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Beowulf Literary Analysis

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Literary Analysis Beowulf is one of the oldest surviving texts that is written in Old English, which was written between 700-1000. The story is an epic narrative that requires a hero on a quest, it is usually good or evil. Beowulf, the main character, represents an Anglo-Saxon lifestyle through four elements: bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship. As Beowulf enters into the city of Herot, he has accepted his challenge to compete with the ferocious, human-eating monster, Grendel. As he approaches Hrothgar, he explains what he has been informed of Grendel and how he will prepare himself to battle with him. "I have heard,/ Too, that the monster's scorn of men/ is so great that he needs no weapons and fear none./Nor will I." (HRW 25). …show more content…

"All of Beowulf's/ Band had jumped from their beds, ancestral/ swords raised and ready, determined/ To protect their prince if they could." ( HRW 34). Loyalty is shown by Beowulf's soldiers, who are ready to protect him from Grendel's mother as much as they can. They were armed and prepared to slay the monster to protect their hero. Alongside the battle with Grendel's mother, Beowulf is faced with his last battle. As he is attempting to brawl with the dragon, Wiglaf shows his own loyalty to the great King. In the midst of Beowulf becoming slightly defeated, Wiglaf assists him while the other soldiers run away. In lines 766-7668, Wiglaf is frustrated that his fellow soldiers are not honoring the loyalty of Beowulf, "All of swore to repay him,/ When the time came, kindness for kindness/- with our lives, if he needed them." (HRW …show more content…

As Beowulf arrived to Herot to defeat Grendel, the city welcomes him with great honor and sing songs upon his arrival. Weahltheow, Hrothgar's wife, honors Beowulf with mead to thank him for agreeing to help her people during their horrific state. "She saluted the Geats prince, thanked God for answering her prayer,/ for allowing her hands the happy duty/ of offering mead to a hero who would help/ her afflicted people" (HRW 31). Beowulf's generosity continues to prosper as he has defeated Grendel and brought happiness unto the residents of Herot. "Beowulf,/ A prince of the Geats, had killed Grendel,/ Ended the grief, the sorrow, the suffering/ Forced on Hrothgar's helpless people" (HRW

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1092 Words | 5 Pages

Grendel had being killing and terrorizing Hrothgar’s people. The news of Grendel had travel to the land of the Geats and Beowulf had come to provide assistance to Hrothgar. One day after Beowulf and Grendel’s fight, where Beowulf tears off the demons’ arm, the monster’s mother came to vengeance her son’s death. She was also defeated and killed by Beowulf, for which he received many gifts and praise by Hrothgar and his wife Wealhtheow.

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186 Words | 1 Pages

(33) Beowulf and his men went to fight grendel not to make himself a bigger hero but to honor his father and pay off his debt to Hrothgar. This is a demonstration of loyalty because beowulf chose to go into battle not because he wanted to but because he wanted to show his loyalty to his father by paying off his debt. Wiglaf later, shows his loyalty to beowulf his king by following him in to battle when other men stood back stating

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1017 Words | 5 Pages

After the dragon made all the other "troops break ranks and run for their lives," Wiglaf "is ready to enter the line of battle with his Lord," (Haney 2598, 2625). The weak blood-based bond of Comitatus has broken, and the troops have abandoned Beowulf. Wiglaf is the only warrior who shows true Comitatus. Wiglaf becomes the perfect companion and a shining example of "Comitatus". All of the other troops lack Comitatus and run away out of fear for their lives.

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996 Words | 4 Pages

The fight with Grendel happens and when it is over Beowulf is celebrated for winning against the heinous demon. When he returns home, his is greeted by his people and is crowned king of the Geatland, ruling for fifty years before the fateful fight with the

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531 Words | 3 Pages

Now, he uses Grendel’s magic sword doused in his blood and is ultimately victorious. This victory is, in essence, Beowulf’s entry into adulthood. He now faces complex choices and decisions. The war wounds and the fact that Beowulf is a mere mortal have awakened a deep sense of righteousness in the

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338 Words | 2 Pages

Beowulf is the main hero in the poem, and he travels to the land of the Danes to help King Hrothgar get rid of the monster Grendel. After having slain Grendel, there is still a huge crisis present. Grendel’s mother comes to the Hall of Heorot to avenge the death of her kinsmen by killing Aeschere. Aeschere is one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisors, and his loss bear’s heavy on Hrothgar’s heart. In the culture displayed in Beowulf, the bonds of friendship and kinsmanship are very important to the characters.

