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Beowulf Essay
The oldest English epic, Beowulf, although composed twelve centuries ago, uses many of the same
ideals and values that exist in modern life and modern literature. These attributes are still important,
but they do not occupy every aspect of life as in Anglo–
Saxon England. Some of the ideals have little use today, such as fate, while other virtues, such as
loyalty, are encouraged and highly respected traits. Other values, like fame, have taken on bad
connotations in modern day and are not esteemed as they once were.
Fate, the idea that destiny is predetermined and nothing can be done to change that, was highly
esteemed in Beowulf's time, but is of little use today. Anglo–Saxon warriors knew that they only had
two options when they entered...show more content...
It original from the Biblical ideas of honoring God, honoring parents, honoring neighbors, et al.
Fidelity between husband and wife is one sign of loyalty. Another is allegiance between countries.
The Anglos felt a deep responsibility for fulfilling these duties. Fortunately, loyalty has held on
through the many centuries since Beowulf. Today, man feels a responsibility, but it often gets ignored.
Competitition in all forms is the main reason. Personal advancement is too tempting.
Still, loyalty is admirable in those who are strong enough to resist temptation.
Fame is a less admired quality today than in Beowulf. Fame meant eternal respect to the
Anglo–Saxons. This is partly because fame came mostly after death spread the achievements across
the land. Without mass communication, tales of heroic deeds took much more time pass from
person to person. Fame was not assured. It was mostly luck that anyone found about of the exploits
of someone so far away. Most Anglo–Saxons were illiterate, therefore the tales had to be told from
person to person. Today, fame is not as respected and often held in disdain by common people.
Fame seems limited to a few fortunate ones who were in the right place at the right time. Infamy is
much more accessible to the majority. The easiest way to get in the news is to kill a large amount
of people. Good deeds go largely unnoticed today.
Beowulf's ideals have been along a long time. Though values are determined
individually,
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How is Beowulf an Epic Hero
Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. The epic poem Beowulf describes the most
heroic man of the Anglo–Saxon times. Beowulf is the hero. He shows that he is a great man by
always putting other things before his own needs. He is important and needed by his people and is
known by many as a strong, courageous and a helpful person. He shows all of the qualities and
traits that a true hero possesses. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic
qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They show great bravery, intelligence,
strength and resourcefulness. They have a strong admiration for the values of their society. They are
dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they...show more content...
This shows Beowulf's strength, courage and fearlessness. Through this it is evident that he
possess courageous traits. Beowulf's strength is exemplified many times in the story. Beowulf
was said to have "the strength of thirty men in his mighty handgrip." He fought in numerous
battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf
explains the reason he lost a swimming match with his opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf
been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of
the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel with his bare hands by
ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, he is able to slay her by slashing
the monster's neck with a giant sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf.
When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with no difficulty, but it takes four men
to lift and carry it back to Heorot. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf's heroism. Another heroic
trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his people's welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king
of the Geats so he is sent to help kill Grendel. His actions toward Grendel show that he is willing to
help others. In an epic it is usually found that the hero often determines the fate of a nation or group
of people. He uses his super–human physical strength
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Major Themes In Beowulf
The unknown scop who composed Beowulf sang of legends, calling his listeners to the courageous
life, yet holding out no false expectations. Furthermore, however, no man can win his last fight with
powerful death itself, Beowulf demonstrates to us proper methodologies to rise above the human
condition by the eager fight with our own most noticeably worst fears.This ballad is considered as
an epic since it is a long narrative sonnet which formed in a lifted style, managing the glories of a
legend. The hero, Beowulf is a respectable warrior speaks to the goodness fights against the evil
creatures Grendel, Grendel's mom and the red–hot mythical dragon, keeping in mind the end goal to
protect his kingdom. Beowulf In the Epic Beowulf there are three specific themes that are Good
versus Evil, Revenge, and Personal Honor and Reputation, each portrays the primary ideas for
Beowulf. Good versus Evil is shown through the book of scriptures reference of God and Cain, and
the fight with Grendel. Revenge is depicted all through the poem from Grendel to his own particular
mother. Honor is indicated for the most part through Beowulf. Assembling these three subjects gives
the peruse the primary themes and idea of the Epic Poem Beowulf.
Good versus Evil is the main subject a reader will be able to translate in Beowulf. "The poem
makes Grendel a symbol of evil and places that conception of evil within an explicitly Christian
scheme."(Clarke). It is first perceived by the inference from the
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Essay On Beowulf
In the Old English poem, "Beowulf", one was shown valiance, bravery, and sacrifice. It is
debatable on the fact if Beowulf in an epic poem, or not. After reading "Beowulf", one can argue
that it is an epic because of its characters, the way it's written, and the story.
Initially, it is important to know what defines an epic poem. "An epic poem notes or pertains to a
long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or
events is narrated in elevated style" (Epic). "Beowulf" primarily centers around the main character,
Beowulf. He is depended on to save the village and kinsmen whenever a problem occurs. He is
the main hero of the story and has heroic and godlike capabilities. An epic also tends to have
major loss, as shown in the death of Beowulf, Shield, Hygelac, etc. An epic's hero must be able to
adapt and beat all odds. "In addition to his prowess in battle, Beowulf is resourceful and skillful in
many crafts. If shipwrecked, he is an expert swimmer" (Hero)....show more content...
It has a hero, a villain, loss, an avenger, and much more. "The writer of Beowulf is in fact a true
poet; he has created a tragic unity, he sees with the poet's eye which splits and recombines the
elements of everyday perceptions" (Blomfield). There is much explaining in the poem and is
written in a way to extract emotions. The author took time in his verses to drag out details and wait
to very specific moments that were hand selected by the author. The author wrote it in a way
designed to provoke emotion, and did so brilliantly. He also had loose rhythm, and used alliteration.
Epic poems "have a style that sometimes involves rhyme, but more often it doesn't"
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Cultural Values In Beowulf
Each individual culture has many cultural truths that a group of people follow and believe in.
Cultural truths are principles, values, or standards important to a group of people, which display
moral behaviors that are respected and immoral actions that are scorned at. Also, cultural truths are
norms in a society that you are born into and are expected to do daily because they shape the
lifestyle of a group. For example, during the Anglo–Saxon period, there were a number of cultural
truths that were applied to everyday actions and attitudes. An epic poem, composed based on the
Anglo–Saxon period called Beowulf, written by an unknown author translated by Seamus Heaney,
depicts many of the cultural values of the time period. In the poem, is it revealed that all the cultural
values in the Anglo–Saxon culture are developed from the idea of a warrior culture. The epic poem
is about a hero named Beowulf from the Geats tribe who goes off and helps Hrothgar and the
Danes defeat a monster, Grendel, who attacks their mead hall. Before Beowulf meets his fate he
fights three monsters, which includes Grendel, to protect the lives of people in two different tribes.
