In the story Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, there is not a repetitive theme shown throughout the poem, but one full theme revealed at the end shown through the events that take place. The theme lies in the difference between fame and glory. Fame is to be remembered, but honor is irrelevant. If someone is to impact people's lives in any way they have the ability to become famous, even if it is in a negative way. Glory does not exclude honor and therefore if someone is to be remembered in everlasting glory, then it is because they have done good and honorable things in their lifetimes. This everlasting glory is something that a good king has the ability to achieve, should he succeed in governing his people and defending them against …show more content…
Hrothgar tells him of a past king who also sought fame throughout the lands. His name was Heremod. He was a brutish king who “brought little joy to the Danish people, only death and destruction.” (Page 117 Lines 1711-1712). He “killed his own comrades”(Page 118 Line 1714) as Beowulf had done in the fight against Grendel. To watch how Grendel fought, Beowulf let one of his own comrades die “greater good” which creates a gray area and compromises the belief that Beowulf is as great of a hero as he seems. What Beowulf learned from this story is that Heremod only achieved fame. He will forever be remembered as the king who plagued his people and did little good for the country. There is no glory or honor in what Heremod had done. Beowulf realizes that the absence of these two qualities caused the memory of Heremod to be a hateful one. Beowulf wanted to be better than that, so when he is made king after the deaths of both Hygelac and Heardred, he “[sat] in majesty and ruled over the Geats. He was a good king.”(Page 163 Lines …show more content…
When the Dragon is awoken, He realizes the difference between this fight and the others. This fight is a necessity. He did not seek it out, but it came to him. Because of the threat to his land and people, he has an obligation to defend them. He cannot put his people’s lives at risk as he did when he allowed Grendel to kill one of his comrades. He makes this point when he tells his men to “Remain here on the Barrow, safe in your armor… This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me.”(Page 171 Lines 2529-2533). Beowulf fights the dragon alone, and even if that decision had a little bit to do with fame, at the same time it has to be acknowledged that he did not wish to send his men against a beast he knew that they could not fight and survive. So he defeats the Dragon causing his death in the process. His last request is to see the treasure his people would now own. Maybe seeing the riches that they would have helped him believe that he had done the right thing and that he was able to leave them in a good place even with war coming in the near future. The responsibility he took on to defend his people would help him be remembered honorably among them. He would not be remembered only for the fame of
to land he managed to kill nine sea monsters with his bare hands and still
Towards the end of the story, Beowulf travels to fight a dragon who is protecting a large treasure. He wants to prove to his kingdom that he is still the brave and strong man he used to be, but his main motivation is the treasure he will get after his victory. "And Beowulf uttered his final boast: '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'" (606-610). On the other side, the dragon has the same motivation. He is willing protect the treasure if it takes his life. This makes the fight one to the death. "When he comes to me I mean to stand, not to run from his shooting Flames, stand still till fate decides Which of us wins" (619-622). Beowulf feels that if he cannot have this victory, that this is the proper way to
Beowulf knows that he has the strength to stop this monstrous creature from killing more people, so he does what is best for others and battles the dragon. Beowulf told his people that he should risk his life once again for them, “I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight… Men-at-arms, remains here on the barrow, safe in your armor… This fight is not yours, nor it is up to any man except me…” (2511-2534). Beowulf knows that he had the ability to defeat the dragon but was not sure if he would end up alive or not. Even though he was not sure of his life he still did not back down from confronting the dragon because he knows that is was for the best of others. Beowulf calculated the happiness and the pain of others in order to make his decision; he knows that by killing the dragon he will reduce the amount of pain of others. Reason why this action makes Beowulf a hero is because Beowulf sacrifices his life to reduce the amount of pain the dragon was causing to others; Beowulf follows Bentham’s utilitarian idea by calculating his decisions between happiness and
8. Based on Beowulfs opening address to Hrothgar my first impression is that he is very confident and perhaps even self obsessed. He brags about his success and his strength. He says “of my youth have been filled with glory” and also states “my people have said, the wisest, most knowing, and best of them, that was duty was to the Danes’ Great king. They have seen my strength for themselves, have watched me rise from the darkness of war, dripping with my enemies blood. I drove five great giants into chains, chased all of that race from the earth.” And also to continues to list all of his world changing achievements that he accomplished all on his own. To me personally, he comes off as self conceded and feels as if he is untouchable.