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752 Words | 4 Pages

In contrast to Hrothgar lamenting his dear friend, Beowulf proclaims, “It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning” (1384-1385). Beowulf praises the idea that the best way to react to death is not by wallowing in grief, but instead trying to punish the killer for his wrong; it is more of an effective method to accept a loved one’s death when his murder is slain. His loyalty to the Danes is projected through his conviction of getting revenge for the sake of the one who died. Grendel’s mom has proven to be very vicious, nevertheless Beowulf ascertains he should pursue a brawl anyways. Beowulf is willing to put his life on the line to avenge a life for the nation he cares about and protects.

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559 Words | 3 Pages

Beowulf from Beowulf has very few things about him that are not chivalrous. His character exemplifies the Germanic hero and the Anglo-Saxon ideal of being strong, fearless, bold and loyal. One example of Beowulf being a chivalrous warrior is his bravery and courage. The evil demon Grendel has been terrorizing Herot for the past 12 years, so Beowulf wants to try and defeat him. When he arrives in Denmark Wulfgar greets him by saying “My lord, the great king of the Danes, commands me to tell you that he knows of your noble birth and that having come bravely and are welcome.”

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235 Words | 1 Pages

Beowulf shows immense courage and bravery which anglo-saxons believed to be his fate. Grendel has never found a harder opponent in battle than Beowulf “.... Had he met a man whose hands were harder.... ”(167) At this moment

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1409 Words | 6 Pages

Beowulf is an epic that commentates on loyalty and the struggle to maintain that level of allegiance (Vaught) and even subverts the ideals of comitatus during the fight with the dragon. Although Beowulf upholds comitatus for the entirety of the story, most of his troops abandon him in a time of need (Garner). Even though “All of Beowulf's / Band jumped from their beds, ancestral / Swords raised and ready, determined / To protect their prince…” (“Beowulf” 34)” during the fight with Grendel, the same is not true during the fight with the dragon. Fifty years later (“Beowulf” 41), “None of his comrades / Came to him, his brave and noble / Followers; they ran for their lives, fled / Deep in a wood…” (“Beowulf” 44).

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526 Words | 3 Pages

These nations were all founded by Anglo-Saxons and while they shared languages, religions, and culture, they were constantly at war with each other, as all Anglo-Saxon warriors must embody possibly the most important of the Anglo-Saxon values, loyalty. Warriors must be absolutely loyal to their own kings and must fight to protect him and the kingdom even at the cost of their own life. In Beowulf, both loyalty and lack of loyalty are displayed. Beowulf's loyalty is shown when he asks his king, Hygelac, if he could be allowed to help King Hrothgar defeat the monster Grendel, who had been attacking Hrothgar's kingdom for the past 12 years. His victory over Grendel added greatly to his reputation as a warrior, and he had earned the respect of Hrothgar, but Beowulf remained loyal and returned to his king.

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631 Words | 3 Pages

He had Wiglaf ’s help to kill the dragon in the poem. The dragon starts attacking people when someone stole a treasure from it. Beowulf brings a group of men to help him but the only person who stays is Wiglaf. Beowulf didn’t kill the dragon but he hurt the dragon pretty bad.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

The epic poem Beowulf is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good, as shown in the story, is any action that fights evil and defends the community and the people of it. The evil intent of Grendel, the story’s antagonist and cannibalistic murderer, who is depicted as a “fiend out of hell” (99), is strongly countered by the heroic actions of the stories main protagonist, Beowulf. The noble King Hrothgar is a role model for young Beowulf at the beginning of the epic, displaying acts of charity and wisdom throughout his life.

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1363 Words | 6 Pages

Very little is known about the epic poem Beowulf besides that the story was told during the Anglo-Saxon period, specifically between the years 500-1100. The author is unknown, due to the fact that the story was originally told verbally and not documented until much later. Like many stories told throughout the ages, Beowulf consists of many archetypes. An archetype is a recurring symbol found in literature, such as the Hero archetype. In this epic poem, the hero, Beowulf, travels from his homeland to Denmark to save a kingdom from an awful beast that has been attacking men late at night for over twelve years.

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883 Words | 4 Pages

Hrothgar, King of the Danes, faithfully served his people. He did everything he could to protect his people from the terrifying Son of Cain, Grendel, but was unsuccessful (Fellows 2). He was hopeless until a determined hero, Beowulf, came along and defeated the cruel monster. Hrothgar was so grateful, he offered to love Beowulf as his own, “Now, Beowulf, thee, / of

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