The quest to defeat and heroism is the way Beowulf went about things. In this time England was changing from a pagan to a Christian culture. Pagan Anglo-Saxons told grim tales of life ruled by fate, people struggled with this fate with monsters living in their world. Beowulf was one of the few that reflects both pagan and Christianity. Beowulf is also known as a heroic character through the story. Throughout the novel of Beowulf, Beowulf has multiple conflicts such as: gaining trust, danger of the battles, and killing the dragon. In the beginning, Beowulf is struggling to earn trust. Beowulf is a man who lives in a far off place, who hears many stories of Grendel and his wrong doings. As Beowulf and his men travel the sea, knowing of no …show more content…
one, the Danish watcher stops them trying to figure out are they raiders. The wall patrol asks, “Whose soldiers are you. / You who’ve been carried in your deep-keeled ship/ Across the sea-road to his country of mine? / Listen! I’ve stood on these cliffs longer/ Than you know, keeping our coast free/ Of pirates…” (lines 153-156). Not only is the wall patrol not trusting them, they also think they’re sneaking ashore to steal their gold. The patrol also says, “You! Tell me your name, / and your father’s; no spies go further onto Danish / soil than you’ve come already” (lines 165-166). During this time period if a man’s father was a good man, they are also considered a good man. Beowulf then explains who his father is and all of his good deeds, he also explains his purpose of coming there and that he isn’t anyone’s enemy. One author suggests, the poem is presented as unfriendly to human life and essentially has much to do with culture-specific uses of space. The watchman, then allowed them to pass and told them he would guide them to their king. Although, Beowulf is an outsider he’s goal is to win the battle.
When they arrive Beowulf and Grendel begin to argue, when the argument is finally over, Beowulf says, “Grendel’s plan, I think, will be/ What it has been before, to invade this hall/ And gorge his belly with our bodies” (lines 271-273). This quote shows that Grendel has not changed and he still wants what he always wanted which is to kill. The theme of this quote is revenge. That night Beowulf and his men stay in Herot. While his men are sleeping, Beowulf lies awake, eager to see Grendel again. The next morning they were ready for battle. The poem states, “His body to bits with powerful jaws,/ Drank the blood from his veins and bolted/ Him down, hands and feet; death/ And Grendel’s great teeth came together” (lines 316-319). This quote suggests that his body is drenched with blood. The quote also states that the Grendel is …show more content…
dead. Following Grendel’s death, Beowulf, now an old man, is determine to slay the beast.
Before going into battle, he tells his men about the royal house and his exploits in its service. Beowulf states, “I am old now,/ But I will Fight again, seek fame still,/ If the dragon hiding in his tower dares/ To face me” (lines 625-628). Beowulf is giving his followers a final goodbye as he goes into battle. He is also letting he’s followers know he is an old man and it will not be easy. Beowulf then enters a hidden entrance, too hot for anyone to stand, a streaming current of fire and smoke has blocked the passage. The beast then awakes knowing that a man has come. In the story it states, “Beowulf/ Swung his shield into place, held it / In front of him, facing the entrance”(lines 670-672). Beowulf and his ancient sword are waiting, ready for battle. The monster then comes quickly towards him, shooting out fire, rapping around Beowulf’s body as he suffers. An author, Laurence Mazzeno, writes,” In his later years, after becoming king in his homeland, Beowulf loses his life in a fight with a dragon that is guarding a hoard of treasure and terrorizing the Geats.” In conclusion, Beowulf is fighting his last battle between life and death. The young warrior Beowulf, a nobleman from the land of the Geats, travels to the kingdom of the Danes, where he saves the people of King Hrothgar by slaying the monster Grendel and his mother. In his later years, after becoming king in his homeland, Beowulf
loses his life in a fight with a dragon that is guarding a hoard of treasure and terrorizing the Geats. Beowulf then is killed by the dragon, leaving the Earth as a noble warrior.
After the sight of the dragon, the slave hurries and grabs one of the treasures around him and runs away. The dragon then becomes angry at the fact that he was robbed and decides to burn down the houses of the citizens of Geatland at nightfall. Penny 6 So Beowulf (being the brave and heroic person that he is) decides to defeat the dragon. He has an iron shield made and is prepared for even the worst to occur (his death).