The Epic poem of Beowulf is a story of heroism, loyalty, ego, and fate. To be a great leader of men; a great king of the people, you must be respected and trusted. Loyalty is given to those who earn the respect and trust of their people. Beowulf was blessed with great physical strength, the pride and fearlessness of a warrior, and an equally strong command of the spoken word, which he used skillfully to his advantage. He gained the respect and trust of nearly everyone he came in contact with, largely because he possessed the characteristics of a true hero, but in the end it was his ego that sealed his fate. Although it could be said that Beowulf’s character was flawed by an enormous ego, fueled by thoughts of immortality, it is this very trait that made him an ideal hero and king.
Throughout his reign as the ruler of the Geats, Beowulf is a benevolent leader - bringing peace and power to his nation as Hrothgar instructs him to after the great warrior defeats Grendel's mother. Hrothgar relates to him a story about the Heremod, King of the Danes, who "brought little joy to the Danish people, only death and destruction" (1711-1712), and that "suffered in the end for having plagued his people" (1720-1721). That is, Hrothgar claims that one cannot be a successful leader unless one is virtuous ruler. Furthermore, he tells Beowulf to "learn from this and understand true value" (1723-1724). Therefore, Hrothgar's intends that this information be carried on with Beowulf. During his final moments, after he kills the treasure hording dragon, Beowulf reflects on his reign over the Geats, and those reflections demonstrate that he understands the importance of virtue and honor. He claims that he "cared for and stood by things in [his] keeping, never fomented quarrels, never swore to a lie" (2736-2739). His goodwill and righteousness is highly regarded by the warrior, for he continues, "the Ruler of mankind need never blame me [.
The character of Beowulf stands as a hero to the ancient Danes because of his actions. He is constantly being cited as a "war-chief" and a "gold-giver" (61). Beowulf has achieved fame through what he has done with his own hands. His identity as a leader is based upon the Danish society’s emphasis on personal action, as opposed to the delegation of responsibility through conscious thought. It is this very sense which spurs Beowulf to fight the dragon: "In my youth I engaged in many wars. Old guardian of the people, I shall still seek battle, perform a deed of fame, if the evil-doer will come to me..." (59). Beowulf derives his power from a strong link to the past. Without his history of glorious deeds, he would see himself bereft of the very power which qualifies him to be a good King. Beowulf’s bravery never comes in to question, he does meet every challenge head-on, with deadly attention. The society which labels Beowulf as a legendary hero, recognizes his actions and his bravery as a integral part of his definition as a hero. Without the society to support th...
Beowulf is a great tale but as a person, he isn’t that all that people make him out to be. In his older years his need for attention and glory ended up with the death of him. He fought the dragon alone and in return, ended up killing the dragon, but also sacrificed himself. Even as he died he asked for one thing, his people to build him a memorial near the sea so everyone could see the person that he was. His need for attention, lack of planning, and need for glory caused him to be just a prideful man, not a
Beowulf’s fight against the dragon shows Beowulf as a hero. Although Beowulf had previously defeated two other foes, he stands fast and fights his most formidable foe yet, the dragon. Dragons were notoriously difficult to kill, and the poem states that it was a great man, who could kill a dragon, even if it meant losing one's life. While others cower away Beowulf fights the dragon. Beowulf defeats the dragon but loses his life in the same instance. Like the classical hero Beowulf loses his special status in death. Beowulf sought no compensation for his services; the mere satisfaction of helping others was pay enough. Like his two previous battles Beowulf fights for those who could not fight for themselves.
