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Beowulf character analysis essay
Beowulf character essay
Analysis of the beowulf
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The epic poem “Beowulf” embodies the main heroic plot points of the usual hero coming to action, getting the reward and then dying in the most heroic way possible. However the themes of “Beowulf” as a whole encompass basically what would be reputation. During the Anglo-Saxon period reputation got people wherever and if a person was lucky enough to be born into a good name then they would be set for life. However most people had to create something of themselves and constantly prove their worth day in and day out. Reputation as a theme in Beowulf surfaces frequently throughout the pages. A plot point that sticks out would be when Unferth confronts Beowulf about his match with Brecca. "are you the same boastful fool who fought a swimming match
with Brecca" (294-295) Unferth speaks loudly so everyone can hear a story of how Beowulf and Brecca swam a race and how Beowulf lost to the great Brecca. However, Unferth is mislead in his story. Beowulf enlightens Unferth on what really happened. "Other monsters crowded around me, continually attacking. I treated them politely" (348-350) Beowulf continues on about what really happened explaining that he was attacked by at least 9 sea monsters and he says that he defeated them while underwater. Beowulf tells Unferth it's hard to win a race when you're too busy slaying sea monsters. Even after Beowulf continues and attacks back at his reputation by explaining how Unferth killed his whole family because of his brothers having knowledge of their own mother. The impact of reputation in Beowulf almost fully embodies any characters main reason to do things in Beowulf. Beowulf throughout his story begs for praise and to have the highest reputation around. Also as for Unferth, he attacks Beowulf on his reputation so he can gain some but at the end lost more than he even had. During the Anglo Saxon times reputation was the sole motivation of many people's actions. Also another thing Beowulf did a lot throughout the Epic was bellow out boastful speeches to his people. The only way to truly boast was to have a good reputation hence the main theme of Beowulf being reputation.
Of the many characteristics of a hero, being better than the ordinary man is the trait most easily found when studying a character. Beowulf exhibits almost god-like strength throughout his quest. For example, “He twisted in pain, / And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder/ Snapped, muscle and bone split and broke.” (Beowulf 815-818). His strength is once again demonstrated in his fight with Grendel’s mother. After he realizes hand-to-hand combat is futile, Beowulf swings a sword “so massive that no ordinary man could lift/ It’s carved and decorated length.” (Beowulf 1560-1561). Yet another example of Beowulf’s strength is his presentation of Grendel’s head to the Danes. After slicing off Grendel’s head in one blow, Beowulf orders his men to carry the head back to Herot. However, the head of the monster was “too heavy for fewer than four of them to handle” (Beowulf 1636-1637). After arriving in Herot, Beowulf “carried that terrible trophy by the hair,/ Brought it straight to where the Danes sat” (Beowulf 1647-1648). The second trait that demonstrates that Beowulf is better than the ordinary man is his incredible honor. When preparing for his fight with Grendel, Beowulf decides not to use ...
In the anglo saxon society in which Beowulf took place, there was a warrior code which resulted in everyone trying to gain power over one another. Everyone lived by a heroic code that encouraged battles, feuds, and murders and rewarded the victor with treasure. By showing your insecurities or weaknesses in this age you will be taken advantage of. Beowulf understands the heroic code and uses his pride to get the upper hand on everyone else, Beowulf boasts himself as an invincible hero and goes in battle with out an ounce of fear. Beowulf’s justifies his excessive pride through his . Lastly, Beowulf’s pride made him a leader and led by example to defeat the dragon and ultimately sacrifice himself in the process. Beowulf’s desire for pride
“Beowulf drank to those presents, not ashamed to be praised, richly rewarded in front of them all. No ring-giver has given four such gifts, passed such treasures through his hands, with the grace and warmth that Hrothgar showed.” This quote highlights one of the many themes in the book, Beowulf, that theme being wealth. Beowulf makes such an interesting topic to discuss because it covers the normalities in Anglo-Saxon culture, the ethics of gift-giving and how these customs have carried over into today’s world.
The greatest value of Beowulf is his bravery, some may say bravado. There is no doubt that he is a great warrior. Beowulf's heroism belongs to a different time than that of King Arthur or Sir Gawain. For that reason his bragging about his prowess might seem decidedly unheroic. When he tells Unferth "I count it true that I had more courage, More strength in swimming than any other man" (514-15 (41) it might be interpreted in a poor way. What he is saying though is true. In addition, in order for him to succeed he must orally deliver his resume. Nevertheless, bragging aside, Beowulf is undoubtedly a brave man. When Beowulf sets out to kill Grendel's mother he simply "donned his armor for battle, Heeded not the danger..." (1328-29 60). When his sword fails him he uses his physical strength: "On the might of his hand, as a man must do Who thinks to win in the welter of battle Enduring glory; he fears not death" (1420-23 62). Certainly he is in search of fame. Though this is true it must not discount his brave actions. He gains his fame truthfully by doing battle with menaces to society. He does not lie or manipulate to achieve fame, he uses what is rightfully his, his bravery. Beowulf's bravery differs from that of King Arthur's for several reasons. King Arthur by being king must be brave, to rule the state people must respect him. Beowulf's bravery carries the story. One because it details his ascension in fame and secondly it also outlines his downfall.
