Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Beowulfs narrative
The motivation of the action in Beowulf
Beowulf as role model
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Beowulfs narrative
The world is a very big place with millions of people living on it at the same time. All of the people in the world are moved to do something. People all have reasons to do things. Most people call them motivations. A definition of motivations is, “Motivations: reason for doing something,” (Goldman). Beowulf was just like anyone of those people. He had dreams and goals he wanted to obtain. In the epic poem Beowulf, he was challenged with killing three deadly monsters, he had to have motivation for that. He was able to kill the Grendel and his mother, monsters said to be from the time of Cain and Abel. He first slew the Grendel with his bare hands. When the Grendel’s mother found out what was done, she was furious and came back for revenge. …show more content…
The poem describes Beowulf as a big and powerful human. Being that powerful has to come with some responsibilities. It was said that Beowulf got his powers form the gods, and because it came from the great beings above, it was Beowulf’s destiny to fight the Grendel. The Geats’ felt as though Beowulf was bestowed great power for a reason, and this was his reason. Beowulf also may have felt the duty of morality. In Penner’s article about how we have a moral obligation to help those in need says this, “Morality requires us to do the right thing, not just as regards ourselves, but also in our dealings with others.” (Penner). Or in other words, humans feel the need to help others who are in pain, or suffering. The Danes were under great punishment, the Grendel was killing off their city one person at a time. The Danes, along with other heroes, had tried to stop the monster without success. When Beowulf hears of this he wants to help. The Geats tell him this, because they believe him to be an epic hero, Told his it was his duty to help the Geats defeat the Grendel. The Geats had made him a leader because of his bravery and strength. This has to do with his position in his
Beowulf demonstrates his hero trait within his actions he takes making a connection to the idea of Bentham. The main focus of Bentham’s utilitarian idea is, before making a decision being able to calculate pleasure and pain for others not just yourself. Similarly Beowulf focuses on the greater pleasure when he goes to battle against Grendel and Grendel’s mother. The hero trait that Beowulf shares with Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian idea; is the thought of the happiness of others before making any decision or taking any action.
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not only display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem. There are many moments in Beowulf that manifest the many traits that a person should have. This proves how important these attributes are to the characters and the Anglo-Saxon society. Although Beowulf has no known author, it embodies many of the beliefs and morals of the early Germanic society. The author of this epic poem uses many approaches in order to demonstrate that respect and trust are fundamental characteristics of a leader and hero.
Early in the poem, Beowulf hears accounts of Grendel’s destruction of Herot, Hrothgar’s majestic mead hall. Knowing his strength and military prowess, Beowulf immediately devises a plan, recruits men, and orders boats, thrusting himself into a battle that was not necessarily his to fight. Beowulf felt obligated to end Grendel’s reign of terror. Though he knew the death of Grendel would bring him fame and honor, the idealized Beowulf was able to set aside personal ambition in order to end the suffering of the Danes. Shortly after slaying Grendel, Beowulf again displays an awareness of duty when Grendel’s mother extracts revenge upon Herot, killing one of Hrothgar’s best men, Aeshere. Instead of leaving Herot in a state of frenzy, Beowulf comes to King Hrothgar’s side, pledging allegiance and service. Bolstering the defeated king’s moral, Beowulf boldly addresses the older King Hrothgar saying, “So arise, my lord, and let us immediately set forth on the trail of this troll-dam. I guarantee you: she will not get away, not to dens under ground nor upland groves nor the ocean floor. She’ll have nowhere to fall to. Endure your troubles to-day. Bear up and be the man I expect you to be.” Beowulf could not set aside his duty and obligation, though he knew full well the suffering and pain that might result from his actions. Thus, Beowulf is a portrait of
Beowulf is a great tale but as a person, he isn’t that all that people make him out to be. In his older years his need for attention and glory ended up with the death of him. He fought the dragon alone and in return, ended up killing the dragon, but also sacrificed himself. Even as he died he asked for one thing, his people to build him a memorial near the sea so everyone could see the person that he was. His need for attention, lack of planning, and need for glory caused him to be just a prideful man, not a
In society, cruelty often leads to dehumanization, but it can also be the reaction to dehumanization. Perpetrators are either idolized or villainized, while victims tend to be blamed for the actions committed against them. In Beowulf, cruelty is used as a social crutch, as well as a symbol of humanity, or the lack thereof. Barbarity, and the intent behind it, is what makes the heroes and the villains one and the same in Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf.
