Beowulf is the earliest known epic written in Old English, one of the earlier forms of English that was used by Anglo-Saxons. Beowulf was created to show the culture of Anglo-Saxons, and was shared for hundreds of years before being written. Fame and honor are both important characteristics of Anglo-Saxon culture. They lived in a violent society where warriors were expected to battle for fame and die for honor. The greatest death was achieved in battle, fallen warriors were given great respect and honored for their sacrifice. Fame and honor are both shown in Beowulf in the fight with Grendel, the fight with the dragon, Beowulf’s death, and the monument built for Beowulf.
The first example of fame is Beowulf’s fight with Grendel. As
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Beowulf prepares to fight Grendel, he makes it clear that he chooses to pursue the beast for the fame he will gain in victory. When first arriving on Danish land, Beowulf is questioned by a watchman as to why he is there. Beowulf explains, “It’s said, watchman, that he has slaughtered/ Your people, brought terror to the darkness. Perhaps/ Hrothgar can hunt, here in my heart,/ For some way to drive this devil out” (lines 189-192). Beowulf tells the watchman that he comes to Danish land to slay a monster that no one else has been able to. He has been told of Grendel and has come to take the glory for putting an end to his murder. Beowulf then asks of Hrothgar, “That I, alone and with the help of my men,/ May purge all evil from this hall” (lines 260-261). Beowulf asks that Hrothgar does not interfere in the fight against Grendel. To gain the ultimate glory from killing Grendel, Beowulf must not accept assistance from Hrothgar’s men. Although Beowulf is primarily motivated by fame, he allows honor to dictate the rules of his engagement. Beowulf shows great honor in his duel against Grendel. As he explains his reason for coming to Danish lands, Beowulf states the terms that he will face Grendel on. Beowulf says to Hrothgar, “I have heard,/ Too, that the monster’s scorn of men/ Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none./ Nor will I” (lines 261-264). Beowulf knows that Grendel uses no weapon in battle, so his honor compels him to do the same. If Beowulf uses a weapon to defeat Grendel he will have an advantage and his victory will not be as respected. Beowulf adds, “My lord Higlac/ Might think less of me/ ...If I hid/ Behind some broad linden shield” (lines 264-267). Beowulf also surrenders the use of his shield for the fight. If he hides behind his shield against an unarmed opponent he will be seen as a coward. Beowulf shows his honor by throwing away any advantage he has against Grendel and fighting him on even grounds. Though Beowulf needs neither sword nor shield in the conflict with Grendel, he faces a much fiercer foe when he returns to his lands. Beowulf’s greatest claim to fame is his battle with a dragon. Fifty years after his victory against Grendel, Beowulf must protect his lands from a dragon. Preparing to challenge the dragon, Beowulf says to his men, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought/ In endless battles. I am old, now,/ But I will fight again, seek fame still” (lines 624-626). Even though he has aged, Beowulf can not refuse an invitation to fame. The fight with the dragon will be his most difficult challenge, but he does not let fear prevent him from going to battle. Although Beowulf brings his men with him, he orders them to wait for him rather than join him in battle. Beowulf says to them, “No one else could do/ What I mean to do, here, no man but me/ Could hope to defeat this monster” (lines 644-646). Beowulf believes that he alone has the power to defeat the dragon. Beowulf will either defeat the dragon and claim all of it’s treasure as his own, or will be defeated himself. As Beowulf struggles with the dragon, he is unable to claim victory and must rely on his followers to be triumphant. Wiglaf is the only companion honorable enough to come to Beowulf’s aid.
When Beowulf’s followers see that he is unable to kill the dragon, all but Wiglaf run away. At the sight of Beowulf being defeated, Wiglaf exclaims, “By almighty God,/ I’d rather burn myself than see/ Flames swirling around my lord” (lines 762-764). Wiglaf would rather die while protecting Beowulf than stand idle and watch him burn. Beowulf’s companions were chosen for their honor, and now that the time has come for them to be honorable, all but one runs away. Helterman states, “That their action is wrong is confirmed by Wiglaf, the one warrior who comes to Beowulf's aid. Wiglaf condemns Beowulf's hearth companions, both before the dragon fight and after” (Helterman). Before Wiglaf joins the battle, Wiglaf calls Beowulf’s other companions cowards for not going to him when they are needed. All of the companions were chosen by Beowulf, and when he calls for them they all flee, and Wiglaf alone acts. The story explains, “Then he ran to his king, crying encouragement/ As he dove through the dragon’s deadly fumes” (lines 773-774). Although he is afraid, Wiglaf uses his honor to decide his actions. He has sworn to protect Beowulf, and he will run into danger to do so. As Wiglaf is the only one to come to Beowulf’s aid, Beowulf rewards him …show more content…
greatly. Mortally wounded from the fight with the dragon, Beowulf honors Wiglaf for his courage. After Wiglaf kills the dragon, he brings the treasure to Beowulf. Beowulf says to Wiglaf, “Take/ What I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people,/ Help them; my time is gone” (lines 821-823). Beowulf knows that he will not survive his wounds; his last command as king is to declare Wiglaf the new ruler of the Geats. Beowulf witnessed how courageous Wiglaf is and knows he will be able to take care of his people. The story states, “Then that brave king gave the golden/ Necklace from around his throat to Wiglaf,/ Gave him his gold-covered helmet, and his rings,/ And his mail shirt, and ordered him to use them well” (lines 831-834). By giving Wiglaf his equipment, Beowulf formally declares Wiglaf king. His armor and jewelry serves as the crown, a symbol of rulership. An overview states, “Wiglaf obeys and eases Beowulf into the next world, then takes over as leader of the Geats” (Overview: Beowulf). Wiglaf obeys Beowulf’s final orders and accepts his new position as ruler. Because no other was brave enough to come to his aid, Beowulf can only choose Wiglaf as his successor. His final task complete, Beowulf requests that his fame be preserved. Beowulf’s final request is the preservation of his fame.
