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How and why is death a central theme in Beowulf
How and why is death a central theme in Beowulf
Mortality in beowulf
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Actor Bruce Lee once said, “The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.” This is the idea behind the Anglo-Saxon concept of Löf. Löf can be described as glory or fame after death. This fame makes a person “immortal” because their name lives on forever in the stories and minds of the people. In the epic poem Beowulf, the main character, Beowulf, desires Löf and performs many heroic tasks in its acquisition. He defeats a monster named Grendel, along with Grendel’s mother, and a treasure-guarding dragon. Beowulf’s courage, strength, and pride reveals the theme that immortality can be achieved through Löf.
Beowulf’s courage earns him the respect and admiration of the people around him, contributing to his obtainment of Löf and therefore immortality. This bravery is displayed by his agreement to fight the monsters which afflict his land: a demon named Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. Wiglaf, one of
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The cowardness of the people around Beowulf magnify his courage. For example, Unferth was “not man enough” to fight against Grendel’s mother, so he instead “lent [his] blade” to Beowulf (Beowulf lines 1466, 1468, 1465). Unferth “lost/fame and repute” because of his cowardness; however, “it was different for [Beowulf]”, who gained fame and repute (Beowulf lines 1470, 1471, 1472). Another example is when out of the eleven “high born-comrades” in Beowulf’s “hand-picked troop”, “ten of them together” abandoned Beowulf and “ran for their lives” instead of saving their leader from the dragon (Beowulf lines 2597, 2848, 2598). Wiglaf’s statement expresses how Beowulf’s comrades marvel at his courage since they had experienced first-hand how difficult it is to
society. In Beowulf, Beowulf shows extraordinary courage and strength that gives him special status. This notion is shown, when Beowulf fights Grendel and Grendel’s mother, but it is especially noticeable when he fights the dragon. When Beowulf fought Grendel others had the courage to attempt to fight him. The same is true with Grendel’s mother. When Beowulf goes to fight the Dragon, the other warriors cower away into the woods. Beowulf shows his courage by fighting the Dragon. Even when Beowulf is fighting the Dragon and realizes that his sword can do no damage he continues to fight. After Beowulf is on the verge of death he shows a combination of courage and strength by delivering the death blow to the Dragon, and not just laying down to die. Beowulf’s strength is shown when he is able to actually do battle with the Dragon; any normal man would have fallen to the dragon immediately.
Beowulf wants to fight Grendel, a monster wreaking havoc, and is boasting that he is more powerful and courageous.
Since the beginning of Beowulf, the character Beowulf shows courage in everything he does. This is proven when he battles Grendel, a descendant of Cain that haunts the halls of Herot. Beowulf being a mighty protector of men, holds the monster down until his life leaps out (Beowulf lines 472-475). As Beowulf battles Grendel, he is determined to
In the epic poem, Beowulf, the reader sees that there are even cowards in tales of legendary heroes. These cowards, however, do show some compassion towards others. Unferth, a companion to Beowulf is shown as a capable warrior, but prideful to a fault. Unferth’s fear wins out to his loyalty and morals to his leader, Beowulf. His pride and resentment toward Beowulf also serves as fuel to his abandonment later on. He does show some morality when he lends his sword to Beowulf. This event is the opening to others proving their worth like Wiglaf did.
The character Beowulf, “a man of great strength and bravery” (Magill 388), is a hero in the way he defends his neighboring country, Denmark. When the word that a hostile creature, known as Grendel, was killing tons in Denmark, Beowulf set sail to help defend the people and rid them of the hideous monster.
