Beowulf Free Essays

Sample Essay on Beowulf The epic story of Beowulf depicts a young man destined to find his place in Anglo-Saxon society as a hero, the deliverer of his people. Set out from his youth, Beowulf was enthralled, perhaps obsessed, with the idea of fame and accomplishment. His thirst for both fueled the remainder of his life as a leader amongst leaders and a true hero in the entire sense of the term. We will write a custom essay sample on Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now Finally, the tale concludes with the true mark of a hero, the ability to pass the torch on to a younger generation to which he has offered guidance, wisdom, and experience under his wing. Beowulf truly does deliver his people to their destiny and ensures that this destiny remains for years to come after his departure. Unlike most heroes in literature that are often portrayed as having humble beginnings, Beowulf’s youth is relatively fortunate and comfortable. Nevertheless, Beowulf’s obvious passion to achieve the Anglo-Saxon value of fame and honor is unwavering and will lead him to his eventual fate. Beowulf is singled out early as a â€Å"superior being† amongst his peers. â€Å"[†¦] Beowulf, Higlac’s/ Follower and the strongest of the Geats—stronger than anyone anywhere in this world—[†¦]†(ll. 09-111) This distinction that he was of superior physical capabilities quickly led Beowulf to develop and inherit a superior mental capacity, one filled with an ability to lead and an aura of pompousness that he took with him to battle and amongst his people. This is demonstrated when the tale explains, â€Å"Beowulf arose with his men/ Around him, ordering a few to remain/ With their weapons, leading the others quickly[†¦]† (ll. 134-136) Beowulf’s leadership is characteristic of a true hero and one whom will continue on to deliver his people. Beowulf’s true talent was best displayed in the various competitions and battles he engaged in throughout his famed tale. His unwavering confidence and perhaps boastful personality struck not only fear but also awe and inspiration into the hearts and minds of his people. â€Å"My hands/ Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life/ Against the monster,†(ll. 172-174) Beowulf boldly claimed as he prepared to confront Grendel in battle. Beowulf’s audacity is exemplified through this and many acts of uncontrollable valor and courage. Thus is the root of his people’s admiration and their desire to follow in his ways and under his guidance. As if this was not enough to remind the people of Beowulf’s accomplishments and feats, Beowulf was compelled to ensure his status and society and seal his place in fame. â€Å"The victory, for the proof, hanging high/ From the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster’s/ Arm, claw, and shoulder and all. † (ll. 515-517) Beowulf, through the actions, accomplishments, and everlasting pursuit of his dream of fame, gained the respect of his people and prepared himself for true kingly status and to gain the recognition as the deliverer of his people. Perhaps the greatest mark of a hero is his or her ability to not only lead a life of good deeds and tremendous feats, but also to train and educate the youth in order for his or her society to perpetuate. Beowulf’s character is certainly one to do this and thus is the reason he may be dubbed a deliverer. Beowulf makes a significant impact upon his followers, in particular the soldiers he had chosen to be with him. One in particular, Wiglaf, makes a spirited speech amongst his fellow soldiers as Beowulf has gone off to fight without their aide. In this address Wiglaf declares, â€Å" ‘Our glorious king! By almighty G-d,/ I’d rather burn myself than see/ Flames swirling around my lord. † (ll. 780-782) Such a comment makes one question how much of an impact they can truly have on their peers. To have such awe inspiring powers so as to gain the trust and respect of your men to the extent that they would indeed take greater pleasure in their deaths than that of their own is truly incredible. This is the recognition point for the reader in which he or she can truly tell that Beowulf has delivered his people into a new generation. In the final crowning moment of any life, one can only wish for a companion to pass on his or her legacy. Such a characteristic is inherit in the life of hero, and this is no different than the end of Beowulf’s life. â€Å"[†¦]telling stories/ Of their [soldiers] dead king and his greatness, his glory,/ Praising him for his heroic deeds, for a life/ As noble as his name. † Not only had Beowulf become a figure of fame in his life, but he had obtained the ultimate fame: Beowulf had become a legend, and, in that, Beowulf would forever continue to teach his lessons and to demonstrate his talent for generations to come as he had successfully delivered his people, the Geats. How to cite Beowulf, Papers Beowulf Free Essays Bri