The elaborate epic of Beowulf depicts the journey of the Danish nation who struggle with the ongoing destruction caused by old and new feuds and wergilds. Beowulf depicts feuds to be everlasting and easily triggered, because the past controls the present. These grudges result in the inevitability of a feud to continue or reoccur. In Beowulf, the many nations mentioned prove how feuds and wergilds can be destructive physically and morally for individuals and nations.
Violence is a way of life in the Scandinavian warrior culture of Beowulf. In Beowulf, battle is very bloody and detailed with gory imagery. Inevitably this “warrior culture” tends to be the root of feuds for they tend to turn to violence for solutions to their problems. Beowulf references more than a dozen feuds (Hyans 4). This brings about the issue of pride, …show more content…
In Beowulf, Grendel’s mother did not receive wergild to help her grief for the death of her son. So, filled with rage, she attacks Herot and retrieves her sons arm for herself as compensation for her loss. The hero in our epic also knows this and declares, "It is always better, / to avenge dear ones than indulge in mourning" (1384-85). The Danes savior, Beowulf, came to defeat Grendel’s mother yet the does not mean the end of other feuds to rise. “But equally the tragedy of the world in which this action lies is that surrounding Beowulf 's exploits are the deeds of other men who go on creating, starting feuds by force, more often than not, through malice akin to envy, which neither they nor Beowulf could settle by force. Even with wisdom and fortitude the hero can only do so much” (Kahl 193). Grendel’s mother believed the conflict to be over yet, Beowulf and the Danes had also a sense of vengeance, the reoccurring cycle of a feud. Beowulf went down to the depth’s and defeated Grendel’s mother. Beowulf is a follower to this violent and vengeful
Violence is a way of life in the Scandinavian warrior culture of Beowulf. In Beowulf, battle is very bloody and detailed with gory imagery. Inevitably this “warrior culture” tends to be the root of feuds for they tend to turn to violence for solutions to their problems. Beowulf references more than a dozen feuds (Hyans 4). This brings about the issue of pride, …show more content…
In Beowulf, Grendel’s mother did not receive wergild to help her grief for the death of her son. So, filled with rage, she attacks Herot and retrieves her sons arm for herself as compensation for her loss. The hero in our epic also knows this and declares, "It is always better, / to avenge dear ones than indulge in mourning" (1384-85). The Danes savior, Beowulf, came to defeat Grendel’s mother yet the does not mean the end of other feuds to rise. “But equally the tragedy of the world in which this action lies is that surrounding Beowulf 's exploits are the deeds of other men who go on creating, starting feuds by force, more often than not, through malice akin to envy, which neither they nor Beowulf could settle by force. Even with wisdom and fortitude the hero can only do so much” (Kahl 193). Grendel’s mother believed the conflict to be over yet, Beowulf and the Danes had also a sense of vengeance, the reoccurring cycle of a feud. Beowulf went down to the depth’s and defeated Grendel’s mother. Beowulf is a follower to this violent and vengeful