Throughout history stories have been one if the fundamental basis of all cultures no matter if they have been passed down orally from generation to generation or through written in script. There are several stories and poems in The Norton Anthology of English Literature that are considered to be some of the best literature of all time, such as Beowulf, Everyman, and The Canterbury Tales. Within these literature works people can see several differences and similarities as the literature moves through time. Personally, I believe that Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales have the most apparent similarities to the contemporary values of the modern world.
Beowulf’s most iconic similarity to modern times is the heroic nature in Beowulf’s character. Today there are numerous modern day heroes from companies such as Marvel and DC Comics. These heroes use either bruit strength and force or their whit and intelligent to overcome the evil at hand. In Beowulf the author describes Beowulf as “the mightiest man on earth, / highborn and powerful” (Greenblatt, 46). Also, Beowulf is given superhuman qualities such as strength. Beowulf’s …show more content…
Through many of the pilgrims that Chaucer writes about there seems to be a constant theme of corruption especially in most of the religious pilgrims such as the Pardoner and the Friar. The Pardoner was basically a salesman who sold “freedom” in other words. He would go out selling pardons for people’s sins, but he was over charging them and pocketing the rest. He was a hypocrite who preached on the notion the greed is the root of all evil while he himself lived a life full of greed (314). The same goes for the Friar, he bought people confessions and the administration of sacraments for the people. He even seduced women and then wed them off to other men as it states in line 212-13 “maad ful many a mariage / Of yonge wommen at his owene cost"
Beowulf’s most iconic similarity to modern times is the heroic nature in Beowulf’s character. Today there are numerous modern day heroes from companies such as Marvel and DC Comics. These heroes use either bruit strength and force or their whit and intelligent to overcome the evil at hand. In Beowulf the author describes Beowulf as “the mightiest man on earth, / highborn and powerful” (Greenblatt, 46). Also, Beowulf is given superhuman qualities such as strength. Beowulf’s …show more content…
Through many of the pilgrims that Chaucer writes about there seems to be a constant theme of corruption especially in most of the religious pilgrims such as the Pardoner and the Friar. The Pardoner was basically a salesman who sold “freedom” in other words. He would go out selling pardons for people’s sins, but he was over charging them and pocketing the rest. He was a hypocrite who preached on the notion the greed is the root of all evil while he himself lived a life full of greed (314). The same goes for the Friar, he bought people confessions and the administration of sacraments for the people. He even seduced women and then wed them off to other men as it states in line 212-13 “maad ful many a mariage / Of yonge wommen at his owene cost"