The Virtuous Vice
Pride is an exaggerated feeling of satisfaction. Some might say that pride is the spawn of an unchecked ego. Others could argue that pride is embodied by the denial of truth, or the expectation of nature to reflect an inaccurate or grandiose personal belief. When nature does not reflect this belief; disorientation and confusion is created within the believer. As the believer tries to reconcile their beliefs with nature’s truths, they can become enraged or empowered and act in irrational ways, often disregarding natural consequences. Pride-induced reactions will result in an extremely negative outcome or an overtly positive outcome depending on the origins of pride. In the legendary Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, the reader …show more content…
Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgment by God. (“Beowulf”425-441)
We see that Beowulf has an exaggerated love for Hrothgar and an exaggerated distain for wicked, godless creatures like Grendel. His pride in God, king, and country has empowered him and caused him act irrationally. He blatantly ignores the threat of natural consequences by refusing to use weapons against an undefeated opponent; but because his pride is invested outside of himself, his pride is virtuous and enables him to defeat Grendel. The victory against Grendel teaches Beowulf a little more about himself and he begins to develop a greater sense of self-awareness, however Beowulf is able to deflate an amount of inflation to his ego and gives God the credit for his victory and gives praise and glory to his good lord, Hrothgar. Shortly after his victory against Grendel, Beowulf is faced with another challenge. Grendel’s mother, another monster enraged by the death of her son and suffering from a severely wounded ego, strikes out directly against Hrothgar when she murders Aeschere; a “soul-mate” to Hrothgar (“Beowulf” 1325). Beowulf again feels compelled by his well-invested pride to defend Hrothgar and Christianity by smiting Grendel’s
Pride is an exaggerated feeling of satisfaction. Some might say that pride is the spawn of an unchecked ego. Others could argue that pride is embodied by the denial of truth, or the expectation of nature to reflect an inaccurate or grandiose personal belief. When nature does not reflect this belief; disorientation and confusion is created within the believer. As the believer tries to reconcile their beliefs with nature’s truths, they can become enraged or empowered and act in irrational ways, often disregarding natural consequences. Pride-induced reactions will result in an extremely negative outcome or an overtly positive outcome depending on the origins of pride. In the legendary Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, the reader …show more content…
Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgment by God. (“Beowulf”425-441)
We see that Beowulf has an exaggerated love for Hrothgar and an exaggerated distain for wicked, godless creatures like Grendel. His pride in God, king, and country has empowered him and caused him act irrationally. He blatantly ignores the threat of natural consequences by refusing to use weapons against an undefeated opponent; but because his pride is invested outside of himself, his pride is virtuous and enables him to defeat Grendel. The victory against Grendel teaches Beowulf a little more about himself and he begins to develop a greater sense of self-awareness, however Beowulf is able to deflate an amount of inflation to his ego and gives God the credit for his victory and gives praise and glory to his good lord, Hrothgar. Shortly after his victory against Grendel, Beowulf is faced with another challenge. Grendel’s mother, another monster enraged by the death of her son and suffering from a severely wounded ego, strikes out directly against Hrothgar when she murders Aeschere; a “soul-mate” to Hrothgar (“Beowulf” 1325). Beowulf again feels compelled by his well-invested pride to defend Hrothgar and Christianity by smiting Grendel’s