...Loyalty defines a person’s great devotion to another. These two works of literature integrated this theme of loyalty in both The Kite Runner and Beowulf. Beowulf from the epic poem Beowulf emphasizes the importance of loyalty. Beowulf is extremely loyal, as perceived in his commitment to his king Hygelac, to his entertainer Hrothgar, to his own loyal men, such as Wiglaf, and to his people. In contrast, Hassan from the “Kite Runner” shows loyalty for his friend Amir. It is in Hassan’s letter, years after their separation, that puts Amir on the way to redemption. And so, Hassan saves Amir twice, previously as a boy and later in the future, even after his own death. In both The Kite Runner and Beowulf, the authors express loyalty from friendship and from commitment....
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...story “Beowulf” is a heroic tale about the battle of good and evil. Beowulf represented good and those he battled represented evil. Beowulf was a knight that fought evil creatures to protect the land and people. Beowulf traveled from his home to help a king named Hrothgar to defeat some evil beings. In the end Beowulf dies but he was a hero because of his endurance and victory in each of his battles. This work displays a mixture of Anglo-Saxon paganism and Christianity ideas. The concept of Anglo-Saxon paganism was expressed in this poem through pagan rituals and traditions. In pagan cultures they honor their leaders but also certain items as well. Beowulf shows great respect and honor for a sword, Hrunting, that he used when battling Grendel’s mother. Another example a pagan custom expressed in this poem would be the funeral pyre. A funeral pyre is a form of cremation, a big fire is started on an alter and a ritual is followed to burn the body. There were many elements throughout this poem that reflected Christianity. Throughout the poem Beowulf prays to and acknowledges his God. It was obvious he looked to and depended on a higher power. Before his battle with Grendel he prayed to God and asked that God grant victory to whoever deserved it. Beowulf consulting God showed he had faith and that he depended on God to help him through his situations. In the Christian faith God is the ultimate power and provider of everything that we need. Seems that Beowulf realized...
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...Strength, Power, Heroism, and Courage. These are among the central themes that encompass the epic of Beowulf and allow the reader to take an intimate look at Anglo-Saxon society. Beowulf, the hero of this story, is the focal point, demonstrating his phenomenal super human abilities throughout the epic as he conquers and kills anything dangerous or beastly in his path. Although Beowulf is viewed as a superhero, Hrothgar, does not hesitate to present Beowulf with the best advice that he can muster. Hrothgar’s guidance is essential in outlining the basic and most vital themes of the epic. He warns Beowulf about overweening, resenting tradition, and dishonoring customs, among many other points. As seen in this passage, the themes of wyrd, paganism, and heroism are clearly distinct in Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf through the harrowing adventures retold. The concept of wyrd, or a sense of inevitable doom, is a central theme in Beowulf, demonstrated by the constant reminder that the destruction of events or people will most definitely occur. When Hrothgar bestows his advice upon Beowulf, it is stated that “ancestral possessions/ and the goods he hoarded are inherited by another/ who lets them go with a liberal hand”, which clearly exemplifies a belief in ultimate ruin (ll 1756-7). Despite the honor that one must earn in order to receive such goods, once one dies it no longer has any meaning, showing how gloomy the Anglo-Saxon society was in it’s outlook about death. Additionally, Heorot...
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...belief set. The hero is the most dominant archetype in Beowulf because it deals with the fraternity warrior’s culture. Although the pluralism of Anglo-Saxon culture is very similar to our American culture, the archetype of The Ruler takes place in America today because everyone wants to take control and have power over their own lives and others around. In Literature, an Archetype is a typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal pattern or human nature. There are many set archetypes; The Innocent, The Lover, and The Rebel. However, the one that dominates the most in Anglo-Saxon culture is the Hero. “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old, now, but will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me” (Beowulf’s Last Battle 607-610). In Anglo-Saxon culture being boastful and prideful is praised because it is a characteristic of a Hero. The poem itself was named after Beowulf to show that he was the dominant hero, the one who stood in the spotlight. “Then he stepped to another still body, clutched at Beowulf with his claws, grasped at a strong-hearted wakeful sleeper” (Beowulf 268-270). That night, Hrothgar threw a huge party for the brave Geats and Beowulf was the only man in the hall who was sober and awake. He had the foresight to not get drunk and pretend to sleep because he knew the monsters would come. Once again Beowulf is demonstrating the Anglo-Saxon culture existence...
