Seamus Heaney

modern and ancient times, gold is a versatile, tangible symbol of wealth and power, and a standard on which monetary and symbolic value is placed. In Anglo-Saxon England, many connotations of gold are represented in the poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney. John Gardner's novel Grendel presents gold in a modern literary context. Although both literary works focus on relatively the same characters and context, gold plays a different role in each. The meaning of gold in Beowulf evolves from…

“A shadow from under the pale moon he moved, That fiend from hell, foul enemy of God,” Grendel, is described to be a descendant of Cain, the first murderer in the bible (Heaney). At the mention of this, the audience would portray him as evil. Though the movie does mention that Grendel is a descendant of Cain, it portrays Grendel as a victim, showing him as a young child playing with his father until he is murdered before…

all knew of my awesome strength. They had see me bolstered in the blood of enemies when I battled and bound five beasts, Raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea slaughtered sea-brutes” (lines 417-421) from Beowulf: A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney. From this quote you see what Beowulf is know for. Which is being a archetypical hero. The archetypal hero usually has some form of journey known as the Hero’s Journey. Beowulf from Geatland is an archetypical hero because his story follows…

I woke up as my alarm went off, and shortly I get into the shower, and I get ready. As I got into my car and drove off to school. I remembered high school as being fun and interesting. As I looked down at my class schedule I heard the first-hour bell ring. The class had come to an end and I started to walk into the hallway, I remember seeing my friends and we talked. Approaching the cafeteria, I saw deans in the room as they were there to make sure students did not sneak in. I bought a water…

Throughout generations kings are portrayed as admirable and successful. Despite their mistakes kings have always been respected. In these two stories, Antigone and The Thousand and One Nights, there is King Creon and King Shahryar. During the beginning of the stories there are similarities between these kings. However, each story has a woman that helped them reflect on their decisions and see how wrong they were. Antigone and Shahrazad are both were strong and believe in justice. King Creon and…

An epic hero is defined as a larger than life hero who embodies the values of a particular society. The Anglo-Saxons greatly admired heroes, they were an important part of their culture. The ideal hero for the Anglo-Saxons is a man who has outstanding courage, fierce personal valor , loyalty to their tribe, and is a generous ruler. One such hero Beowulf takes on great challenges and adventures. The Anglo-saxon epic Beowulf, the oldest surviving epic in the world, has been told and retold by the…

The epic poem Beowulf was translated by Seamus Heaney and was written by an unknown poet during the Anglo-Saxen time period. Beowulf is a story about a warrior living in what is on Denmark. The poem tells of some of the many quests that this young warrior has attempted throughout his life. After attempting these quests some consider him a hero, while others do not. Whether he is a hero or not he fought many brave battles. In these battles Beowulf has encountered many terrifying monsters and…

Pride is something everyone posses or obtains throughout his or her life. Pride can be beneficial, the reminder of one’s achievements to help sustain one during a time of distress, or while proving oneself to another. In contrast, pride can also be detrimental to a situation. One’s boastfulness can cloud his or her vision and make every environment seem like one advantageous to that person. Pride can even lead to a death, whether that be physical or metaphorical. As a result of excessive plume,…

and evil throughout the poem’s actions, beliefs, monsters, heroes, Anglo-Saxon characteristics and paganism. “Beowulf” is an Old English literature poem that was published in 1815. The poem’s author is unknown, but “Beowulf” was edited by Seamus Heaney for “The Norton Anthology English Literature” book. “Beowulf” was written based on Anglo-Saxon beliefs and values. Christianity also played a big role on how “Beowulf” was structured and created. Beowulf is a warrior from Gates who travels to…

In the novel Grendel by John Gardner and the epic poem Beowulf translated version by Seamus Heaney reveals the striking comparisons and contrasts between the two main characters. Both literature pieces emphasize the disparities as well as the indistinguishable comparisons between the two characters, successfully altering the reader’s views of Grendel, the big, bad, God forsaken “Hell-Brute” and Beowulf, the strong, selfless hero, the benediction of Heorot, by means of value and sense of war,…