Beowulf
In the poem, Beowulf, a warrior from Geats comes to help Hrothgar, the king of the Danes whose land is being attacked by a monster, Grendel. Beowulf is successful and kills Grendel. To show his bravery and abilities, he even kills Grendel without using weapons. However,Hrothgar is still in trouble, because Grendel's mother is now trying to get revenge. As the poem continues, Beowulf kills Grendel's mother in her lair with a sword that giants used. After the victory, Beowulf returns home to Geats. Fifty years pass but there is still one obstacle in his way, There is a dragon that his people fear, all because of stolen treasure. More importantly, Beowulf now has to defend his people. He fails at first, but then with the help …show more content…
The short digressions in the poem, describing many good or bad leaders (mostly kings) and their behavior toward their people, helps represent what was expected of a leader. The Lay of Finn, sung at Heorot between the Grendel and Grendel's Mother episodes, deals with people who change their loyalty to a king who kills the previous one. When all of Beowulf's men panic and run at the approach of the dragon, Wiglaf thinks about all the good things Beowulf has done for him and then rushes into the lair, yelling and cursing the others for not helping their king. Then afterward, when they have failed to help and Beowulf is dead, Wiglaf yells at them for running away and their failure to live up to their promises to their king. Finally, at Beowulf's funeral, the mourners once again sum up his legacy and all the great things he has done for …show more content…
When Beowulf talks about his battle with Grendel's mother, he states that "The fight would have ended straightaway if God had not guarded me" (). God's protection must be earned; a man must first be accepting and understand his values and only then will he earn God's protection. In Beowulf, it also is assumed that goods and riches come from God . For example, when about to fight Grendel's mother in her cave, Beowulf sees a huge sword hanging on the wall. The credit is given to God for showing him this magical weapon: "But the Wielder of Men granted me that I should see hanging on the wall a fair, ancient great-sword" (). And later in the poem, Hrothgar tells Beowulf that even the title of a ruler is achieved through the help of God. When telling the story of Heremod, a king who has too much pride and is full of himself, Hrothgar tells Beowulf "he turned away from the joys of men, alone, notorious king, although mighty God had raised him in power, in the joys of strength, had set him up over all men" (4.4). And again, "It is a wonder to say how in His great spirit God gives wisdom to mankind, land and earlship. He possesses power over all things. At times He lets the thought of a man of high lineage move in delight" (5.1). Any power given to a man or ruler has been determined to be a gift from God to help pursue the life that is
In the poem, Beowulf, a warrior from Geats comes to help Hrothgar, the king of the Danes whose land is being attacked by a monster, Grendel. Beowulf is successful and kills Grendel. To show his bravery and abilities, he even kills Grendel without using weapons. However,Hrothgar is still in trouble, because Grendel's mother is now trying to get revenge. As the poem continues, Beowulf kills Grendel's mother in her lair with a sword that giants used. After the victory, Beowulf returns home to Geats. Fifty years pass but there is still one obstacle in his way, There is a dragon that his people fear, all because of stolen treasure. More importantly, Beowulf now has to defend his people. He fails at first, but then with the help …show more content…
The short digressions in the poem, describing many good or bad leaders (mostly kings) and their behavior toward their people, helps represent what was expected of a leader. The Lay of Finn, sung at Heorot between the Grendel and Grendel's Mother episodes, deals with people who change their loyalty to a king who kills the previous one. When all of Beowulf's men panic and run at the approach of the dragon, Wiglaf thinks about all the good things Beowulf has done for him and then rushes into the lair, yelling and cursing the others for not helping their king. Then afterward, when they have failed to help and Beowulf is dead, Wiglaf yells at them for running away and their failure to live up to their promises to their king. Finally, at Beowulf's funeral, the mourners once again sum up his legacy and all the great things he has done for …show more content…
When Beowulf talks about his battle with Grendel's mother, he states that "The fight would have ended straightaway if God had not guarded me" (). God's protection must be earned; a man must first be accepting and understand his values and only then will he earn God's protection. In Beowulf, it also is assumed that goods and riches come from God . For example, when about to fight Grendel's mother in her cave, Beowulf sees a huge sword hanging on the wall. The credit is given to God for showing him this magical weapon: "But the Wielder of Men granted me that I should see hanging on the wall a fair, ancient great-sword" (). And later in the poem, Hrothgar tells Beowulf that even the title of a ruler is achieved through the help of God. When telling the story of Heremod, a king who has too much pride and is full of himself, Hrothgar tells Beowulf "he turned away from the joys of men, alone, notorious king, although mighty God had raised him in power, in the joys of strength, had set him up over all men" (4.4). And again, "It is a wonder to say how in His great spirit God gives wisdom to mankind, land and earlship. He possesses power over all things. At times He lets the thought of a man of high lineage move in delight" (5.1). Any power given to a man or ruler has been determined to be a gift from God to help pursue the life that is