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...Beowulf: The Mother Poem Beowulf is an important work of the Anglo-Saxon culture. In the poem it depicts Beowulf as a famous hero, full of endless courage and infinite strength. Through his vigorous journeys, he encounters many treacherous obstacles and monsters, but never feels distress. As leader of the Geats, he shows superb leadership skills, taking pride in both his and his peoples’ name. Nonetheless, he boasts about his achievements and heroic battles that he has encountered. The author’s style differs from that of any other due to the unique kennings being used throughout the poem. The tone interchanges throughout the entire work; gives countless numbers of kennings, and has graphic imagery. Beowulf, the “mother poem” of England, explains the import values of diction, tone, imagery, and style, it also informs us about the Geat culture and characteristics of honor, kinship, and courage....
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...In the anonymously written epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf’s meaningful status as a hero and his ability to display honor in what he does is due to the fact that he is heroically able to exhibit the virtues of loyalty, courage, and friendship. The exceptional loyalty and faithfulness of Beowulf is shown through his allegiance to Hrothgar, king Hygelac, Wiglaf, and to the Geats. In fact, Beowulf is heroically willing to sacrifice himself if it means that he “[proves himself] / [...] and [fulfills] his purpose” of killing Grendel and assisting Hrothgar. (636-37). Along with his loyalty, Beowulf’s bravery is a quality that underlies the entire story, as it is a guiding virtue that ends up saving Hrothgar and his people. Beowulf’s fatalistic view of life and death is what makes up his courage in the face of danger, and it is a code of honor that Beowulf evidently takes very seriously....
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...Beowulf is one of the epic poems portraying a heroic concept. The Anglo-Saxon time frame used Old English to come forth a generation of literature, which included heroic poetry. Beowulf consists of many characters contributing to the plot of the poem. There are both basic and complex archetypes shown in the poem. The epic poem includes many archetypes but the most dominant ones including the hero, the shadow, and the herald. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the author uses archetypes to develop the plot. The main character Beowulf, displays a superior archetype in the epic poem by being the hero within the story. A hero is defined as one who gets praised for brave acts and Beowulf does exactly that. Beowulf displays this archetype in various ways...
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...Jonathan Graves World Literature Debra Germany 3 March 2014 Beowulf is a story that interested me for a long time. We read this story in grade school, and now in college it sparks many debates in the minds of college students, including mine. When I read it in grade school, it was a good story about monsters and heroes. Now that my literary mind has somewhat developed there are some controversies that jump out at me. At my first glance of the story in grade school, you really don't understand the depth of the epic. Being in a college level course we learned that the original author is an unknown man from pagan times written between the 600th and the 700th century, which is another debate all on its own.(The History of Beowulf) The epic poem Beowulf has deep roots in Paganism and was translated later in Christian times. Being a story from Anglo-Saxon England one has to wonder about what was going on at the time it was written. "The Christian church had been well-established and it suffered greatly from the invasions.(BBC) When the Angles and the Saxons invaded Roman Britain it was believed that the story of Beowulf came with them and the story was later translated by an unknown Christian author. It is also believed that this story was and oral poem that was spoke and passed down from generation. Most of the mystery cannot be proven with fact. It has been debated on by scholars for the past few centuries. Some authors consider it part of the Christianization...
