Heroes and monsters help to shape the identity of modern culture as well as cultures shown in ancient literature. In the ancient Anglo-Saxon folklore Beowulf, monsters and heroes were created to contradict one another and contrast the desirable and undesirable traits in a culture. A hero portrays all valuable and honored traits in a society, while monsters help to reveal the undesirable traits as well as push the hero to his boundaries. In the Anglo-Saxon culture a hero was to be a strong, courageous, and intelligent warrior. They had to be willing to come up against any odds, and be willing to fight to the death for respect within themselves and from the people. The stereotype Anglo-Saxon hero was able to attain all of these traits and still
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Each monster shows the undesirable traits in a culture and force the hero to exceed his boundaries. Grendel is first shown revealed in “They call him Grendel, a demon grim Haunting the fen-lands, holding the moors, Ranging the wastes, where the wretched wight Made his lair with the monster kin” (ll 61-65). This shows what the Danes think of Grendel, and how he is originally revealed in the folklore. Beowulf uses all his strength and courage, and Grendel is finally defeated in the quote “The groans of Grendel, the foe of God Howling his hideous hymn of pain, The hell-thane shrieking in sore defeat” (ll 605-608). The next monster Beowulf encounters is the troll wife. Beowulf enters the troll wife’s underwater cave and slays the monster by cutting its head off. The troll wife is described as “The mother of Grendel, a monstrous hag, Brooded over her misery, doomed to dwell In evil waters and icy streams” (ll 814-816). Beowulf successfully slays the troll wife, thus becoming king of the Danes. Beowulf triumphantly rules the kingdom for fifty years until the Dragon comes to wreck havoc within his realm. The Dragon is Beowulf’s final victim, and described as “Swiftly the fire-drake sought through the plain The man who wrought him this …show more content…
Monsters help us adjust to what we fear most in life. The fear of these monsters causes cultures as well as communities to come closer together today, as well as in ancient times. Modern day monsters are what people are told to hate most about themselves, and portray undesirable traits in a community. However, many monsters of modern society become victims of jokes and mockery, and are unable to play the same role they played centuries ago. Monsters even enjoy a place in American pop-culture appearing as figures in movies and television. Some of the monsters portrayed are Zombies, Werewolves, and Vampires. In his article, “The Monsters We Don’t Recognize,” David Schmidt believes that “the most distinctive and numerous monsters in any culture are the ones that we don’t immediately
Each monster shows the undesirable traits in a culture and force the hero to exceed his boundaries. Grendel is first shown revealed in “They call him Grendel, a demon grim Haunting the fen-lands, holding the moors, Ranging the wastes, where the wretched wight Made his lair with the monster kin” (ll 61-65). This shows what the Danes think of Grendel, and how he is originally revealed in the folklore. Beowulf uses all his strength and courage, and Grendel is finally defeated in the quote “The groans of Grendel, the foe of God Howling his hideous hymn of pain, The hell-thane shrieking in sore defeat” (ll 605-608). The next monster Beowulf encounters is the troll wife. Beowulf enters the troll wife’s underwater cave and slays the monster by cutting its head off. The troll wife is described as “The mother of Grendel, a monstrous hag, Brooded over her misery, doomed to dwell In evil waters and icy streams” (ll 814-816). Beowulf successfully slays the troll wife, thus becoming king of the Danes. Beowulf triumphantly rules the kingdom for fifty years until the Dragon comes to wreck havoc within his realm. The Dragon is Beowulf’s final victim, and described as “Swiftly the fire-drake sought through the plain The man who wrought him this …show more content…
Monsters help us adjust to what we fear most in life. The fear of these monsters causes cultures as well as communities to come closer together today, as well as in ancient times. Modern day monsters are what people are told to hate most about themselves, and portray undesirable traits in a community. However, many monsters of modern society become victims of jokes and mockery, and are unable to play the same role they played centuries ago. Monsters even enjoy a place in American pop-culture appearing as figures in movies and television. Some of the monsters portrayed are Zombies, Werewolves, and Vampires. In his article, “The Monsters We Don’t Recognize,” David Schmidt believes that “the most distinctive and numerous monsters in any culture are the ones that we don’t immediately