Triumph In Beowulf

All humans beings have a desire to see triumph in a story, namely, the triumph of good over evil. In some epic poems such as Beowulf, one can see this clear need for triumph demonstrated by the hero of the story Beowulf, where the hero comes in to save the day and provide a triumph in the name of good. While in some literature this theme is not present, there are often similar scenarios where such a theme works its way into the story. Such a theme usually presents itself in the form of a triumph over a way of thinking: it is more of a mental victory than a physical victory. Such is the case in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, when characters admit to themselves that their actions have been destructive, showing that in order to achieve true …show more content…
During the beginning of the story, Catherine was one of Heathcliff’s only friends. However, this changes soon after when she injured her ankle at Thrushcross Grange and took a liking to Edgar Linton in a peculiar way. She was going to use Edgar to “‘escape from a disorderly uncomfortable home into a wealthy, respectable one’” (Brontë 71). This demonstrates just how far and disconnected Catherine is from her true self and her sense of right and wrong. Catherine knows that the two will not be a good fit for each other, but she marries him for all of the wrong reasons anyways. However, there is an event that shows that Catherine may have regretted her course of action: on her deathbed, during her meeting with Heathcliff, Catherine says “If I’ve done wrong, I’m dying for it… Forgive me!” (Brontë 139). Catherine, in this moment, realizes something she had known since an earlier conversation with Nelly; she was wrong in marrying Edgar for money and not love, and that she should have married Heathcliff instead. This is vital because it is the main event of her moral reconciliation. Had Catherine gone to the grave without this regret being heard, she would have died simply, without Heathcliff knowing what she truly felt. While what happens after is not truly happy, it is happy in the sense that there was a character experienced growth. Because of this moral reconciliation, she was able to die with her soul satisfied after such a cathartic moment between the two of them. By showing this event, the author shows the reader how even when one is on one’s deathbed, it is not too late to forgive and ask for forgiveness in order to attain peace with