Beowulf Imagery Beowulf is an intense and suspenseful epic poem and what makes it worth reading is the use of imagery. What would the world be like without imagery? Imagery is used in everything read today. Books, magazines, even the backs of movie cases. We will write a custom essay sample on Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now The world of reading would be different without imagery. And Burton Raffel made sure that Beowulf was full of said imagery, especially during the first, second, and third climaxes of the poem. In Beowulf, the imagery for the first climax is full of surprise, violence and suspense. The suspense starts when Grendel snatches up the first Geat he sees and tears him apart. Imagery is used to intensify Grendel’s actions by tenfold. For example, â€Å"Grendel snatched at the first Geat/ he came to, ripped him apart, cut/ his body to bits with powerful jaws,/ drank his blood from his veins and bolted/ him down, hands and feet/ (line 739, page 46). Without that gruesome and violent imagery, Grendel would seem meek and boring. But that only begins the suspense and violence of the first climax. Imagery is greatly used when Beowulf and Grendel battle to the death. Beowulf fought Grendel and he â€Å"fastened those claws in his fists till they cracked,† (line 760, page 47) which shows that Beowulf was a strong entity and without the imagery, we wouldn’t quite grasp how inhumanly strong Beowulf was. Herot trembled while they battled which gives us the interpretation that the battle was intense and if Burton Raffel had not incorporated that bit in the story, we wouldn’t understand how extreme the battle between the two foes was. Lastly, imagery is used to show Grendel’s death. For example, â€Å"He twisted in pain/ And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder snapped, muscle and bone split/ And broke,† (line 815, page 480) which just proves that without the imagery during his death, Grendel would have died a very non descriptive and utterly unimportant death. Without imagery, the first climax would be dull, lifeless, and not in the least bit suspenseful. Not only is there imagery in the first climax, but it is also present in the second climax as well. With Grendel dead, it leaves Grendel’s’ mum in a fit of despair and rage so she travels to Herot to avenge Grendel’s death. The imagery is violent and animalistic. For example, â€Å"Smashing their shining swords, their bloody/ Hammer-forged blades onto boar-shaped helmets,/ Slashing and stabbing with the sharpest of points,† (line 1285, page 64) shows the Geats preparing to kill Grendel’s mum, but she ends up victimizing Hrothgar’s closest friend who was â€Å"sheltered in her dripping claws,† (line 1295, page 64). The mental image that this climax contains renders the fact that if there was no present imagery, Grendel’s mum would not have an important character line. She would just be a mother that missed her child, not a blood thirsty, venomous monster that captured an important person. The imagery for the second climax was just as well done as the first one and it exceeded in creating a violent and suspenseful atmosphere. And now, here is the imagery for the final climax. In this climax, a dragon entered the scene and brought imagery along with it. For example, â€Å"Vomiting fire and smoke, the dragon/ Burned down their homes. They watched in horror/ As the flames rose up: the angry monster/ Meant to leave nothing alive. And the signs/ Of its anger flickered and glowed in the darkness, visible for miles, tokens of its hate/ And its cruelty, spread like a warning to the Geats who had broken its rest. † (line 2312, page 95) This part of the poem shows us the dragon’s rage and its ill conclusion to burn down everything in its path. Without this wonderful and descriptive segment, the dragon would just be another creature and would pose no threat. But with this imagery, the dragon is depicted as a horrible monster that thirsts for terror and chaos. Not only does the dragon cause chaos, but it’s actually the cause of Beowulf’s departure to the world. A tusk wound to Beowulf’s neck seals his fate. The imagery for Beowulf’s fatal wound is dreadful and gruesome. â€Å"Watching for its chance it drove its tusk/ Into Beowulf’s neck; he staggered, the blood/ Came flooding forth, fell like rain,† (line 2691, page 106). This imagery is what makes this poem the successful composition it is today. As written above, during the first, second, and third climaxes of the poem, imagery was the key ingredient to making a delicious cake. The world without imagery would be a bland, plain, and unexciting place to live. Books would be full of sentences only approved by preschoolers and they wouldn’t be as enjoyable as they are today. Burton Raffel did a mesmerizing job with captivating the readers of Beowulf with scenes of despair, gore, hope, and faith. Raffel couldn’t have done a better job. â€Å"And