Introduction:
Beowulf is an Old English epic poem that was set in Scandinavia and it consist of more than 3000 lines. It is known for being one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature and has no known author. There is also a computer-animated movie of the same name directed by Robert Zemeckis which with the cast of Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie. The movie and epic were similar in a number of ways however the movie detracts from the original essence of the Anglo Saxon text. The major inconsistency between the film version and the text is the turning of the noble hero characters – Kings, into ignoble adulterers who have brought trouble to their own people by means of their own infidelity thus weakening major literary themes and the debasing the representations of the heroic Anglo Saxon Kings. The objective of this paper is to highlight the theme of loyalty with support from analyzing scenes especially the downfall of Beowulf, character analysis and the symbolism of the text.
Plot Summary:
King Hrothgar, the ruler of the Danes lives in riches with his loyal subjects however is troubled by the rampages of a monster they have given the moniker of Grendel. Every night, Grendel attacks the mead-hall, Heorot, killing Hrothgar’s men – the Danish warriors and sometimes even eating them. Hrothgar was a great warrior in his time, but as an old king, he is unable to protect his people. Fortunately, a young warrior named Beowulf from Geatland travels to Heorot Hall to lend a helping hand – literally. Beowulf offers to assist Hrothgar as he felt he owed the Danish King a favour due to the help his father received many years ago. Beowulf offers to fight Grendel himself and King Hrothgar gratefully ...
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...ed and joyful with life, in contrast to his outcast and miserable life.
Works Cited
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Gardner, J. (1989). Grendel. New York: Vintage Books Edition.
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SparkNotes Editors. (2003). SparkNote on Beowulf. Retrieved November 26, 2013, from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/
The epic Beowulf is one of the oldest poems written in English. According to the Norton Anthology, "the poem was composed more the twelve hundred years ago, in the first half of the eight century. Its author may have been a native of what was Mercia, the Midlands of England today, although the late tenth-century manuscript , which alone preserves the poem, originated in the south in the kingdom of the West Saxons" (Norton 21). Although the poem is of English origin, it speaks of tribes (the Danes and the Geats) that are from the "Danish island of Zealand and southern Sweden respectively" (Norton 22). The main character, Beowulf, demonstrates that he is a warrior who places heroism and bravery over his own well-being and life. Beowulf is a hero and an example of a great warrior. His actions give us a good example of the pagan warrior mentality. The pagan society is a warrior society, in which courage and bravery are extremely prevalent. Beowulf fights against monsters and dragons, and he would rather die in battle, then anywhere else. Beowulf is called upon to help defeat Grendel, who is a monster that has taken over the hall of Heorot. He is greeted with great hospitality. Hrothgar, the King of Denmark, is relived to see Beowulf. There is some skepticism by Unferth, who recalls a fight in which Beowulf lost in Battle. Unferth is wrong, and Beowulf says this great line: "fate often saves an undoomed man when his courage is good." Beowulf defeats Grendel with great ease and the people of the hall are gracious to Beowulf.
Over the course of the poem, Beowulf transitions from a heroic warrior to a noble king. The last lines of the epic, "kindest to kinfolk yet keenest for fame" undoubtedly refers to the transitions of roles the main character undergoes, as well as the differing values and responsibilities accompanying each role. Time and again in the poem the major themes of what makes a good king and what makes a good hero are presented. As both a warrior and a king, Beowulf must reconcile the opposing values and duties of each position in society. This essay seeks to show that the final line of the epic relates to the whole poem in terms of the tension between the roles of hero and king.
Today Beowulf can be relevant in society. A good leader can be further seen in a political process. Throughout the poem, similarities between personal relationships then and now are evident. Disloyalty within a family, murder caused by jealousy, and marriage for the wrong reasons are all themes in Beowulf. Today’s shows like soap operas reveal that little has changed. We live in a technology advanced world with sophisticated machinery but yet human nature has remained the same unchanged. Corruption, greed, and jealousy exist today as does courage, bravery, and
Beowulf. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume A. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2006. 34-100.
