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Beowulf character analysis essay
Essay on the character beowulf
Essay on the character beowulf
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The 2007 animated film of Beowulf is the adaption of the old Anglo- Saxon poem, Beowulf. The plot, storyline and structure of the movie follows along with the poem exceptionally with only few changes. The Poem and movie both show exceptional value in relationship, respect, bravery and heroism in the Angelo Saxon culture. The story depicts epic bravery and heroism from the beginning, when Beowulf arrives to Hrothgar's kingdom and states he will kill their monster that curses their land. Respect is defined when Beowulf receives gifts for his deeds, songs are sung of his greatness and through the poem itself still continuing his legacy. Relationships are defined through out the poem and movie by a great sense of loyalty and trust with Beowulf and his men; even a relationship with the king was like father and son with that sense of loyalty. …show more content…
The movie has many similarities and differences; either way bravery and heroism through the story is abundant.
There are 3 major keys of heroism in this story, each evolving a particular monster; first Grendel, secondly his mother and lastly the dragon. In the movie the Mead hall is left to Beowulf and his men. He removes his armor insisting it is an unequal fight with armor; he considers himself to be as dangerous as Grendel, then lies awaiting the demon. In the Movie, Beowulf wrestles then wrapps a chain around Grendels arm, pulling it as he tries to retreat, Beaowulf slams the door on his arm, crushing it and dismembering him. In the poem, the monster is wripped apart with Beowulfs
hands. 959. "This work of war most willingly 960. we have fought, this fight, and fearlessly dared 961. force of the foe. Fain, too, were I 962. hadst thou but seen himself, what time 963. the fiend in his trappings tottered to fall! 964. Swiftly, I thought, in strongest gripe 965. on his bed of death to bind him down, 966. that he in the hent of this hand of mine 967. should breathe his last: but he broke away. 968. Him I might not—the Maker willed not— 969. hinder from flight, and firm enough hold 970. the life-destroyer: too sturdy was he, 971. the ruthless, in running! For rescue, however, 972. he left behind him his hand in pledge, 973. arm and shoulder; nor aught of help 974. could the cursed one thus procure at all.
When deciphering between what it considered to be heroic or monstrous, it is important to keep in mind the angle in which a story is being told. While reading Beowulf, the protagonist of the epic poem could be considered either heroic or monstrous through the eyes of different characters. Beowulf can be classified as a hero according to The Hero’s Journey through the eyes of Hrothgar and Hygelac. On the other hand, Beowulf could be viewed as being monstrous according to Monster Theory through the eyes of Unferth and Grendel’s Mother.
Ernest Gaines novel, A Lesson Before Dying, is a story about, Jefferson, a black man who is wrongfully charged with a crime he did not commit. He cannot get a fair trial because he is a black man in the south. He is sentenced to be executed, but before he dies Grant, an educated black man, teaches him how to walk like a man, so people do not think of him as a hog. "Beowulf" is an epic poem over one thousand years old, which was told from one generation to another. It is about, Beowulf, a great hero who defeats three different monsters to save the kingdom. In his last battle he is much older than before and is killed by a dragon. A hero does something that other people do not do and he does things for others, and other people look to a hero for guidance.
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.
This essay is the comparison between Beowulf and a modern day hero. I consider any American soldier to be my modern day hero. In this essay I will explain in three paragraphs of how my modern day hero is like Beowulf. With in these three paragraphs I will go over how they are both fighting for a good cause, how they are both rewarded for what they do, and how they are both treated with much respect.
The epic poem ‘Beowulf’ is a classic tale from the Anglo-Saxon period; the story of a hero’s journey that portrays what the people of that time valued most. The poem tells of great battles against evil, which display heroic traits such as courage, strength and honor. In contrast, the film ‘Beowulf’ (2007) focuses more on the dramatic storytelling with less of a heroic tone. Both the film and the poem share a common plot, yet have plentiful differences. The movie deviated greatly from the text due to the introduction of new characters, and complex storyline.
People questioned if Beowulf acts of heroism can really be called heroic. He may have done it just to gain fame, or made it sound unrealistic so that people would see him as a god. A hero is someone who is isn’t afraid to dance with death if it means doing what is right, or protecting someone. Beowulf has shown to have this characteristic by his tales of adventures. For example “I drove five great giants into chains, chased All of that race from the earth. In the darkness of the night hunting monsters Out of the ocean, and killing them one By one” (154-158). Should acts of heroism that seem unrealistic be disregarded as a hero’s act?