After ensuring that his people have a strong leader, Beowulf allows his thoughts to turn to his legacy. Beowulf asks of Wiglaf, “Have/ The brave Geats build me a tomb …and call it/ Beowulf’s tower, and boats in the darkness/ And mist, crossing the sea, will know it” (lines 823-830). Beowulf requests that a tower be built so that all will know his fame. Long after he is gone the tower will stand and remind those who pass of Beowulf and his greatness. So the tower is built, and once complete the Geats visit the tower, “Telling stories/ Of their dead king and his greatness, his glory,/ Praising him for heroic deeds, for a life/ As noble as his name” (lines 858-861). Beowulf was loved by his people, they are not content to let his legend die with him. Even after his passing, the fame of Beowulf will be preserved by the stories of his people. Another overview adds, “He is famous for his brave deeds, and he is mourned” (Overview: ‘Beowulf’). Beowulf is respected among his people for the bravery he displays. When he passes, his people mourn the loss of the greatest man they know. Beowulf’s legacy dies with him, for he has no children to carry on his
fame. Beowulf shows honor and fame through Beowulf’s battle with Grendel, Beowulf and Wiglaf’s fight with the dragon, the death of Beowulf, and the monument that Beowulf requests. Fame and honor are important to have as an Anglo-Saxon, fame shows the accomplishments of a warrior and honor shows his integrity in and out of conflict. Beowulf gains fame by defeating fierce monsters, but he maintains his honor by fighting fairly and protecting others. Wiglaf shows honor by going to Beowulf’s aid when he is most needed and respects his fame by building the monument that Beowulf requested. These characteristics are what make Beowulf and Wiglaf important characters worthy of an epic.
The Anglo-Saxons were a people who lived in and ruled England from the fifth century AD until the Norman Conquest. They were a people who valued courage and leadership. They lived under kings who were "keepers of gold" and were guarded by their loyal thanes (knights). They were a Pagan culture until the Normandy conquistadors came. They believed in fate and believed the only way to live forever was if you had fame. In the Anglo-Saxon book, Beowulf, there was a combination of many different people. The characters in Beowulf are defined by their status. Their status was in form of their fame and accomplishments. Beowulf was a very famous warrior, who sails to the Danes to kill a monster who is murdering their people. Beowulf kills Grendal, Grendal's mother and a dragon throughout the entirety of the story. Every time he receives more fame and more glory. Beowulf became a king. He was a great king who received honor and loyalty from his men. Although, during the fight with the dragon Beowulf's men run away and as a result Beowulf dies. The book claims that Beowulf had fate against him in his last battle against the dragon, but also says that Beowulf had Christian morals. By having two conflicting religions (paganism and Christianity) it makes the story more interesting. This book is composed of four main characteristics: fame, kingship, fate, and God, which play very important roles throughout the book.
Beowulf wants to fight Grendel, a monster wreaking havoc, and is boasting that he is more powerful and courageous.
Beowulf is an epic poem that was written in the late tenth-century, at the kingdom of the West Saxons. The two main characters are Beowulf, a young man; and Grendel, a furious dragon. Beowulf's world is a very violent society with wars as a dominant part of daily life. Dragons and monsters are a constant threat to the Danes and the Geats. Warriors are a necessity to this war-like society. Beowulf is a hero as well as a great, and honorable, warrior.
Wiglaf was the only person that had stayed to help his king and by doing this while all the other soldiers ran away it magnified his glory infinitely more than before. It was magnified so much that Beowulf made him king because of his bravery and loyalty to him.
The poet of Beowulf uses many literary devices to enhance respect and trust in the poem. The great heroic story of Beowulf gives many examples of the traits a great leader should have. At the end, those same traits were demonstrated by Wiglaf, who then became the king of the Geats. This proves that these traits were essential to the Anglo-Saxon culture; however, this also makes Beowulf contemporary. The poem has many themes that are still applicable today.