Within the epic poem Beowulf, there are several of cultural values presented and focused on such
as, courage in battle, fidelity to one's word, and loyalty to kinsmen, which are all demonstrated by
Beowulf. To begin, a cultural truth admired by the Anglo–Saxon is courage in battle because it is a
trait of a good warrior in the eyes of Anglo–Saxon people. Courage in battle is the ability to not be
afraid of the enemy, be strong, and brave. Beowulf shows his above average strength and courage
in battle when he is going to battle Grendel: "When it comes to battle, I count myself/ as dangerous
any day as Grendel,/ ... No weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me/ if
face me he dares" (Beowulf 677–685). In this quote Beowulf states and declares his abandonment of
weapons, as well as his belief that he is as strong as Grendel, so he will fight him without a weapon.
This shows Beowulf's courage in battle because it displays his tremendous strength and boldness by
going to fight a monster with no weapons, which demonstrates that he is not
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Epic of Beowulf Essay
Beowulf: An Epic Poem
To qualify as an epic poem, Beowulf reflects the values of the culture in which it was created. The
Anglo–Saxon culture and the poem share many of the same values. They shared a heroic ideal that
included loyalty, strength, courage, courtesy, and generosity. Like all epic poems Beowulf is a long
narrative work that tells the adventures of a great hero and also reflects the values of the society in
which it was written. Both Beowulf and the Anglo–Saxons believed in those qualities as an
individual.
The strongest ties of loyalty in their society were to kin and lord. A kingdom was only as strong as
its war–leader king. In order to have loyal men, the King needed to repay them. In other words the
men...show more content...
They burnt and destroyed the monuments of Roman occupation and let the roads and cities fall
into utter disrepair. As Gildas, a British monks, phrases it, "the red tongue of flame licked up the
whole land form end to end, till it slaked its horrid thirst in the western ocean" (Allen, 47). Those
characteristics are also seen in the epic poem of Beowulf. It is a story of savage pirates, clad in shirts
of ring–armoire, and greedy of gold and ale. "The noblest leader is he who builds a great hall,
throws up open for his people to carouse in, and liberally deals out beer, and bracelets, and money
at the feast". Much of which they received from the king. When Beowulf first killed Grendel,
there was a large feast in Hrothgar's hall, Herot. There the queen served ale, and the king gave
Beowulf and his men treasures. Fighting and drinking are the men's' two delights. The joy of
battle is warm in their hearts. They are fearless and greedy and not ashamed of living by the strong
hand alone. These men were always loyal to their king in the time of need because they were
rewarded in the end (Allen, 16).
Beowulf was a member of the Geat tribe who is described by the poet as "greater/And stronger than
anyone anywhere in this world" (Beowulf,** 195–196).Beowulf is bringing fourteen of his strongest
men across the sea to aid Hrothgar. Hrothgar did not ask for help from Beowulf or anyone else, but
this warrior takes it upon himself to
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Beowulf Response
Beowulf
Beowulf is a famous epic poem and in this I will describe what I've taken from this poem. Also I will
discuss how I can apply lesson from this poem to my own life. While explaining the point of
Beowulf.
From my own perception Beowulf is about constantly over estimating yourself such as our main hero
Beowulf. As strong and heroic as he may have been he never seemed to pick his own battles
Cleary he handled Grendel well. But Grendel's mother was a turning point where Beowulf should
have noticed that his skills were maybe not as keen as he may have led us to believe. For he did
win but with a good put up struggle knowing towards the end of the story Beowulf was getting
weak choose to be ignorant and go on and fight the dragon anyways...show more content...
My second piece of evidence on lines 480 he began to show that he was not as strong as we may
have led on to be of course only slight difficulties but nonetheless Beowulf was struggling to free
himself from Grendel's mother's clutches and could not free his sword. Showing Beowulf does have
flaws.
My third piece of evidence is on line 495 is where Beowulf also showed flaw when he attempted
to use hrunting against Grendel's mother and realized at that point "that no sword could slice her
evil" my fourth piece of evidence is on lines 625 in the introduction stanza Beowulf demonstrates his
first sense of doubtfulness was where he told his men about the exploit in his kingdom and how we
wants things ruled if he does not return witch is directly meaning that Beowulf is being ignorant the
fact that he's going off to
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Beowulf Argumentative Essay
A prolific and boastful hero prince who goes on many breathtaking and daring adventures that would,
later on, come back to bite him in the end. This heroic tale was greatly known as "Beowulf". Which
was written around the 8th through the 11th century by an Anglo–Saxon poet. The intended
audience for this story were the soldiers that followed Beowulf into battle, to instill confidence and
bravery or the soldiers from other countries that were in conflict with or against Beowulf, to instill
fear in the soldiers. The Beowulf tale was an oral tradition told by poets or bards before and after
battles; while the warriors drank, ate, and sang. Beowulf is about a warrior prince coming to the aid
of King Hrothgar of Denmark who is tormented by a demon...show more content...
Being that I am the youngest in my family, I tend to be shy and not as courageous as my older
brothers, but reading stories like "Beowulf" makes me feel like anything is possible if you put
your mind to it. In the second excerpt, Jesus went onto a mountain and began to awaken and
enlighten the people with his teachings. It was later called "The Sermon on the Mount". Which
was written by the apostle Matthew but the year is still undetermined. The intended audience
would be Jesus's disciples and followers. Such as the many denominations of Christians today.
The intended purpose of the sermon was to guide people into doing what was right and what was
holy in the eyes of the lord. Jesus taught orally while his disciples wrote down what he said. Then,
later on, it was translated into different languages. One of the things Jesus talked about was giving
to the poor. Jesus said that basically giving to the poor is an honor by men but those who
broadcast that good deed are hypocrites. So when you can give without expecting anything in
return is a blessing in itself. Another thing Jesus talked about was the golden rule, which states ("
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find" in Fiero
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Theme Of Loyalty In Beowulf
Loyalty and courage are two themes that emerge throughout the poem 'Beowulf by Seamus Heaney'.
With a focus on an extract in Beowulf, this essay will explore how Seamus Heaney shows the
themes loyalty and courage through the use of diction and imagery.
In this extract, Beowulf is seen battling the dragon with his companions, however, Beowulf's
companions all leave except for Wiglaf. Wiglaf expresses his loyalty and dedication towards
Beowulf through a speech and bravely helps Beowulf. Beowulf then uses his sword to try and kill
the dragon, but the sword snaps as it is made of iron. The dragon attacks Beowulf in which it
succeeds, biting Beowulf in the neck. Wiglaf saw his king in danger and rushes to his rescue,
knifing the dragon in its...show more content...