so Beowulf’s followers/ Rode, mourning their beloved leader,/ Crying that no better king had ever/ Lived, no prince so mild, no man/ So open to his people, so deserving of praise. † How to cite Beowulf, Papers Beowulf Free Essays Or is It directly? As a descendant of Cain offerings huffed in Canines scene’ (line 107), who murdered his own brother, the narrator makes It a given notion that this cannibalistic human monster Greened has no hope to a good end. It Is his evil character that makes It possible for Beowulf to become the hero In this story. One cannot fight evil when there Is none. We will write a custom essay sample on Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now If one takes the angle of Greened being human, albeit an human monster, one can question some of the views the narrator gives. When Greened comes to Horror the narrator states he bears God’s anger; ‘Ad com of more under misanthrope Greened conga. Goddess yore BRB(lines 10-711). If one believes he is a human, how then can he bear God’s anger? God is divine, and only He can show His anger. Later on the narrator states Greened wants to seek the company of devils: Would on holster felon secant deafly egged (linesmen-756). This would be more plausible, as he is seen as a human monster, he would take sides with the evil part in the story; the devil. In the end, Greened, mortally wounded goes back the fen and moor where he dies and goes to hell; ‘Pr him hell inferno (line 852) because no matter what he was, his actions made is soul lost. When Beowulf Is In Horror the first evening when he arrived, he Is confronted by a Dane. Hunter, who Is, In fact, a murderer, having killed his own brother, questions Beowulf heroism. Instead of dismissing this attack Beowulf SW seashores SW PÃ'Ëœ self tales’ (lines 593-594). Moreover Beowulf points out Hunter’s deed towards his brother to banana warded h ©food ©gum as PÃ'Ëœ in hell escalates’ (lines 587-588). What strikes me is that everybody knows he has killed his brother he has not been punished, that we know of. In this case it seems to me that the narrator wants the audience to believe that punishment is given by God, not by humans. In conclusion God ruled over the fate of Greened through Beowulf actions. As the story still goes on, we don’t know the fates of Beowulf or Hunter yet. When they die, however they die, their fates will be determined at the gates and can still go either way as God can have mercy on Hunter, or decide to punish him still. Beowulf fate, as an instrument of God, should be easy to determine. He used Beowulf to determine Grenade’s fate, and he should be rewarded as such. How to cite Beowulf, Papers Beowulf Free Essays The similarities and differences within Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are quite evident after reading both texts. Both authors, Beowulf, by Anonymous and The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer use literary devices to convey their message in each poem. There are similarities and differences within characters, tone, images and symbols. We will write a custom essay sample on Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are two similar poems but are written with different styles and literary devices. Beowulf and The Miller’s Tale are great examples of two poems that share similarities, yet provide a contrast between the mores of the 14th century and our current society. In both poems, for instance, the traits of the characters portray social values which are different from society today. In Beowulf, the characters are depicted as brave, strong, kind and devoted to their leaders. The characters suggest that society during this time valued loyalty, obedience and glory. Characters were recognized for their strength and success in battle. Beowulf is first mentioned and described as the greatest warrior alive. Beowulf states, â€Å"So every elder and experienced councilman among my people supported my resolve to come here to you, King Hrothgar, because all knew of my awesome strength† (Beowulf, 36). In modern society, men are valued for their good looks or wealth and not their success as a warrior. In The Miller’s Tale, the characters are also portrayed in a way that is different than society today. The miller emphasizes that intelligence is the most important characteristic in a person and not wealth. He talks about Nicholas and how his intelligence helped him trick the carpenter. Although the carpenter was wealthy, this did not give him an advantage when it came to Nicholas’s plan. Society today is focused more on wealth and status instead of education. People believe that education is not needed as long as you are wealthy, and that you will have an advantage in life as long as you have money. This clearly goes against the miller’s belief that education is more important than wealth. Beowulf and The Miller’s Tale are different in the way that they portray women. In Beowulf, women