Masculinity In Beowulf Essay

The modern sense of masculinity compared to the concept of the “masculine” found in “Beowulf” clearly shows how the definition of what it means to be a man has been modified over the course of history. Masculinity has evolved since the Old English period, however men in today’s society still hold some of the traditional attributes of men during this time period. The ever-changing world and priorities of human beings have greatly contributed to the shift in the meaning of being a man. Even though the animalistic, barbaric manner of men in “Beowulf” is nearly completely contrary to the more civilized, emotional man in present-day America, one can still draw similarities between the two as the traits of both were present, albeit not flaunted in

For instance, hunting, fishing, physical strength, violence, and protectiveness were all important to men in the Old English period. If one was not strong or could not fight, he was considered to be a coward. In addition, if he was not able to defend his wife or his family by using violence he was also a coward. Further, fishing and hunting are activities that men enjoy very much today albeit being a means of getting food for one’s family in the Old English period. Nonetheless, these traditional activities are still present in today’s men as many men enjoy becoming simplistic and barbaric in the sense that they are able to fish, hunt, and kill for recreation. In some instances man desires to revert back to his old, ruthless ways, but is often shadowed by what society defines as being a man. However, since society is always changing rapidly, holding on to old practices is not beneficial to men because of the change in what it means to be a man, even though some men secretly desire to reconnect with their ancient