In the Anglo-Saxon era, less is known about how the people lived, but more on the old epics that had been preserved and now remain. Often, these epics give insight on the Anglo-Saxon culture. Some insights that can be retained by these ancient texts are concepts on what Anglo-Saxons fear in themselves and as a community. A popular Anglo-Saxon text, such as Beowulf is able to provide such information. Throughout this epic there was three main antagonists that came to terrorize the Anglo-Saxons. Through this storytelling, some of the qualities that the monsters had, such as anti-god tendencies, no honor, and isolation are some of the qualities that the Anglo-Saxons feared and disapproved of. An Anglo-Saxon fear that can be found through …show more content…
This can be inferred through not only the way three monsters acted, but also by the way Beowulf acted. The monsters dismissal of the honor Anglo-Saxons valued, proved to be an attribute the Anglo Saxons feared. A demonstration of lack of honor done by one of the monsters was through Grendel’s continuous attacks on the Danes. Grendel attacked the Danes “For twelve winters, seasons of woe” (Beowulf, 147). Grendel also attacked the very culturally important mead-hall multiple times. Therefore “how often the Danes had fallen prey / to death in the mead-hall” by Grendel showed an obvious lack of respect to the Anglo-Saxons (Beowulf, 695-696). Anglo- Saxons often exchanged treasure, as opposed to a more distinct currency, as a form of payment. After Beowulf defeated Grendel and his mother, the next morning, he was told a “treasure will be shared and showered upon you” (Beowulf, 1784). This treasure, is said to be shared with Beowulf. This was something that the dragon did not do. After getting a piece of treasure stolen, the dragon went on an immediate rampage, and killing of the Anglo-Saxons. Lack of sharing shows an obvious lack of honor, as the treasure should not have been all his, thus making his reaction unnecessary . His inability to share the treasure, along with the reaction were flaws of this antagonist. With these flaws also being in the other adversaries, there was a discernable fear of lack of honor …show more content…
All three of the adversaries lived primarily in isolation. Grendel and his mother had lived a life of solitude in a “swamp-thing from hell” (Beowulf, 1518). With all of the atrocities that they both caused, it is a relatively notable quality that they are essentially by themselves. Throughout Beowulf it is obvious that the Anglo-Saxons often spent time together, and they valued it. For example, when they were “Inside Heorot / there was nothing but friendship” (Beowulf, 1016-1017). Both Grendel and his mother did not have the sense of unity the Anglo-Saxons had. The dragon also did not have this. He lived a life of complete isolation until the thief “broached the dragon’s treasure / and moved him to wrath never meant to” (Beowulf, 2221-2222). The communities in which the Anglo-Saxons lived differed greatly to the situations that the different monsters had in the epic. The drastically different lifestyle that the antagonists lived easily reflect a fear of the Anglo-Saxons, as it seems as though every time someone is isolated, they turn to
The dragon is portrayed as the undefeatable evil. He is nearly invincible, breathes fire, and manages to fatally wound the ultimate hero of the poem. This makes him the ultimate evil Although Beowulf does defeat the dragon, the battle ends in a tie, since both sides perish, which shows the never ending balance between the two extremes: good and evil. The theme of loyalty is also explored here. When the battle between Beowulf and the dragon first begins, “[his] hand-picked troop/ broke ranks and ran for their lives” (1129). This is a common archetype that allows the hero to face the antagonist alone, all while having assistance during the journey leading up to the final battle. The author used this to emphasize the Anglo-Saxon belief of fate. Beowulf was supposed to face the dragon alone, thus his comrades had to disappear. The two ways to do this would have been to have Beowulf go alone, which would conflict with the belief of Warrior Culture, or portray his allies as cowards which would also help reinforce the Anglo Saxon values regarding courage. Thus by adding in the archetype of the cowardly allies, the author creates an emphasis on the important parts of Anglo-Saxon culture without relying on
Our first character, Grendel, is an exceptionally diverse character. It is implied that in both book and poem, Grendel is a blood-thirsty monster. All Grendel does is go through meadhalls and kill the drunk, often asleep people. But when narrated through the eyes of Grendel, the true nature of this beast is discovered. The author of Grendel entails that Grendel is a depressed and misunderstood monster, restrained to the confinements of his own underwater cave. He is a lot like the monster in the book Frankenstein. Both Grendel and Frankenstein are born with no real purpose to life, going off of what they hear other people say and taking it as the truth. Both monsters, knowing that everyone detests them for being unattractive and different, retaliate by way of murder and mayhem. From the perspective of the people in the stories itself, Grendel is exactly how the narrator in the poem Beowulf makes him out to be. The people, or the thanes, of Hrothgar’s kingdom see Grendel as a demon from hell, representing all that’s evil in the world. He’s a supernatural creature and in this time period anything supernatural that wasn’t human was considered a spirit, a god, evil or, in Grendel...