were loyal to their husbands and respected their family and themselves. They had certain duties as a wife or mother and they made sure their job was done well. In The Miller’s Tale, Allison is portrayed in a different way. She is a typical woman with beautiful features that all men are thirsty for. She is not loyal to her husband and uses her beauty as a way to get attention from other men. In the poem, Allison uses sympathy to trick her husband into leaving so she can be alone with Nicholas. The poem states, â€Å"Help us to scape, or we been dede eechoon. I am thy trwew verray wedded wif: Go, dere spouse, and help to save or lif† (Chaucer, 209). This showed the lack of loyalty Allison had for her husband John, and how she was able to trick him into leaving her and Nicholas alone. Allison is unaware of her behavior and acts like cheating on her husband is okay. The lack of respect she has for her husband and for herself is different than the women in Beowulf. The Miller’s Tale and Beowulf also have different tones and imagery. The tone of Beowulf is more serious and gruesome and the imagery is more vibrant. The narrator talks about the battles and characters with much detail so the reader can pinpoint the importance of what the narrator is saying. When talking about Grendel, the narrator makes sure the reader can tell that he is not just a demon, but a â€Å"captain of evil†. The poem states, â€Å"He grabbed and mauled a man on his bench, bit into his bone-lappings, bolted down his blood and gorged on him in lumps† (Beowulf, 42). Grendel is described in a more detailed and gruesome way and this shows the reader the seriousness of Grendel’s character. The detailed description also puts a clear image into the readers head. The Miller’s Tale has a more straightforward and comedic tone. Events are described without personal insight from the narrator. The tone becomes comedic as the narrator describes the events in a way that seems like he is unaware of what he is saying. For example, when Absolon kisses Allison’s butt, the narrator describes it like it is no big deal. The poem states, â€Å"But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers, ful savourly, er he were war of this† (Chaucer, 212). The reader could imagine what is going on, but the lack of detail does not make the image as clear or virbrant. The narrator’s sense of humor and lack of attention to what he or she is saying also brings humor to the poem. The Wife of Bath, also by Geoffrey Chaucer, has a similarity to Beowulf. Both poems contain symbolism. In the prologue of The Wife of Bath, the wife compares herself and other women to loaves of bread. The wheat bread symbolizes virgins while the less-expensive barley bread symbolizes wives. She makes the point that virgins or white bread may be preferred, but barley bread is just as nice. The poem states, â€Å"I won’t envy them virginity: let them be white bread of finest wheat, and let us wives be called barley bread†¦ † (Chaucer,189). The wife continues to compare the bread to the sexuality of her youth. In Beowulf, there is also symbolism. The great banquet that is held at Herorot after the defeat of Grendel symbolizes the restoration of order and peace to the Danish people. There is rebuilding of the damaged mead-hall and this also symbolizes the rebirth of the community. Although the author of Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are different, both poems have there similarities. The way that the characters are portrayed and how their descriptions conflict with society today is similar and both poems use symbolism. The differences of Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are seen within the tone, images and the portrayal of women. The similarities and differences are emphasized in each poem as the authors’ writing style is examined, along with the use of literary devices. How to cite Beowulf, Papers Beowulf Free Essays As the Mighty Fall In Hrothgar’s speech to Beowulf, Hrothgar gives Beowulf a warning meant to be words of wisdom, so Beowulf will not overestimate his mortality. Hrothgar was once a mighty and fierce warrior, who himself fought many battles and defended his land, but the one foe he could never defeat was time. Age seems to be every great warrior’s downfall. We will write a custom essay sample on Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now As Hrothgar states â€Å"for a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly† (1762-1762). This passage means while you are young you feel invincible, but as you age you become slower and weaker and you wake up one day to find you are, in fact, mortal. Beowulf sees himself as immortal and takes unnecessary risks due to his lack of acceptance of his mortality. Hrothgar uses his speech to thank Beowulf for killing Grendel and Grendel’s mother but also to warn him that strength can be a weakness. The following analysis and quotes will contribute to