Boasting, as vastly shown in the epic poem, was not an uncommon method of introduction in the Middle Ages. In the world of Beowulf, the concept of boasting does not carry the negative connotations that it normally does today. In a warrior society, such as that of Beowulf, manly valor was so highly prized in the world full of
The character of Beowulf stands as a hero to the ancient Danes because of his actions. He is constantly being cited as a "war-chief" and a "gold-giver" (61). Beowulf has achieved fame through what he has done with his own hands. His identity as a leader is based upon the Danish society’s emphasis on personal action, as opposed to the delegation of responsibility through conscious thought. It is this very sense which spurs Beowulf to fight the dragon: "In my youth I engaged in many wars. Old guardian of the people, I shall still seek battle, perform a deed of fame, if the evil-doer will come to me..." (59). Beowulf derives his power from a strong link to the past. Without his history of glorious deeds, he would see himself bereft of the very power which qualifies him to be a good King. Beowulf’s bravery never comes in to question, he does meet every challenge head-on, with deadly attention. The society which labels Beowulf as a legendary hero, recognizes his actions and his bravery as a integral part of his definition as a hero. Without the society to support th...
In conclusion, although Beowulf possessed many heroic qualities he would not be considered a hero in today’s world. A hero varies from culture to culture. The Anglo-Saxon appreciated different things in a person that what do not we appreciate today. Many things have changed a lot with time, the requisites for being considered a hero have also changed. Today we do not like to solve problems with war. Pride and honor are not as important as the willingness one has to help others. Beowulf is not feeling that contact with people he doesn’t identify with them because he believes himself better, a part of a hero´s cycle is to be identified with the community. To be part
To many, reputation is everything. In the epic poem Beowulf, the epic hero is notably known throughout the world. He is known for one, for being one of the Greats. On top of all of that, Beowulf is the greatest and strongest of all of the Greats, therefore, he automatically has a reputation to follow. Therefore, when fighting against all three monsters, Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the dragon at the end of his well-known life, he strives to keep that reputation. By fighting each one of these battles his reputation grows, he becomes better known for the kindness and strength he has to battle these monstrous creatures. Another contributor to his good reputation is the fact that he did this for people he didn’t even know. This proves him to be a good man, and people think highly of him because of it. Also, when going to speak to the Dane’s great lord, Beowulf explains his reputation with his people on page 47, lines 246-248, “They have seen my strength for themselves, have watched me rise from the darkness of war, dripping with my enemies’ blood.” This shows that Beowulf has a reputation with his people, that they know what he is capable of and have seen him in battles. His people know he is capable of fighting the beast simply because of his past experiences he has built up a reputation, a reputation of strength, honor and capability. As he fights each monsters his
For the most part, Beowulf’s characteristics describe those of a triumphant warrior who played a major role in defending the lives of his fellow citizens, while leading a thriving country. Although Beowulf soon became king, he died for his people, and was remembered as a victorious fighter. Beowulf is at least in part a study of kingship because it discusses the qualities that produce a good king, the disadvantages during his rule and how he overcame them, and the problems that arose upon his death.
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.
Beowulf was always a respected man, everyone in every town loved him because of his achievements as a warrior and that made him get used to all this attention. Beowulf didn’t want to be remembered anymore, he wanted to be worshiped and seen as someone great and mighty. The sense of honor wasn’t important to him as it was before, glory and recognition was what he was now looking for. The stories of people about Beowulf became something so important to him that he lost the true meaning of being a hero that fights for his people.
The famous poet James Russell Lowell once said, “Reputation is only a candle, of wavering and uncertain flame, and easily blown out, but it is the light by which the world looks for and finds merit” . Reality stresses the importance to be more concerned with personal character than self reputation, because character beholds who you really are, while your reputation is merely what others perceive. The epic of Beowulf, written in Old English, describes the adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century. Having an outstanding reputation was an important aspect of life, and in the world of Beowulf it was no different.
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.
In the epic poem, Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel, Beowulf is considered one of the eldest examples of what society believes are the qualities that a hero should possess. This leader shows selflessness and physical strength as he defeats Grendel in the story. Beowulf exemplifies courage in all his battles along with the intelligence that is needed in order to defeat his nemeses. In Anglo-Saxon literature, being honorable was the most ideal trait that a person must have in order to be depicted as a hero. Because a hero is considered to be a role model to others, they must do what is needed to be done in order to strengthen everybody around them to the best of their ability. Like Beowulf, a ruler should be prepared to lead, be selfless and must have mental and physical strength.
A hero is someone that helps others no matter what the situation. There are many qualities that a hero must posses such as bravery, courage, strength, intelligence and honor. These qualities alone are not enough to make a hero. They must also be pure at heart, fight for the good of mankind and only fight when it is to protect the people and not out of revenge. Beowulf is everything a hero should be, but contains a few qualities that a hero should not posses. When Beowulf sailed with his men to Herot he had one goal, to rid the hall of Grendal. Beowulf was under no obligation to destroy Grendal and never asked for anything in return for his services. A true hero would never ask for money or anything of value. He put his life at risk to save the people of Herot, who he didn’t even know, out of his own good nature Great strength has been a trait that has been identified with heroes in many stories and legends. Than he saw hanging on the wall, a heavy Sword, hammered by giants, strong And blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons But so massive that no ordinary man could lift... (II. 1557-1560) Beowulf possessed great strength that separated him from other men. Being able to use a sword that no ordinary man was able to carry gives the feeling that Beowulf is something more than a human being. It makes him special and causes him to stand out from all other men. Fame is something that makes a hero more noted. Beowulfs popularity had spread all over the world. He never let this go to his head and he never thought that he was better than everyone else because of it. “Your fame is everywhere, my friend,/Reaches to the ends of the earth, and you hold it in your heart wisely...” (II.1704-1706). A hero should not be foolish or full of himself. Unferth said: You’re Beowulf, are you- the same Boastful fool who fought a swimming Match with Brecca, both of you daring and young and proud,exploring the deepest Seas, risking your lives for no reason But the danger? (II. 506-511) A hero should not have to prove to himself or to anyone else that he is brave, fearless or courageous. If he is pure a heart and his intentions are good then he can be considered a true hero.