Beowulf - Traits of The Anglo-Saxon Hero
Within the tale of “Beowulf” four character traits can be found which define the Anglo Saxon Hero. The first is loyalty, as demonstrated by the relationship between Lord and thane. According to page 23 of the “Beowulf” introduction, “a relationship based less on subordination of one man’s will to another than on mutual trust and respect.” The second and third characteristics are strength and courage. The importance of these specific traits to the Anglo-Saxon people is clearly presented during the reciting of Sigemund’s tale within Heorot. As the song states, “He was adventurer most famous, far and wide through the nations, for deed of courage – he had prospered from that before, the protector of warriors – after the war-making of Heremod had come to an end, his strength and his courage” (38). The final piece which comprises the Anglo-Saxon hero is the notion of fame. The only after life a warrior could ever aspire to have was immortality through fame. One again this is explained by the introduction to the story, “Beowulf’s chief reward is pagan immortality the memory in the minds of later generations of a hero’s heroic actions” (24-25). By understanding what defines a hero it is a simple matter to comprehend why Beowulf is considered by some to be the greatest of all. He posses unfaltering loyalty to his king and allies, and save for his final battle his thanes show the same devotion to him. His strength is unparalleled, as he is able to defeat each of his opponents and perform feats of unmatched endurance. Beowulf’s courage, though motivated primarily by his own notion of fate, is, none the less, unwavering. And as a hero he achieved his desire for immortality through the poem itself. Each of the four heroic traits can be identified within the three battles in which Beowulf participates: His battle with Grendel, his undersea struggle with the Grendel’s Mother, and his final fight with the dragon. Before going off to do battle with Grendel, Beowulf gives a speech that may appear conceited to the modern reader, but is in actuality a simple device used to insure his immortality through fame. Beowulf states, “I claim myself no poorer in war strength, war works, than Grendel claims himself. Therefor I will not put him to sleep with a sword… and then may wise God, Holy Lord, assign glory on whichever hand seems good to him” (35-36).
The story uses many motifs, symbols and themes. First the motif is Antonio’s dreams. In the beginning of the book his dreams are about what he will become when he grows up; the choice between priest or a vaquero. Later on his dreams change to more important matters, such as family questions and his duty in life. The second motif regards Antonio’s family. He has many family members such
As a result of what happens, Garys perspective of life and people of the Port changes.
Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima is a magical-realism novel about Antonio, a young boy at the mere age of six turning seven, realizing the many cruelties the world has to offer. As he matures, Antonio is conflicted while trying to choose between the career expectations from his two divergent families and attempting to figure out a true religion. Anaya depicts hidden messages to help the reader comprehend a perceptive insight of Antonio’s inner schism through symbolism.
Another example of the evolution of Tony's sense of good and evil through the utilisation of setting is Tony's own home. To him, his home provided him with warmth and safety. This was due to the people who lived in the house. Antonio's father creates a sense of protection in the home. When Tenorio and his men come to he house to take Ultima away, Tony's father "would let no man invade his home" (pg 123). This gave Tony faith that as long as his father was around, he would be protected. Antonio's mother made home a loving and caring place to be. She would always baby Antonio and give him the affection he needed whenever he needed it. The morning after Tony had seen Lupito killed, Ultima tells Tony's mother not to be too hard on Antonio; he had a hard night last night. His mother puts her arms around Tony and holds him saying he "is only a boy, a baby yet" (Pg.28). The Virgin also makes the atmosphere of Antonio's home peaceful and protected. Tony loves the Virgin Mary because "she always forgave" (Pg. 42). Tony thought she was "full of a quiet, peaceful love" (Pg.42) which she filled the home with. The most important person who contributed to the goodness of Antonio's home was Ultima. She made Antonio feel as though her presence filled the home with safety, love, and a sense of security. When Tony saw Lupito get killed, it was Ultima who calmed him. Whenever he had a nightmare, Ultima was there to comfort Antonio and "[he] could sleep again" (Pg.
One can easily see the difference in their personality even down to the most basic things. The Marez’s are very free spirited, they do not like to have to worry about things. They can be seen mainly riding their horses around the llano. An example of this is shown in the book where Gabriel Marez speaks of his move to Guadeloupe at the birth of his son, Antonio. In this he says, "The move lowered my father in esteem of his compadres, the other vaqueros who clung tenaciously to their way of life and freedom." On the other hand the Lunas are more down to earth. They are farmers, so they stay in one place to grow their crops, and are very land oriented. They concentrate more on work and less on the free will that can be seen in the Marez family.
