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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as a commentary on the medieval romances
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In the middle-ages pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Pride is believed to destroy the life of grace and charity within a person. In the stories Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Wife of Bath, Beowulf, and Lanval, we experience the downfalls that come with pride and how it stains their lives forever.
In the story of Sir Gawain and the Green knight, the foolish pride of Sir Gawain led him to step forward and take the Green knight’s challenge not knowing what challenge was approaching him. Gawain faced temptation from Bertilak’s wife who took a big role in bringing out pride in Gawain sort of like Eve did with the temptation of the forbidden fruit “Because I know your name---the knight Sir Gawain, famed through all realms whichever road he rides, whose princely honor is highly praised amongst lords and ladies and everyone
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574-575). In the poem of Beowulf, he decided to come to Heorot and gain control and power for more satisfaction within himself even if it means death “I had a fixed purpose when I put to sea. As I sat in the boat with my band of men, I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the fiend’s clutches. And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the mead-hall.” (Ll. 632-638) Beowulf did everything with pride including fighting Grendel with his bare hands because he believes that fighting an unarmed beast is dishonorable “He has no idea of the arts of war, of shield or sword play, although he does possess a wild strength. No weapons, therefore, for either this night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares…” (Ll. 681-685) Beowulf’s pride led him to fight the dragon despite his aging and was quickly killed when the dragon bites him in the neck, injecting venom leading him to his own
to land he managed to kill nine sea monsters with his bare hands and still
Beowulf is one of the most bravest legends. He has no fear! This man will go and fight whoever needs to be fought, with or without help. As soon as Grendel's mother came to get her son’s arm back, Beowulf immediately set out to go find and kill her. He went to the place where she lives and after he plunged into the water, Beowulf swam all the way down to her lair. After he reached the lair, “Beowulf got ready, / donned his war-gear, indifferent to death; / his mighty, hand-forged, fine-webbed mail / would soon meet with the menace underwater” (1442-1445). This task also seems to be a death sentence written all over it, but Beowulf looks death in the face, and goes after his mother. He knows that they are immortal, but right next to Grendel’s mother, is the only sword that can kill them. Beowulf is brave enough to grab that powerful sword, and kill both Grendel and his mother. Men today would not do that. Beowulf does not just stop at Grendel and his mother: he continues to fight more monsters to defend what is his. He then took a break and now decides to come home to Sweden. The son of Ecgtheow bids Denmark farewell, and has a moment with Hrothgar. Hrothgar says, “You are strong in body and mature in mind, / impressive in speech. If it should come to pass / that Hrethel’s descendent dies beneath a spear, / … and you are still alive, then I firmly believe / the seafaring Geats won’t find a
King Hrothgar had no solution to the conflict it was described that “All were endangered; young and old were hunted down by that dark death-shadow who lurked and swooped in the long nights on the misty moors” (Heaney 219). Grendel took over and established a kingdom. Grendel established a terrorizing fear in all the danes, until Beowulf comes along. Beowulf is immediately praised “There was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, high-born and powerful”, the Danes after seven years have found how to defeat this monster. (Heaney 222) Beowulf travels to another country and is one of kind, no one compares to his might and power. This proves how brave he is to travel to another country to defeat a monster that has had repeatedly attacked Danes. Beowulf emphasizes his bravery even more by declaring ““I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend”. This boastful attitude gives Beowulf the bravery to step up and fight using his barehands. The average warrior would use a shield and sword but, Beowulf is not average he shows that he is a hero and will fight Grendel as if he was invincible. Beowulf defeats Grendel by ripping of his arm and it signifies that he is not a fraud, but a man of his word. Beowulf pride gives himself an
Even from an early age, Beowulf took every opportunity he could to show off his strength and fearlessness. When he first introduces himself to King Hrothgar, a Danish warrior by the name Unferth recognizes Beowulf and brings up a story from his youth. He explains to the entire hall how Beowulf had challenged another young man, named Brecca, to a swimming match and lost. Unferth says to him, ¨both of you daring and young and proud… risking your lives for no reason? All older and wiser heads warned you not to, but no one could check such pride¨ (Raffel 23). It is clear that in this story, that Beowulf´s pride consumes him and fuels his reckless actions. He goes on to tell Unferth about how he had stayed behind to fight 9 monsters, while Brecca
Beowulf is proud in the sense that he has no fear. He is willing to go to any length and any condition in order to protect the Danes. “My lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were too afraid to, if I hid behind some broad linden shield;”. Beowulf is explaining how he will use no weapons on Grendel to kill him, and in my opinion he thinks it would be cowardly to do so. He is humble because he is okay with dying and he lies his fate in Gods hands. “And if my death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac, return the inheritance i had from Hershel and he from Wayland. Fate will unwind as it must!” Beowulf is putting the fate of his life into God’s hands and is willing to die in the chance to kill Grendel for the safety of
When Grendel takes out one of Beowulf’s men, that is when they attack. In his oath Beowulf promised to take Grendel on bare handed, and he intended to do just that. While he was fighting with the monster, his men tried striking at Grendel with their blades.However it was futile for their blades could not harm Grandel. With these circumstances laid in place it was up to Beowulf to use his brute strength to defeat Grendel. After the two engaged in battle Beowulf was soon to triumph.”He twisted in pain, and the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulders snapped, muscle and bone split and broke.The battle was over, Beowulf had been granted new glory: Grendel escaped, but wounded as he was could flee to his den, his miserable hole at the bottom of the marsh, only to die, to wait for the end of all his days.”(337-345) Even with the lack of weapons, Beowulf was able to defeat Grendel and carry on his legacy.
