Furthermore, Beowulf’s death and the downfall of his people highlight the destruction caused by excessive pride. After defeating Grendel and his mother, Beowulf , the warrior, earns a name for himself and eventually rules as the warrior king of the Geats for 50 years. Yet at the end of the poem, Beowulf, similarly to Grendel, lets his insatiable greed consume him. His self-centered desire to gain and maintain fame and glory overrides his duties as a leader of his people, the Geats, and causes him to become irrational. He irrationally decides to battle with the dragon that was causing mayhem in his kingdom alone. This is evident when the speaker describes Beowulf’s decision to face the dragon alone by stating that, “the prince of rings was too proud,/ to
The epic poem Beowulf was a story told in the anglo saxon time period. A time when people believed in dragons, monsters, and curses. Many stories told by people of this time talked about the good and evil forces there are in the world and what happens when they collide in battle.The hero in this story has sailed from his home to fight this evil being named Grendel, a monster that has become a nuisance in Herot.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, faces three “monsters” at different times in his life. The poem begins with Grendel, a monster who attacks only in the dark of night, tormenting the kingdom of Hrothgar. The last two sections of the epic detail the conquering by Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and the dragon. The battle between the monsters and Beowulf represent the theme of good versus evil in the poem, as well as the fusion of pagan and Christian ideals in the changing Germanic society. Grendel’s mother’s actions directly juxtapose the role of a woman in this time period, and the greediness of the dragon with his treasure contrasts with the virtues of what would be considered a good king.
As the intriguing storyline of Beowulf heightens and progresses, the theme of pride is consistently portrayed. Primarily, the characteristic is shown through Beowulf, the book’s epic hero. Through various predicaments and events that occur within the book, obvious signs of Beowulf’s pride are revealed, both good and bad forms of it.
In the beginning, Beowulf was introduced as a young and powerful warrior whose heroism is defined by his great strength.
13.) In the beginning, Herot was being savagely attacked by Grendel and lives were being taken for twelve straight winters. He was “so set on murder that no crime could ever be enough, no savage assault quench his lust for evil” (lines 50-53). Finally, the brave warrior Beowulf arrives to Herot and murders the devious Grendel. Seeking revenge, Grendel’s mom slyly arrives at Herot and snatches only one victim. She had taken “Hrothgar’s closest friend, the man he most loved of all men on earth” (lines 18-19). Lastly, “she had carried off Grendel’s claw” to make her presence known throughout Herot. The great palace of Herot was stripped of it’s honor and death’s were traded between the monsters and the people of Herot. In conclusion, both the warriors of Herot and the monster’s had lost.
Beowulf, the epic tale of a Danish society plagued by evil beasts, reveals many thought-provoking and admirable character traits of the main character and hero, Beowulf. Firstly, he shows chivalry through his interactions and actions towards the king of Heorot, showing him the respect and honor he deserved. Secondly, he demonstrates bravery in all battles above and beyond the standard of the times and the standard of his fellow fighters. He owes his bravery in part to his seemingly immeasurable strength, having more power in each fist than that of thirty men. Lastly, he demonstrates a trait that applies to people for his time and ours, pride.
Beowulf’s setting could be described as brutal, as it was set in the times of the Geats, the Danes and Swedes that lived in constant warfare with one another. A lot of men, when they went into battle, expected to
Beowulf is an epic story that relates well to the time that it was presented by having the stories of the epic fights and the thrashings of beasts that kept everybody engaged amid this time. Beowulf presents its audience with extremely intriguing characters, topics, and images that help show us lessons that are particularly required in today 's general public. Beowulf shows us strength through the various characters, for example, Beowulf himself that are consistent with his pledge and fearless, and it likewise indicates us images that give a picture of God and the trust that he conveys to the general population that demonstrate his strength. A considerable
The epic poem “Beowulf”, translated by Burton Raffel, focuses on a hero by the name of Beowulf who goes on a quest to rescue King Hrothgar and his people from an egregious monster by the name of Grendel. This Anglo-Saxon tale gives insight into the values and beliefs of the people from whom the story originated. Their war-centered ideology and views on loyalty and courage were the principles that the Anglo-Saxon culture was founded upon. While warfare was a focal point in their lifestyle, it was far from a savage, barbaric state of fighting. Honor and prestige were bestowed upon those who died during battle and selflessness for fellow warriors was a fundamental belief.
Forever and ever; your courage has earned it,/ And your strength” (953-956). Beowulf’s life had been remolded by his victory, building a story beyond his
Questions of Honor: Beowulf Beowulf’s honor and integrity can be questioned throughout the entirety of the epic poem, Beowulf. Whether or not his actions are inspired by his own pompous arrogance or confidence, one can argue that he is a hero nonetheless. Evidence and experience prove that Beowulf is more of a fearless hero than an excessively prideful man, and his hubris is more than justified due to the formidable duties he is able to execute. Throughout the poem, Beowulf expresses his intense strength and courage to the fearful people in the poem. His daring sense of self-assurance is backed by his victories against all three monsters, (even though he suffers a tragic death after facing the dragon, it is a defeat nonetheless).
Being an epic hero, Beowulf was very brave and battled many immortal creatures. One monster he came across was Grendel. “Conceived by a pair of the monster born of Cain, murderous creatures banned by God..,”(44), Hrothgar’s men would say. This is a reference from the Bible, showing the evil portrayed in the monster Grendel. This monster went to Herot and killed thirty men just because he was hungry.
Strength, honor, and resilience are all words that captures the essence of Beowulf. During the Anglo-Saxon era, Beowulf is a hero who strikes fear in his enemies and relief in his allies. Beowulf is widely-regarded as the most honorable and ruthless hero in all of the world; he defends villages of people from blood-hungry predators, defeats sea monsters, and defeats Grendel and Grendel’s mother in the epic poem Beowulf. However, Beowulf can be an egomaniac at times. For instance, before Beowulf’s epic fight and defeat of the monster Grendel, Beowulf strips nude and fights the monster nude to boast and show off.
Upon examination of the story of Beowulf, as is, it is simple to see that the influence of Christianity was heavy at the time. To this day, it plays a pivotal role in the storyline, and for that reason, we, as literary researchers, will never know how the original story of Beowulf was