From these lines, which refer to the time when Beowulf was getting ready to fight the dragon, Beowulf makes it clear, in order to display his greatest bravery and heroism, it isn’t enough that he is fighting this dragon, but he wants to fight him without any weapons. This, as well as his many other qualities, earned Beowulf the place that he wanted to have in people’s memories; that of a legendary hero. When it came to Beowulf’s death, his funeral was the ultimate exhibit of the people’s praise and admiration towards him:
When the story begins, Beowulf has gone to the land of the Danes to kill Grendel for the people, not for the glory. Beowulf brings his own hand picked, group of soldiers with him throughout his battles, and refuses to allow help from others. Beowulf also tells the readers he will not use weapons unless necessary. Before the battle against Grendel, a Denmark officer states, “A chosen warrior who bravely does battle with the creature haunting our people, who survives that horror unhurt, and goes home bearing our love” (ln. 210). Also, when Beowulf’s men abandon him in the battle against the dragon, he does not choose to run in fear, but to continue fighting. In this moment much like in his past, Beowulf shows how honorable he really
In the epic poem Beowulf fame is what warriors seek after the most. It is the only way warriors are remembered after their deaths. During the Anglo-Saxon period, fame is also important to citizens and kings. The main protagonist Beowulf, displays the importance of fame through his acts of strength and bravery and with his ability to bring peace among the other tribes. Beowulf continuously takes on many challenges and battles in order to increase his fame so when he dies he will be remembered. Fame is the most important value in the poem and is attained by displaying heroism or with loyalty.
Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, undoubtedly yearns for what is best for his people. Having much experience with poor fortune and atrocity, Hrothgar is most necessary for assisting Beowulf in his development as a hero. His old age and familiarity with the pros and cons of leadership and power give him much wisdom, which he then passes on to Beowulf. Hrothgar is deeply affected by Grendel’s killing sprees, but is too old and weak to fight on his own. However, “His misery leaped the seas, was told and sung in all men’s ears: How Grendel’s hatred began” (lines 64-66). The people of Herot are aware of Hrothgar’s hatred for Grendel and that he is troubled by all Grendel has done. Given that Hrothgar is a powerful, respected leader, he is able to facilitate the conquering of Grendel although he is physically unable to fight himself. Hrothgar’s strong leadership and the respect his men have for him is exceedingly evident. “In Herot, when the night hid him, he never dared to touch King Hrothgar’s glorious throne, protected by God” (lines 82-84). The referral to Hrothgar’s throne as “glorious” and “protected by god” provides evidence that he is very well-respected, and it can be concluded that he has fairly earned this respect. Hrothgar’s dedicati...
1646) he still continues to seek fame, on the other hand the nature of the acts that have been performed in order to gain his current standing the reader can in fact interpret it as infamy. He is warned by Hrothgar, King of The Danes, who later becomes not only a father figure for Beowulf, but also a model for the kind of King Beowulf becomes. ‘Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part,/eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride’ (11. 1759-60). Once again, pride over powers all other emotion and is the key element to his eventual downfall. In the same way, The Redcrosse Knight is warned by Una, his wife to be, not to provoke the beast known as, Errour, ‘Least suddaine mischiefe ye too rashe provoke: / The danger hid, the place unknown and wilde” (I.1.12). But is described as, “[…] full of fire and greedy hardiment, | The youthfull knight could not for ought be staide” (I.1.14). However, he does not suffer as terrible a fate as the character of Beowulf. Another example of his pride being principal is shown through his unprovoked duel with Sans Foy, in which, ‘[…] He prickt with pride | And hope to winne his Ladies heart that day’
Beowulf was a story during the Anglo-Saxon time period and the poem was retold by Burton Raffel. Beowulf is an Epic poem, which is characterized by a long narrative poem that celebrates heroic deeds and legendary events. Therefore, these events in the poems are not exactly humanly possible, but make for a dramatic story telling. The main reason Beowulf fits the theme of an Anglo-Saxon lyric is due to it containing a legendary hero. Ironically, the hero 's name in Beowulf is Beowulf. Beowulf has many traits from the Anglo-Saxon definition of a legendary hero. He distinguishes these traits quite vividly throughout the lyrics of Beowulf.