Beowulf, Sonnet 130 By Burton Raffel

Every once and awhile, you read something that sticks with you for years to come. In senior english A, we have been introduced to many different types of literature. We’ve studied poems, sonnets, valedictions, and much more. These last few months, I’ve discovered a whole new world of literature. Although, there several pieces of literature in particular that I thoroughly enjoyed. Without a doubt, my three favorite texts from this semester were, Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel, Sonnet 130 by shakespeare, and Macbeth, also by william Shakespeare.
As a matter of fact, Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel, is one of my favorite texts because of the heroism ideals included throughout the text. The tale of Beowulf begins with the first monster, Grendel. Like any good hero, Beowulf, volunteers to fight Grendel, not only to prove himself, but to protect his country and people. Beowulf shows his bravery in line, “That this one favor you should not refuse me- that I alone and with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall.” (p.48 line 259). Beowulf asks the king of Herot permission to battle Grendel, taking the

Unlike most sonnets and poems, Sonnet 130, is realistic. Rather than to over sell his mistress’ beauty, he’s brutally honest about her physical traits. An example of this honesty is when Shakespeare says, “if hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head” (p. 278 line 4). Although this sonnet could be taken as rude, to me, the honestly makes it more romantic. With time, beauty fades but the mind remains, It is best that he loves her with all of her physical flaws. Although his words are harsh, he ends the poem with a proclamation of his love for her. I find this sonnet to be extremely inspiring, it gives me hope that a true and pure love is possible, despite flaws and