Beowulf Theme

499 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Beowulf elements of the story

In the poem "Beowulf" the author uses theme to make the epic intriguing to the audience. A theme that the author of "Beowulf" was trying to convey is fate is already planned out and can't be stopped. To illustrate this theme the author uses characterization and foreshadowing. In the poem "Beowulf", characterization is used to show the theme that fate is already planned out and can't be stopped through the Words of Beowulf himself. For instance, when Beowulf is boasting about his courageous victories to Unferth he speaks of a battle at with sea monsters that interrupted his swimming race between him and Brecca. Beowulf states "fate let me/ Find its heart with my sword, hack myself/Free; I fought that beast's last battle,/Left it floating

Show More
Related

  • Beowulf The Hero

    860 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Jacqueline Woodson's When A Southern Town Broke A Heart

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    One example of the theme occurs when the author first introduces the story. “But the summer I was 9 years old, the town I had always loved morphed into a beautifully heartbreaking and complicated place.” (pg. 1). The author is saying that the year she turned nine, she found out something about her town that broke her heart and changed the way she saw it. This quote is important because it supports the theme. It shows that now she is older she has learned something about her town that made her wiser than when she was younger. She is now more informed because the new information changed her and caused her to begin to mature.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Events and Characters of Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    2044 Words  | 5 Pages

    Clark, Gorge. “The Hero and the Theme.” In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997.

    Read More

  • Essay Comparing Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    Clark, Gorge. “The Hero and the Theme.” In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997.

    Read More

  • Beowulf and the Dragon

    551 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf is a poem about strength and courage. This is illustrated in the eighth section of the story called “Beowulf and the Dragon.” A slave, a hero and a dragon play a big role in this section. The characters are well developed, as is the setup for the conclusion of the poem.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Light And Dark In Beowulf

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before a time of light, people usually go through a time of darkness and struggle until they persevere through it. The struggles and darkness that Beowulf goes through allow him to prove what he is made of. In Beowulf, through the hero's victorious battles, the author paints a detailed distinction between light and dark. The story heavily depicts light and dark imagery, through the battles of good and evil, in which light ends up victorious.

    Read More

  • Fate In Beowulf And Anglo-Saxon Views On Fate

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    The battle between fate and free will produces a lopsided victory by fate in Beowulf. A continuous reference is directed to fate by context as well as in elements of theme, plot, and character. The most prominent relation to fate is seen with Beowulf. From his early adventures as a warrior to his later rule as king, fate strongly influences Beowulf's beliefs and courage. He attributes the successful outcomes of his many fights and struggles to the reasons of fate. The lives and outcomes of Beowulf and his enemies are obvious examples of the Beowulf poet showing that God has the power to control everything, resulting in predetermined fate. "Fate goes ever as fate must."(Line 455)*

    Read More

  • Beowulf's Glory

    899 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Anglo-Saxons were a group of warlike tribes who occupied England starting around A.D. In the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, by an unknown author, the titular character is shown to be a perfect example of what the Anglo-Saxons believed to be a hero. Beowulf is a glory seeking warrior who throughout the epic is encouraged by the pursuit of glory; he later achieves this glory by winning great battles and boasting of his accomplishments; these accomplishments are later recognized by others in Anglo-Saxon society, further forwarding his quest for the glory.

    Read More

  • Fate And God's Will In Beowulf '

    1042 Words  | 3 Pages

    Beowulf is driven by forces that are beyond his control. Just as his lineage contributes to his preeminence, so to do the values of generosity and loyalty common to most Anglo Saxon warriors impact the course of Beowulf’s life. The lineage of a character in Beowulf greatly affects the character’s life expectations, especially for princes, warriors and monsters. The concept of fate (wyrd) manifests itself in Beowulf as the will of God, which Beowulf often credits his success in battle. Beowulf, along with other characters, believes that God will determine the winner in every battle. Because of this belief, Beowulf puts his trust in God and accepts that “fate goes ever as fate must” (455). Fate is a concept that is accepted by many characters

    Read More

  • The Themes Of Symbolism In Beowulf

    1100 Words  | 3 Pages

    After exploring for some time, Beowulf in many ways is much more complex than it looks on the surface. Of course it 's classic theme of the clash between the forces of good and evil will always be prevalent, there are other types of symbolism in the epic poem that was either not explored or was not as evident. This is especially true in the setting of the story such as the mead hall, Heorot, where it is much more than a place to drink . Even Beowulf himself is a much more complex person than the readers might think since they might not completely be aware of the reasons why he is the embodiment of a hero.Even seemingly minor characters such as the Dragon can represent one of the biggest flaws within human beings. With the assistance of Harold Bloom’s book, “Rebirth and Renewal”, and literary websites such as Cliffnotes and Sparknotes, readers should be more enlightened on what the epic poem tries to represent.

    Read More

  • Beowulf as the Archetypal Germanic Hero

    2093 Words  | 5 Pages

    The epic poem Beowulf centers around the hero. From the character of Beowulf, the reader can see the importance of community, orality, and heroism. Beowulf, as a result, is an icon of his ancient Germanic heritage. He is mimetic of the world around him. In addition, he reflects the past?s tradition of heroes; he follows in Shield and Sigemund?s footsteps, mirroring their characteristics and actions. Thus, when Beowulf passes on, both the ancient world and the new world collapse.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Archetypes In Beowulf

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    Situational archetypes are situations that appear over and over in stories, literature and films. There are thirteen parts of Situational archetypes. Five that pop out in Beowulf are The Quest, The Task, The Journey, The Initiation and Battle Between Good and Evil. The way the quest is seen in Beowulf is when Beowulf is heading on his journey he is determined to find glory in his heroic attempts. The task can be seen as the three different fights in Beowulf because it is tasks that he must do to achieve his desired glory. The reason behind that is in many myths, its common for the hero (in this case Beowulf) must accomplish many

    Read More

  • Theme Of Alliteration In Beowulf

    151 Words  | 1 Pages

    The imagery involved in this small portion of Beowulf, helps to install a frightful ambience and forming a sense of dread. The poet develops a daunting atmosphere through the use of vivid imagery and the alliteration involved in the passage. The description of the creatures and other wild things hiding on the cliffs and roaming around, helps establish the danger of Beowulf’s quest. Furthermore, the use of alliteration especially in lines 1426, 1427, and 1429 further establish the harshness of the environment. The large amount of alliteration in the small passage calls for the reader’s attention to the hazardous surrounding. Finally the poet’s use of diction creates a dreadful type of tone. The usage of words such as “sea-dragons,” “monsters

    Read More

  • Revenge In Beowulf

    501 Words  | 2 Pages

    The theme of Beowulf is revenge and its effects upon society. Beowulf has no known author and the main characters are Beowulf, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Beowulf is about a monster who is descended from the evil of Cain and this monster takes its revenge on a city called herot and a Geat warrior name Beowulf hears about this great monster and wants to get rid of it. And this shows revenge because he is going to avenge the soldiers that were killed by Grendel

    Read More

  • Relationship Between Good And Evil In Beowulf

    601 Words  | 2 Pages

    The theme for Beowulf seems to portray a fight between good and evil which will cause problems within the society. The characters in Beowulf are Beowulf, Grendel, his Mother, and dragon . Beowulf tells a story of a epic hero who travels the sea to kill a savage monster named Grendel and his mother in order to help King Hrothgar and his people. The theme of this essay will depict different battles between Beowulf and the beasts in order to restore peace amongst the people.

    Read More

More about Beowulf Theme

Open Document