The imagery of the word 'lunged' also depicted an image of Wiglaf diving headfirst into danger to
fight the dragon who harmed his leader, showing Wiglauf faithfulness to Beowulf while also
illustrating Wiglauf's bravery.
Courage is also a theme seen throughout the whole poem and specifically in this extract through
Wiglauf's speech, action and also Beowulf's action. The speech as a whole shows that Wiglauf is
willing to courageously fight with Beowulf even if it meant he would die. The line 'I shall stand
by you' in line 2668 not only displays Wiglauf's loyalty towards Beowulf but also the courage
bestowed upon Wiglauf. The contrast between Beowulf's companions leaving and Wiglauf
staying to fight with Beowulf also presents to us the loyalty and bravery Wiglauf has in his
character. During the fight, Wiglaf's body armor was 'useless to him' as the fire from the dragon
was too powerful, nevertheless, Wiglaf did not retreat. Instead, it is seen in line 2675 that 'Wiglaf
did well under the wide rim' showing that even though the body armor that protects Wiglaf from
harm's way wasn't up to par, he did not cower, rather fought bravely side by side with Beowulf to
defeat the dragon.
Another example that showed Wiglaf's bravery was when Beowulf got bitten on the neck. After
Wiglaf noticed that Beowulf was hurt, Wiglaf went to fight the dragon without any hesitation even
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How Does Beowulf Relate To Real Life
Beowulf is a poem set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar,
the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as
Grendel. After Beowulf, him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated.
I believe that Beowulf can, in fact, relate towards real life. In the story, Hrothgar is a king, with a
strong passion to lead the Danes into glory, which he does. They swear their swords to Hrothgar
and with the armies, build a high hall, that can hold his mighty band and riches. In modern life,
Hrothgar can represent a businessman, who was handed down a family company and turned it into
something bigger and greater. Then, dividing spoils among his soldiers for their good works in
battle, Hrothgar can represent a businessman, who has built up his company into something great
with the help of his employees. With their help, he gives them a great bonus, so he earns great
respect from the people who work for him.
When Grendel comes into the picture, he wipes out thirty men in a vicious slaughter. This can be in
real life, for example, another company driving out business and sadly forcing Hrothgar to fire some
of his employees. So far, Grendel is the company with the most success, until Beowulf enters the
picture, Beowulf walks in to Hrothgar's...show more content...
evil. Beowulf was a prince of the Geats. He fought Grendel, a nasty evil creature, and won. The
evil Grendel fled and disappeared in the waters to die. Beowulf was good because he defeated
Grendel. Grendel may have died, but his mother still lived. This is just like if Beowulf was a
bully and was picking on a helpless kid, the kids mother would come out and handle it. So Beowulf
plunges into the waters in an attempt to kill Grendels mother. He kills her. The moral of the story is
that good always wins. Beowulf is the proud hero. He loves nothing more than the fame, glory, and
riches that his winning gains
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Main Ideas and Themes of Beowulf Essay
Beowulf and Sir Gawain have many things in common. We will be discussing them later on, but
their main similarity is that they're both heroes. A hero is a person who must pass through a test
and a battle (mental, spiritual or physical) to help someone else. He must be selfless, and act for
others rather than himself. All societies have supported heroes, like the ancient Greek's Hercules and
the modern day Spiderman. These are hero stereotypes, with supernatural powers. Heroes don't have
to be stereotypes, but can be firemen, policemen or soldiers. Two famous heroes in ancient literature
are Beowulf and Sir Gawain.
Beowulf is about a guard who must destroy a destructive monster who has...show more content...
Beowulf's test is to defeat the evil creature Grendel, protecting his hall and soldiers. Sir Gawain's
test is to resist temptation to steal a magic belt, and steal the master's wife! Even though both tests
are different, Beowulf's test and Gawain's test both test courage. The courage to take on a monster
and the courage to resist stealing and keeping you're word! In the end, both succeeded, Grendel
was killed, and sir Gawain received his blow, and stayed alive, but both had consequences.
Beowulf's friends got killed, and later on Grendel's mother attacks him, and sir Gawain had been
given a cut to his neck, and lost his honor.
The test the heroes have to face, is often put up by a villain, and both have their fair share of
villains. In Beowulf the enemy is a dark monster, which eats human and has super–strength, enough
to bend iron. In Sir Gawain, the apparent villain is the green knight, who challenges sir Gawain to a
grueling 'beheading contest'. After it's head falls off, he is not harmed, so he has some weird
magical qualities. Both have supernatural powers and striking appearances, but the difference is that
in sir Gawain and the green knight, the green knight is just the master of the kingdom in disguise,
testing the nobility of King Arthur's knights, and not a mortal enemy.
The main difference in the two poems is the
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Beowulf: Themes
Beowulf: Themes
The Anglo–Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well
deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the story of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf,
who rids the Danes of the monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, and of his exploits fighting Grendel
's mother and a Dragon. Throughout the epic, the Anglo–Saxon story teller uses many elements to
build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the important character elements in Beowulf are
Wealth & Honor, Biblical &
Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes. Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics,
defined by their status. But, in addition to status, the Anglo–Saxon culture also adds an element of
...show more content...
Another Biblical reference in Beowulf is shown in the tower of
Herot which is very similar to the tower of Babel in the fact that it 's built as a sign of superiority
and accomplishment. Like Babel, though, Herot only serves as a symbol of downfall more than
one of glory because it causes many deaths and the coming of Grendel. Apart from Wealth, Honor,
and Paganistic vs. Biblical themes and motifs, character is also shown through a certain Man vs.
Wild motif. This motif shows the difference between mankind 's ways (good), and evil 's wild
nature (evil).
Grendel for one, is totally wild and is therefore shown as evil. His wild home,
"Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell not hell but earth."
shows his wild, untamed, and therefor evil nature.
Grendel 's wilderness is countered in mankind 's ways, especially Beowulf 's.
Beowulf is tame and civilized, the epitomy of goodness and purity. Beowulf doesn 't fight evil in a
wild manner, rather, as shown in his first battle with
Grendel. First off, Beowulf is pure and shows this before his battle when he removes his armor and
vows not to use a weapon to defeat Grendel. Defeating
Grendel, he shows that man, without armor and weapons, can defeat evil in any form including that
of his foe Grendel. This deed serves throughout the epic serves as a symbol of Beowulf
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Narrative Essay About Beowulf
Season: Summer Location: Riverfalls aquarium. Date: 30th of Summer, 492AV Outside, the hot
sun sat high above Riverfall. With summer under way the atmosphere was thick with clouds and
humidity. Child and adult alike gathered together in search of whatever reprieve could be found,
sticking to refreshing water and cool shade. Some chose a more adventurous method to escape the
oppressive weather, taking to the water park and aquarium. Occasionally Zaileys father would pay
to cross the waters between Alvadas and Riverfall to trade some of the skins he had gathered over
the past season or two. Tanning wasn't what he was paid to do in Alvadas but more of the result of a
pastime he enjoyed and an excuse to visit Riverfall. Because there was always the risk of danger, the
father would normally take one of his boys with him, confident that if things turned sour, they would
have a better chance at taking care of themselves. This time however, after much thought and
discussion with his wife, he invited his daughter, believing the journey to be an excellent opportunity
to bond with his youngest. After the many...show more content...