Symbolizing honor and strength, control of the "wine-hall" passes into the hands of the victor, under the traditional laws of the Danes and Geats. As Beowulf triumphs over the fiend, Grendel, he casts off the shame and dishonor which would have befallen him, and full control of the wine-hall, as well as territorial supremacy, are clearly his. Only later in the poem does Beowulf begin to lose the primacy that had been exclusively his domain. Even in death, however, Beowulf is immortalized by the members of his tribe, and by the writer, as he passed into glorious history His funeral pyre, and monument on the coast, bore witness to his greatness.
During the Anglo-Saxon times, the values and beliefs of the Germanic people were considerably different from the beliefs and values of the modern age, which were reflected in the oldest surviving Old English piece of literature, Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem written anonymously during the Anglo-Saxon period in England spanning from the fifth century to the eleventh century. The epic poem takes place in sixth-century Scandinavia. “Recited originally in Old English, Beowulf is based on legends and chronicles of the various Northern Europeans who migrated to England.”(Literature: The British Tradition 18). During the fifth through the eleventh centuries“... the ideals of the Anglo-Saxons included loyalty, valour, selfishness, and a sense of
Beowulf is among the earliest surviving works of literature. It was written in Old English and dates back sometime before the tenth century A.D. The poem is set in Scandinavia, and tells the story of the heroic warrior, Beowulf. Beowulf was the perfect hero. He fought for his people and defeated evil with his ability to bring on justice. Three of Beowulf’s traits that serve as evidence of this were his remarkable physical strength, his ability to put the well-being of others before his own well-being, and his courage.
As the Pagans of the Anglo-Saxon culture do not believe in the afterlife, they rely on their actual life they live to tell their story. They live to the fullest, while building to a high level of honor and pride among each other. In the poem, the burial of Beowulf is the only real party where we can see these traditions. With his last, dying breaths, Beowulf describes to Wiglaf the manner in which he wishes to be remembered, requesting to, “Have the brave Geats build me a tomb, when the funeral flames have burned me, and build it here, at the water’s edge, high on this spit of land, so sailors can see this tower, and call it Beowulf’s tower…” (812). Tying in again with reputation, Beowulf wishes to be remembered as a guiding light to the Geat people that he became a symbol to, and buried in a way in which he will be remember forever. As he had wished, the loyal soldiers of Beowulf had indeed built the tower, “... working for ten long days they built his monument, sealed his ashes in walls as straight and high as wise and willing hands could raise them” (874). Respecting his wish, a tower was brought up in his honor, to remember as a great warrior, following the long held tradition of mourning the dead that the Anglo-Saxons have long
Throughout literary history authors have created and restored figures from all times that seem to represent what is honorable and chivalrous. The two literary legends compared in this paper are Beowulf and Parzival. These two figures in their own way find within them what is virtuous.
This gratitude towards God is also shown in the final moments of his life. Beowulf thanks God for the life he was allowed to lead, and for all the battles that he won because of the grace of God. “For this, this Gold, these jewels, I thank/ Our Father in Heaven, Ruler of the Earth/ for all of this that his grace has given me”(109). This humble attitude is a great asset for a leade...
Throughout history, honor has always been a very important aspect in life, whether it be codified or just ingrained in someone’s brain. These ideals are emphasized in works of literature throughout the ages. The major characters including Beowulf in the folk epic Beowulf, Sir Gawain in Le Morte D’Arthur, and John in Brave New World all strive to maintain their honor and integrity, which ultimately results in their demise. In Beowulf, the great leader Beowulf courageously fights Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and finally the dragon, but in the end, his heroic actions lead to his death. Le Morte D’Arthur features Sir Gawain, who maintains his honor by fighting Sir Launcelot over and over, but eventually dies from his injuries as well. Lastly, in Brave New World, John, or “The Savage” kills himself after trying and failing to maintain his honor and integrity, which has been tainted by his thoughts and actions.
The poem Beowulf tells the story of three battles that a protagonist, Beowulf, fights. Throughout Beowulf’s battles he displays multiple characteristics the Anglo-Saxon society believed to be significant. There are three principal characteristics Beowulf displays throughout the poem, and they consist of strength, loyalty, and honor. It is these characteristics that make Beowulf an outstanding hero.
Society revolves around honesty, loyalty, bravery, code of traditions, and honor. Identity is the principal component of an individuals reputation and ancestral heritage. Codes of behavior are the ideals of christian concepts that promote spiritual moralities. Human temptations and values overcome traditional roles and reflect on powerful leaders in society.
Beowulf is the single greatest story of Old English literature and one of the greatest epics of all time. Ironically, no one can lay claim to being the author of this amazing example of literature. The creator of this poem was said to be alive around 600 A.D. and the story was, since then, been passed down orally from generation to generation. When the first English monks heard the story, they took it upon themselves to write it down and add a bit of their own thoughts. Thus, a great epic and the beginning to English literature was born.