...Hero’s Journey in Beowulf How does a hero today compare to a hero in the 5th or 6th century? Now, a hero is considered a selfless and courageous superhero or just an average person saving lives one way or another. In Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf encompassed a supernatural warrior who ventured through the hero’s journey for honor instead of love or riches. “Often for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked”, (572-573). Beowulf claims if your fate has not been decided yet, you can survive through your sheer nerve and courage. Beowulf exemplifies a hero because of his nobility and code of arms that he lives by. The first act of the “Hero’s Journey” said by Joseph Campbell is “Departure” which consists...
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...Beowulf is actually one of my favorite poems. He exercises strength, skills and some help from the Gods and Goddesses to prevail a number of events of deadly and evil adversaries. Beowulf‘s righteousness, bravery and fearlessness in combat distinguishes him as a great epic hero. By Beowulf battling with his antagonist, he deliberately positions the field of battle and supplied Grendel with an honest shot of triumphing. Being relentless and bold is a challenging task to be burdened with. Bravery is indispensible to any hero, whether it is an epic hero or modern day hero. Beowulf is able to establish no shortage of this; this is seemingly apparent with the fighting of him and Grendel with no weapon is one of many occurrences to show his bravery. This is where the similarities and comparison of the heroes of the Iliad’s and Aeneid comes in, they all share the same characteristics of being courageous and brave. His bravery and heroism is demonstrated in this quote, “Indifferent to death, does death not lie and the root of all fear? Do we not shrink from darkness, from poison, from gunfire, because we fear death.” Beowulf goes into battle fearlessness, with the utmost self assurance in him. An important aspect of every epic hero is the competence to overcome and carry on, bravery, courageousness, self-sacrificing, relentless and boldness in war or battle. These are the bona fide qualities that a hero must maintain. The story of Beowulf is a great one indeed. Beowulf, like other epic...
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...Carter History 4330 Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Hero Every culture has its heroes. In the poem Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon view of a hero is revealed. In Anglo-Saxon culture, to be a hero was to be a warrior. This is due to the fact that they derived from a Germanic culture. A hero had to be strong and skillful, courageous, and loyal. At the same time they also had to be generous and humble. Beowulf’s courageous and respectable qualities depict the Anglo-Saxon’s view of a hero during that time. In addition, the respect the characters show for their kings illustrate the high esteem in which the Anglo-Saxons held their kings. These examples also show the importance of gaining honor in this culture. The characteristics of Beowulf, the respect held for their kings, and the importance of honor provide a glimpse into the Anglo-Saxon society. One of Beowulf’s characteristics that are shown early on in the poem is his strength. When he arrives in the land of Dane, he is described as having “the strength of thirty in his mighty hand-grip.”1 Beowulf’s first challenge is to rid the land of the monster Grendel. He decides to make it more than just a simple task of slaying the monster when he declares that it will be a hand-to-hand fight. I have heard it said this evil monster in his wild recklessness scorns all weapons. I therefore decline, that Hygelac my lord may be pleased to the heart, to take any sword or broad-braced shield, yellow war-wood, into this combat, but with my own hand-grip...
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...Beowulf Beowulf is a story about a hero who takes on challenges and has a lot adventures. He lived during the Anglo-Saxon period. The character Beowulf embodies the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs. The traits the he embodies from the Anglo-Saxon society are strength, bravery, honor. Beowulf displays strength a lot throughout the story. He especially shows it when he fights Grendel. "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac's fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield,the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend." Beowulf makes his fight with Grendel more interesting and heroic by...
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...viciously gallant epic Beowulf, Steve Baron’s capricious film Merlin, and Niccolo Machiavelli’s enlightening treatise The Prince all portray the struggle between good and evil, teach morals, and convey what it takes to be a superior king. Merlin has successfully brought up King Arthur to become a virtuous man and a worthy king who is exceptionally capable of fulfilling Machiavelli’s guidelines. For example, Machiavelli states in “Concerning Things for Which Men, and Especially Princes, are Blamed” from The Prince that “…a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil.” Merlin taught Arthur integrity and goodness. King Arthur takes this wisdom to build the perfect kingdom “devoted to peace and charity” (Merlin). Arthur is the first king without egocentric intentions. Even in his last battle, King Arthur puts his morals before his own life. His desolation proves his righteousness. Rather than leaving his people afraid, his death leaves his people with hope of a better place and rebirth. In life and death, King Arthur ruled his nation. Beowulf brought riches to his people, defended his people, and essentially devoted his life to his people, which made him an ideal prince in the eyes of Machiavelli. For instance, Machiavelli states in The Prince that a ruler should “have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline.” In Beowulf, war is glorified and...
