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Summarize the battle between grendel and beowulf
Grendel vs beowulf summary 901 words
Grendel vs beowulf summary 901 words
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#1 for Role of the hero : Quote: “Beowulf was granted the glory of winning; Grendel was driven under the fen-banks, fatally hurt, to his desolate lair. “ - 817 page 55.
Paraphrase: Grendel is defeated and Beowulf fulfils his boast. It describes how hurt Grendel was from the battle with Beowulf. Shows how triumph Beowulf was.
Analyze: It shows that old Anglo Saxon of culture of having a hero, whom triumphs, after a great battle or struggle. It is a great honor to fulfill your mission especially to a menace, such as Grendel.
Evaluation : Such usefulness Beowulf can be. He protects and cares for those who are in need. He never seems to back down from any challenge. Beowulf is basically not afraid to die, he makes a strong name for himself.
Role of the Hero #2: “The man whose name was known for courage, the great leader, resolute in his helmet, answered in return: “we are
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retainers from Hygelac’s band. Beowulf is my name. If your lord and master, the most renowned son of haldane, will hear me out and graciously allow me to greet him in person, I am ready and willing to report my errand” “. Line 340-347 Page 25 Paraphrase: Beowulf explains his history. Beowulf is saying that he would be more gladly to take the task to eliminate Grendel once and for all. The quote announces the accomplishments of Beowulf and who he is as a warrior. Thus, stating the “Great leader and courage” qualities he has. Analyze : Beowulf is provoking himself, announces himself as this guy that can do all these things. Beowulf comes as respectful as he can be and lets the Geats know his humble and wise. It ties back to the anglo-saxon values because Beowulf is indeed generous and shows tremendous loyalty to king Hrothgar. Thus making himself well known as this outstanding person. Evaluate : The characteristics of a hero is all in Beowulf. He portrays all these amazing things he can do. Some might say he is cocky and seems to be full of it. I would not concur with people that would say that because Beowulf is honest and dementraits he is noble enough to protect the Geats. Beowulf keeps his mind on something and wont do nothing until the task is finished. Fate #1 :”Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgement by god. If grendel wins, it will be a gruesome day;...no need then to lament for long or lay out my body.. fate goes ever as fate must “Whichever one death fells.- 440-455 Paraphrase: Beowulf tells hrothgar about fate/god and telling him that we basically have little control over our own personal fate. He leads on that grendel’s fate would most likely be ended by Beowulf himself for all the evil Grendel has done. Analyze : Hrothgar won't stop Grendel because he knows that Grendel would meet his fate pretty soon. According to Beowulf the person who chooses someones right time to die would be god himself. It is pretty obvious that Grendels life would be ended by Beowulf. If Grendel killed Beowulf then it would be a whole new thing. Hrothgar would furthermore not make a funeral for Beowulf because he would know that Grendel would be Beowulf's fate. Evaluate : God is involve in most of the fates in the story of Beowulf. Beowulf himself says that god is responsible for each of the fates of people. Even if the characters tries to change their fate it would be impossible because it would have the same outcome no matter how you change the route of the characters. Just like in the Oedipus the king, he could’ve had a different route for his fate and could have changed it, but no matter what he would have to kill his father and have sexual intercourse with his mother because thats what faith has insisted. fate #2: “And if death does take me, send the hammered/Mail of my armor to Hygelac, return the inheritance i had from Hrethel,and he from wayland. fate unwind as it must” Ps 31 lines 452-455 Paraphrase: Beowulf then says if he does not come back to send his belongings to Hygelac and all the things he will send if he dies. That states that if that is his fate then shall let it be. Analyze : demonstrates the anglo-saxon ways when a person dies. A belonging should be send to the families of the deceased as a remembrance. In this care it would have been a remembrance of the honor and glory Beowulf portrayed. Good vs Evil #1 : “ So times were pleasant for the people there until finally one, a fiend out of hell,began to work his evil in the world ..” Lines 99-101 page 9 Paraphrase : Grendel has been terrorising the Geats for years. The Geats were too scared to do anything because Grendel was said to be immune to the weapons that were used against him. Therefore,making Grendel very powerful and making the Geats have fear in their guts for him. analyze : Every evil person needs a good person to defeat, or vise versa. The point is that you can't just have one or the other you need the both of good and evil. Grendel being evil has the first introduction to the story because he is the reason why Beowulf had come to the Geats to help them. Im sure it would end up the same way if Grendel terrorised a different group of people. Thus, making Beowulf ( Hero) in need to defeat Grendel ( Evil ). Evaluate : This quote has a kenning in it as well. “fiend of hell” is describing Grendel as the evil monster that everyone is so scared of. Beowulf is like god like which would make sense because he says himself that god chooses people fates and he chose Grendels. Grendels fate was he would be defeated by Beowulf himself. Good vs. Evil #2 : “Venturing closer, his talon was raised to attack Beowulf where he lay on the bed’ he was bearing in with open claw when the alert hero’s comeback and armlock forestalled him utterly. The captain of evil discovered himself in a handgrip harder than anything he has ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth. (744-752) page 51 Paraphrase : This is the ultimate battle against Good Vs.
evil when grendel attacks the hall. He sees Beowulf laying down and thinks he can defeated when he was oblivious of how strong Beowulf actually is. He has finally met his defeat.
analyze : This is where it shows the strength of Beowulf and at this point is really characterized as powerful and courageous. Grendel never encountered someone like Beowulf, but as soon as he made that mistake in attacking him Beowulf attacked back, not in any weapon except his own bare hands. Shows signs of a true hero and also the evil that grendel is capable of because in this passage it also includes that Grendel rips people to death.