Beowulf represents what a modern hero truly is rather than Dante the pilgrim, because he displays qualities of courage, pride, and humility. In order to be considered a modern hero the individual must demonstrate these particular qualities, and courage, pride, and humility should be reflected in the actions they make.
Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the main character of the epic, shows certain characteristics such as bravery, loyalty, and generosity, which portray him as a hero. It is interesting how modern day heroes show the much of the same qualities as Beowulf.
Beowulf shows physical strength in the story by defeating Grendel. In line 219 of Grendel’s mother, it tells how Beowulf killed her. “…cut it through, broke bones and all.” His strength is also told in line 213 of how he “lifted the sword that was so massive that no ordinary man could lift.” Beowulf’s determination, or his will to win, was throughout the story, even up until his death. A quote that describes this is, “…he cut the beast in half, slit it apart. It fell…”(line 185). He shows courage along with his cousin, Wiglaf, when they defeat the fire dragon. In line 189 it says, “…their courage had killed it, two noble cousins had joined in the dragon’s death.”
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 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.
This film managed to capture his world and all the horror and beauty that it contained within it while changing some things to keep up with today’s audience. Hrothgar is changed from a strong, wise and a faithful husband to a loud, drunk womanizer who fornicates with monsters to create more horrors. Beowulf is changed from an incorruptible hero with unwavering loyalty to his king to a man that is willing to cast aside his loyalty in exchange for the promise of kinghood and power. Monsters, such as Grendel, are changed too, so that they may be seen in a light that makes them seem human and relatable. Grendel himself is changed from a monster who only wants the destruction of Hrothgar’s men to a human-monster hybrid that seeks affection and feels shame and pain. Grendel’s mother is changed from a hideous, horrible witch to a beautiful seductress who seduces Beowulf and Hrothgar with promises of power in order to birth two powerful sons. The Dragon is changed to be Beowulf’s son, but he keeps the same destructive rampage that leads to the death of his father and many of his people. Along with their personality changing so did their fates to make it seem more relatable. Beowulf dies after single handedly fighting the dragon at the cost of removing his arm. Hrothgar names Beowulf his heir and kills himself by jumping into the sea. Grendel and the Dragon both die at the
Different cultures expect different things from their heroes. In Beowulf they expect heroes to be loyal strong and brave whereas in The Odyssey people expect their heroes to balance mind body and spirit and in My Hero Academia heroes are expected to be selfless and sacrifice themselves. In Beowulf the hero, Beowulf, is expected to be loyal, be strong, and be brave. Beowulf is a hero because he exhibits all of these treats. He shows his loyalty when he helps Hrothgar fend of Grendel because Hrothgar at one point had helped Beowulf’s father. Beowulf is being loyal by repaying his father's debt by helping Hrothgar. Beowulf shows his strength by being able to rip of the arm of an incredibly strong monster like Grendel. In the epic Beowulf fights an incredibly strong monster that had been terrorizing Hrothgar's land. He shows extreme strength by ripping Grendel's arm off. He also shows how brave he is when he and the thanes go to fight the dragon and all of the thanes run away but him and wiglaf. This shows his bravery and that he is calm in the face of danger.
Shortly after the French Revolution, Alfred de Vigny stated that “there are no heroes and no monsters in this world”. Although this statement contains valid arguments, a greater amount of fallacies regarding the matter reveal themselves. Heroes may not express outrageous and superior characteristics as seen in Beowulf, however, individuals and groups worldwide do exist and play important roles in their efforts to make society a better place. Heroic traits displayed throughout Beowulf such as courage and sacrifice, extend to these modern-day heroes.
Beowulf always wants to fight fairly and be brave and strong. He wanted to be remembered through the years. I can relate to Beowulf’s heroic journey because in the future, I want to be successful and be remembered through the years as I continue to get older. I want to be an example, that going big and being successful is real, that it can be your reality, and that anyone can do it if they put their mind to it. But the whole concept of my desideratum, is to work my hardest to achieve all that I can in life, because life's too short to sit around and do nothing. Make memories and achieve greatness. You can be sitting around one day and say to yourself, “ I think I want to travel the world.” Do great things and be happy with yourself. Don't let