“You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.”-Edwin Louis Cole. In the epic poem Beowulf by Anonymous the protagonist, Beowulf, sets out to defeat the evil monster, Grendel, that has been terrorizing Beowulf’s neighboring country. To do this he must overcome many challenges that have to do with water. He first needs to cross the dangerous ocean with his troops to get to the Land of the Danes. Later, he fights Grendel's mother in the mere, a type of dirty swamp, and finally he kills a dragon that is thrown off a cliff into the water. Water in the epic poem Beowulf symbolizes all the danger and challenges that Beowulf conquers and defeats.
When Beowulf and his army decided to cross the ocean to help a country in need,
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After Beowulf and his men kill Grendel, Grendel's mother starts to retaliate and terrorize the town, so Beowulf and his men decided to take action. When they get to the mere, they start to notice something different about the water. The author writes, “the bloodshot water surged underneath...The water was infested with all kinds of reptiles. There were writhing sea-dragons and monsters…” (p.99). What this quote is saying is that the mere was filthy bloody water that was filled with sea monsters. The author goes into great detail of what the water looks like to illustrate the great danger associated with reaching the water. The army knows that in the water lies their powerful enemy who is out to kill them. Usually in literature water is something very pure and holy, but by associating this water with blood the author is creating a new, darker image of water that portrays danger and death. Additionally, as Beowulf is about to enter the mere the author writes, “Beowulf got ready, donned his war-gear, indifferent to death;his mighty, hand-forged,fine webbed mail would soon meet with the menace underwater” (p. 101). This means that Beowulf put on his armor knowing that he might die in the battle, but he does not care because he needs to face this monster. When describing Beowulf opponent, the author specifically mentions that she not only is a demon, but she is a monster …show more content…
After settling down as king in the Land of the Geats, a thief disturbs a dragon's cave, infuriating the dragon, Beowulf sees no other option but to kill it. As the dragon is about to die it bites Beowulf in the neck and the two of them die together, but his men still avenge him. The author writes, “They pitched the dragon over the cliff top, let tide’s flow and backwash take the treasure-minder” (p. 211). By the end of the poem, with Beowulf realising that his life is coming to an end, he dies at ease knowing that he has faced all the challenges he was confronted with. This is symbolized by his men throwing the dragon, his last challenge, into the ocean and having it taken away by the waves. This illustration of what happens after the dragon dies highlights that because the water is finally being used to help him conquer his enemies, he has accomplished all that was meant for him to do. The ocean that once terrified him so much so at the beginning is now what is helping to get rid of the animal terrorizing his people. Conclusively, by the end of the poem Beowulf successfully overcomes all hardships that he has faced throughout his
This last encounter was destined to define his lasting legacy. He lived as a warrior; it was only natural that he should die as one as well, he hopes to go down in a fiery blaze of glory, pun intended. At this point in time, Beowulf is a seventy-year-old king, he knows he is mortal and isn’t going to live forever. Nevertheless, even as an old man, it was his duty to protect and defend his subjects until the death. Towards the end Beowulf’s death looms closer and it seems like he foreshadows that he is prepared to meet his maker. “When I meet the cave guard: what occurs on the wall, between the two of us will turn out as fate, overseer of men, decides. I am resolved. I scorn further words against this sky-borne foe” (Heaney 2525-2528). Beowulf’s maturity has blossomed to its utmost peak, ironically right before he is laid to rest in the valley of death that is Beowulf’s Barrow. His endeavors throughout this long journey have brought him wisdom and enlightenment. Since the beginning, he has rapidly progressed over time, especially since evolving from his role as a warrior to a king. Initially, Beowulf was insatiable with pleasure seeking activities, but then he
After fighting and winning many battles, Beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, Geatland. Even in his old age, his code of honor still obligates him to fight against an evil, fiery dragon. For fifty years he has governed his kingdom well. While Beowulf is governing, the dragon "...kept watch over a hoard, a steep stone-barrow" (Norton 55). Under it lays a path concealed from the sight of men. Over centuries no one had disturbed the dragon’s kingdom until one day when a thief broke into the treasure, laid hand on a cup fretted with gold, which infuriated the dragon. "The fiery dragon had destroyed the people's stronghold, the land along the sea, the heart of the country" (Norton 57).
