King Hrolf Kraki Essays

  • Essay Comparing Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki There are so many similarities between the hero of the poem Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, an Iceland saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written, that these similarities cannot be attributed solely to coincidence. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature states that the hero of the poem, Beowulf himself, may be the same person as Bodvar Biarki, the chief of Hrolfr Kraki’s knights

  • A Comparison of Christian Influence on Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    2795 Words  | 6 Pages

    Christian Influence on Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki In Beowulf the Christian influence is revealed through approximately 70 passages in which the form of expression or the thought suggests Christian usage or doctrine (Blackburn 3); The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki is in its own way infused with Christian values even though it preserves remnants of the cult of Odin. The Christian element seems to be too deeply interwoven in the text of Beowulf for us to suppose that it is due to

  • A Comparison of Fierceness in Beowulf and in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    1790 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fierceness in Beowulf and in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki Is fierceness mentioned only in Beowulf or is it an element common also to this famous Icelandic saga? Is fierceness described the same way as in Beowulf? The Anglo-Saxons prior to 1000AD were as a race fierce. They possessed great courage. Beowulf reflects their fierceness and courage in a variety of ways. Beowulf complains to Unferth in the Danish court: “Grendel would never have done such horrors … if you were so fierce as you

  • Comparing the Events and Characters of Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    2044 Words  | 5 Pages

    Comparing Events and Characters of Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki There are so many similarities between the events and characters in the poem Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, an Iceland saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written. These similarities are so numerous that they cannot be attributed solely to coincidence. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature states that the hero of the poem Beowulf  may be

  • A Comparison of the Runes and Magic in Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki

    3409 Words  | 7 Pages

    Comparing Runes and Magic in Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki There are runes and magic in the narratives of the poem Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, an Iceland saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written. Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon narrative poem whose oral traditions date back to the sixth century (Ward v1,ch3,s3,n11). Beowulf opens with a short account of the victorious Danish king Scyld Scefing, whose pagan ship-burial is described

  • An Analysis of the Epic Poem, Beowulf - Sources for Beowulf

    2497 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hrothgar and Halga are mentioned in Scandinavian sources as well; they are identical with the Danish king Hafdan and his sons Hroarr and Helgi mentioned often in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki. There can be no doubt that Hrothulf, Hrothgar’s nephew and colleague, is the son of Helgi, Hrolfr. And Hrothgar’s son Heoroweard may be identical with Hiorvarr, the brother-in-law of Hrolf in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki. Hrethric, the son of Hrothgar, may be the same person as Hroereker, the successor of Ingialdr

  • A Comparison of Beowulf and Icelandic Sagas

    1925 Words  | 4 Pages

    Beowulf and Icelandic Sagas There are many similarities between the hero of the poem Beowulf and the heroes of the two Icelandic sagas, The Saga of The Volsungs and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki. The former saga is an Icelandic saga representing oral traditions dating back to the fourth and fifth centuries, when Attila the Hun was fighting on the northern fringes of the Roman Empire; the latter is an Icelandic saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written

  • An Inquiry Into Femininity: Women in Medieval Epics

    1182 Words  | 3 Pages

    Either they were worshipped as goddesses or despised as unworthy workers. In this research I will analyze closely what it means to be a female in our age and in medieval period by means of two sagas: The Saga of The Volsungs and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki. In history, the role and status of women have fluctuated incredibly. At first, matriarchy was dominant in Greece and other realms. Women who are like mother earth and nature were the idols of fertility. They symbolized both beautiful and

  • A Comparison Of Volund And Hrolf Kraki

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    cultures, polytheist religion was central to society. This religion consisted, as all do, of stories meant to teach societal values and important lessons. Thus, many of these tales, including “The Saga of the Volsungs,” “The Lay of Volund,” and Hrolf Kraki, had similar patterns and themes. However, as the culture started transitioning to Christianity, its stories began transitioning as well. Thus, there are often two very similar tales that “originate” from two different locations. Older stories are

  • Skirnir's Journey In The Poetic Edda Summary

    1032 Words  | 3 Pages

    is why you should cover “confession” in contempt. Serve sweet words with a dash of garlic and a cold glass of lemonade (hold the sugar please). This may sound crazy, but what is crazier is that the contents of the Poetic Edda and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki espouse this same advice. In fact, the language

  • Faustus and Hamlet´s Belief in the Ghost

    1507 Words  | 4 Pages

    for ‘lucky’) is a reworking of the Faust story, a German legend that shares the same story. Hamlet has also been identified to share certain themes and plots (revenge, regicide and madness) with previously written scriptures, one is the Saga of Hrolf Kraki, believed to be Scandinavian, the other ... ... middle of paper ... ... both characters tragic deaths. In conclusion the way Shakespeare utilises religion, as a catalyst would be Hamlet’s Protestantism, which created his doubts on the ghost

  • Women

    1549 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is often misread that women in Beowulf are presented as compliant to men, displaying them as the weaker gender of the human species. In the world of Beowulf, women serve as peace-weavers, cup-bearers, gift-givers and even monsters, all of which at first glance appear as inferior roles. Many examiners of Beowulf, who have touched on the role of women, have criticized on the words of Gillian R. Overing who believes they are "marginal, excluded figures." Although the women in Beowulf aren't as

  • Comparing the Characters of Faustus and Hamlet

    1761 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet’s tragic flaw, however Faustus’s flaw is considered to be his hubris. Hamlet is in fact a play adapted by Shakespeare, not by name. But there are several scriptures that can be identified to being similar to the plot. One is called Saga of Hrolf Kraki. Believed to be Scandinavian. The second is the Roman legend of Brutus. In Shakespeare’s version Hamlet is the prince of Denmark heir to the throne, whose life takes a turn for the worst after his father’s death. This version of Hamlet is the most

  • Faustus and Hamlet

    1753 Words  | 4 Pages

    Procrastination is considered to be Hamlet’s tragic flaw, however Faustus’s flaw is considered to be his hubris. Hamlet was a play influenced by previously written plays, which have been identified to share similar plot lines. One is called Saga of Hrolf Kraki. Believed to be Scandinavian. The second is the Roman legend of Brutus. In Shakespeare’s version Hamlet is the prince of Denmark heir to the throne, whose life takes a turn for the worst after his father’s death. This version of Hamlet is the most