“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)”
This recognition that Beowulf receives proves his place as the quintessential hero in Anglo-Saxon society. The unknown author recognizes Beowulf as a warrior who “behaved with honor and took no advantage” (149). This quality is important to Beowulf’s image as a hero. The author also days that Beowulf “bore himself with valor” and names Beowulf “Heroic Beowulf” when describing the hero (135, 149). The author’s recognition of Beowulf as having these qualities and as being heroic shows that Beowulf was regarded as a hero during the authors’ own time. This is also confirmed by the several times people in the epic recognize Beowulf’s heroic qualities. Wiglaf, who was with Beowulf during the final battle, is one of the people to recognize Beowulf’s glory-seeking heroics, saying that Beowulf is “a man unequalled in the quest for glory” (179). This statement speaks much of Beowulf’s willingness to search for and his success in finding glory. Beowulf is also recognized by a thane of Hrothgar’s court during his earlier days. This thane recognizes Beowulf’s heroics and begins “rehearsing Beowulf’s triumphs and feats” by comparing him to Sigmund, an old Anglo-Saxon hero (59). The recognition Beowulf receives from the characters in the epic shows that Beowulf was impressive and heroic to Anglo-Saxons who told his
There are many characteristics that make up the Germanic code in the Anglo-Saxon culture spread throughout Beowulf.. The author shows that Beowulf is the archetypal Germanic hero through his fate, trust, and reputation.
One of the oldest and most prominent issues that mankind has faced throughout history is that of their own mortality. In every society mankind has wrestled with the inevitable problem of their eventual death, and literature often reflects each society’s take on their mortality. For instance one of the most pronounced motifs in the epic poem Beowulf is the impending doom that each and every character knows will eventually come for them. This is most clearly illustrated by the protagonist himself in his dialogue with other characters. It is also perpetuated by the compelling need for glory and renown that many of the characters continuously search for. Lastly, the issue of mortality is presented by the preeminence of the history of the clans
With a lack of courage, not many can accomplish much. As Beowulf travels, his courage not only grows but stands strong. In his journey to Hrothgar's kingdom, Beowulf is faced with many unbearable tasks many men wouldn't dare to go up against, but with Beowulf, he takes those tasks and runs with them. His fight with Grendal not only proves his courage but his strength as well. Beowulf, being a mortal man, takes Grendal by the hands and tears his hand from his body, leaving Grendal mortally wounded. When Grendal's mother attempts avenge for her son's death, she is rudely awakened. After her kill of Ashchere, she resorts back to her lair in Hell, but not for long. Beowulf goes looking after her and swims through the deep, dark, and miserable waters to Hell. He finds Grendal's mother there and kills her without any warning to her. His bravery saves his people back in his homeland as well. After gaining the throne, a terrible dragon starts to terrorize his home. Here he proves to his people that he is in fact a true hero. He, with the help of his dear kinsman, slays the dragon even after being wounded. His courage and strength truly proves him an epic 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
Beowulf fulfills this by an epic tradition of dying while fighting. While this may detract from Beowulf's invincibility claims, fate has it that all are destined to die. Beowulf’s funeral included “buried torques in the barrow and jewels and trove of such things,” signifying his death had great traditional power. Death is only a portion of being a hero. The willingness to die for his people signifies courage as well. After Beowulf delivers the “deadly wound,” and is a near death, he goes on delivering a monologue showcasing his feats. This heroic scene embodies his willingness to fight for the Danes with his life at
Acting on loyalty to an old pact between his father and Hrothgar, Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes for a dual purpose. He goes to validate his father’s honor and aid the Danes in the destruction of the evil monster Grendel, as well as secure his own fame. There he encounters Unferth, who provides the first account of Beowulf’s youthful pride and egocentric quest for glory. Recounting the story of Breca, Unferth challenges the maturity of Beowulf. “Are you that Beowulf who contended with Breca”…”where for pride you explored the water, and for foolish boast ventured your lives in the deep?” Confronted with his young and impulsive behavior, Beowulf responds ostentatiously, boasting a tale of victory, denying that anyone could ever achieve more glory than he. Proclaiming that Breca was weak, but he would not leave him, though he could have; he had slew nine sea monsters in his swim and it was he who was strongest. He chastises Unferth, “I have not heard you say of you any such hard matching of might”, shaming him for his fear of the monster, Grendel “…would never have performed so many terrible deeds against your chief…if your spirit, your heart, were so fierce in fight as you
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.