In the poem Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed as a vicious human-eating monster to society. Many men fear combat with Grendel because of his hideous appearance and great strength. In Grendel’s society he fears the gain of civilization in for the humans. Grendel is your typical outcast in life, "So Grendel wages his loney war" (164). The mead hall represented civilization in human society. The dancing and singing irritated Grendel. He was a loner, so he never knew what it was like to interact with society. He was an outcast by the sins of his forefathers Cain, who killed his brother Abel "He was the Lord's outcast" (169). By him being an outcast, he did not want anyone out celebrating with happine...
The first opponent Beowulf must face in the land of the Danes is Grendel, textually described as “a fiend out of hell … [a] grim demon / haunting the marches, / marauding round the heath / and the desolate fens” (Beowulf, line 100 – 104). The author also provides us with a moral description, explaining how Grendel is “merciless … malignant by nature, he never showed remorse” (line 135-137). As we can see here, the author’s physical and moral portrayal of Grendel is rather unforgiving. We also resent Grendel further once we learn that he has wreaked havoc upon the Heorot hall for twelve years, “inflicting constant cruelties on the people / atrocious hurt” (line 165).
The strongest ties of loyalty in their society were to kin and lord. A kingdom was only as strong as its war-leader king. In order to have loyal men, the King needed to repay them. In other words the men were paid for loyalty. They were sometimes given, land, gold, money, food, armor and other things for a reward after battle. Both the Anglo-Saxons and the characters in Beowulf are willing to risk their life at any moment-they are inattentive to danger. The Anglo-Saxons acquired riches by plundering treasures of their enemies. Every family formed a bond of loyalty and protection. A family was bound to avenge a father or brother’s death by feud with the tribe or clan which had killed him. This duty of blood revenge was the supreme religion of the Anglo-Saxons. The family passed down this hatred forever until avenged. Always staying loyal to family and the lord. (Allen, 12-14)
Beowulf outlines turmoil between three opponents: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the Dragon. These separate discords each serve to fulfill different metaphoric purposes. Grendel’s character epitomizes the adverse persona of how an Anglo-Saxon warrior should not be. His mother represents everything that a woman during the time era should seldom be. Lastly, the Dragon embodies all the values that an Anglo-Saxon king should not dare retain. Without a doubt, the symbolic implications of the monsters in Beowulf bring the context to a new level of understanding.
Archetypes refer to the persistently recurring symbols or motifs in literature. The term itself has its origins in ancient Greek and continues to play a prominent role in analyzing literature. Archetypal images and story patterns encourage readers to participate ritualistically in basic beliefs, fears, and anxieties of their age. These archetypal features not only constitute the eloquence of the text but also tap into a level of desires and concerns of civilization. The Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, integrates many of the common archetypes that still exist today. The outcast archetype is one that particularly expressed the desires, anxieties and values of the people who lived during the Beowulf era. Grendel, a character of monstrous appearance and hazily human emotion, is portrayed as the principal outsider in Beowulf. The incorporation of a banished character against his fellow society effectively expressed the anxiety and fears that the Anglo-Saxon culture felt towards seclusion and abnormality, caused by a societal absorption in family lineage and traditionalism.
In contrast, Beowulf is seen as a hero, even when exemplifying the violent and dangerous qualities the dragon is feared for. Anglo-Saxon society prized loyalty, personal valor, and fame. In order to be a hero, one must recognize the need to act, and not shy away from it. The dragon, based on that definition, embodies the Anglo-Saxon idea of a hero: it is loyal to its cause, it is a good warrior, and it recognizes the need to act. It even has a sense of justice and a sense of wrong, shown by the way it reacted to the theft of the chalice. The dragon becomes vengeful and defensive, using cruelty as a means to correct the wrong. Described as “the guardian of the mound” (2302), the dragon’s intent is identical to Beowulf’s. Beowulf is seen as a hero not only because of his actions, but because he is human. The only thing that makes the dragon different is its inhuman qualities, and therefore it is a monster, a “ground-burner” (2713). Heroism in Anglo-Saxon society is a concept embodied by warriors and guardians, who would vie to be the most well-known. Heroism, to the Anglo-Saxons, is an excuse to use cruelty as a way to further one’s fame. It is a social crutch of sorts, leaned on for the vain chance to be immortal. When Beowulf agrees to fight the dragon, it is to have a heroic death, so he may be remembered. In the battle, just as with Grendel and Grendel’s mother,
As clearly indicated through the characters of Beowulf and Hrothgar, the ruler-warrior relationship during times of great danger was very important for the survival of the Anglo-Saxons. As long as this relationship remained stable, both the ruler and warrior would remain protected, rewarded, and fairly happy. Beowulf and Hrothgar both men of great valor, were praised by all. This simple system set up between warrior and leader was the basis of society at the times, and destroying this structure would surely destroy a tribe's chances of survival in this time of peril. Therefore, if Beowulf did not honor the Danes' lord and Grendel was allowed to live, Hrothgar and the Danes would surely see their demise. This is perhaps why bravery was of such high necessity in the Anglo-Saxon society.