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...• The narrator tells us that a clan called the Spear-Danes, in "days gone by" (that's the past, to you) had some awesome heroic kings. • The first of these hero-kings is Shield Sheafson, who is basically awesome because he could rampage and pillage with the best of them—both on the battlefield and in the mead hall, if you get our drift. He is an orphan, but he eventually becomes king and then subjugates other nearby clans, making them pay tribute to the Spear-Danes. • Shield's son is Beow, a wise, prudent, valiant prince who sympathizes with the hardships his people have endured. • Shield dies in the prime of his life and is buried at sea in a ship loaded with wealth and treasures, according to the custom of the Spear-Danes. It sails off and nobody knows what happens to it. • Beow becomes king and rules long and well. He is succeeded by Halfdane, a warlord who has three sons, Heorogar, Hrothgar, and Halga, and one daughter. Halfdane's daughter isn't given a name in the poem, although we assume that she had one, but we do learn that she marries Onela, the king of the Swedes. • Halfdane's son Hrothgar is fortunate in battle and gradually amasses the most followers and wealth of any of the princes, so he becomes king after his father. • To consolidate his power, Hrothgar builds a grand mead-hall, Heorot Hall, which does dual duty as a throne room and a hangout for the powerful members of his "court." Okay, we say court, but it's really just a bunch of tough barbarians in grimy...
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...the theory in which Beowulf actually existed, but the monsters were exaggerated warriors and personifications of natural things. The “monsters” of today are also manmade. I find that these “monsters” are acts and beliefs of mankind itself. For the sake of connecting this back to Beowulf even more, I will list three “monsters”, because there were three monsters in this epic. Perhaps the first monster is war. I find it funny in a sense that during the time of Beowulf, many cultures seemed to praise bloodshed because it was an attempt to prove one’s strength and place in society. Today, most people around the world abhor that idea. Mankind has gone through several wars for many different reasons. In the last three centuries alone, we’ve had wars over land, over people, over independence, over religion, and even wars over how a country should distribute its currency (communism versus capitalism). There have been many anti-war groups over the decades, so, if we assume war is a monster, a group like the America First Committee would theoretically be an opponent to the monster , albeit an unsuccessful one. Much like a monster, countless people die in its presence. Unfortunately, just like the forces of evil in Beowulf, wars will probably exist forever, because someone always finds a new reason to wage war over something. If we were to assume that war is our world’s equivalent to Grendel, than a well-intentioned extremist is the mother. The people who wage wars are sometimes extremists...
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...Beowulf vs. Achilles “They were combat causalities, brave men and women who risked their lives to safeguard our freedom. And they paid for our liberty with their lives” (Cannon). So many people die for the freedoms that the American person values. As society grows and becomes different the true heroes are becoming less recognized. What modern day people would say about today's heroes would be far from the brave, and courageous war soldiers. A very long time ago, there were two brave and courageous warriors, Beowulf of Denmark and Achilles of Greece. These two individuals reached the highest expectations and excelled at successfully leading their people in battle. Both amazing leaders and determined fighters, but they came from different backgrounds,...
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...such as war" (see C. M. Bowra, From Virgil to Milton, p. 1). 1. The hero is not only a warrior and a leader, but also a polished speaker who can address councils of chieftains or elders with eloquence and confidence. (Beowulf, 258-259) 2. The hero possesses distinctive weapons of great size and power, often heirlooms or presents from the gods. (Grendel, 102-125) 3. The hero must undertake a long, perilous journey, often involving a descent into the Underworld (Greek, "Neukeia"), which tests his endurance, courage, and cunning. (Beowulf, 539-541) 4. Although his fellows may be great warriors (like Achilles and Beowulf, he may have a comitatus, or group of noble followers with whom he grew up), he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt. (Beowulf’s fellows 206-209) 5. Whatever virtues his race most prizes, these the epic hero as a cultural exemplar possesses in abundance. (Beowulf, 415-418) 6. The concept of arete (Greek for "bringing virtue to perfection") is crucial to understanding the epic protagonist. (Beowulf 340-347) 7. The hero establishes his nobility through single combat. A hero gains little honour by slaying a lesser mortal, but only by challenging heroes like himself or adversaries of superhuman power. (Beowulf removing his armor for it to be a fair fight 671-676) 8. The two great epic adversaries, the hero and his antagonist, meet at the climax, which must be delayed as long as possible to sustain maximum interest. (Beowulf vs, Grendel...
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...Taylor Armendariz Mr. Ryan English 4 9/20/17 Beowulf The epic Beowulf is by an unknown author. It is an epic about a warrior named Beowulf, who helps king Hrothgar defend his land against an ogre named Grendel. Another story by an unknown author is the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is a romance about a green knight who goes to a dinner party and desires to play a game. Both Beowulf and sir Gawain show bravery, courage, and strength in all that they do. Beowulf’s bravery is certainly not in question throughout this epic. From his victory over Breca in a swimming contest, to his final fall as a glorious king defending his kingdom, we see that bravery is an important aspect of his life. We see some of this bravery when...
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...Something worth fighting for: (Motivations of Beowulf in the epic poem, Beowulf) Heroes fight for something. From classic literature to new releases in the cinema, conflict is explained, and the protagonist fights for something. It can be for personal honor, a duty, or even to protect a girl or his family. Sometimes the motivation of the hero aren’t so honorable. Pride, revenge, and other things can drive a character to fight. Regardless, motivation exists for a conflict in any story. From a psychological aspect, one could argue that there isn’t a single motivation for any action. The beauty of literature and art, however, is the clarification of elements such as motive, where they are often boiled down to one or two prime influences on action....
