Beowulf Essay

Through the tale of Beowulf, the hero of the poem travels throughout Scandinavia and combats monsters of all kinds, be it undescribed creatures of great strength, fast and cunning sons and daughters of cain, or simply the legendary dragon. The monsters however are used not just to entertain the readers but to also provide commentary on the society in which they live. The author throughout the poem condemns the system of blood feud in place and also berates man for his greed of gold and glory.…

In the epic poem, Beowulf, the recurring image of darkness is often used as a portrayal of death and the unknown. The author also uses the same image to depict evil and sin and its relationship to Christianity. The underlying elements of Christianity within Beowulf can be attributed to the recent conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. Through the persisting application of darkness, Beowulf addresses the presence of sin and the fundamental Christian beliefs in a savior and the…

The 1971 novel by John Gardner a revisitation of the antagonist character in the 1815 Anglo-Saxon epic “Beowulf”. The novel dealt with Grendel’s viewpoint and the final years of his life. In Grendel, Gardner puts an emphasis on the parallels of Grendel’s life and human’s life, but also uses the differences between the two. In chapter eleven, Beowulf says “Fate often enough will spare a man if his courage holds” this establishes the connection between fate and free will and the similarities…

During the time of the poem Beowulf, years 450 - 1066, Germanic tribes ruled Great Britain. They were heavily influenced by the Catholic Church, which became a factor in their writing. Throughout the poem it is obvious were later authors inputted their own religious views. But the more significant topics of the poem are the swords and armor they used, Cumitatus, and "glory before death" and how they all relate to how heroic their warriors were. The sword and the armor were both very symbolic…

contracts portrayed in the poem, Beowulf, and they are exemplified by the main character as well as secondary ones. Beowulf is the mighty hero who is beloved by all, just as all leaders were. Warriors were fearless and given riches on a golden platter. The people were obligated to remain faithful and inspired by these men. The foundation of the code of honor and the warrior culture is bravery and it is demonstrated multiple times through their heroic actions. Beowulf is the clear cut hero in…

The translation of the poem, “Beowulf”, which is by Burton Raffel, consists of many tones. Tone incorporates the feelings or attitude of the Arthur toward a subject. Tone can be facetious, ferocious, humorous, or maybe even despairing. For instance, someone stating the words, “Whether I win or lose, I keep fighting”, executes bravery. On the other hand, someone stating, “If I lose, I tend to give up”, executes intimidation. As usual, there is tone in every line you state. “My hands alone shall…

together subject or thought, a theme that permits us to see all the more profoundly the character and their reality. In Beowulf, the real topics mirror the qualities and the inspirations of the characters. One of the focal subjects of Beowulf, epitomized by its title character, is dependability. At each progression of his profession, dependability is Beowulf's directing goodness. Beowulf embodies the qualities of the ideal legend. The ballad investigates his valor in two separate stages—youth…

Identity: Monsters and Heroes in Beowulf In the epic poem, Beowulf, Beowulf is clearly the hero, and Grendel is the monster. A good Anglo-Saxon plot often necessitates the dichotomy of good versus evil. Nothing connotes these opposing forces like a hero slaying a monster. Oftentimes a reader will blindly accept a character’s position or role simply because the author suggested so. How did these characters identities develop them into good or bad? As seen in Beowulf, identity as either hero or…

Beowulf: A Reflection of Cultural Context. A society's culture and values are dependant on their standard of living. Anglo-Saxons in harsh winter weather constantly warred amongst the neighboring tribes for food, valuables, and territory. In a world where survival hinges on combat, rulers would extol the concept of glory in death. These people were not allowed the luxury of having compassion, not to say they were completely void of it, but it was not necessary. Conversely, we today live in a…

the epic poem of Beowulf, as well as the day to day life of the Anglo Saxons. Throughout the poem, fate is mentioned countless times in both dialogue and when the poem is describing a situation. Whether you believe in the idea of fate or not, it played a major role in how Beowulf carried himself and reacted to the challenges introduced to him, as well as how fate affected what happened in the major events throughout the poem. Fate played a major role in the battle between Beowulf and Grendel.…