All the way to The Stained Pelt, Zaileys eyes darted around. There were so many things to see,
but unlike at home, they would stay where she saw them. It was hard for her to grasp the idea of
a stationary city. "Dad," she started in an attempt to get his attention, "Will everything really be
in the same place when we come back here?" His answer was just a chuckle and a nod. He knew it
would be difficult to believe at first, having lived in Alvadas her whole life, but she would see for
herself later. "Zai, once we're at The Stained Pelt, you can go exploring if you want. Navigating this
place should be easy compared to home." The idea of exploring a new place put a sparkle of
excitement in her eye and a smile on her
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William Shakespeare 's ' Beowulf ' Essay
Tuttle 1
Beowulf– Unfit to be King of the Geats For 1000 years we have been reading of the adventures of
Beowulf, and his story was told for hundreds of years before. The tale is full of trials, tribulations,
adventure, great loss, great victory, and wonderful battles. But, what do we make of it? Is it a tale
told to illustrate the virtues of the epic hero himself, or is it a cautionary tale, told to warn the
readers of the dangers of allowing unqualified men (or women) to ascend to a position of leadership
and the inevitable results of such an event?
The author of Beowulf takes great care to describe the hero in detail, and we, as readers, learn about
his abundant courage and strength. We are taken on a tour through his early struggles, his successes
against the great monster Grendel and Grendel's mother, and his ultimate demise during his battle
with a dragon. But one needs to analyze the unstated theme in order to fully appreciate the effect
that Beowulf has had on readers for generations. Stanley Greenfield, in his article "Beowulf and
Epic Tragedy" writes that, in the end, "For all of Beowulf's efforts, he is reaped only with useless
gold, for a nation soon to perish" (104). This is representative of the core issue at hand in this epic.
Beowulf is unfit to be a great king, despite his physical prowess. Because of his early and
continuing history of foolishly taking unnecessary risks, his excessive pride and lack of humility, the
diminishing quality of his personal
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Beowulf Research Paper
Beowulf is a story describing a brave man killing monsters. Beowulf's story is considered an epic.
It has all of the characteristics to be one. This essay will show you examples of the characteristics
how it is an epic. With the long, narrative stories about a battle. Mostly because of the poem showing
the hero's success in something or showing the cultural values of the religious group of the Christians.
Beowulf shows many characteristics of being an epic. One of them are how it is a long and narrative
poem. This is by how it is forty–one chapters long, with many long catalogs. The poem is dignified
and uses many figures of speech. In many ways shown in this poem the universal theme would
come across are good versus evil. An example is
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Beowulf Argumentative Essay
After college, many people are thrown into the big and open world with only a little experience
from past experiences. People often know at this point what they are going to do with their lives
and have some experience to work with. Beowulf is now working, yet again, to protect the people
of Herot, but this time he has experience from his previous battle and is more prepared for the
next major battle. As was said in class, Beowulf may have felt obligated to defeat Grendel's
mother because of his previous triumph against Grendel, and he may have been seeking more
fame. This can be compared to someone in real life who does something to impress their boss in
order to get a promotion or just to be on their good side. Unferth is very resistant to
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Beowulf Argument Essay
Beowulf was a poem written as a foundational text in British Culture, by Seamus Heaney. Beowulf
is the story of shame future told through the eyes of a guilt culture. Not only does it critique the way
society runs, but reinforces how critical a society is. The Anglo– Saxon society relates to the poem
to critique everything wrong in society, such as bravery, truth, loyalty, and perseverance.Beowulf as
a story is still relevant in today's world because he shows that his personal code of honor or ethics
is stricter than that of the people around him, when he's offered a distinction that many people want
him to accept and turns it down because it belongs by right to someone else. Monsters in Beowulf
show how society has large problems, including greed and death. In modern today, society still
deals with conflict over these issues as well. Often in modern times, people are obsessed with
material goods and being the best, and...show more content...
Not only are morals valid today, but they are necessary for a society to run smoothly, no matter seen
as religious or not. Just as the poem begins, starts, "So. The Spear– Danes in days gone by and the
kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns
(Heaney, 1–3). This definition of courage described as the ultimate form of greatness. The Danes
are going to be seen as heroic and celebrated because of their bravery. Beowulf has numerous ways
that it can be related to modern today. Since Beowulf is considered to be a foundational text of
British culture, it is a beloved classic in history, being the oldest Old English text that we have
access to. The Anglo– Saxon society that is being described reinforces the conflict that is still
modern today, the Christian symbolism, and the morals still reinforced
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Examples Of How Much Do You Know About Beowulf
How much do you know about Beowulf? There are many stories about old tales but this one is
one of the greatest. This passage will be on how Beowulf's personalities and about what he is. It
will take about action, hero, and speech/style. Beowulf is a character that loves action and to be
apart of doing jobs and hard tasks. He is very courageous. He doesn't fear or feel pain unlike the
other warriors. Beowulf believes in fate of nation that if he dies then it was his time. He doesn't use
a sword in battles because if he wins it shows more honor towards him. He takes the honor of a hero
and brave. Beowulf is willing to go into battle with anyone and anything he has to. He don't fear
anyone or anything and will battle till his death. Beowulf
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Paragraph On Beowulf
4. Write a short paragraph about something from the class reading that reflects Anglo Saxon culture
and/or belief
comitutus, honor, glory, and where all displayed in Beowulf's last battle. As beowulf was old and
tired he gose into his this battle looking for fame and glory. As he and his thanes went out to fight
the fire breathing drangon all he was looking for was fame. Once beowulf was down all his thanes
ran to the woods but one his name was wiglaf he stood there whatching his king burn and he didnt
leave he stayed and fought, showing comitatus to his kings. He then helped the king, showing
loyatiy and not being scared of getting killed for his great lord.
5. Provide an image that you think captures something about the day's reading.
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Beowulf
Beowulf An Epic Hero Beowulf: An Epic Hero Being a hero can be defined many different ways.
Several qualities like courage, respect, and strength can define heroism. A hero is noted for his or
her actions for being brave, powerful, and acting with honor. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the main
character Beowulf shows all of these characteristics by defending the Danish king, Hrothgar, and
his people. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect
others. Beowulf embodies the qualities of bravery, being powerful, and demonstrating his honor;
therefore, he can be considered a true hero. A way Beowulf demonstrates his heroism is the way he
stays true to the Geats by honoring them. Before...show more content...
