Saxons

Southeastern Utah might as well be the surface of Mars. Between the buttes and mesas of an arid landscape, where tumbleweeds blow across the roads, sagebrush grows from the cracked nutrient-rich soil, and prickly pears sprout under rusted, broken rock, there is little besides long stretches of open wilderness. In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, while much of the climbing community fixated on the Yosemite Valley, and the world’s attention was captivated by the Himalayas, a group of Colorado…

The interaction with the monstrous and the supernatural within Anglo-Saxon literature is certainly well documented, perhaps most famously in the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf. Though the three creatures Beowulf faces are creations of the imagination, they are presented by the poet in very different ways. The man-eating beast known as Grendel is more of a monstrously misshapen reflection of bi-pedal humans that is spawned from ancient evil, whereas the dragon is a bit more conventional. This…

Glory was the thread that held the Anglo-Saxon culture and the warrior clan together, and epic heroes, such as Beowulf, are truly glorious. Beowulf translates to Bee-Hunter yet, its not applicable to him or his jouney ahead. Beowulf was about 13 years old when the story began and because he was a Anglo-Saxon, he believed in fate. He did not fear death, hence his father was deceased. When is father died, he felt obligated to look over his kingdom because his father was King. Now the journey…

An epic is a long narrative novel that is designed in an elevated style that deals with the trials and achievement of great heroes. The virtues that are celebrated in the novel are of national, military, religion, and political as well as historical significance. For instance, Odyssey is one of the earliest epic that is still in existence in a number of ways. The epic of Odyssey opens with the subject and the statements of Muse who identifies the techniques that is associated with trials and…

After defeating Grendel, the vicious monster that was terrorizing the Danes, Beowulf was rewarded with fame, glory, and treasure. Amidst the celebration, the point of view is flashed back to another time when Siegmund, a great warrior who killed the treasure-rich dragon, foundered as a result of his vanity and pride. In this passage, Siegmund and Beowulf are being juxtaposed because of their similar triumphs and because they both earned many gifts for their feats. However, through a reassured…

While popular culture depicts Vikings as a very homogeneous warrior group, there were actually many layers and nuances to Norse culture and society. Given that the Viking period extended from 800 AD to 1050 AD, the Norse groups experienced multiple cultural shifts and political shifts that can be seen throughout their stories and cultural artifacts. Prior to the majority of Viking expansion, much of their culture was defined by closely knit kin groups and one’s honor was deeply tied to your…

In in exhausting yet thrilling journey, we follow a warrior named Beowulf as he encounters hellish monsters whilst maintaining strong relationships with the Danes and the Geats. Because of his gracious acts of kindness, fame has engulfed this hero throughout epic proportions. From fighting a vicious beast and his vengeful mother, to slaying a dragon, he’s capable of anything. Acts of fame and glory are explicitly highlighted throughout the text, giving our hero the respect he deserves. The…

To be able to discuss and analyze the words properly, it is necessary to know their history. The temporal and spatial origin as well as the development of their meanings can deliver crucial information towards answering the research questions. Hence, this part is concerned with the etymology of knight and gentleman. Knight has three functions: it can be used as a verb (e.g. The Queen makes a knight of him.), a noun (e.g. The knights fought bravely in the battle.) and is also as family name.…

For ages people have been thieving. They steal from another’s ideas, build off of their genuine thoughts only to make their work of literature come together and then call it an original piece. This is just the case in Beowulf, the first piece of British literature. Beowulf was most likely created by a Christian between the 7th and 10th century anno domini. This long work of literature was not originally written down but rather told orally. Because of this fact, many different individuals could…

Beowulf is the longest surviving Old English poem. For many years the only way the story was told was orally, but sooner or later it was transcripted by monks during the eighth and ninth centuries. The epic poem is set in Scandinavia and mostly involves the Geats, Danes and Swedes, it was based on Christianity and Pagan beliefs. Beowulf was a Hero who fought many demons such as Grendel, Grendel’s mom and the treacherous fire breathing dragon. Beowulf was an honest and faithful King, and was well…