Beowulf Quotes Chapter 11

Chapter 11: “The Great Geat”
In chapter 11, Grendel feels some sort of feeling and sensation of somebody arriving which eventually happens to be Beowulf. Grendel watches as Beowulf and his men arrive and hears their intentions of their arrival while Beowulf is talking to the Danish coastguard. Later on Beowulf arrives to the meadhall, and Grendel listens to Beowulf’s plan on helping Hrothgar kill Grendel. As Grendel continues to eavesdrop, he learns more Beowulf’s characteristics and his stories that express him being a hero and a man of pure courage. Even though Hrothgar admires the great Geat, Unferth questions him and brings up an ancient story about Beowulf losing to a man named Breca in a swimming race. Calmly, Beowulf expresses that he

This quote is puzzling because you really can’t find the right meaning for it but you can get an idea. I believe the quote contains the philosophy of anarchism and existentialism. This quote comes directly from Grendel when he tells the story about a man who had a perfect family, an honorable job, and went to a married woman’s house and slept with her. When Grendel say’s all order is unreal he refers to how people govern themselves, how they make choices which can allude to the philosophy of anarchism where people have total control of their actions. Also this quote can relate to existentialism because even though all order is unreal, theirs two dark realities the self and the world, you have the choice of choosing your reality, either you can guide yourself, or let the pointless world take

In chapter 11, existentialism is the dominant philosophy that revolves around mainly ever main character in the chapter. Existentialism is living your life by your choices, since the world does not have any meaning, you create your own destiny by your choices not others. This chapter focuses on Beowulf, and how he interacts with this philosophy. When they’re talking about the swimming race between Beowulf and Berca, he says it himself “Like foolish boys we agreed on the math and boasted, yes… we were both very young… swore we’d risk our lives in the sea, and did so”(161). Beowulf chose to risk his life, he takes responsibility for his actions, living by taking pure risks as. Since he want’s to be a heroic figure he risked his life to uphold his reputation. Also when Hrothgar is making speeches, a quote comes up “Heroism is more than noble language, dignity. Inner heroism, that’s the trick! Glorious carbuncle of the soul! Except in the life of the hero the whole world’s meaningless”(164). Again this quote refers to Beowulf and how heroism influences him to be who he is, to Beowulf the whole world is meaningless but his inner heroism, his ego, his reputation mattered the most to him. Even though everything is pointless he creates his own reputation and destiny by his