An Analysis of British Literature
Death is inevitable and what happens after death will always be a mystery to the living. For this reason, the afterlife has always been a topic which artists have chosen to explore in their works. Throughout the chronology of British literature, artists have used society's views as a basis to examine the afterlife, and look at it in new ways. The afterlife has been a theme in
British Literature from the Anglo-Saxon period of Beowulf to the twentieth century writings of Dylan Thomas. The mysteriousness of the afterlife makes it a topic which artists will always be eager to analyze.
During the Anglo-Saxon Period which lasted from 449 AD to 1066 AD, the popular belief of the times was that a person's life was predetermined by Wyrd, the Old English word for fate, and there was nothing which the individual could do to change his destiny. The most famous writing from this epoch is the epic poem Beowulf. Beowulf, the main character, had no fear of the evil monster
Grendel because he believed "Grendel and I are called/ Together," by fate. He also displayed his faith in the beliefs of society when he told Hrogthgar "Fate will unwind as it must." When Grendel died, the soldiers "had no semse of sorrow, felt no regret for his sufferings," because they believed Grendel was destined to die, and there was no way to defy destiny. They also did not pity
Grendel because they considered him to be entirely evil because it was his fate.
The Anglo-Saxon's strong belief in fate led to them not fearing death as much as during other times periods in British Literature. Beowulf's strong belief in fate was a reflection in the society's pagan belief in fate. Due to the fact that the society at the time of Beowulf was pagan, they did not believe in the afterlife. The Christian revision to Beowulf illustrated a different outlook on death and the afterlife. When monks were copying the story, they realized it dealt with pagan ideals, and they incorporated Christian ideals into the text.
The monks included the concept God was the ultimate one who controls fate. This was shown when Beowulf told Hrogthgar "God must decide/ Who will be given to death's cold grip." The monks also inserted the idea that there is an afterlife.
When...
... middle of paper ...
... in the afterlife.
Throughout the chronology of British literature, artists have presented many different perspectives on the afterlife. There are views which I agree with, and there are views which I don't agree with. One of the ones which I support is John Donne's idea of death not being a terrible thing because it leads to the afterlife which is a better place. I support this idea because I have been raised in a rather religious family, and it has been instilled in me that death is not bad, and there is an afterlife to go to. I also agree with the ideas in "Ulysses" and "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" that one should struggle to make the most out of his life and to make it meaningful.
This idea is very appealing to me because I believe a person should always attempt to make the most out of what he/she is given, and it is important to never give up. While I don't agree with the poems which state that there isn't an afterlife, analyzing and thinking about them has been valuable for me because it has forced me to consider my views, and to build up a stronger support of my views to counter the ideas presented in these poems.
Tacitus is considered by many to be the greatest Roman historians to ever live. Clearly his knowledge and skills are fully demonstrated in his writings Agricola and Germania. Tacitus captures his readers attention witnessing different ethnic groups and there various customs from each other. Agricola focusses on Tacitus father in-law Julius Agricola. Because of Agricola Tacitus saw ethnography on the many people of the ancient Britain. In Germania Tacitus writes about the different Germanic groups of the time. Tacitus in both of his writings portrays the cultures, traditions, and establishments of many different ethnic groups. Cornelius Tacitus was born 56 AD in southern Gaul which is now modern Providence. In 75 AD he moved to Rome and became an orator. A year later he married the daughter of the consul Cn. Julius Agricola. Tacitus is best known writings included Agricola (97-98), Germania (98), The Histories (110), and The Annals. Harold Mattingly (1884-1964) translated Agricola and Germania. J.B. Rivers published his translation, with introduction, and commentary of Germania in 1999. How does reading Tacitus’s Agricola and Germania help provide a better understanding to classical Rome? Through Tacitus’s writings we can pick out important parts of
Christianity had recently took hold in England at the time of the writing of Beowulf. Many people believe that Beowulf is a Christian story, when in fact it is not. Instead, the poem reflects a society that has a deep pagan background and has brought with it stories from its pagan past. Beowulf is a Germanic tale that was likely first composed in the first half of the eighth century, but it was not until the late tenth century that it was committed to parchment. At the time of its writing, the Germanic tribes were clearly pagan, as seen by such evidence in the text as Beowulf’s cremation at the end of the epic and the direct reference to swearing oaths at “pagan shrines” (line 175). As Christianity’s teachings and values began to take root in these pagan societies over the decades and eventual centuries, the stories of the Bible began to be worked into the tale as it was told, retold, and retold even again. When it came time to be written—probably by a Christian monk (or monks) whose beliefs, it is fair to say, flavored the work—the bards and storytellers had crafted an epic with the Christian permutations already in it. However, that is not to say that the writer was ignorant when it came to what message he desired to relate to the reader.
