What Is The Theme Of Pride In Beowulf

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Recommended: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as a commentary on the medieval romances

In the middle-ages pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Pride is believed to destroy the life of grace and charity within a person. In the stories Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Wife of Bath, Beowulf, and Lanval, we experience the downfalls that come with pride and how it stains their lives forever.
In the story of Sir Gawain and the Green knight, the foolish pride of Sir Gawain led him to step forward and take the Green knight’s challenge not knowing what challenge was approaching him. Gawain faced temptation from Bertilak’s wife who took a big role in bringing out pride in Gawain sort of like Eve did with the temptation of the forbidden fruit “Because I know your name---the knight Sir Gawain, famed through all realms whichever road he rides, whose princely honor is highly praised amongst lords and ladies and everyone …show more content…

574-575). In the poem of Beowulf, he decided to come to Heorot and gain control and power for more satisfaction within himself even if it means death “I had a fixed purpose when I put to sea. As I sat in the boat with my band of men, I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the fiend’s clutches. And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the mead-hall.” (Ll. 632-638) Beowulf did everything with pride including fighting Grendel with his bare hands because he believes that fighting an unarmed beast is dishonorable “He has no idea of the arts of war, of shield or sword play, although he does possess a wild strength. No weapons, therefore, for either this night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares…” (Ll. 681-685) Beowulf’s pride led him to fight the dragon despite his aging and was quickly killed when the dragon bites him in the neck, injecting venom leading him to his own

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