1822–1826). Beowulf's honor far exceeds the average person's, and his actions and words show for
it. Not only is Beowulf honorable and well respected, he is brave as well. His courage is shown by
not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane's enemies. By being self–assured, Beowulf is
able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is
planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, "I've never known fear, as a youth
I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding
in his tower dares to face me."(ll. 2511–2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon
alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying,
"When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides
which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat
this monster."(ll. 2525–2534). In his actions, Beowulf's bravery is clearly shown throughout the
poem. A final example of heroic qualities shown by Beowulf is his power. The mental and
physical strength is mandatory to being a hero. No Dane, before Beowulf's arrival, is able to defeat
Grendel because of fear and
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Beowulf Essay Topics

  • 1. Beowulf Essay The oldest English epic, Beowulf, although composed twelve centuries ago, uses many of the same ideals and values that exist in modern life and modern literature. These attributes are still important, but they do not occupy every aspect of life as in Anglo– Saxon England. Some of the ideals have little use today, such as fate, while other virtues, such as loyalty, are encouraged and highly respected traits. Other values, like fame, have taken on bad connotations in modern day and are not esteemed as they once were. Fate, the idea that destiny is predetermined and nothing can be done to change that, was highly esteemed in Beowulf's time, but is of little use today. Anglo–Saxon warriors knew that they only had two options when they entered...show more content... It original from the Biblical ideas of honoring God, honoring parents, honoring neighbors, et al. Fidelity between husband and wife is one sign of loyalty. Another is allegiance between countries. The Anglos felt a deep responsibility for fulfilling these duties. Fortunately, loyalty has held on through the many centuries since Beowulf. Today, man feels a responsibility, but it often gets ignored. Competitition in all forms is the main reason. Personal advancement is too tempting. Still, loyalty is admirable in those who are strong enough to resist temptation. Fame is a less admired quality today than in Beowulf. Fame meant eternal respect to the Anglo–Saxons. This is partly because fame came mostly after death spread the achievements across the land. Without mass communication, tales of heroic deeds took much more time pass from person to person. Fame was not assured. It was mostly luck that anyone found about of the exploits of someone so far away. Most Anglo–Saxons were illiterate, therefore the tales had to be told from person to person. Today, fame is not as respected and often held in disdain by common people. Fame seems limited to a few fortunate ones who were in the right place at the right time. Infamy is much more accessible to the majority. The easiest way to get in the news is to kill a large amount of people. Good deeds go largely unnoticed today. Beowulf's ideals have been along a long time. Though values are determined individually, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. How is Beowulf an Epic Hero Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo–Saxon times. Beowulf is the hero. He shows that he is a great man by always putting other things before his own needs. He is important and needed by his people and is known by many as a strong, courageous and a helpful person. He shows all of the qualities and traits that a true hero possesses. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They show great bravery, intelligence, strength and resourcefulness. They have a strong admiration for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they...show more content... This shows Beowulf's strength, courage and fearlessness. Through this it is evident that he possess courageous traits. Beowulf's strength is exemplified many times in the story. Beowulf was said to have "the strength of thirty men in his mighty handgrip." He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he lost a swimming match with his opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster's neck with a giant sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with no difficulty, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Heorot. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf's heroism. Another heroic trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his people's welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king of the Geats so he is sent to help kill Grendel. His actions toward Grendel show that he is willing to help others. In an epic it is usually found that the hero often determines the fate of a nation or group of people. He uses his super–human physical strength Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Major Themes In Beowulf The unknown scop who composed Beowulf sang of legends, calling his listeners to the courageous life, yet holding out no false expectations. Furthermore, however, no man can win his last fight with powerful death itself, Beowulf demonstrates to us proper methodologies to rise above the human condition by the eager fight with our own most noticeably worst fears.This ballad is considered as an epic since it is a long narrative sonnet which formed in a lifted style, managing the glories of a legend. The hero, Beowulf is a respectable warrior speaks to the goodness fights against the evil creatures Grendel, Grendel's mom and the red–hot mythical dragon, keeping in mind the end goal to protect his kingdom. Beowulf In the Epic Beowulf there are three specific themes that are Good versus Evil, Revenge, and Personal Honor and Reputation, each portrays the primary ideas for Beowulf. Good versus Evil is shown through the book of scriptures reference of God and Cain, and the fight with Grendel. Revenge is depicted all through the poem from Grendel to his own particular mother. Honor is indicated for the most part through Beowulf. Assembling these three subjects gives the peruse the primary themes and idea of the Epic Poem Beowulf. Good versus Evil is the main subject a reader will be able to translate in Beowulf. "The poem makes Grendel a symbol of evil and places that conception of evil within an explicitly Christian scheme."(Clarke). It is first perceived by the inference from the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Essay On Beowulf In the Old English poem, "Beowulf", one was shown valiance, bravery, and sacrifice. It is debatable on the fact if Beowulf in an epic poem, or not. After reading "Beowulf", one can argue that it is an epic because of its characters, the way it's written, and the story. Initially, it is important to know what defines an epic poem. "An epic poem notes or pertains to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style" (Epic). "Beowulf" primarily centers around the main character, Beowulf. He is depended on to save the village and kinsmen whenever a problem occurs. He is the main hero of the story and has heroic and godlike capabilities. An epic also tends to have major loss, as shown in the death of Beowulf, Shield, Hygelac, etc. An epic's hero must be able to adapt and beat all odds. "In addition to his prowess in battle, Beowulf is resourceful and skillful in many crafts. If shipwrecked, he is an expert swimmer" (Hero)....show more content... It has a hero, a villain, loss, an avenger, and much more. "The writer of Beowulf is in fact a true poet; he has created a tragic unity, he sees with the poet's eye which splits and recombines the elements of everyday perceptions" (Blomfield). There is much explaining in the poem and is written in a way to extract emotions. The author took time in his verses to drag out details and wait to very specific moments that were hand selected by the author. The author wrote it in a way designed to provoke emotion, and did so brilliantly. He also had loose rhythm, and used alliteration. Epic poems "have a style that sometimes involves rhyme, but more often it doesn't" Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Cultural Values In Beowulf Each individual culture has many cultural truths that a group of people follow and believe in. Cultural truths are principles, values, or standards important to a group of people, which display moral behaviors that are respected and immoral actions that are scorned at. Also, cultural truths are norms in a society that you are born into and are expected to do daily