One of the first journeys includes Beowulf and his swim match with Brecca. “No man swims in the sea / As I can, no strength is a match for mine” (266-267). Beowulf speaks of his courage towards taking a dangerous journey to have a match against Brecca. Later, Beowulf travels to Herot after hearing of their troubles. Beowulf greets the Dane’s Lord and informs him that he heard about Grendel’s attacks on the people of Herot. Beowulf also mentions that his people said that it was his duty to go to the Danes great king (143-151). Beowulf travels away from his homeland to Hrothgar in order to defeat a monster that haunts Herot. Finally, Beowulf travels through the sea in search of Grendel’s mother. He leaps into the lake and for many hours swims through waves until he sees the mud of the bottom (570-573). Beowulf shows no fear as he, again, leaves his comfort zone to go after Grendel’s mother through a dangerous sea in the journey in the sea. Given these points, Beowulf takes many journeys from his home in order to protect
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.
Beowulf is a poem about strength and courage. This is illustrated in the eighth section of the story called “Beowulf and the Dragon.” A slave, a hero and a dragon play a big role in this section. The characters are well developed, as is the setup for the conclusion of the poem.
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
After the sight of the dragon, the slave hurries and grabs one of the treasures around him and runs away. The dragon then becomes angry at the fact that he was robbed and decides to burn down the houses of the citizens of Geatland at nightfall. Penny 6 So Beowulf (being the brave and heroic person that he is) decides to defeat the dragon. He has an iron shield made and is prepared for even the worst to occur (his death).
Beowulf is going out of his way, "across the sea" to help a lord whom he is not obligated to. He is doing so out of choice to show his respect for Hrothgar, and to help the poor people threatened by Grendel.
While engaging the Dragon in combat, Beowulf runs into complications with it and realizes that his sword can do no damage. Beowulf finds himself in defeat for the first time. However, Wiglaf, one of Beowulf’s kinsmen, comes to his aid and together with the combination of courage and strength delivers a deathblow to the Dragon. Although Beowulf is mortally wounded and is about to die, he passes the throne to Wiglaf and gives thanks to God for the treasure they receive from the Dragon’s hoard. This ends Beowulf’s third and final heroic battle in this case with the
The character Beowulf, “a man of great strength and bravery” (Magill 388), is a hero in the way he defends his neighboring country, Denmark. When the word that a hostile creature, known as Grendel, was killing tons in Denmark, Beowulf set sail to help defend the people and rid them of the hideous monster.
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.
“You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.”-Edwin Louis Cole. In the epic poem Beowulf, by Anonymous, the protagonist Beowulf sets out to defeat the evil monster, Grendel, that has been terrorizing Beowulf’s neighboring country. To do this he must overcome many challenges that have to do with water. He first needs to cross the dangerous ocean with his troops to get to the Land of the Danes. Later, he fights Grendel's mother in the mere, a type of dirty swamp, and finally he will kill a dragon that will be thrown off of a cliff into the water. Water in the epic poem Beowulf symbolizes all the danger that Beowulf overcomes and will eventually defeat.
The characters in the Old English poem Beowulf certainly delighted in the seas. From this essay it can be appreciated that their attitude toward the sea is both conflictingg with and comparable with that expressed in other Old English poems.
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.
However, Beowulf’s perfection begins to fade in the second story where he takes on Grendel’s mother who is full of vengeance. Before descending into the depths of the fiery lake to confront Grendel’s mother, Beowulf gives orders to Hrothgar, a few spiteful remarks to Unferth, who questioned his ability before he fought Grendel, and then rudely jumped into the lake without response to his words. This shows Beowulf’s arrogance coming out because he openly displays his own self pride, and boasts of what he will do to the beast awaiting him in the depths.