Evaluate : The juxtaposition portrayed in the quote gives the true meaning of good vs. evil. It shows Beowulf and Grendel are equally matched. They might seem different, but are alike in many different ways. There a perfect match and Grendel finally met it right there.
Part II:
1. What is it that makes Beowulf a true hero? How do Beowulf's deeds, words, and beliefs come together to create the "perfect" medieval
warrior? Beowulf is a true hero because he does what is needed to be done to protect others in need. The words that, Beowulf speaks shows he cares for the Geats. No one told Beowulf to go defeat Grendel, he wanted to because he did not want the Geats to suffer any longer from Grendels wrath. 2. Why are boasting and storytelling so important in the medieval warrior culture of Beowulf? What function do they serve in the epic? It helps other readers to create a more fantastical meaning of reading. It makes the story more alive when boasting and storytelling rather than making it dull. It intrigues the reader to read more of Beowulf. It also makes you use your imagination to have a more vivid effect when reading about Beowulf. 3. How much control do the characters in Beowulf have over their fates? Are skilled warriors any more likely to succeed than cowards? Who does the narrator remind us is calling all the shots? The characters have little control over their fates. God is the ultimate decider factor. Even Beowulf tells Hrothgar about fate/god in the connection to the fight against Grendel, “ whichever one death falls must deem it a just judgement by god.If Grendel wins, it will be a gruesome day...no need then.. to lament for long a lay out my body, fat goes over as fate must” lines 440-455 4. What role do women play in Beowulf? Consider Queen Wealhtheow, Queen Hygosh darn, and the various unnamed daughters of kings. How do women function in medieval Scandinavian society to reinforce alliances and solve blood-feuds? At first through reading “Beowulf” women seem to be irrelevant, but later in the story you realize that women actually have roles throughout the story. Their main roles would be as the following : Peace makers : Women reinforce alliances and solve blood-feuds by getting married to the neighbor of the tribes so men don't kill each other. Beer GIvers : They serve alcohol to create a strong bond with the men, a better relationship to have with them. “Handed the cup to Hrothgar, their homelands guardian..se the helming women went on her rounds, queenly and dignified, decked out in rings, offering the goblet to all ranks”- Lines 615 -622 pg 43 Gift Givers : “Haereth’s daughter behaved generously and stinted rating when she distributed bounty to the Geats” lines 1929-1931 pg 133 Hrothgar’s daughter which she is unnamed in the story of Beowulf, does what she is suppose to do, In Beowulf most women do not protest at all that i have notice. Women are most portrayed as troublesome or kind i would believe. For example : Queen Wealhtheow gives all these gifts to beowulf and tells him kindly “ I wish you a lifetimes luck and blessings to enjoy this treasure. treat my sons with tender care, be strong and kind “ Lines 1225-1227 pg 87 This perfectly shows how a limited purpose women really do have. 5. One important poetic device in Old English is the "kenning," a compound word in which one thing is described by a fanciful two-word metaphor. For example, the sea is described as a "whale-road" (10), a king is described as a "ring-giver" (36), and a murderer is described as a "corpse-maker" (276). What effect do these kennings have on you as a reader? How do they add to the poetic atmosphere of the epic? Try finding some. The effect kennings have on me as a reader is it is enjoyable. It makes reading more unique. Kennings make the story of Beowulf more fun to read. I believe with Kennings the reader gets attracted to the passage. it basically makes it extraordinary rather than dull. It gives more meaning and more ways to describe someone or something. Examples would be like : 1. Grendel “ a fiend out of hell” line line 100 page 9 2. “Word-hoard” = brain in line 258 page 19 3. “war gear= amor line 1443 page 101 4. “worn looped patterned “ = chain mair 5. “Sleep of the sword” meaning death. Lines 568 page 39 6 “The captain of evil “ Grendel page 51
In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live.
“Staring at his grotesquely muscled shoulders--stooped, naked despite the cold, sleek as the belly of a shark and as rippled with power as the shoulders of a horse--I found my mind wandering...He was dangerous” (155). Even from the first day Beowulf showed up at Hrothgar’s kingdom, Grendel knew he was dealing with something worse than a hero. Once they finally start to battle, the monster in Beowulf is fully revealed to Grendel and Grendel sees again the stupidity and meaninglessness in the human’s definition of a hero.“Grendel, Grendel! You make the world by whispers, second by second. Are you blind to that? Whether you make it a grave or a garden of roses is not the point. Feel the wall: is it not hard?...Hard, yes! Observe the hardness, write it down in careful runes. Now sing of walls! Sing!” (171). Beowulf forces Grendel to make a fool of himself and unlike Unferth who longs for a heroic death, Beowulf knows he is going to win and has no desire to die. His mindset of victory, groups him with monsters who have one goal, to kill and never be killed. This shatters the Anglo-Saxon ideals of heroism and in Grendel’s death, when he is surrounded by oblivious creatures who don’t have a purpose, the meaninglessness of it all, including the meaninglessness of heroic deeds becomes evident to the
Beowulf wants to fight Grendel, a monster wreaking havoc, and is boasting that he is more powerful and courageous.