because they shape the lifestyle of a group. For example, during the Anglo–Saxon period, there were a number of cultural truths that were applied to everyday actions and attitudes. An epic poem, composed based on the Anglo–Saxon period called Beowulf, written by an unknown author translated by Seamus Heaney, depicts many of the cultural values of the time period. In the poem, is it revealed that all the cultural values in the Anglo–Saxon culture are developed from the idea of a warrior culture. The epic poem is about a hero named Beowulf from the Geats tribe who goes off and helps Hrothgar and the Danes defeat a monster, Grendel, who attacks their mead hall. Before Beowulf meets his fate he fights three monsters, which includes Grendel, to protect the lives of people in two different tribes. Within the epic poem Beowulf, there are several of cultural values presented and focused on such as, courage in battle, fidelity to one's word, and loyalty to kinsmen, which are all demonstrated by Beowulf. To begin, a cultural truth admired by the Anglo–Saxon is courage in battle because it is a trait of a good warrior in the eyes of Anglo–Saxon people. Courage in battle is the ability to not be afraid of the enemy, be strong, and brave. Beowulf shows his above average strength and courage in battle when he is going to battle Grendel: "When it comes to battle, I count myself/ as dangerous any day as Grendel,/ ... No weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me/ if face me he dares" (Beowulf 677–685). In this quote Beowulf states and declares his abandonment of weapons, as well as his belief that he is as strong as Grendel, so he will fight him without a weapon. This shows Beowulf's courage in battle because it displays his tremendous strength and boldness by going to fight a monster with no weapons, which demonstrates that he is not Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Epic of Beowulf Essay Beowulf: An Epic Poem To qualify as an epic poem, Beowulf reflects the values of the culture in which it was created. The Anglo–Saxon culture and the poem share many of the same values. They shared a heroic ideal that included loyalty, strength, courage, courtesy, and generosity. Like all epic poems Beowulf is a long narrative work that tells the adventures of a great hero and also reflects the values of the society in which it was written. Both Beowulf and the Anglo–Saxons believed in those qualities as an individual. The strongest ties of loyalty in their society were to kin and lord. A kingdom was only as strong as its war–leader king. In order to have loyal men, the King needed to repay them. In other words the men...show more content... They burnt and destroyed the monuments of Roman occupation and let the roads and cities fall into utter disrepair. As Gildas, a British monks, phrases it, "the red tongue of flame licked up the whole land form end to end, till it slaked its horrid thirst in the western ocean" (Allen, 47). Those characteristics are also seen in the epic poem of Beowulf. It is a story of savage pirates, clad in shirts of ring–armoire, and greedy of gold and ale. "The noblest leader is he who builds a great hall, throws up open for his people to carouse in, and liberally deals out beer, and bracelets, and money at the feast". Much of which they received from the king. When Beowulf first killed Grendel, there was a large feast in Hrothgar's hall, Herot. There the queen served ale, and the king gave Beowulf and his men treasures. Fighting and drinking are the men's' two delights. The joy of battle is warm in their hearts. They are fearless and greedy and not ashamed of living by the strong hand alone. These men were always loyal to their king in the time of need because they were rewarded in the end (Allen, 16). Beowulf was a member of the Geat tribe who is described by the poet as "greater/And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world" (Beowulf,** 195–196).Beowulf is bringing fourteen of his strongest men across the sea to aid Hrothgar. Hrothgar did not ask for help from Beowulf or anyone else, but this warrior takes it upon himself to Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. Beowulf Response Beowulf Beowulf is a famous epic poem and in this I will describe what I've taken from this poem. Also I will discuss how I can apply lesson from this poem to my own life. While explaining the point of Beowulf. From my own perception Beowulf is about constantly over estimating yourself such as our main hero Beowulf. As strong and heroic as he may have been he never seemed to pick his own battles Cleary he handled Grendel well. But Grendel's mother was a turning point where Beowulf should have noticed that his skills were maybe not as keen as he may have led us to believe. For he did win but with a good put up struggle knowing towards the end of the story Beowulf was getting weak choose to be ignorant and go on and fight the dragon anyways...show more content... My second piece of evidence on lines 480 he began to show that he was not as strong as we may have led on to be of course only slight difficulties but nonetheless Beowulf was struggling to free himself from Grendel's mother's clutches and could not free his sword. Showing Beowulf does have flaws. My third piece of evidence is on line 495 is where Beowulf also showed flaw when he attempted to use hrunting against Grendel's mother and realized at that point "that no sword could slice her evil" my fourth piece of evidence is on lines 625 in the introduction stanza Beowulf demonstrates his first sense of doubtfulness was where he told his men about the exploit in his kingdom and how we wants things ruled if he does not return witch is directly meaning that Beowulf is being ignorant the fact that he's going off to Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Beowulf Argumentative Essay A prolific and boastful hero prince who goes on many breathtaking and daring adventures that would, later on, come back to bite him in the end. This heroic tale was greatly known as "Beowulf". Which was written around the 8th through the 11th century by an Anglo–Saxon poet. The intended audience for this story were the soldiers that followed Beowulf into battle, to instill confidence and bravery or the soldiers from other countries that were in conflict with or against Beowulf, to instill fear in the soldiers. The Beowulf tale was an oral tradition told by poets or bards before and after battles; while the warriors drank, ate, and sang. Beowulf is about a warrior prince coming to the aid of King Hrothgar of Denmark who is tormented by a demon...show more content... Being that I am the youngest in my family, I tend to be shy and not as courageous as my older brothers, but reading stories like "Beowulf" makes me feel like anything is possible if you put your mind to it. In the second excerpt, Jesus went onto a mountain and began to awaken and enlighten the people with his teachings. It was later called "The Sermon on the Mount". Which was written by the apostle Matthew but the year is still undetermined. The intended audience would be Jesus's disciples and followers. Such as the many denominations of Christians today. The intended purpose of the sermon was to guide people into doing what was right and what was holy in the eyes of the lord. Jesus taught orally while his disciples wrote down what he said. Then, later on, it was translated into different languages. One of the things Jesus talked about was giving to the poor. Jesus said that basically giving to the poor is an honor by men but those who broadcast that good deed are hypocrites. So when you can give without expecting anything in return is a blessing in itself. Another thing Jesus talked about was the golden rule, which states (" Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find" in Fiero Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. Theme Of Loyalty In Beowulf Loyalty and courage are two themes that emerge throughout the poem 'Beowulf by Seamus Heaney'. With a focus on an extract in Beowulf, this essay will explore how Seamus Heaney shows the themes loyalty and courage through the use of diction and imagery. In this extract, Beowulf is seen battling the dragon with his companions, however, Beowulf's companions all leave except for Wiglaf. Wiglaf expresses his loyalty and dedication towards Beowulf through a speech and bravely helps Beowulf. Beowulf then uses his sword to try and kill the dragon, but the sword snaps as it is made of iron. The dragon attacks Beowulf in which it succeeds, biting Beowulf in the neck. Wiglaf saw his king in danger and rushes to his rescue, knifing the dragon in its...show more content... The imagery of the word 'lunged' also depicted an image of Wiglaf diving headfirst into danger to fight the dragon who harmed his