The truth of stories is one we have been taught ever since we were children. Humanity started with the oral tradition, the telling of stories, the spread of information. Truth was told in stories, much like in Beowulf. Similarly, stories like those in the Bible are taken to be truth. The texts we read this semester all reflect that idea that truth often lies in stories. This is shown by Mary Anne in The Things They Carried, by the lead actor in Hamlet's play in Hamlet, and Beowulf in Beowulf. Each, in their own story, through their actions clearly shows the truth of their world and themselves: the truth of a story. In Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, the character of Mary Anne Bell, at least the story of her told by Rat Kiley, entered
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In one of the first documented creations that resulted directly of the oral tradition, storytelling is obviously important. Accordingly, to really grasp the truth in Beowulf one must examine the storytelling of the book. Beowulf, the storyteller’s storyteller, is born of Edgetho, already royalty. Yet, as a child and young man, he is criticized as being lazy, incapable, spoiled. It is my opinion that this criticism, the doubt that he was held in by his peers, is the driving force of Beowulf’s success. He has an immense desire to recreate himself, a hero. In his first encounter with the Danes, he sets himself up as such: “My father was a famous soldier, known far and wide as a leader of men. His name was Edgetho… wise men all over the earth… remember him” (Poet 14, 261-266). He announces himself as the son of a great man, the son of a hero. He is telling his own story here, creating a persona. He is establishing his ethos, the truth in his heroism, in a time where lineage meant everything, having a great father meant that you were fated to be great as well. In the same speech he announces that he is in Denmark to slaughter the untouchable beast, Grendel. He almost goes so far as to state that if he fails, then nobody, ever, will defeat Grendel: “Or else he may see his suffering go on forever” (Poet 15, 283-284). The effect of this is seen immediately, when Beowulf is introduced to Hrothgar, he is done so as “a mighty warrior, powerful and wise” (Poet 18, 370). Here (whether it be intentional or not) the Beowulf Poet is showing something very powerful, that who we present ourselves to be is often who we truly believe we are (or who we truly want to be) becomes what others see us as (and potentially what we become). The same thing happens again, when a drunken Unferth makes the mistake of challenging Beowulf to a “battle of the storytellers.” Unferth despoils (or attempts to) Beowulf’s fame,
In one of the first documented creations that resulted directly of the oral tradition, storytelling is obviously important. Accordingly, to really grasp the truth in Beowulf one must examine the storytelling of the book. Beowulf, the storyteller’s storyteller, is born of Edgetho, already royalty. Yet, as a child and young man, he is criticized as being lazy, incapable, spoiled. It is my opinion that this criticism, the doubt that he was held in by his peers, is the driving force of Beowulf’s success. He has an immense desire to recreate himself, a hero. In his first encounter with the Danes, he sets himself up as such: “My father was a famous soldier, known far and wide as a leader of men. His name was Edgetho… wise men all over the earth… remember him” (Poet 14, 261-266). He announces himself as the son of a great man, the son of a hero. He is telling his own story here, creating a persona. He is establishing his ethos, the truth in his heroism, in a time where lineage meant everything, having a great father meant that you were fated to be great as well. In the same speech he announces that he is in Denmark to slaughter the untouchable beast, Grendel. He almost goes so far as to state that if he fails, then nobody, ever, will defeat Grendel: “Or else he may see his suffering go on forever” (Poet 15, 283-284). The effect of this is seen immediately, when Beowulf is introduced to Hrothgar, he is done so as “a mighty warrior, powerful and wise” (Poet 18, 370). Here (whether it be intentional or not) the Beowulf Poet is showing something very powerful, that who we present ourselves to be is often who we truly believe we are (or who we truly want to be) becomes what others see us as (and potentially what we become). The same thing happens again, when a drunken Unferth makes the mistake of challenging Beowulf to a “battle of the storytellers.” Unferth despoils (or attempts to) Beowulf’s fame,