Beowulf Research Paper

The works of Beowulf and the Canterbury Tales are both stories that tell about the culture within their respective time period. Beowulf, written by an Anglo-Saxon poet between the 7th and 10th centuries, recalls a heroic legend, Beowulf. The Canterbury Tales were written in the 14th century by Geoffrey Chaucer. It describes a hero's crusade. Both of these stories are timeless due to them describing problems and themes in society that are still relevant today. Describe religion, social class, and heroism in each historical context. Heroism is a common legend, written in many different forms. In Beowulf, the main character is a hero who exemplifies bravery, strength, and loyalty. There are major themes of an epic and a hero’s journey throughout

Not only this, but royalty played a large part in their society, seen through the quote, “A knight there was, and that a worthy man, / That from the time that he first began/ To ride out, he loved chivalry” (Chaucer, lines 43-45). In contrast, a lower social class person was described as, “His mouth was as great as a great furnace./ He was a jangler and a goliardais” (Chaucer, lines 559-560). This is a juxtaposition and uses imagery along with hyperboles to describe the contrasting social classes. Since social class is a timeless subject, this story is relatable to anyone reading it. In Beowulf, social class is also a major theme throughout the story. The privileges that coincide with the different classes are described in great detail throughout the story. A notable quote is, “The protector of the Shieldings/withdrew to his rest,/full of care and of love for the man” (Beowulf, lines 1345-1347). This is a common theme throughout the story, as it uses motifs to further reinforce the idea of power dynamics and relationships between social classes. Through heroism, social class, and religion, the stories of Beowulf and the Canterbury Tales both describe timeless themes throughout the stories in a unique