Beowulf has been living at his home land taking on challenges that others may not have wanted to take on. He has always been a man of action, always looking for adventure that challenges his strength. When Beowulf was told of the rumors that a demon is tormenting Hrothgar famous mead serving hall he accepted the wise men decisions to help him rid them of the demon. This is where step two of the hero’s journey comes into play. There is a call to adventure that affects the hero in some way. Beowulf may have formed a personal connection to the cries of Hrothgar reason being his father was once had history with Hrothgar . When Hrothgar helped Beowulf 's father settle things with the Wulfings Beowulf may have felt a need to repay his father’s debt. When Beowulf and his men finished the feast the king provided in the mead hall that was closed due to Grendel’s blood lust. ¨Epic heroes possess qualities that mere mortals lack. Bravery beyond compare, superhuman intelligence, strength or skills and a driving desire to find success¨(Connie Jankowski). In this part of the story Beowulf and his men have proven that they do contain the courage
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
“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 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.
Beowulf’s intrinsic motivation seems to derive from a myriad of factors. Factors pertaining to either Beowulf’s Hubris, or devotion to God can be seen influencing him to take on new trials, void of fear for the repercussions that follow. The following quote can give you an insight as to what kind of character Beowulf really is " Grendel gripped and grabbed him there, but the Geat remembered his vast strength, that glorious gift given of him by God, and put his trust for support and assistance in the grace of the Lord; thus he overcame the envoy of hell, humbled his evil adversary," (ll. 1269-74). From this you can understand that Beowulf’s religious values have a direct link to influencing his thought process, motivating him to go above and
Beowulf, the heroic figure in the poem, is known throughout the land as a courageous man who performs great deeds of valor. He is a Geat, who later becomes the king of the Geats. Beowulf’s strength seems to be a gift from God. As a noble and kind man, Beowulf comes to Herot to save them from God’s foe. Before Beowulf initiates battle with Grendal he exhibits a sense of fairness in not using a weapon against the monster.
At the beginning of the novel, Beowulf represents a savage warrior, displaying mostly his strength and bravery by defeating Grendel and his mother. However, as Beowulf ages, he begins to change into a different kind of hero. After becoming King of the Geats, Beowulf matured and took on more of a leadership role in the community, as opposed to a warrior. Even though Beowulf was still a hero, he began to lead an army of geats and acted for the good of the people. In both cases however, Beowulf was respected by others for his admirable
The Medieval times were filled with various ideas than there are in the modern day such as the use of manors, lords, and knights. There were honorable and brave knights who vowed their lives to the chivalric code. “The Code of Chivalry was an important part of the society and lives of people who lived during the Medieval times and era. The Code of Chivalry was admired and understood by all.” (Chivalry) In the film, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, directors Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones illustrate the hypocrisy in the chivalric code by producing satirical scenes that can be compared to the old English literatures of Beowulf and the “Day of Destiny” to demonstrate how this code is easily broken by knights through some of their supposed virtues
He was looking for a way to become known, so he arrived with his fellow Geats to help the Danes. Beowulf had access to many weapons, armor, and warriors, but he still decided to take on the deadly challenge alone and without protection. He doesn’t think of the consequences, or abilities of the opponent. “‘When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel.’” (47: 677-678). Beowulf is overconfident in his abilities, and doesn’t take into consideration how many people Grendel has killed. He goes in with his own men not expecting to see him again. “None of them expected he would ever see his homeland again.” (47: 691-692). This is why the inner threat of Beowulf was more barbaric. Grendel was indeed a worthy opponent, and very dangerous, but Beowulf’s careless actions could have
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