Inspired by the reward of glory, Beowulf travels to the land of the Geats, and murders their main enemy, Grendel. The fight is a glorious one; one that truly showcases Beowulf’s capacity as a warrior. During this fight, Beowulf disposes of Grendel with ease, grabbing him with “handgrip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man”, causing him to become “desperate to flee ”(Heaney 9). The adamant diction used to describe Beowulf’s death hold on Grendel, juxtaposed with the weakness of Grendel’s reaction, resorting to mere desperation, emphasizes his physical prowess. Such a display of strength allows Beowulf to return home a hero. The Geats thank him with gold and other material possessions, although Beowulf’s most precious prize is the recognition he receives. Word of his legend spreads far, and Beowulf is subsequently rewarded with the role of king of the Danes. As a result of his previous experiences, “he ruled [his kingdom] well for fifty winters”(Heaney 3). By describing his rule with such favorable diction as “well”, the narrator maintains that Beowulf’s performance as king was generally positive. Thus, Beowulf’s accomplishments as king are directly correlated to his accomplishments in combat. Because he was able triumph in his personal battles, particularly with Grendel, Beowulf succeeds as the leader of his
In life, there are many motivations to make people do certain things. Money, love, and power are three of the most common motivations for people. According to the Anglo-Saxon code this is not the case for what motivates them. In the Old English epic poem Beowulf, there are many factors that motivate Beowulf to fight the three monsters. The first monster is Grendel who is followed by the second monster which is Grendel's mom. The final monster is a fearsome dragon who is out for revenge. In the epic poem Beowulf, the three things that motivate Beowulf to fight the monsters are duty, glory, and treasure.
One reason for which monsters are held in contempt in the epics is the authochthonous Germanic culture of the Middle Ages. This broad society respected those with wealth, status, and honor, while those without any of these are shunned. For example, when Beowulf introduces himself to Hrothgar, that king immediately recognizes the visitor: “[h]is father before him was called Ecgtheow” (Beowulf ln. 373). For Hrothgar to acknowledge Beowulf by his lineage shows Beowulf’s societal prominence: he was born of distinguished quality. Beowulf also proves the quality of his ilk to King Hrothgar through his bravery in fighting Grendel and...
By 1776, soldiers were exhausted; their shoes were torn to shreds by long marches and heavy fighting, food rations were decreasing in size by the meal, and ammunition was being used up faster than it could be replaced. Soldiers, the heart of the American Revolution, were losing hope and faith, and the once powerful beating heart of the American cause would soon die out as no one believed that the war would end happily. Amidst the chaos, both Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine would stand and make speeches that would inspire the nation. Although both spoke to instill hope within the people, one speaker most definitely stood out to accomplish this: Thomas Paine. His genuine words would appeal to the distraught soldiers to continue on through difficulties, while Henry would
To gain the respect and glory that a person of power needs, one must earn it. There is only one way to achieve respect in the times of the Anglo-Saxons. Only Beowulf was the most honored man throughout all Anglo-Saxon history. He performed three straightforward tasks to reach his level of admiration. In the time of The Anglo-Saxon?s, men lived by the Comitatus Code. One avenged the death of their king. Men lived a lifestyle of boasting and violence. Beowulf?s first major feat was undoubtedly through violence. An evil bloodthirsty creature named Grendel haunted the mead hall of Heorot. Upon hearing of this ghastly monster, Beowulf found it too ?hard to ignore? (Lines 409-410). Many claimed it was an impossible feat to go toe to toe with Grendel (Line 473). ?No one has ever outlasted an entire night with Grendel? (Lines 527-528). Hrothgar said that he would hate to burden anyone with such a great task. For many have tried, yet none have succeeded in killing Grendel. However, Beowulf took on Grendel and ripped his arm off as a sign of his sheer strength. Upon accomplishing this act, Beowulf did what was a customary action for this time. He bragged, boasted, and did not downplay the praise he received. He had just ripped the arm off the monster that had been previously tormenting Heorot?s mead ...
Being a coward is what “othered” Grendel from the Anglo-Saxons, due to their beliefs in being