Throughout time, society has come in contact with individuals who are praised due to their bravery, loyalty, strength and a tendency to go beyond the limit. One may call this individual a hero, and if asked to give some examples of heroism, one may pick the classical literary hero Beowulf. According to Roger B. Rolling, Beowulf is classified as a Type I hero who, “if superior in degree to other men but not to his natural environment, … is a leader. He has authority, passions, and powers of expression far greater than ours but is subject both to social criticism and to the order of nature” (434). Beowulf’s heroism is exemplified first when he kills Grendel, then when he kills Grendel’s mother, and finally when he kills the Dragon. Also, Beowulf
For more than a millennium, literary excavators and scholars have been deciphering and intensively studying the epic Beowulf. The suspenseful and dramatic narrative takes place in Scandinavia where the Danes are experiencing the wrath of a monster known as Grendel. The titular eponymous King of the Geats gives the King Hrothgar necessary assistance to combat this ruthless and belligerent creature. After being killed, the hero Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother in a watery underworld called her lair after she strikes Herot Hall. In the final scene, after serving five decades as Geatland’s generous and amiable king, he defeats the infamous dragon. Unfortunately, Beowulf suffers severe wounds from the battle. After briefly summarizing and analyzing
“In my youth I engaged in many wars”, Beowulf boasts to his warriors, which is certainly true. Throughout his life, he faces many deadly foes, all of which he handily defeats, save one. His story focuses on the most challenging, as well as morally significant of foes, Grendel and the dragon. These creatures reveal much about society as well as Christian virtue at the time. Even after Grendel and the dragon are defeated physically, the two monsters pose a new threat to the hero on a higher plane. Beowulf is not only at risk of losing his life, but his humanity, virtue, and even spirituality.
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)”
An epic is a long narrative poem on a serious subject. It usually is about
The story of Beowulf was originally a old Pagan story. It’s purpose was to show heroic deeds on how a man, named Beowulf, killed a monster named Grendel, his mother and a dragon. It shows its character loyalty to his soldiers or people, the importance of honor
In the epic poem Beowulf, the main character Beowulf demonstrates that he is a warrior who places heroism and bravery over his own well-being and life. These actions exemplify the pagan warrior mentality. God has granted him the greatest strength, allowing him to defeat all of his enemies. However, Beowulf also possesses a sense of morality. He will not harm any of his companions, even while intoxicated. His good deeds, and successful battles make him well-liked and respected.
The poem Beowulf is a renowned story that displays many different surroundings and religious beliefs. Some may believe the story of Beowulf portrays pagan beliefs or customs and others believe that the poem is more in agreement with Christian ethnicity. The author of Beowulf uses both Christian and pagan elements in the poem to define the heroic warrior, Beowulf, and the evil dragons. After reading Beowulf the author clearly shows how Beowulf is a man who is filled with Christian customs and is willing to die and defend the world against evil using the help of God.
The King knew that the killings were not over and that Grendel would come again. Beowulf, a strong, brave and giant man heard of the Kings despair and decided that he would take some of his bravest, strongest and best men of the Geats and come kill Grendel the murderous beast himself.
Having purged Denmark of its plagues and established himself as a hero, however, he is ready to enter into a new phase of his life. Hrothgar, who becomes a mentor and father figure to the young warrior, begins to deliver advice about how to act as a wise ruler. Though Beowulf does not become king for many years, his exemplary career as a warrior has served in part to prepare him for his ascension to the throne.
The epic poem Beowulf tells the story of a man by the name of Beowulf that goes through events that prove how heroic he is. Throughout the poem, Beowulf endures three battles. In the first, he battles the monster Grendel. In the second, he battles Grendel's mother. In the end he battles an enraged dragon. With each battle, Beowulf finds increasing difficulty in his opponent, but prevails and saves both the Danes and the Geats from all being killed by monsters. In each battle, Beowulf proves that he is worthy of having the title of a hero.
When the story begins, Beowulf has gone to the land of the Danes to kill Grendel for the people, not for the glory. Beowulf brings his own hand picked, group of soldiers with him throughout his battles, and refuses to allow help from others. Beowulf also tells the readers he will not use weapons unless necessary. Before the battle against Grendel, a Denmark officer states, “A chosen warrior who bravely does battle with the creature haunting our people, who survives that horror unhurt, and goes home bearing our love” (ln. 210). Also, when Beowulf’s men abandon him in the battle against the dragon, he does not choose to run in fear, but to continue fighting. In this moment much like in his past, Beowulf shows how honorable he really
In the battle with Grendel, Grendel came to kill. As Grendel went to clutch Beowulf with his claws, Beowulf leaned up on one arm. Grendel fought back once he was trapped. All he wanted was to escape. Grendel's claws had been caught and he regrets going to Herot. The battle took place in the hallway he had emptied just before.Grendel let out a terrible scream that awoke the Danes. Grendel knew he was defeated so he kept letting out tears and screams of pain. Grendel had his taut throat open to the point his shrieks were terrific. Beowulf wasn't letting go of Grendel. No matter what Beowulf and his men did, their swords couldn't hurt Grendel because he had cursed him. Grendel had known his strength had left him, so he grew angry, but he had no power left to fight. Grendel had lost. Beowulf had hung his trophy high: Grendel's arm, claw, and shoulder and all. Beowulf had fought for his men, even know they were ready to
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.