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Beowulf connection to todays society
Heroic values in beowulf
Beowulf heroic tradition
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Significances of Treasure in Beowulf’s Life Kim Gruenenfelder stated, “Money can 't buy happiness. But it sure can rent it for a while”. Feelings do not last forever, they are temporary. Beowulf was written by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet around 1000 A.D. Beowulf is an epic poem that consists of three parts and reflects the early medieval warrior culture in Europe. Beowulf is a hero that battles three gruesome monsters and creates a representation of the best values of the heroic culture. Each part is about a fight with a specific monster: first Grendel, then Grendel’s mother, then the dragon. Honoring of thanes with treasure and gold is one of the practices used as a reward. Beowulf’s (the prince of Geats) attitude does change toward treasure …show more content…
In the beginning, Beowulf had a strong desire for treasure. Gold can be used as a reward, gift, or symbol of honor. During the funeral of the Danish king Shield Sheafson, "They stretched their beloved lord in his boat, laid out by the mast, amidships, the great ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures were piled upon him, and precious gear. I never heard before of a ship so well furbished with battle tackle, bladed weapons and coats of mail. The massed treasure was loaded on top of him: it would travel far on out into the ocean 's sway." (34-42). A noble king is being covered with treasures as he is being buried and sent out to sea. A boatload of treasure is being sent out to sea with his body for his greatness. This implies that gold is way to reward a hero for his service. As a reward for defeating the monster Grendel, "And he was given a mail shirt, and a golden arms band, and the most beautiful necklace known to man" (90-95). Beowulf is given many golden treasures such an arms band and a necklace. The king showers Beowulf with gold and Beowulf accepts all the gold he can take. In the poem, it says “They marched in step, hurrying on till the timbered hall rose before them, radiant with gold. Nobody on earth knew of another building like it. Majesty lodged there, its light shone over many lands” (306-311). In the medieval Scandinavian warrior culture, every member wanted to show off the wealth they own. …show more content…
Beowulf was not motivated to do heroic deeds for the treasure, such as gold and jewels. After Beowulf cut Grendel’s head off, “The Captain saw treasure in abundance but carried no spoils from those quarters except for the head and the inlaid hilt embossed with jewels…” (1612-1615); which shows that gold was not something to cherish for. Grendel’s head was more of a reward of gratitude for his brave actions. Beowulf is being a righteous character by having the satisfaction of protecting his town. In the poem, it says “O should a young man by good deeds, by splendid gifts while still in his father 's house, make sure that in old age his dear companions will remain with him, that when war comes, the people will support him” (20-24). Beowulf receives many rewards for his services but that does not mean these rewards are seen as mercenaries’ wages. Beowulf fights in battle for the king and town. The satisfaction of the safety of his town is just as rewarding as gold. Loyalty and generosity are both significant qualities in Beowulf. Beowulf states, “To the everlasting Lord of All, to the King of Glory, I give thanks that I behold this treasure here in front of me, that I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die” (2794-2797). Beowulf looks at the treasure sadly even though he is leaving such a legacy for his people. He is pondering whether his offerings was worth the treasure. At this
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem.
Beowulf is among the earliest surviving works of literature. It was written in Old English and dates back sometime before the tenth century A.D. The poem is set in Scandinavia, and tells the story of the heroic warrior, Beowulf. Beowulf was the perfect hero. He fought for his people and defeated evil with his ability to bring on justice. Three of Beowulf’s traits that serve as evidence of this were his remarkable physical strength, his ability to put the well-being of others before his own well-being, and his courage.
The Story Beowulf is an Epic poem written in the Anglo-Saxon period. The author of the poem is unknown. Beowulf is the hero of the story and the Thane to Hygelac the king of the Geats in Sweden. When Beowulf finds out the Grendel (the big guy) is causing problems in Denmark he decides to go over there and help them out. He fights Grendel and everyone is happy. Then Grendels mother comes to avenge her son so Beowulf has to go fight her also. After winning that battle Beowulf goes back to the Geats and becomes king and rules for fifty winters. Everything is good until he has to go fight this dragon. The dragon ends up killing Beowulf. In the story you can see how things like Honor, fame, and Courage are associated with Beowulf. The reason that he take the dangerous journey is to gain all there of those characteristics in his journey. Out lines below is how he gets each one of those traits in the story.