the understanding that in the end, youth will fade. It can be your weakness in the long run by making you prideful; however in the end, mental strength and wisdom are stronger than physical strength. Hrothgar tries to make Beowulf understand what he is saying by using his own life as a comparison, â€Å"just so I ruled the Ring-Danes country for fifty years,/ assaults by many tribes† (1762-1772). Hrothgar tells Beowulf of how strong and mighty he was and how he protected his land for a long time from many enemies. This quote is important because it serves to use as a comparison between Beowulf and Hrothgar. Hrothgar was once mighty and strong like Beowulf, but as time went on, he grew old. When Grendel and his mother came, Hrothgar was unable to defend his people. Beowulf is mighty and strong now, but Hrothgar warns him that this will not last forever. The king also tries to tell Beowulf to choose the eternal rewards and not to give way to pride, to â€Å"beware the trap† (1758). In this quote Hrothgar uses the metaphor â€Å"trap† to say pride is a trap. Pride, in this novel, is the downfall of Beowulf. Pride causes men to take unnecessary risks and therefore traps them in a false sense of security, causing their inevitable demise. Beowulf has pride in his physical accomplishments, but this is fleeting and will eventually be his own trap causing his death. This speech ties in well with the rest of the poem. Beowulf has physical satisfaction but lacks the spiritual satisfaction gained, not from fighting or defending, but by finding inner meaning. Physical strength is shown to fade throughout the entire poem as well as pride being a weakness. Beowulf’s pride causes him to try and kill a dragon not fully protected and Hrothgar shows us that physical strength does not last forever. This epic and speech has shown us that youth will fade, it can be your weakness in the long run by making you prideful, and in the end mental strength and wisdom are stronger than physical strength. Works Cited Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W. W. Norton , 2012. 1758-1754. Print. Reasons for Revision In this paper I did not read the prompt well enough causing a lot of formatting errors. I also did not explain my quotes enough and what they mean. I changed all of this and hopefully was able to get my formatting right by using double spacing, commas and citing my works correctly. For analysis I explained my quotes and how they tie into the rest of the epic. I went further in depth of my analysis of the speech made by Hrothgar and explained what the quotes mean more than what happened. The next paper prompt will be followed more thoroughly. How to cite Beowulf, Papers Beowulf Free Essays Gangster rap and music, because these genres have a higher chance of having b ad language, profanity, violence, and other mature content. Today the focus Is largely on gangster rap and sexually explicit hip hop lyrics. His music Is know as the music of youth because the number of teenage kids are starting to listen to these genres are increasing compared to previous genre actions. We will write a custom essay sample on Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is making arenas concerned about what their kids are listening to. When children listen to mums ICC with violence and profanity it could influence kids to make bad decisions. Some people may think race isn’t a part of music censorship but it plays a huge role. † music included freely expressed surreal desires, clear drug references, and other fee turns that were not as prevalent In other forms of popular music. † says the first amendment website. R B is dominated by sec. In today’s society all different types of music is played and listened to be all different races. Who n RB’s audience expanded to include mainstream white people this became a threat to older whites w ho considered R a threat that med younger people misbehave. â€Å"now image there’s a shorts, maybe five maybe four. Riding around with his mama list engine to the radio. And a song comes on and not far from being born. Doesn’t know the difference from right and wrong. Now I mint trying to make it complex but lets Just say shorts has undeveloped c intent. About the perception of women these days. Is mama sings along and this I what she says ‘nigh as, IM a bad pitch, ND IM bad pitch something that’s far above average’ † this is another lyric from lope fiasco song bad pitch. These lyrics stand out to me because this verse is talking about a mother singing g his to her son who is listening to the radio with his mom at the age of five and is listening to this. I think that when it comes the the radio releasing music there should be censorship and retire CDC should be a n original copy and others could be the censored copies so children won’t have to go through this with b Ewing the care and their mom singing along to such degrading song. How to cite Beowulf, Papers