In my opinion Beowulf is can be considered a hero. Beowulf can be considered a hero because of the characteristics he displays that resemble heroes. He displays all of the characteristics that heroes have. Throughout the story Beowulf stays true to himself and is morals showing that he is a hero. Beowulf is a hero due to his courage, loyalty, and justice.
9. Beowulf will fight Grendel under the certain conditions that he and his men alone shall face Grendel. He wants no help from the Danes except for cooperation and obedience. In the text it states, “That this one favor you should not refuse me- That I, alone and with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall.” Beowulf plan is to attack Grendel when he comes back to the mead hall looking to snatch up more men.
Beowulf outlines turmoil between three opponents: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the Dragon. These separate discords each serve to fulfill different metaphoric purposes. Grendel’s character epitomizes the adverse persona of how an Anglo-Saxon warrior should not be. His mother represents everything that a woman during the time era should seldom be. Lastly, the Dragon embodies all the values that an Anglo-Saxon king should not dare retain. Without a doubt, the symbolic implications of the monsters in Beowulf bring the context to a new level of understanding.
In conclusion, although Beowulf possessed many heroic qualities he would not be considered a hero in today’s world. A hero varies from culture to culture. The Anglo-Saxon appreciated different things in a person that what do not we appreciate today. Many things have changed a lot with time, the requisites for being considered a hero have also changed. Today we do not like to solve problems with war. Pride and honor are not as important as the willingness one has to help others. Beowulf is not feeling that contact with people he doesn’t identify with them because he believes himself better, a part of a hero´s cycle is to be identified with the community. To be part
In this poem, Beowulf exhibits the trait of bravery by defeating the monster, Grendel. This monster was a very powerful monster that plagued the town of Herot. “He slipped through the door… Snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies/ The blood dripping behind him, back/ To his liar, delighted with his night’s slaughter. (11)”
Beowulf is a good example of a courageous and strong hero. He shows all of
In Part I of Beowulf the poet establishes Beowulf as an incomparable superman and celebrates his greatness. The occasion for this was the unfortunate situation which Grendel had created in the court of King Hrothgar, Heorot, where there was considerable sorrow due to the uncontrollable ravaging of the monster:
Many epics have been written and forgotten. Yet, the epic of Beowulf has stayed as one of the premiere examples of a heroic epic. This brings an inevitable question to mind. Why is Beowulf considered a hero?
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
The battle with Grendel represents the youth of Beowulf's life. The typical youth is very brave and fights for fame. Beowulf shows how the battle with Grendel is a representation of the youth of Beowulf's life by going to Hrothgar and asking him if he can fight Grendel for him and his people. Beowulf shows this trait when he says,
The story of Beowulf is a heroic epic chronicling the illustrious deeds of the great Geatish warrior Beowulf, who voyages across the seas to rid the Danes of an evil monster, Grendel, who has been wreaking havoc and terrorizing the kingdom. Beowulf is glorified for his heroic deeds of ridding the land of a fiendish monster and halting its scourge of evil while the monster is portrayed as a repugnant creature who deserves to die because of its evil actions. In the epic poem, Beowulf the authors portrays Grendel as a cold-hearted beast who thrives on the pain of others. Many have disagreed with such a simplistic and biased representation of Grendel and his role in the epic poem. John Gardner in his book, Grendel set out to change the reader’s perception of Grendel and his role in Beowulf by narrating the story through Grendel’s point of view. John Gardner transforms the perceived terrible evil fiend who is Grendel into a lonely but intelligent outcast who bears a striking resemblance to his human adversaries. In Grendel, John Gardner portrays Grendel as an intelligent being capable of rational thought as well as displaying outbursts of emotion. He portrays Grendel as a hurt individual and as a victim of oppression ostracized from civilization. The author of Beowulf portrays Grendel as the typical monster archetype as compared to John Gardner’s representation of Grendel as an outcast archetype.
Beowulf’s first accomplishment as an epic hero was his battle with Grendel. Grendel was a huge beast, a descendent of Cain, who ruthlessly murdered innocent Danes because he felt pity for himself. Upon hearing of the Dane’s problem, Beowulf set off to help the Danish without having been called upon. Even though Beowulf had men backing him, He drew battle with Grendel alone and without armor or weapons. Yet, Beowulf emerged victorious with the arm of Grendel as his trophy. Beowulf then went on to kill Grendel’s vengeful mother and a huge fire-breathing dragon who thought it had been done wrong by the Geats. Alas, the killing of the dragon would be Beowulf’s last great battle for the dragon took Beowulf’s life in the struggle for his own.