Early in the poem, Beowulf hears accounts of Grendel’s destruction of Herot, Hrothgar’s majestic mead hall. Knowing his strength and military prowess, Beowulf immediately devises a plan, recruits men, and orders boats, thrusting himself into a battle that was not necessarily his to fight. Beowulf felt obligated to end Grendel’s reign of terror. Though he knew the death of Grendel would bring him fame and honor, the idealized Beowulf was able to set aside personal ambition in order to end the suffering of the Danes. Shortly after slaying Grendel, Beowulf again displays an awareness of duty when Grendel’s mother extracts revenge upon Herot, killing one of Hrothgar’s best men, Aeshere. Instead of leaving Herot in a state of frenzy, Beowulf comes to King Hrothgar’s side, pledging allegiance and service. Bolstering the defeated king’s moral, Beowulf boldly addresses the older King Hrothgar saying, “So arise, my lord, and let us immediately set forth on the trail of this troll-dam. I guarantee you: she will not get away, not to dens under ground nor upland groves nor the ocean floor. She’ll have nowhere to fall to. Endure your troubles to-day. Bear up and be the man I expect you to be.” Beowulf could not set aside his duty and obligation, though he knew full well the suffering and pain that might result from his actions. Thus, Beowulf is a portrait of
According to Henry Bosley Woolf, “News of the evil wrought among the Danes by Grendel is carried across the seas” (86). When Beowulf, who is in his home in the land of Geatland, hears about the tragic attack that Grendel has caused the Danes, he announces his plan to sail to Heorot and help King Hrothgar with Grendel (Beowulf 45). Beowulf, by helping King Hrothgar, is showing great signs of honor because Beowulf feels as if it was the right thing to do since he had been successful in his past deeds. In return, Beowulf expects no reward for his action but rather just being able to put another notch in his
Once Grendel and his mother are killed, the king showers Beowulf in gifts. Beowulf shows humility and accepts the gifts, and quietly returns to his home. He does not want to bask in his glory. "So they went on their journey, and Hrothgar 's generosity was praised repeatedly"(Beowulf 1885-86). This quote symbolizes the relationship between the King of Danes and Beowulf, because he is constantly thanking him for the gifts. It is not just seen as a business deal where Beowulf has come to provide a service, and collect his reward. There is much more to his actions, he genuinely provides services to the king for the greater good. He is humble in nature, where he is not looking for attention. He does not gloat that he is truly the best warrior he sort of just thanks the king. The king of Danes states to Beowulf "In all things you are even tempered, prudent, and resolute"(Beowulf 17056). It is already known that he is a great warrior, so there is no need for him to overly express
In the poem, the character Beowulf is viewed as a true epic hero. He is very brave, has great strength, and is viewed by his peers as a person like God. He has won many battles, and completed many tasks that normal people wouldn’t have the guts to face. One of these tasks is the slaughter of the great monster Grendel. “That I, alone and with the help of my men,/ May purge all evil from this hall. I have heard,/ Too, that the monster’s scorn of men/Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none./ Nor will I. My lord Higlac”. In this statement from Beowulf, he is stating his fearlessness to his lord. This shows he is very brave and loyal, because he will risk his life to rid the beast. He also goes on to tell his people that if he doesn’t survive they can have his possessions. “And if death does take me, send the hammered/ Mail of my armor to Higlac, . . .” This shows his generosity and his unselfishness to his people and the reader because he knows that he is not invulnerable. Because he knows this, he is willing to give up his possessions to the people he cares about, and become a better, dignified hero in case of an emergency.
Throughout the epic Beowulf attempts to introduce himself as someone worthy of glory by boasting of his skills and deeds. These boasts show Beowulf’s glory seeking tendencies. One of these boasts
First of all, Beowulf came to help Hrothgar on his own free will. Hearing of the troubles that Hrothgar was having with a monster terrorizing Herot, his mead hall, Beowulf bravely offered his help not knowing what he was up against. When he arrived, Beowulf did not ask the king for either money nor fame. The only favor that he asked of Hrothgar was that he and his men were to fight the monster, Grendel. Coming away from one's homeland to help get rid of a man-eating monster and asking for nothing in return takes much courage and is an extremely brave deed.
To begin with one of Beowulf’s aberrations on his behavior as a warrior, the desire of material things is the first one. Considering the third characteristic in the warrior’s code, that is chivalry, Beowulf had failed to take action without waiting for something in reward. In the first battle of Beowulf, he defended Herot because he knew the people needed
Beowulf is honored after Grendel and his mother’s defeat for his morality and willingness to help the king with his problem. He put aside the life he had at home and gave up everything so they were protected. Upon his return, everyone was praising him and lifting up the wondrous works and all that’d he’d done to protect them. Because of his respectable actions, Beowulf was rewarded for his true heroism. He becomes king over his people and ruled for the next fifty years.
Beowulf is an epic poem that explores many themes and motifs within the Anglo-Saxon society. The Author, who remains anonymous, composed the epic around 1000 A.D. The literature focuses mainly on a Scandinavian warrior named Beowulf, who comes to the aid of Herot, a small town ran by King Hrothgar. Beowulf arises to rid the town of evil forces, such as the demon monster Grendel, and his savage mother who seeks revenge for the death of her son. As he ages, Beowulf presumes his title as king of Geatland, still eager to protect his loyal followers from danger.
Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The poem illustrates the Anglo-Saxon’s strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code. Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and forgiveness into the hero archetype.
Within the poem, swords, at one level, are used as a symbol of reward and gratitude. After Beowulf heroically kills Grendel, Hrothgar repays him with a sword, described as, “a victory gift … that was both precious object and a token of honor” (pg. 62 1020-1023). This sword represents Beowulf’s brave battle with Grendel, in which he chose to fight without a weapon, in order to avoid an unfair advantage. Beowulf is portrayed as inhuman because of his phenomenal strength, murdering a monstrous beast with his bare hands, and rewarded with an object he has no use for. Further, a noble king is thought to be someone who rewards his brave citizens and is generous. During this time, kings were among the few people to own weapons of such great value, which expresses the great honour it was to receive one. In addition to the generous gifts from Hrothgar, Beowulf receives a “gem-studded sword” from King Hygelac to celebrate his numerous accomplishments (2193). Further, King Hygelac presents Beowulf with “land as well, seven thousand hides; and a hall and a throne” (2195-2196). By gifting Beowulf with land, his social standings would have risen immensely. However, a single sword, not to mention multiple weapons of such value, would have done this as well. Beowulf became an incredibly respected person after his battle against Grendel. He went from a lower class
Beowulf is the single greatest story of Old English literature and one of the greatest epics of all time. Ironically, no one can lay claim to being the author of this amazing example of literature. The creator of this poem was said to be alive around 600 A.D. and the story was, since then, been passed down orally from generation to generation. When the first English monks heard the story, they took it upon themselves to write it down and add a bit of their own thoughts. Thus, a great epic and the beginning to English literature was born.