Text Source: "Beowulf" The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Sixth Edition. Vol. 1. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: Norton 1993
An important aspect of the Anglo-Saxon culture was the values and how much the people held them in their hearts. These values are quite unique when being compared to modern-day values and the way society works today, as we have grown as people and changed our views. When thinking about Beowulf, the way the warriors acted is a detail that comes to mind. These warriors fought with everything they had and believed they had two choices, victory or death. While this is still true today, we do not blame our warriors or call them cowards for not wanting to fight, unlike the Anglo-Saxon people. In the story of Beowulf, the battle with Grendel is considered intense, as many warriors died trying to save the kingdom; however, Beowulf is honored and celebrated
“Beowulf.” Trans. Suzanne Akbari. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd ed. Vol. B. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 112-82. Print.
Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The poem illustrates the Anglo-Saxon’s strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code. Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and forgiveness into the hero archetype.
In history, evil men have reigned supreme across many cultures. Some people say that being evil is inherent in every human. If this is true, then writing may be the ultimate way of releasing hatred of the world without hurting anyone. In Beowulf, all of society's evil men can be personified within the demons of Cain. The main demon presented in Beowulf is Grendel. Grendel personifies the exact opposite of what the Anglo-Saxons held dear. Beowulf, the story's hero, is the embodiment of what every Anglo-Saxon strove to become in their lifetime. Grendel is constantly angry, afraid and unsure of himself; while Beowulf is fearless and loyal to his king.
Beowulf is an epic poem telling the story of Beowulf, a legendary Geatish hero who later becomes king in the aforementioned epic poem. While the story in and of itself is quite interesting, for the purpose of this paper it is important to look at the character more so then his deeds, or rather why he did what he did.
In summation, the magnificent work of Beowulf is full of a different pattern of speech than that of which is commonly used today. The reading of Beowulf must be done with the consciousness that the prideful speeches of the characters are truly factual but may include some hyperbole, the listings of accomplishment are integral to Beowulf, that the value these speeches have in the society of Beowulf is immense and, that today’s culture still uses many parts of this speech pattern. Overall the use of pride in Beowulf causes this to be a timeless classic uniquely its own.
Beowulf. Holt elements of literature. Ed G Kylene Beers and Lee Odeel. 6th ed. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2008. 21-48. Print.
King Hrothgar once again looks toward Beowulf to take care of another monster. To get ready for this battle Beowulf wears armor and uses the Horting sword which has never lost in battle. Once again Beowulf shows his courage by deciding to go to the bottom of the monster filled swamp and fight alone. Fighting off monsters on his way down, Beowulf reached the bottom where he was met by Grendel 's mother. He tried to cut her head off with Horting, but she is too strong. Beowulf takes a sword made for giants off the wall, and uses his super strength to cut the mother 's head off. As a trophy of this battle Beowulf finds the body of Grendel in a corner and decides to take his head back to the mead hall. Hrothgar celebrates another victory by once again throwing a large celebration where they gave more gifts to Beowulf and the Geats. After two battles, Beowulf decides it is time for him and his men to head back to their homeland. Continuing to show courage, honor, and strength Beowulf states that if the Danes ever have anymore problems with monsters he will help protect
Wright, David. “The Digressions in Beowulf.” In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998.
Beowulf displays vulnerability and regret during his dying moments, allowing the reader to form connections to him. The forces between pagan and Christian elements are balanced in the conclusion, which clarifies which aspects of Christian beliefs Beowulf has adapted throughout the poem and which pagan beliefs he still holds on to, leaving the reader more satisfied. Furthermore, the ending includes some uncertainty which enables the reader to create their own hypothesis after the poem’s final pages. By using these techniques to create a meaningful ending, the Beowulf poet has produced an epic that has survived thousands of years through oral retellings and printed texts which continue to be read, studied, and translated making Beowulf accessible to an even larger