The Philosophy of a Warrior

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There exist only three respectable beings:

the priest, the warrior, the poet.

To know, to kill, and to create.

-Charles Baudelaire

The concept of a warrior has changed little in history; one who fights to defend his or her ideals or society. Yet the methods and tools of a warrior have evolved into something more complex and dynamic today. From the three novels—The Nibelungenlied, Njal’s Saga, and Beowolf—readers are exposed to the concept of a warrior in vastly different contexts. First, the philosophy of the warrior in the novels and modern day will be examined in the essay, such as the goals and code of conduct. Furthermore, who is a warrior today as opposed to warriors then? And lastly, the key difference lies in the technology and the battlefield. Knights fought for honor and idealized death in battle in order to gain admission to Valhalla, the Hall of the Fallen. Knights of legend used weapons from the familiar swords and spears to phenomenal ones such as an invisibility cloak. Furthermore, knights and warriors seldom worried about legal disputes or the law; they were more concerned with alliances, honor, and love. Women were also forbidden from engaging in battle since it was deeply looked down upon and even deemed wretched. However in modern society, the concept of the warrior remains the same but has grown several layers of complexity. Technology has taken weapons to a whole new height from rifles to unmanned predator drones. Battles are fought not only on land and sea, but also in the air and the cyber domain. In fact, honor has taken a smaller role in modern society and replaced with the concept of patriotism, pride, and family tradition. Furthermore, it is now common for women to be in the military. There ...

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• Greene, Robert. The 33 Strategies of War. Viking Adult, 2006.

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• "First female four-star U.S. Army general nominated". CNN. May 7, 2010.

• "Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton". UC Berkeley. May 7, 2010 .

• http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/money_basic_pay.jsp

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