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Corruption Of Women In Beowulf Essay

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Throughout Old English Literature, women were seen as evil. Like in Beowulf where the woman with the most power was a monstrous sea creature who destroyed things. Or in Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight where women were dishonest and corrupted men, or like in The Wife of Bath where women manipulated men to get what they wanted; owned them in a way. In old English texts women are seen as an evil force; a force of destruction, corruption and cunning. In Beowulf women are seen a force of destruction: 8the action or process of killing or being killed, the cause of someone's ruin. 4They are mainly characterized as a monster avenging her son. In doing this she manages to destroy not only a kingdom but the king himself (lines 1321-1344). Leaving him brooding over a friend’s death not to mention the many innocent people she killed when she attacked his throne room. Even Beowulf-the …show more content…

In this case both definitions are applicable; one to each story. 5In Lanval this evil is shown through Queen Guenevere when she offers herself to Lanval despite her being married to King Henry and Lanval being a knight in service of King Henry (lines 261-274); she attempts and fails to corrupt him but her intent is still there. Lanval however politely refuses her because this would obviously be treason and his heart is already taken so he won’t betray his king nor his love. When this happens the Queen gets angry and lies to the king. She tells him that Lanval has come onto him and that when she refused him he insulted her by saying that the lowliest in his lover’s court is many times lovelier than the queen. The king obviously gets angry too for when Lanval “insulted” Guenevere he

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