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Beowulf essay explaining themes
Beowulf essay explaining themes
The themes of Beowulf
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In the poem, Beowulf, by an unknown poet, as translated by Seamus Heaney, we see many monstrous behaviors. A few of the examples stand out more than the rest: wanton destruction, a woman acting as a man, and the act of killing one’s kin.
Wanton destruction goes against the ideals that governed the Anglo-Saxon culture. The warrior kings had duties to uphold. We see that they revered kings who would bring protection and give freely to the young and old and not cause harm. One good illustration of this is the nature in which King Hrothgar dispensed his wealth, he dispensed it to the needy and he didn’t give away “the common land or the people’s lives” (71-73).
In contrast we see Grendel, a descendent of Cain, depicted as being a demon, raging without a true cause. He killed just for the sake of killing and the mere thought made his mouth water. A vivid picture was painted of this when the poet wrote “his glee was demonic picturing the mayhem” (730-31). It is clear that he has a huge appetite for wanton destruction. The poet describes him as a “God-Cursed brute creating havoc:” mercilessly rushing in and snatching up 30 men while they were sleeping, “flushed up from his raid, blundering back with the butchered corpses” (122-24). No one was safe not the young or the old, they too, were seen to as prey to Grendel (159). This behavior was not acceptable and was brought up by Unferth to Beowulf; he throws it in his face by saying that Grendel “kills without fear of reprisal” (600-01). This monstrous behavior of wanton destruction is not just indentified in monsters but even in the lords themselves.
A clear example of this is seen when Lord Hrothgar addressed Beowulf about what could become of him if he were to change his course of h...
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...esies by being a peace weaver and to be thoughtful in her words and actions. Furthermore, when a woman steps out of her place she is frowned upon and is used as an example of what not to emulate. This clarifies to the reader that this is in fact monstrous. It is clear to the reader when there is an act of monstrosity because the action will be done without reason. Such as when a king decides to have his anger blanketed over his family and his subjects, not acted as the protector and ring giver that is expected of him. One might say that the lords may act in vengeance and could say that that alone is monstrous behavior. A reader may consider actions to be monstrous based on the reader’s culture and upbringing; however it is not the place the reader to so judge characters of a different era.
Works Cited
Beowulf. Trans. Seamus Heaney . New Yourk: Norton, 2000.Print
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.
The Epic poem of Beowulf is a story of heroism, loyalty, ego, and fate. To be a great leader of men; a great king of the people, you must be respected and trusted. Loyalty is given to those who earn the respect and trust of their people. Beowulf was blessed with great physical strength, the pride and fearlessness of a warrior, and an equally strong command of the spoken word, which he used skillfully to his advantage. He gained the respect and trust of nearly everyone he came in contact with, largely because he possessed the characteristics of a true hero, but in the end it was his ego that sealed his fate. Although it could be said that Beowulf’s character was flawed by an enormous ego, fueled by thoughts of immortality, it is this very trait that made him an ideal hero and king.
...ts treasure, almost an obsession,” then can one really blame am animal acting through instinct and purpose? While destructive, it was indeed the greed and ignorance of man that brought the wrath of the dragon upon Geatland. “The intruder who broached the dragon’s treasure / and moved him to wrath had never meant to” (line 2215). “each antagonist struck terror in the other” (line 2565).
"The Anglo Saxons appear as a race of fierce, cruel, and barbaric pagans, delighting in the seas, in slaughter, and in drink "(Allen, 17). The character of the ancient Saxons displayed the qualities of fearless, active, and successful. The Anglo-Saxons are mostly a barbaric race, not savage and rude but mostly military and...
Anonymous. “Beowulf.” Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. Seamus Heaney, trans. New York: W.W. Norton &Company Ltd. 2001. 2-213. Print.
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
Shippey, T.A.. “The World of the Poem.” In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987..
The brawl experienced by the epics central character Beowulf test his ethics his aptitude to prevail over sinister forces. All the way through its authoritative use of metaphors and illustration, Beowulf sketches a transparent difference between good and evil. Moreover good always prevails over evil. The ...
Contrary to the epic poem, Grendel does not have this vicious and evil appearance; he simply resembles a large feral man, and unlike in the poem Grendel is not killing for his own recreation, he is killing to avenge his father. When a viewer of the film Beowulf and Grendel is introduced to Grendel they do not think of him as some evil monster that is a descendent of Cain, but rather a primitive man simply trying to avenge the death of his father. Hollywood decided not to make Grendel a senseless killing machine, but rather something more of a man seeking revenge for the murder of his
“Beowulf.” Trans. Suzanne Akbari. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd ed. Vol. B. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 112-82. Print.
Every culture has many stories and poems to represent what they believe in, and what they look for in a hero. The heroes written in these stories and myths are brave, and are leaders. However, every hero comes with a flaw or two. The epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, has an extraordinary hero named Beowulf. Beowulf was a hero to the Anglo-Saxons which were fierce warriors who fought a lot. Beowulf fights many brutal monsters and threats in his days, but the most barbaric of them all is the inside threat within him. Beowulf had a big ego, and focused more on creating a name for himself than thinking about the real risks ahead. Two of his major battles that he faced along with his internal peril was against the dragon, and the beast Grendel.
“In the land of the giants, when the Lord and Creator [h]ad banned him and branded. For that bitter murder, [t]he killing of Abel, all-ruling Father, Cain is referred to as a progenitor of Grendel, and of monsters in general. The kindred of Cain crushed with [h]is vengeance” (Beowulf, book 2, lines 53-56.) Grendel attempts to overcome and defeat the glorious Beowulf, but fails, marking the first encounter of good versus evil in the story of Beowulf.
Beowulf is an epic poem that, above all, gives the reader an idea of a time long past; a time when the most important values were courage and integrity. The only factors that could bestow shower fame upon a person were heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the paradigm of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to amass fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is ever present throughout the poem seems to color the identities of its characters.
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.
There are three prominent monsters in the Beowulf text, Grendel, his mother, and the dragon. While the dragon proves to be the most fatale of foes for Beowulf, Grendel and his mother do not simply pose physical threats to the Germanic society; their roles in Beowulf are manifold. They challenge the perceptions of heroism, a sense of unrivalled perfection and superiority. Moreover, they allow the reader to reconsider the gender constructs upheld within the text; one cannot help but feel that the threat that these monsters present is directed towards the prevalent flaws in Beowulf’s world. Moreover, what makes these monsters is not their physical appearance; it is what they embody. Both Grendel and his mother have humanlike qualities yet their monstrous appearance arises from what their features and mannerisms represent. The challenge they pose to societal paradigms makes them far more terrifying to our heroes than any scaled flesh or clawing hand. These monsters provide the ‘most authoritative general criticism […] of the structure and conduct of the poem’. Their presence provides contrast and criticism of the brave society (Heaney 103).