leader, showing Wiglauf faithfulness to Beowulf while also illustrating Wiglauf's bravery. Courage is also a theme seen throughout the whole poem and specifically in this extract through Wiglauf's speech, action and also Beowulf's action. The speech as a whole shows that Wiglauf is willing to courageously fight with Beowulf even if it meant he would die. The line 'I shall stand by you' in line 2668 not only displays Wiglauf's loyalty towards Beowulf but also the courage bestowed upon Wiglauf. The contrast between Beowulf's companions leaving and Wiglauf staying to fight with Beowulf also presents to us the loyalty and bravery Wiglauf has in his character. During the fight, Wiglaf's body armor was 'useless to him' as the fire from the dragon was too powerful, nevertheless, Wiglaf did not retreat. Instead, it is seen in line 2675 that 'Wiglaf did well under the wide rim' showing that even though the body armor that protects Wiglaf from harm's way wasn't up to par, he did not cower, rather fought bravely side by side with Beowulf to defeat the dragon. Another example that showed Wiglaf's bravery was when Beowulf got bitten on the neck. After Wiglaf noticed that Beowulf was hurt, Wiglaf went to fight the dragon without any hesitation even Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. How Does Beowulf Relate To Real Life Beowulf is a poem set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf, him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. I believe that Beowulf can, in fact, relate towards real life. In the story, Hrothgar is a king, with a strong passion to lead the Danes into glory, which he does. They swear their swords to Hrothgar and with the armies, build a high hall, that can hold his mighty band and riches. In modern life, Hrothgar can represent a businessman, who was handed down a family company and turned it into something bigger and greater. Then, dividing spoils among his soldiers for their good works in battle, Hrothgar can represent a businessman, who has built up his company into something great with the help of his employees. With their help, he gives them a great bonus, so he earns great respect from the people who work for him. When Grendel comes into the picture, he wipes out thirty men in a vicious slaughter. This can be in real life, for example, another company driving out business and sadly forcing Hrothgar to fire some of his employees. So far, Grendel is the company with the most success, until Beowulf enters the picture, Beowulf walks in to Hrothgar's...show more content... evil. Beowulf was a prince of the Geats. He fought Grendel, a nasty evil creature, and won. The evil Grendel fled and disappeared in the waters to die. Beowulf was good because he defeated Grendel. Grendel may have died, but his mother still lived. This is just like if Beowulf was a bully and was picking on a helpless kid, the kids mother would come out and handle it. So Beowulf plunges into the waters in an attempt to kill Grendels mother. He kills her. The moral of the story is that good always wins. Beowulf is the proud hero. He loves nothing more than the fame, glory, and riches that his winning gains Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Main Ideas and Themes of Beowulf Essay Beowulf and Sir Gawain have many things in common. We will be discussing them later on, but their main similarity is that they're both heroes. A hero is a person who must pass through a test and a battle (mental, spiritual or physical) to help someone else. He must be selfless, and act for others rather than himself. All societies have supported heroes, like the ancient Greek's Hercules and the modern day Spiderman. These are hero stereotypes, with supernatural powers. Heroes don't have to be stereotypes, but can be firemen, policemen or soldiers. Two famous heroes in ancient literature are Beowulf and Sir Gawain. Beowulf is about a guard who must destroy a destructive monster who has...show more content... Beowulf's test is to defeat the evil creature Grendel, protecting his hall and soldiers. Sir Gawain's test is to resist temptation to steal a magic belt, and steal the master's wife! Even though both tests are different, Beowulf's test and Gawain's test both test courage. The courage to take on a monster and the courage to resist stealing and keeping you're word! In the end, both succeeded, Grendel was killed, and sir Gawain received his blow, and stayed alive, but both had consequences. Beowulf's friends got killed, and later on Grendel's mother attacks him, and sir Gawain had been given a cut to his neck, and lost his honor. The test the heroes have to face, is often put up by a villain, and both have their fair share of villains. In Beowulf the enemy is a dark monster, which eats human and has super–strength, enough to bend iron. In Sir Gawain, the apparent villain is the green knight, who challenges sir Gawain to a grueling 'beheading contest'. After it's head falls off, he is not harmed, so he has some weird magical qualities. Both have supernatural powers and striking appearances, but the difference is that in sir Gawain and the green knight, the green knight is just the master of the kingdom in disguise, testing the nobility of King Arthur's knights, and not a mortal enemy. The main difference in the two poems is the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Beowulf: Themes Beowulf: Themes The Anglo–Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the story of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of the monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, and of his exploits fighting Grendel 's mother and a Dragon. Throughout the epic, the Anglo–Saxon story teller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth & Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes. Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by their status. But, in addition to status, the Anglo–Saxon culture also adds an element of ...show more content... Another Biblical reference in Beowulf is shown in the tower of Herot which is very similar to the tower of Babel in the fact that it 's built as a sign of superiority and accomplishment. Like Babel, though, Herot only serves as a symbol of downfall more than one of glory because it causes many deaths and the coming of Grendel. Apart from Wealth, Honor, and Paganistic vs. Biblical themes and motifs, character is also shown through a certain Man vs. Wild motif. This motif shows the difference between mankind 's ways (good), and evil 's wild nature (evil). Grendel for one, is totally wild and is therefore shown as evil. His wild home, "Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell not hell but earth." shows his wild, untamed, and therefor evil nature. Grendel 's wilderness is countered in mankind 's ways, especially Beowulf 's. Beowulf is tame and civilized, the epitomy of goodness and purity. Beowulf doesn 't fight evil in a wild manner, rather, as shown in his first battle with Grendel. First off, Beowulf is pure and shows this before his battle when he removes his armor and vows not to use a weapon to defeat Grendel. Defeating Grendel, he shows that man, without armor and weapons, can defeat evil in any form including that of his foe Grendel. This deed serves throughout the epic serves as a symbol of Beowulf Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Narrative Essay About Beowulf Season: Summer Location: Riverfalls aquarium. Date: 30th of Summer, 492AV Outside, the hot sun sat high above Riverfall. With summer under way the atmosphere was thick with clouds and humidity. Child and adult alike gathered together in search of whatever reprieve could be found, sticking to refreshing water and cool shade. Some chose a more adventurous method to escape the oppressive weather, taking to the water park and aquarium. Occasionally Zaileys father would pay to cross the waters between Alvadas and Riverfall to trade some of the skins he had gathered over the past season or two. Tanning wasn't what he was paid to do in Alvadas but more of the result of a pastime he enjoyed and an excuse to visit Riverfall. Because there was always the risk of danger, the father would normally take one of his boys with him, confident that if things turned sour, they would have a better chance at taking care of themselves. This time however, after much thought and discussion with his wife, he invited his daughter, believing the journey to be an excellent opportunity to bond with his youngest. After the many...show more content... All the way to The Stained Pelt, Zaileys eyes darted around. There were so many things to see, but unlike at home, they would stay where she saw them. It was hard for her to grasp the idea of a stationary city. "Dad," she started in an attempt to get his attention, "Will everything really be in the same