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...Olsen Snow English 12 21 September 2015 Beowulf Essay Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon Epic, narrative poem. Meaning that it is a story of the battles between warriors and monsters consisting of long and descriptive speeches from each character. It follows the great and honorable Beowulf in his numerous conquests as he instills hope through the destruction of many a foe. Beowulf was passed down orally before being written down and ultimately becoming the national epic of England as it is today. Beowulf itself can be described as a story of dual ordeal, that showcases both an internal battle with human weakness and an external fight between a champion and evil monsters. Right from the beginning of the story part of the external half of the dual ordeal is outlined in these following lines: “A powerful monster, living down in the darkness, growled in pain, impatient.” (Beowulf 1-2). These couple lines showcase the first of several monstrous threats that the heroic warrior will have to soon face. Grendel is described as powerful and in darkness. This depicts that the hero, Beowulf, will have a worthy opponent to face in the battle between good and evil. Later on in the poem when Beowulf arrives to do battle with Grendel he faces Grendel unarmed to maintain his honor due to the fact that Grendel does not use weapons. The outcome of said battle is described in Beowulf, lines 330 through 338. “Grendel's one thought was to run from Beowulf, flee back to his marsh and hide there: This...
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...RESPONSE ASSIGNMENT # _3_ Beowulf In the beginning of Beowulf, King Hrothgar of Denmark built a great mead hall where he and all his warriors could party, eat, and enjoy stories. Even though it was a place of joyful spirits there was a demon named Grendel who would always terrorize the people of Denmark and their mead hall. They would fight back in effort to make the demon leave them alone, but he was too powerful and would kill the warriors. This lasted for years and the Danes couldn’t find a solution to defeat Grendel. Eventually, in time, a Geatish warrior named Beowulf heard the troubles that King Hrothgar and the people of Denmark were going through because of the demon. Beowulf took on the task to defeat the demon. Prior to the battle Beowulf came unarmed and expects to fight Grendel with his bare hands. Grendel is terrified and eventually Beowulf rips the demons arm off and he flees back to the swamp where he soon dies. King Hrothgar and the Danes praise Beowulf for his victory over Grendel. Because of the death of Grendel, his mother, another swamp demon, went to seek revenge for her son’s death. This is where Beowulf and a few of the servants travel the swamp to defeat her. Just as he did before, Beowulf defeated Grendel’s mother, but during the battle he used a sword large enough for a giant instead of his bare hands. Beowulf began to make a buzz around the kingdom naming him the bravest warrior in all the land. Eventually Beowulf ascends to the throne of the...
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...When creating a story, movie, or even a book, the creator or author often thinks of an attention grasping plot. No matter what era or time period people have a tendency to be attracted to heroism. A plot displaying action, heroic journeys or deeds and a fitting character that possess each one of the traits to accomplish the role of a hero. In the Epic known as “Beowulf” there is an example of this kind of hero. He is the kind of man other men look up to or the kind of man that children hear stories of. Beowulf is an extremely gifted and respected individual; his heroism is fueled by his motives which are his duty, everlasting glory, and self-worth. Beowulf is very loyal to his people, he is the strongest and fights to protect all and listens...
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...The Many Discoveries of Beowulf Although this poem isn’t of love or lust, it is filled with epic fights that lead to a great amount of bloodshed and celebrations for the hero. Beowulf’s writer created a great deal of complications when writing this poem. He used many themes and symbols the portray his tragic poem. The characters are very unclear but each have their reasoning for being in the poem, one being revenge on something or someone. Kathryn Hume stated, “ If a good man and the abstraction “ troublemaking” are given heroic shapes and matched in contest, we expect the good man to win, for troublemaking is not a sin likely to overcome him” (10). “ The early history of every nation is full of legend and myth. In literature, people try to record and describe the early history and to honor their heros in poems, epics, and folklores” (Wang 52). Beowulf is the main character throughout the poem, however the author tells us nothing about Beowulf’s past life other than his father was a great warrior as well as Beowulf himself. However, a young age Beowulf was considered cowardly. “ Were the poem centered on Beowulf himself, we would expect to learn something about him as a person” (Hume 2). The little we do know about Beowulf is still a great amount on his courage. He fights three battles and with each one he portrays a little bit of heroism. “Though he was little-known when coming to the Danes, he is full of courage and energy. Though he decreases in his strength in his old...