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...Stephanie Newman English 41 Midterm Essay Beowulf: Man and Monstrosity After winning his fight against the monster Grendel, Beowulf stands on rooftop and holds up the demon’s torn-off arm, displaying the mangled limb for all to see. Our hero has just defeated this monster whose attacks on the mead-hall Heorot lasted for years, thereby relieving the Danes of “no small affliction” (832). This victory scene can easily be read as a rally of hope against the grim threat of monstrosity in Beowulf—but that would be to ignore the monstrous nature of the scene itself. There is a certain horror in watching Beowulf revel unabashedly in his slaughter of another creature. As he exhibits Grendel’s “shoulder and arm, his awesome grasp” we are invited to question what “awesome” signifies in this context (835). Are we repulsed by Grendel’s destructive force? And are we impressed by Beowulf’s equally grotesque power? If monstrosity is the insolvable problem in Beowulf, then the question at hand is where it becomes manifest: in monster, or in man. One clear fact about Beowulf’s monsters is that they are pitilessly committed to human destruction. The damage they cause to the Danes and the Geats is immeasurable, and their acts of terror afford impressive description in the text. Whole sections of the epic are dedicated to the monsters’ assaults on humans. From Grendel’s first attack on Heorot, the monster gruesomely kills men by the fistful; he is depicted, in a brutely alliterative line...
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...English * D - Danish | * G - Germanic * Ic - Old Icelandic * N - Norse * ON - Old Norse | * Nor - Norwegian * S - Swedish | ------------------------------------------------- List of Kennings[edit] Primary Meaning | Kenning Translated | Original Kenning | Explanation | Source Language | Example | axe | blood-ember | | | N | | battle | spear-din | | | N | Snorri SturlusonSkaldskaparmal | blood | slaughter-dew | | | N | | blood | battle-sweat | | One reference for this kenning comes from the epic poem, Beowulf. As Beowulf is in fierce combat withGrendel's Mother, he makes mention of shedding much battle-sweat. | N | Beowulf | blood | wound-sea | svarraði sárgymir | | N | Eyvindr SkáldaspillirHákonarmál 7). | chieftain or king | breaker of rings | | Alludes to a ruler breaking the golden rings upon his arm and using them to reward his followers. | OE | Beowulf | death | sleep of the sword | | | OE | Beowulf | death | flame-farewelled | | Implicitly honourable death | N | | fire | bane of wood | grand viðar | | ON | Snorri...
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...always demonstrates the embodiment of the ideals of the creating culture. Historical events and social conditions of different cultures cause different attributes to become valued in leaders. These cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and in the heroic motivations. This paper focuses on the heroes of the Iliad, the Aeneid, Beowulf, and The Song of Roland and examines how historical events and cultural circumstances shaped the portrayal of the heroes in these works. Sabiduria, vol.1,1 Hero as a Reflection of Culture 1 Every culture has heroes. In works of literature, is an individual to be admired and emulated, and because of this he is the embodiment of the greatest virtues of the culture that created him. The ideals of every culture were shaped by the social conditions of the time and therefore different attributes became valued. To different degrees, the hero in a work is a result of not only the culture from which the hero comes, but also the culture of the author. Cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and his motivations. As heroes, Achilles, Aeneas, Beowulf, and Roland reflect the values of the societies that created them. One of the oldest works of ancient literature is Homer‟s Iliad. Homer‟s works are dated to between 900 and 750 B.C. (Krieger, Jantzen and Neill 106). Although the events of the Iliad take place during the Greek Bronze Age, the culture portrayed in Homer‟s works is that of Greek Dark...
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...themselves for others in order to teach a lesson. The major theme is the triumph of goodness over evil. Beowulf and King Arthur, the epic heroes of grand tales, stand out for all that is good, brave and proper, while the villains stand for evil. However during the course of the stories the two heroes die tragically in a triumphant battle over vice and evil the course of the tale. The characters only perish after the evil is vanquished and destroyed. Sir Thomas Mallory brings forth a courageous character King Arthur, utilizing weaponry and leadership, to enlighten the kingdom of the unique characteristics of a true hero While Beowulf depicts the Anglo-Saxon era to tell a story of one who fights to better society. It is a known fact that heroes over time and overseas all heroes have something in common; which is true in the case of King Arthur and Beowulf. It is obvious that they are similar in the fact that they are both heroes, but what makes them an idol of their time and in their culture are poles apart. There are many things that are different about Beowulf and King Arthur, but the ones that stand out the most are what kind of hero they are and what actions they did to make them heroic. Both heroes possess qualities that others do not have, but it is what they do with those abilities that prompts someone to write a story about them and idolize them in time. King Arthur and Beowulf are both heroes whose stories originated in the England area. They were written at different times...
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