Germanic paganism

Heros of Their Time The idea of heroic action and an epic hero have been evolving for many years. Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight both have different, but also similar ideas of what it takes to be a hero. The heroic traits they share are loyal to their lords, and they also are both knights. They more or less follow a certain code of honor that they must uphold.The difference of the time period and religion influence has very much so do with it with how they are portrayed as heroes.…

Carols originated in Europe as pagan songs sung by at Winter solstice celebrations. The word carol itself means song of praise or dance, or singing of joy. Carols at one time were written for all season and times, but the tradition of singing them at Christmas has remained. Christians took over these pagan celebrations and made up their own Christian songs to sing as a substitute. Yet these first carols were all written, and sung in Latin. Latin at that time was a language not known by most…

One might look at my last name and ponder at its origin. The name “Misel” is also an Americanized variant of “Maisel,” the name adopted by my forefathers when they immigrated to this land. Despite my German surname and heritage, there is little German about me. I no longer have any connections to the country of my origin and have had little exposure to German culture and traditions. When offered the opportunity to learn German in high school, I chose Spanish instead -- a language that I viewed…

In the epic poem Beowulf, the story takes place during in Anglo-Saxon society during a time of many battles. The Anglo-Saxon society were known to be warriors. They valued many traits such as courage, good values, and determination. Beowulf showed all these characteristics, proving himself to be not only a great warrior, but a hero. A great hero is determined, no matter how hard the battles get a hero keeps fighting. Beowulf showed great determination during his battles against the many enemy’s…

Beowulf & Kit Both Christopher Marlowe’s work and the epic poem Beowulf represent great literature from their own times. While Marlowe’s work made him the foremost writer of tragedy in Elizabethan England, in many ways it predates its time in the late Renaissance in categories such as religion and stage drama. On the other hand, Beowulf is an exemplary piece of epic poetry that portrays the culture of the area that is now Britain in the days of Old English. Marlowe’s plays, specifically The…

The story of “Beowulf” gives insight into the Anglo-Saxon ideals of conduct. The ideals of allegiance to king, belief in fate, and love of glory all are portrayed in different ways throughout the story. People quickly show their allegiance to the lord and king and their belief in fate, while they may secretly hide their love of glory by indirectly bragging about themselves. Allegiance to lord and king plays a large role in how the story of “Beowulf” unfolds. In order for someone to be a true…

People are most likely are to favorite fictional characters who best represent their morals and values. When you have a popular character or hero in a culture, it is most likely that the hero or character represents importances to the culture. In America's modern society, Donatello, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, demonstrates our values in today's society. The hero Beowulf represents society’s values from 1000 AD. Beowulf and Donatello are accurate representations of their cultures and…

Natalie Matos Mr. Pollock CP English 25 September 2014 Beowulf Essay Fame and reputation were both very important in Beowulf. Both fame and reputation were shown in the epic poem several times. One way this was shown was through the argument between Unferth and Beowulf. The next way was by Beowulf bragging about everything he has accomplished throughout his life. A final way that both fame and reputation were shown was in the way Beowulf was laid to rest, what he did before laid to rest, and…

Literary Foils in British Literature British Literature contains literary foils. Foils serve as a contrast to the characters. Foils are usually the antagonists and protagonists of stories. Literary foils are evident throughout British literature in the stories of Beowulf, Julius Caesar, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Foils exist in the epic Beowulf. Beowulf is written by an unknown author and is translated by Burton Raffel in the Anglo-Saxon era. There is a force, vitality, clearness and…

The Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf is ancient legend that was performed by bards. While the poem itself defies logic, it does a wonderful job of unlocking the secrets behind Anglo-Saxon culture. Analysis of the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf reveals that the Mead Hall served important roles in Anglo-Saxon culture as a place for governing, celebration, and ceremony. The first and possibly most important role of the Mead Hall was its role as the main government building in Anglo-Saxon culture. This quote from…