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...Stephanie Newman English 41 Midterm Essay Beowulf: Man and Monstrosity After winning his fight against the monster Grendel, Beowulf stands on rooftop and holds up the demon’s torn-off arm, displaying the mangled limb for all to see. Our hero has just defeated this monster whose attacks on the mead-hall Heorot lasted for years, thereby relieving the Danes of “no small affliction” (832). This victory scene can easily be read as a rally of hope against the grim threat of monstrosity in Beowulf—but that would be to ignore the monstrous nature of the scene itself. There is a certain horror in watching Beowulf revel unabashedly in his slaughter of another creature. As he exhibits Grendel’s “shoulder and arm, his awesome grasp” we are invited to question what “awesome” signifies in this context (835). Are we repulsed by Grendel’s destructive force? And are we impressed by Beowulf’s equally grotesque power? If monstrosity is the insolvable problem in Beowulf, then the question at hand is where it becomes manifest: in monster, or in man. One clear fact about Beowulf’s monsters is that they are pitilessly committed to human destruction. The damage they cause to the Danes and the Geats is immeasurable, and their acts of terror afford impressive description in the text. Whole sections of the epic are dedicated to the monsters’ assaults on humans. From Grendel’s first attack on Heorot, the monster gruesomely kills men by the fistful; he is depicted, in a brutely alliterative line...
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...Paganism vs. Christianity in Beowulf Thesis Statement: “Beowulf” was written by either a Christian author or a pagan author because of the presence of several ideas involving both pagan and Christian ideologies found close together throughout the poem. Based on the elements presented in the poem, it is apparent that there are evidences that will identify the characteristics of Christianity. On the other hand, the belief of paganism was also included in the lines of the poem. There is a presumption that poem “Beowulf” is influenced by a Christian author shown by the Anglo-Saxon understanding of the concept of beauty, which begins with the story of Creation in Genesis Chapter 1 of the Bible, where God created the world in seven (7) days. The language or the text used in the poem presented the concept of “scop”, which originated from the Old English language which means to shape. God is being referred to as the Great Shaper and all the beauty seen by the Anglo-Saxon were fruits of God’s creation. The term “scop” can also represent a poet. In this poem, the Anglo-Saxons considered the fact that the author made use of beautiful words and imagery to create a poem is comparable to God’s work when he created earth. This can be read in the lines “The clear song of a skilled poet, telling with mastery man’s beginnings, how the Almighty had made the earth” (Beowulf 86-98). Another proof that the author is a Christian is when there was mention of the story of the two brothers Cain and Abel...
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...the evolution of society. In the days of Beowulf and the Vikings, a hero was a man who was strong and courageous, willing and able to protect his tribe and provide for his people. But today, since our culture has vastly changed, so has the meaning of this word; now it is used for the brave and selfless people of the world. Though Beowulf may have acted in ways that were not so heroic, he should be recognized as a hero. Many people recognize Beowulf as the hero of Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf was the first poem told in Anglo-Saxon England sometime between the 8th and 11th centuries, but it's not actually set in that time and place. It's actually set several hundred years earlier, in the 5th or 6th century. Beowulf does not take place in England, instead, the action happens in the land of the Danes what is known as the nation of Denmark and the land of the Geats which today is known as the nation of Sweden. The main action of the story is set around 500 a.d. Judging by Beowulf’s many feats and strengths, Beowulf’s heroism is not hard to believe. When Beowulf slays the monster Grendal in the classic tale," he was considered a great hero. The slaying of Grendel required courage, bravery, intelligence, perseverance, and mental and physical strength. Certain passages in the story support the opinion that Beowulf has all these qualities. However, in the epic, Beowulf explores the great lengths the character had to go through to succeed. Beowulf did anything in his power to prevail, leading...
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