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Compare And Contrast Beowulf And Martin Luther King Jr

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Though the history of the world the definition of a hero has changed, and the Anglo-Saxon definition vastly differs from modern definition. When the Anglo-Saxons roamed the lands of current day Great Britain, the definition of a hero relates to how well the individual could conquer a group of people. However, in modern day life, a hero brings about change that will benefit society. Comparing and contrasting Beowulf and Martin Luther King junior, the definition of a hero, in their respective times, will show how the sword swinging Anglo-Saxons differ from the very vocal humans of today. Between Beowulf’s and Martin Luther King Jr’s reason for their actions, temperament, and beliefs, the definition of a hero will show the differences between …show more content…

Settlements appeared rarely, and when they did; small. In order for any man to gain recognition, he would have to put himself out there and accomplish hard tasks. If a man wished to reign as king, he would need to gain fame. through extravagant acts, “Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and rules in peace and prosperity for 50 years.” Even though Beowulf behaves very polite, he did not do heroic tasks because of the kindness of his heart. Beowulf longed, like so many other Anglo-Saxons, to earn heroism through fame. Aside from killing monsters and wielding magical objects, Beowulf earned a reputation across the land of Great Britain for fighting as an extraordinarily gifted warrior. This reputation, earned over the course of many years, allowed Beowulf to take part in one of the most famous bard tales, a story which is verbally passed down from generation to generation of …show more content…

In the epic, Beowulf, the writer constantly added in Christian values and references, “punished forever for the crimes of Abel’s death.” In the society that Beowulf grew up in, strength and fame occurred in everyday life, with the practice of story telling. A warriors life goal was to protect their king, and make it into a bards tale to gain immortality. One of the Anglo-Saxon values, loyalty, shows its self when Beowulf fights a dragon. His men run away, but one stays to help finish killing the dragon. This value shows how the definition of a hero has changed through the many years of

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Hector Ruiz Professor Poxon MRS 151 3 November 2017 Beowulf Throughout the story of Beowulf, there seems to appear an ethical code for what makes a good king and good warrior. There exists a fine line between them. A warrior fights for his land and directly earns the glory, whereas a king also earns his glory but through his warriorsi who earned the victory. Although they both do share characteristics like loyalty, determination, and care for their nation; king can only go a certain extent because they still have a nation to govern. The Warrior fight for the king to keep the nation safe while the king keeps it stable.

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Beowulf Essay In Anglo-Saxon time, fame and reputation played a huge role Throughout Beowulf, Beowulf brags about himself, and you can tell that the main thing he cares about is his fame and reputation. In their time, you were represented by your fame and reputation. There are many specific examples that can be found throughout the book that shows the Anglo-Saxon values being reflected in Beowulf. The first example is when Beowulf arrives and Unferth and Beowulf get into a confrontation, Unferth says “You’ve been lucky in your battles, Beowulf, but I think your luck may change if you challenge Grendle.”

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Throughout history, every work of fiction that has been constructed has contained a hero that reflected the cultural values of the time. Whether it be Shakespeare or J. R. R. Tolkien, the hero of the tale has not only epitomized these values, but served as a paradigm for heroes in other works of fiction. Beowulf and Sir Gawain exemplify the cultural values of the Anglo-Saxons and the Middle English. Some of these values, such as honor and valor, are reflected throughout the evolution of the Early to Late Middle Ages, although some are replaced, and there is a slight paradigm shift with regard to the nature of the two heroes; this can be clearly viewed when one analyzes the archetypes in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in terms

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551 Words | 3 Pages

In Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon poem, written about a hero named Beowulf who aids the King of Danes to battle monsters. With his powerful strength, he was able to slay Grendel and Grendel’s mother. However, in his last journey, fifty years later, to battle the dragon, he succeeds but dies in the process. Throughout the whole poem, it is apparent that one important theme present is the display of pride and strength of the people in that society at the time. One of the first displays of pride and strengths in Beowulf can be seen in the first battle with Grendel.

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Medieval literature shows the change of heroes throughout centuries. For the English medieval times, two story’s heroes stand out: Le Morte d'Arthur’s Lancelot and Beowulf’s Beowulf. Lancelot, the patient, humble, and chivalrous knight, is contrasted by Beowulf, a boastful, proud, and rowdy viking. It clearly shows how stories have changed in their depiction of protagonists. Both Beowulf and Lancelot are great warriors and leaders but that is where their similarities end.

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Martin Luther King Jr. and Beowulf: Leaders During Changing Times All societies have qualities they value. Some value qualities such as physical strength and a noble bloodline while others value qualities like bravery and honesty. We call the people who embody completely all the values of their society, heroes. The society of the Anglo-Saxon’s and 1960’s

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Beowulf being the bravest, strongest, and noblest human in all the land he went to battle, putting an end to the problem before any or anymore of his people were hurt. The heroic code of the Anglo-Saxon’s states

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The world is filled with great, well-known, real and fictional beings, such as the Buddha, Hercules, Mulan, Batman, and Martin Luther King Jr. But what do these marvelous people have in common? They are all heroes. Archetypes and myths, based off the theories of American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, and other pioneers of psychology and analyses reveal the disguised truth in the poem of Beowulf, a true epic of the Anglo-Saxons. Without the knowledge and redefinition of myths and archetypes, the reading of this heroic elegy would be perplexing.

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The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.

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Beowulf is a classic tale of a hero who undergoes certain trials and tribulations and proves his bravery. However when one glances under the surface, it is clear that the story is about so much more. Over the course of the poem Beowulf has to learn to balance two opposing sides of his personality-his monstrous, angry, berserker-like side with more restrained and civilized character. In Germanic culture in general, a dichotomy lies between the reverence of famous berserkers, who when enraged become the most fearsome of warriors, and the values of self-restraint placed on people, specifically in the feasting setting. Beowulf is all about the navigation of that tight line of cultural tension between the two options.

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Thesis: The role of the Anglo-Saxon Hero in Beowulf represents and defines the values of strength, intelligence, selfness, and courage. Beowulf himself models the culture of the Anglo-Saxon hero, as he is willing to face any odds, and fight to the death for their glory and people I. Strength and physical appearance A. Strength is clearly an important characteristic of heroes in Anglo-Saxon culture and heroic code. 1. The beginning of the story Beowulf is described as having the strength of "thirty men" in just one of his arms. 2.

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From all this, we know that the perception of a hero from Beowulf’s time differs from our perception today. As we feel that the intentions define a hero while in Beowulf’s time the reputation and accomplishments are what makes a

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687 Words | 3 Pages

Beowulf's pagan warrior culture perceives fame as a way of leaving an eternal memory of an individual's actions. It’s something that will continue one's memory even after death. Beowulf believes that it will be a way of praising him for his deeds. From his compassion to courage, and his bravery and honor, all of Beowulf’s actions come together to prove he is an epic

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702 Words | 3 Pages

The novel, Beowulf, intertwines and twists many different motifs within its story. These include monsters, weapons, and feasting. One motif, storytelling, is woven throughout the tale, and has an essential role in Beowulf. With little or no access to the written word, storytelling was the ideal way to spread ideas for public consumption. Oral tales provide a view into Anglo Saxon beliefs, how their monarchy functioned, and their socio-political structure.

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821 Words | 4 Pages

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.

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