place when we come back here?" His answer was just a chuckle and a nod. He knew it would be difficult to believe at first, having lived in Alvadas her whole life, but she would see for herself later. "Zai, once we're at The Stained Pelt, you can go exploring if you want. Navigating this place should be easy compared to home." The idea of exploring a new place put a sparkle of excitement in her eye and a smile on her Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. William Shakespeare 's ' Beowulf ' Essay Tuttle 1 Beowulf– Unfit to be King of the Geats For 1000 years we have been reading of the adventures of Beowulf, and his story was told for hundreds of years before. The tale is full of trials, tribulations, adventure, great loss, great victory, and wonderful battles. But, what do we make of it? Is it a tale told to illustrate the virtues of the epic hero himself, or is it a cautionary tale, told to warn the readers of the dangers of allowing unqualified men (or women) to ascend to a position of leadership and the inevitable results of such an event? The author of Beowulf takes great care to describe the hero in detail, and we, as readers, learn about his abundant courage and strength. We are taken on a tour through his early struggles, his successes against the great monster Grendel and Grendel's mother, and his ultimate demise during his battle with a dragon. But one needs to analyze the unstated theme in order to fully appreciate the effect that Beowulf has had on readers for generations. Stanley Greenfield, in his article "Beowulf and Epic Tragedy" writes that, in the end, "For all of Beowulf's efforts, he is reaped only with useless gold, for a nation soon to perish" (104). This is representative of the core issue at hand in this epic. Beowulf is unfit to be a great king, despite his physical prowess. Because of his early and continuing history of foolishly taking unnecessary risks, his excessive pride and lack of humility, the diminishing quality of his personal Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. Beowulf Research Paper Beowulf is a story describing a brave man killing monsters. Beowulf's story is considered an epic. It has all of the characteristics to be one. This essay will show you examples of the characteristics how it is an epic. With the long, narrative stories about a battle. Mostly because of the poem showing the hero's success in something or showing the cultural values of the religious group of the Christians. Beowulf shows many characteristics of being an epic. One of them are how it is a long and narrative poem. This is by how it is forty–one chapters long, with many long catalogs. The poem is dignified and uses many figures of speech. In many ways shown in this poem the universal theme would come across are good versus evil. An example is Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. Beowulf Argumentative Essay After college, many people are thrown into the big and open world with only a little experience from past experiences. People often know at this point what they are going to do with their lives and have some experience to work with. Beowulf is now working, yet again, to protect the people of Herot, but this time he has experience from his previous battle and is more prepared for the next major battle. As was said in class, Beowulf may have felt obligated to defeat Grendel's mother because of his previous triumph against Grendel, and he may have been seeking more fame. This can be compared to someone in real life who does something to impress their boss in order to get a promotion or just to be on their good side. Unferth is very resistant to Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Beowulf Argument Essay Beowulf was a poem written as a foundational text in British Culture, by Seamus Heaney. Beowulf is the story of shame future told through the eyes of a guilt culture. Not only does it critique the way society runs, but reinforces how critical a society is. The Anglo– Saxon society relates to the poem to critique everything wrong in society, such as bravery, truth, loyalty, and perseverance.Beowulf as a story is still relevant in today's world because he shows that his personal code of honor or ethics is stricter than that of the people around him, when he's offered a distinction that many people want him to accept and turns it down because it belongs by right to someone else. Monsters in Beowulf show how society has large problems, including greed and death. In modern today, society still deals with conflict over these issues as well. Often in modern times, people are obsessed with material goods and being the best, and...show more content... Not only are morals valid today, but they are necessary for a society to run smoothly, no matter seen as religious or not. Just as the poem begins, starts, "So. The Spear– Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns (Heaney, 1–3). This definition of courage described as the ultimate form of greatness. The Danes are going to be seen as heroic and celebrated because of their bravery. Beowulf has numerous ways that it can be related to modern today. Since Beowulf is considered to be a foundational text of British culture, it is a beloved classic in history, being the oldest Old English text that we have access to. The Anglo– Saxon society that is being described reinforces the conflict that is still modern today, the Christian symbolism, and the morals still reinforced Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. Examples Of How Much Do You Know About Beowulf How much do you know about Beowulf? There are many stories about old tales but this one is one of the greatest. This passage will be on how Beowulf's personalities and about what he is. It will take about action, hero, and speech/style. Beowulf is a character that loves action and to be apart of doing jobs and hard tasks. He is very courageous. He doesn't fear or feel pain unlike the other warriors. Beowulf believes in fate of nation that if he dies then it was his time. He doesn't use a sword in battles because if he wins it shows more honor towards him. He takes the honor of a hero and brave. Beowulf is willing to go into battle with anyone and anything he has to. He don't fear anyone or anything and will battle till his death. Beowulf Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Paragraph On Beowulf 4. Write a short paragraph about something from the class reading that reflects Anglo Saxon culture and/or belief comitutus, honor, glory, and where all displayed in Beowulf's last battle. As beowulf was old and tired he gose into his this battle looking for fame and glory. As he and his thanes went out to fight the fire breathing drangon all he was looking for was fame. Once beowulf was down all his thanes ran to the woods but one his name was wiglaf he stood there whatching his king burn and he didnt leave he stayed and fought, showing comitatus to his kings. He then helped the king, showing loyatiy and not being scared of getting killed for his great lord. 5. Provide an image that you think captures something about the day's reading. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 20. Beowulf Beowulf An Epic Hero Beowulf: An Epic Hero Being a hero can be defined many different ways. Several qualities like courage, respect, and strength can define heroism. A hero is noted for his or her actions for being brave, powerful, and acting with honor. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the main character Beowulf shows all of these characteristics by defending the Danish king, Hrothgar, and his people. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect others. Beowulf embodies the qualities of bravery, being powerful, and demonstrating his honor; therefore, he can be considered a true hero. A way Beowulf demonstrates his heroism is the way he stays true to the Geats by honoring them. Before...show more content... 1822–1826). Beowulf's honor far exceeds the average person's, and his actions and words show for it. Not only is Beowulf honorable and well respected, he is brave as well. His courage is shown by not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane's enemies. By being self–assured, Beowulf is able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, "I've never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me."(ll. 2511–2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying, "When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster."(ll. 2525–2534). In his actions, Beowulf's bravery is clearly shown throughout the poem. A final example of heroic qualities shown by Beowulf is his power. The mental and physical strength is mandatory to being a hero. No Dane, before Beowulf's arrival, is able to defeat Grendel because of fear and Get more content on HelpWriting.net