The belief in fate for the Anglo-Saxon’s is everything to them. For example, when Beowulf is about to fight Grendel: “fate intended him to gnaw the bones of his last human supper”(295). So Grendel’s fate has already been determined that he was going to lose and die to Beowulf. Also, this is a biblical allusion referring to Jesus’s last supper indicating that Grendel will perish because it was already decided for him that fate was not on Grendel’s side anymore but on Beowulf’s. For the Anglo-Saxons their belief in fate was one of the most important traits of their culture. When Beowulf is fighting the dragon he can tell that fate has switched its loyalty. For example, in the epic poem Beowulf’s shield fails him from the start which is indicating slightly that fate is no longer on his side; best said by Renee Yewdaev: “A great warrior can fight his best but if fate is not on his side that day, then he will lose.” (Beowulf). With this being said no matter how good of a fighter you are will not matter if fate is not on your side. As seen in the epic poem, when Beowulf’s shield fails completely allowing the dragon to strike and inflict Beowulf with poison; thus ending his life. However, looking back before Beowulf was slain he would fight as if it were his last. As Anglo-Saxon view fate the same way as specified by Rene Yewdaev:”After all, if a man has not already been predetermined to die, the his
...hem greatly. The Beowulf poet makes sure to include small but meaningful references to the paganistic background of the epic poem. There are too many pagan symbols scattered throughout the work to be ignored, and too many rules of the Christian religion are broken by the characters of the poem for an argument to be made against the paganism of Beowulf. Also, we must not forget that ideas such as fate and revenge, which are shunned in Christianity, are two of the main themes in this story. Consequently, even though the Beowulf poet may have been Christian, as for the poem itself, all signs point towards paganism.
The term Fate has a place in the world of ancient Greece but it is very different from other parts of the world. I have learned it is important to understand the context before discussing the situation. Most people think fate happens for reasons unknown and no one has any control over what happens. However, the ancient Greeks did not believe that fate is a random occurrence. They believed that the gods created fate and would constantly intervene to force things to happen that would not have happened. Since the characters tend to not know of the gods’ interfering, occurrences seem to be fate but are really planned by the gods.
Fate is the development of events beyond a person’s control that is determined by a supernatural power, whereas God’s providence is the plan, or guardianship, that God has for every creature. The difference in definition is subtle, yet it makes a large difference in application. Pagans have little or no religious beliefs and base everything off of their observations of the world around them. While surrounded by disasters caused by the forces of nature, it w...
I do not agree with Peter Singer, for the most part. Some of the agreements he and Johnson
Many people seem to fear death, but philosophers such as Socrates and Epicurus would argue that one has no reason to fear it. Socrates sees death as a blessing to be wished for if death is either nothingness or a relocation of the soul, whereas Epicurus argues that one shouldn't worry themselves about death since, once we are gone, death is annihilation which is neither good nor bad. Epicurus believes that death itself is a total lack of perception, wherein there is no pleasure or pain. I agree with Epicurus because Socrates doesn't give a sound argument for death as a blessing, whereas Epicurus' argument is cogent. I would also argue personally that death is not something to be feared because, like Epicurus, I see no sufficient evidence showing we even exist after death.
...eath is prescribed in the law of nature. Mankind seeks survival and thus death becomes a threat for them. This explains why humans will tend to believe there is such thing as an eternal life, that death is the ending of the worldly life and the beginning of a promising life given by God. However, if someone wants to believe of an after-life, then this state of belief will always surpass everything else along with the law of nature.
Race and ethnicity are two terms that are constantly used in today’s society. Understanding these terms can help people to recognize that color of skin or color of hair does not define a person. These terms connect with history, social interaction, and the overall make up of a person. However America is constantly obsessed with labeling people by the way that they look or the way that they act. America seems to encourage the terms race and ethnicity and continue to divide people into categories. It is interesting to comprehend these terms because they are not going to disappear any time soon. Race and ethnicity are apart of America’s history and will be a part of the future.
Death is a common topic of speculation and frequently anxiety. Death is terrifying to people for many reasons: they do not know what to anticipate from death, they fear the penalty of gods, they dread not achieving certain goals or things in life, etc. Epicurus argues that when we die we no longer exist. When it comes to death many different factors come to play, whether the person himself believes in life after death, if the person believes in a certain religion or whether a person is a nonbeliever. All these leads to different perceptions of death, many beliefs stem from what they are told as kids or what they learn later on in life, therefore depending on what certain people believe there are many people who fear death and there are those who do not. A global 2012 poll reports that 59 per cent of the worlds population is religious meaning that a large majority of the world have a view of what happens after death.
Are you afraid of death? ¨If you are don't worry, over 68% of people in the United States are. Scientist have even made it a phobia. They have called it Necrophobia. ¨ (Seth) Many people have different beliefs on how they will die. ¨About 40% of people would like it to happen peacefully when sleeping, while 30% want it to end in a tragedy.¨ (Fear of Death) Edgar Allen Poe and Geoffrey Chaucerś, two popular english literature writers, have written about fearing death with a twist to their endings. People may think they can conquer or outsmart death, but it will always win in the end.
The concept of fate has existed since the time of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed very strongly in fate, which can be defined as either a power beyond human control that determines events, or the outcome or end. In "Oedipus Rex," King Oedipus lives and dies by fate. Fate influences the entire plot, thereby allowing for some interesting developments that may be unpredictable to the audience.
Communication is the process of transmitting information and meaning. It is important for managers to develop their communication skills, because it is one major skills needed by managers. The management roles, which are interpersonal, informational, and decisional and the management functions, which are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling all require communication.
As in all aspects of personal and professional life, having effective communication is a key element of success. Effective communication can benefit your relationships with people. By conveying your message and integrating them as a member of the team and not just a subordinate leads to better production. By effectively communicating you can clearly define job responsibilities and expectations. The better you are able to communicate the less likely organizational turnover of personnel will occur. Supervisors and leaders in the professional workplace find that the most important factor in advancement and retain ability is effective communication. Senior level executives and human resources managers are stressing the importance of communication and providing more training for mid-level management. Emphasis is placed on communication being clear by being transmitted strongly.