matter of two authors helping create the final product we have before us. The scop’s purpose when originally orally told was to inform society about its collective beliefs and its shared history. Hundreds of years later a Christian monk recorded this oral epic onto text with noticeable alterations to fit his purpose of spreading Christianity’s beliefs and values to society. This gap between the two author’s purposes is made even more blatant due to the egregious amount of time between the original oral poem and the altered version of the poem that was recorded by the...
Words: 490 - Pages: 2
...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...
Words: 1418 - Pages: 6
...Throughout history and even in the modern world, tales, fables, and stories tell of hideous and cunning monsters who wreak havoc on those around them. Similarly, in the epic poem Beowulf, monsters such as demons and dragons are integral parts, playing a large role in the plot. No historian has been able to conclusively prove how the idea of monsters was invented. Several theories claim to explain how the existence of monsters was created; one credible theory states that monsters could have derived from the projection of unwanted qualities in humans. Monsters could be a twisted personification of humans who exaggerate elements of human nature that the world has traditionally perceived as bad (Trout). In the translation of Beowulf by Seamus...
Words: 792 - Pages: 4
...In dual credit British literature, I learned about the differences that society has made between the times of old English to a more modern time period. William Shakespeare was a man of tragedy and romance, and because of this he is a well-known poet and playwright. Shakespeare had a way of using words to set a scene and describe characters that made him unique to his and our society at large. It is in this way that he will continue to be remembered, but he is not the only storyteller of old English times. Whether it is Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, or the Canterbury tales, whether it is a story, an epic, or a poem, or whether it is romantic or a tragedy, society has changed from its barbaric root and literature has played a big part in doing it. As William Shakespeare quoted in in his play As You Like It, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts”. People in modern society have the ability to achieve much more than Shakespeare ever could; making the possibilities of the life we choose to live a very broad spectrum. Literature has shaped society by informing people of how life had been and making others think about how to change for the better. Information and choices have helped make our...
Words: 447 - Pages: 2
...ENGLISH LITERATURE ITS HISTORY AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE LIFE OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD A TEXT-BOOK FOR SCHOOLS BY WILLIAM J. LONG, PH.D. (Heidelberg) TO MY FRIEND C H T IN GRATITUDE FOR HIS CONTINUED HELP IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS BOOK CANTERBURY PILGRIMS From Royal MS., 18 D.ii, in the British Museum PREFACE This book, which presents the whole splendid history of English literature from Anglo-Saxon times to the close of the Victorian Era, has three specific aims. The first is to create or to encourage in every student the desire to read the best books, and to know literature itself rather than what has been written about literature. The second is to interpret literature both personally and historically, that is, to show how a great book generally reflects not only the author's life and thought but also the spirit of the age and the ideals of the nation's history. The third aim is to show, by a study of each successive period, how our literature has steadily developed from its first simple songs and stories to its present complexity in prose and poetry. To carry out these aims we have introduced the following features: (1) A brief, accurate summary of historical events and social conditions in each period, and a consideration of the ideals which stirred the whole nation, as in the days of Elizabeth, before they found expression in literature. (2) A study of the various literary epochs in turn, showing what each gained from...
Words: 16972 - Pages: 68
...him and brings him back to the kingdom. Every time Grendel raids, he chooses to kill about Unferth. Among all the cruel actions, destroying a man's belief of life is most atrocious of all. He praises himself on his evil deeds, laughing, “Ah, Grendel, you sly old devil!” (Gardner 110) As the novel continues, Grendel gains pleasure from the destruction and “war” with Hrothgar, but senses a danger on the way. Towards the end, Grendel grows enraged at simple things such as a goat climbing a mountain. “I smile, threatened by an animal already dead, […] I snatch up a stone and hurl it. The air is sweet with the scent of his blood.” (Gardner 140). Grendel is so confident in his evil that in the end, when Beowulf grabs hold of him and rips off his arm, the monster tells that it was only a mistake, nothing more than an accident that caused his...
Words: 1054 - Pages: 5