Maria Luna Marez, is an extremely devoted Catholic, and tries to raise her children to follow the same ways she has. She is the daughter of a farmer, and the descendant of the first priest of the Luna region. Maria wants very badly for her youngest son Antonio to become a priest. She believes, that he possesses the gift of knowledge, and wants Antonio to follow her Luna-family tradition by growing up to be a calm well-mannered man; she dreams of Antonio becoming a priest, and tries to instill in him the value of knowledge and farming. "You will be like my brothers. You will be a Luna, Antonio. You will be a man of the people, and perhaps a priest (9)," Maria states, as she is trying to tell her son not to worry about his father's brothers, because he wi...
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A hero is a person that has everything you would look for if you were wanting a great protector and warrior just like this epic Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, was first composed oral and later translated and written down by christian monks . This poem many have read it but nobody knew the author it was anonymous . The epic poem really shows the culture of the anglo saxons and what they believed in. That's why in the epic poem Beowulf his character shows and revivals these traits . The real anglo saxon hero traits that Beowulf is showing are generosity faithfulness and courage in the epic poem.
In an epic there important characteristics: it has to have a hero, involve a demonstration of superhuman abilities, have a large setting, includes supernatural beings that guide the hero, have an elevated style of writing, and is told by an omniscient narrator. Beowulf has all of these characteristics. The hero of the story is Beowulf and he possesses superhuman strength. His strength is so extraordinary that even King Hrothgar knows of it, “marvelous tales about him: a thane, they declared, with strength of thirty in the grip of each hand.” (379-381). He uses this strength to fight Grendel which was a feat that no other man could accomplish, “hand-to –hand is how it will be”(438). Just like most epics, there are supernatural beings that guide or hinder the hero. In this poem, God is on Beowulf’s side and Grendel is monster that Beowulf has to defeat. Unlike the Greek epics, Beowulf has only one God that helps the hero in his quest and that god does not actively participate in the hero’s quest. Hrothgar says, “Now Holy God has, in His goodness, guided him here.”(381-382). God has only lea Beowulf
A true hero is someone who stands up for an idea that has admirable intentions. In the book “Beowulf,” men were considered heroes based on the way they followed the warrior’s code. The warrior’s code included duty, honor, and chivalry. At the beginning of the book, Beowulf seems to have the characteristics of a warrior, but as the story develops Beowulf starts having a different perspective on what a true warrior is.
In the short story Amelia’s Road by Linda Jacobs Altman, roads symbolize new beginnings, sometimes favorable or sometimes rough. In the beginning of the story, Amelia talks about why she dislikes roads. She states “ Roads leading to all manner of strange places, and roads to nowhere at all. Amelia hated roads so much that she cried every time her father took out the map. The roads Amelia knew went to farms where workers labored in the sunstruck fields and lived in grim, gray shanties. Los caminos, the roads, were long and cheerless. They never went where you wanted them to go.” Amelia has a strong, negative feeling towards roads. She knows that they never lead to anywhere pleasing. She hates having to move to places where she will be tired
In Anaya’s work Bless Me, Ultima she showcases how religious beliefs can lead to self discovery. Through a series of events one is collided with opposing religions and this leads him to his true identity. Antonio, a devout catholic, begins to question his religious beliefs which leads to self discovery and supports Anaya’s work.
In the novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, Antonio Maréz’s three older brothers return from the war, they are plagued by grief. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common illness among surviving soldiers. An illness that, unfortunately, has no cure. They three brothers have to pay the price of going through a traumatic event.
In essence, Antonio shows that he is unsure if he truly believes in his religion because of his acceptance of other beliefs, the new ideas that he learns, and the deaths of Narciso and Lupito. Antonio’s experiences lead him to believe that he is in charge of his destiny and he has the ability to choose what he wants, not what his parents want. In the end, Antonio determines his religious values based on what he believes in, so he tells himself to “[t]ake the Ilano and the river valley, the moon and the sea, God and the golden carp and make something new” (247). Antonio’s encounters with religion represent those who follow their religion but are not content with it. All in all, the story suggests that sometimes people want to learn other ideas to discover what fits them best.
Antonio lives in a magical world that is full deaths and sadness in his life. His dreams represented his inner interpretations of those experiences. The story of the child in Bless Me, Ultima is much more than just an ordinary child living at the time in Santa Rosa. He sees parts of the future, but doesn’t want it to happen. This boy has a grown soul that lives in a child’s body.