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Beowulf characters analysis
Characterization and character threat in Beowulf
Beowulf characters analysis
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Beowulf characters analysis
Characterization and character threat in Beowulf
Beowulf characters analysis
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
During this account, the narrator shows that Hrothgar puts trust in Beowulf based on past experiences with his father, and accepts his offer to defend Heorot. III. Beowulf defends his honor After the king accepts Beowulf’s offer to defend his kingdom, he invites him to a feast in his honor. At the feast, a Dane named Unferth, was jealous of the king’s admiration of Beowulf and begins to insult him.
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.
When meeting Hrothgar, Beowulf boasted about his achievements in killing other monsters. He bragged of his battles, of how he would “rise from the darkness … Dripping with [his] enemies’ blood” (Beowulf 418-419). He also claimed he would need no weapon to kill the beast, only his hands were necessary (438-440). When he faced the beast, Beowulf showed courage and strength and was able to defeat Grendel.
Hrothgar mentions that, "what [Beowulf has] done is to draw to peoples,/ the Geat nation and [them the] neighbouring Danes,/ into shared peace and a pact of friendship/ in spite of hatreds we have harboured in the past" (1855-1858). In that statement, Hrothgar is stating that Beowulf would be the right person to be a king for the Geats. It shows that Beowulf follows the ethics of king when he decides to makes peace with another nation when they had conflict. Also, he even states that Beowulf is "a protector of his people, pledged to uphold/ truth and justice and to respect tradition. . . in a things you are even-tempered,/ prudent and resolute" (1700-1706).
Hrothgar throws another celebration for the young Hero’s actions, but at this gathering in the mead hall Beowulf gives word that he thinks it is time for he and his men to return home. The encounter with Grendel’s mother made Beowulf realize he is not invincible and that one day, perhaps, his victories may not result in his victory. Thus, Beowulf announces he will soon return back to the land of the
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.
King Hrothgar shows bravery and courage in several ways, one of those ways being, that he was prepares to take on Grendel before Beowulf arrives and accepts the challenge. Hrothgar may have been very mighty and courageous in his days, but he also became very weak and old in age close to when Beowulf set foot into the kingdom. The moment where Hrothgar shows much weakness is when he couldn’t defend his people against Grendel so he put the task on Beowulf, someone who could defeat Grendel. Hrothgar lacks the physicality to be a warrior but has the wisdom and mental strength that can overpower anyone else’s physical
As Beowulf has a bond to Hrothgar because of his relationship to his father Ecgtheow, he chooses to journey to her realm which is under gloomy monster-infested waters and face her. Beowulf is a warrior who is bold, brave, and unafraid of challenges. In this grueling battle Beowulf comes close to perishing, as his sword Hrunting fails him. However he finds an ancient sword in the cave and uses it to kill her. He was setback by the loss of the sword but he prevailed and defeated the troll-dam.
Also, after Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother, Hrothgar gives him even more gifts. Hrothgar gave Beowulf these gifts and because Beowulf’s riches were acquired in a respectable way the relationship
In spite of this Beowulf goes through an awesome journey of all these creatures and a great fight to eliminate the problem of Grendel and his mother. This caused Beowulf to make the Geats and the Danes allies which is great as a leader. He also brought riches to his people through the help of the generous Hrothgar. “And risked the voyage received a bounty, some treasured possession. And compensation in gold, was settled for the Geat Grendel had cruelly killed earlier.
Beowulf attempted to comfort Hrothgar and the warriors by exclaiming, “Let your sorrow end! It is better for us all to avenge our friends, not mourn them forever”. He then aims to convince Hrothgar that “for the glory of his name, fame after death is the noblest of goals”. Beowulf believes it is worth dying for a good
This is seen multiple times throughout the poem beginning with his quest to kill Grendel. Beowulf personally sought out permission from Hrothgar to help the Danish people. Beowulf was able to help the suffering community; furthermore, he had a chance to receive great recognition for his actions. After defeating Grendel, Beowulf was given the opportunity to receive more glory and once again help Heorot by taking the life of Grendel’s mother. This was an extremely dangerous challenge because he knew her capabilities.
He did carry the ways of a Anglo-Saxon which were honesty, kindness,loyalty, and honor. But all of that was soon covered up with his prideful thinking. Beowulf came to the aid of the king Hrothgar and his people willingly, knowing he could solve the king’s problem. Beowulf succeed in killing the monster getting fame , glory, and riches. Although Beowulf brought along his mighty warriors he persisted that they stay and watch him defeat the monster named “Grendel’’ all alone.
To understand the true meaning of the exchange, it is important to show where in the narrative it came from. Beowulf has just come from boasting to Hrothgar, the king of the danes, so he can get the king's approval to fight Grendel. He uses humility and his history of being a hero to win over Hrothgar. Hrothgar invites Beowulf to enjoy a feast with the danes.
Beowulf had done the unthinkable—he had killed a demon that no warrior of Denmark could have done. This opened several new doors for Beowulf, including one that promised of honor, glory, and riches. Beowulf had achieved his goal of fame, a goal which had created a poem of a hero that birthed and shaped a story to be told even years later. Furthermore, Beowulf’s fame was set in stone by Hrothgar, the king who owed Beowulf his everything, including his thanks. After giving Beowulf the speech to further glorify his prominence, Hrothgar declares, “Glory is now yours/