Beowulf is a hero that shows honor respect and courage. In lines 710-1007 is where the battle with Grendel happened. Thinking of the destruction that he will get, Grendel bursts into Heorot. Grendel tears the door from its hinges with his hands and quickly becomes a Geatish warrior while Beowulf carefully looks around. When Grendel reaches out to pick Beowulf up, he is surprised to find his arm gripped with a strength than he never knew could even happen. Confused and frightened Grendel doesn’t want to run back to the safety of the swamplands. He tries to escape, but Beowulf wrestles him down to the ground. The crash around the hall, making noise on the walls and smashing the mead-benches. Grendel begins to panic in pain and fear; the sound
Next, Beowulf decides to fight Grendel with his bare hands. He could have easily obtained some kind of weapon to fight with. Beowulf was the first warrior ever to have enough sheer bravery to go up against such a monster with neither help nor weapon or shield to aid him. he was a warrior that believed somewhat in fate and in God. Believing that God made the decisions and was in control, Beowulf trusted that his life was in good hands. Defeating Grendel with his bare hands, Beowulf not only proved his bravery but also his loyalty.
Beowulf is a epic retold for many generations from father to son, warrior to child, and it serves its name very well, epic! It starts off by explaining a newly built mead house, created by the lord of the Danes, Hrothgar. This mead house is massive and used by all of the Danes. But these people are now plagued by a terrible force, Grendel, a terrible monster who comes into the town and massacres its people. In a distant land, a prince hero Beowulf, hears of this terrible monster and decides to prove his worth by fighting and destroying it. Beowulf comes to the land of the Danes, and meets with Hrothgar to ask permission to slay the beast, it is then granted. When Beowulf first meets Hrothgar, he strips down taking off all of this armor that he wears for protection in battle and states that he will kill Grendel without his armor to prove his worth. That during the mead hall celebration, Grendel arrives and strikes a few of Beowulf’s soldiers dead, but then grabs a hold of Beowulf. Grendel then is scared for his life, for he has never felt that much strength in one human being, he struggles throughout the fight and soon Beowulf gains the upper hand, literally. He pulls Grendel’s arm out of its socket, ripping it free from his body. Mortally wounded, Grendel retreats back to his cave where he then dies. In the second part of this epic, it is Grendel’s mother who is the monster who comes for revenge of her son’s death. By this time Beowulf has left the land of the Danes and is going back home to the Getes when he finds that he is needed again by Hrothgar. He ventures back, and pledges to kill Grendel’s Dom just as he did with Grendel, just with protection this time. He goes to h...
In the beginning of the novel, Beowulf takes interest in the plight of Hrothgar, King of Denmark, and wants to help him fight Grendel. Grendel is a large monster that has been harassing members in the mead-hall of the Heorot. Beowulf owes Hrothgar a favor, due to the fact that Hrothgar saved his father in years past. Hrothgar is honored to have Beowulf attempt to fight the swamp monster, and decides to hold a feast in his name. When Grendel shows up to the feast, Beowulf illustrates his bravery by fighting Grendel without any armor. When Beowulf wins the battle by ripping Grendel’s arm off, everyone in the mead-hall praises Beowulf for his acts of courage. In this scene, Beowulf proves that he is a hero by fighting off a monster that everyone else was afraid of. This made him look
In every battle Beowulf fights, he fights honorably. When he fights Grendel, he uses no weapons because Grendel fights unarmed. He only uses weapons to fight the dragon and Grendel’s mother because he cannot win otherwise. He does not cheat. He does not use unfair advantages. Beowulf fights with honor. Throughout his life, Beowulf fought many heroic battle...
Beowulf wants to fight Grendel, a monster wreaking havoc, and is boasting that he is more powerful and courageous.
After reading through the piece of literature Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one will realize there are many elements present throughout that could be analyzed such as humility, chastity, and courage. It could be interpreted that the author meant for the main theme of the writing to be a theme of chastity. Although the element of chastity is present in that Sir Gawain is tested by many sexual temptations, the element of humility is one that is prominent and changing throughout the piece. Humility is apparent throughout the story in the way Sir Gawain displays false humility at the beginning, the way he keeps his humility during his stay at the castle, and the way he is truly learns humility after his challenges with the Green Knight are over.
The most supporting quote from the epic poem Beowulf, is on page 48, lines 264-269. Beowulf says, “My lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were too afraid to, if I hid behind some broad linden shield: my hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster.” It is in this moment that Beowulf shows that he doesn’t want Higlac’s respect for him to drop or be any less. He would rather fight by hand than to let someone, especially the lord think any less of him or lose any respect. To Beowulf, it seems that respect from not only highly respected people, but the common people as well, means a lot to him. He earned the respect that he has and to do something to make him seem like a weaker or lesser person is not an option for him. Although Beowulf uses armor and weapons to fight other monsters, this does not lower anyone’s thoughts for him. This is due to the fact that both Grendel’s mother and the dragon are stronger, more difficult battles to face and the people don’t want to see him fail. Simply by being able to defeat these monsters and keep the Dane’s safe earns their respect for him. Although Beowulf may not have known it, he was extremely respected, even in death. So much that they buried him with the silvers, jewels and treasures that were taken once he killed the dragon. It’s quite clear that Beowulf was respected throughout
Beowulf’s first accomplishment as an epic hero was his battle with Grendel. Grendel was a huge beast, a descendent of Cain, who ruthlessly murdered innocent Danes because he felt pity for himself. Upon hearing of the Dane’s problem, Beowulf set off to help the Danish without having been called upon. Even though Beowulf had men backing him, He drew battle with Grendel alone and without armor or weapons. Yet, Beowulf emerged victorious with the arm of Grendel as his trophy. Beowulf then went on to kill Grendel’s vengeful mother and a huge fire-breathing dragon who thought it had been done wrong by the Geats. Alas, the killing of the dragon would be Beowulf’s last great battle for the dragon took Beowulf’s life in the struggle for his own.