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Cultural Values In Beowulf

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Cultural values can change over time. In the movie Beowulf and Grendel (Gundarsson, 2005), for instance, the idea that everything is either black or white--as presented through the Beowulf (Heaney) epic--is questioned, as one would expect from a work of the Modern Age. Such a simplistic view of everything as either good or evil can lead to prejudice and ultimately a lack of compassion by members of a civilization. In modern times, people have become more accepting of a variety of topics and attempt to not judge a person by what they may seem to be. Along with prejudice, in the modern age the simplistic duality view hasn’t affected the way people see one another. Someone can be both good and evil. In essence, the differences between the values expressed through the characters of the epic poem and those expressed through characters from the movie illustrate just how far we have come in our ability to see others …show more content…

Due to simplistic duality, Beowulf is unable to see that not everyone is entirely good or evil. He views Hrothgar as the perfect king, but is he? Although his intentions of keeping his people out of harm's way are virtuous, he still wants to kill Grendel without ever giving him a reason, sure he attacks Herot hall but the narrator doesn’t mention anything that could have invoked him to do so. Although his intentions of keeping his people out of harm's way are virtuous. Since simplistic duality means there is no in between for any subject matter, in Beowulf’s eyes, Grendel can only be evil and not a mixture of both. This ultimately leads to Grendel’s demise. His simplistic duality view of everything and everyone also inhibits him from feeling compassion for anyone, especially Grendel. Seeing in only black and white limits a person from seeing through the lenses of compassion and equality. The Beowulf in the epic does not reflect the same cultural values that we have

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1402 Words | 6 Pages

Nevertheless, I don 't recall hearing any glorious deeds of yours, except that you murdered your brothers. You 'll prowl the stalagmites of hell for that, friend Unferth—clever though you are" (Gardner 162). This clearly justifies the fact that Grendel is not a devious and destructive creature. In the quote Beowulf is boasting and smack talking and Grendel doesn 't do this much at all. So this is clearly conveying in my opinion that that Beowulf has a chance to stop the fighting and madness but he continues to boast and stir Grendel up.

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836 Words | 4 Pages

At this point he still struggles with his destiny and role in life as the villain. Beowulf is insane because everything he does seems mechanical. He kills with eagerness and lives for the pain of his kills. In page 171, the novel says, “Grendel, Grendel! You make the world by whispers, second by second.

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1331 Words | 6 Pages

(Gordon and Wang). Grendel’s feeling a sense of intimidation. However, Grendel views himself as being undefeatable; he doesn’t believe Beowulf can hurt him. An analysis says, “Grendel’s existentialism is a violent one, which allows him to succumb to the urges that have boiled in his heart from the first moment humans mistreated him.” (Gordon and Wang).

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991 Words | 4 Pages

The film and epic poem Beowulf may seem alike because of their similar plots and characters, but when looked at deeper, it is clear that their cultural differences set them apart. Traditionally, epic poems are lengthy stories that praise the deeds of heroic warriors whilst reflecting the brutal reality of life. They expressed cultural pride and teachings, while telling everyone that we are hopeless in the hands of fate; that all human ambition ends in death. In our modern world today, movies are made to entertain, but more importantly to sell and make a profit.

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703 Words | 3 Pages

This is the beginning of Grendel falling directly into the role that the dragon said he would need to fill. Grendel’s murderous tendencies completely reflect the monstrous side of his personality and the more he kills the more he grows insane, separating from rational, humanistic thought. “I am swollen with excitement, bloodlust and joy and a strange fear that mingle in my chest like the twisting rage of a bone-fire... I am blazing, half-crazy with joy” (168). It is clear that, by the time Beowulf arrives, Grendel has embraced the fact that he is required to be evil, despite the fact that he previously claimed he would oppose that destiny.

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1285 Words | 6 Pages

In the poem Beowulf, there is a contrast between good and evil. This distinction is presented through the monsters Grendel and his mother, in parallel to the hero Beowulf. The themes of evil and monstrosity are therefore used in the story, as a way to create the notion of Grendel and his mother as monsters. Beowulf therefore appears as a character representing good. Although Beowulf shows traits of abnormal power, like Grendel and his mother, his motifs are interpreted differently.

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650 Words | 3 Pages

Masculine Ideals in Anglo-Saxon Society The concept of a hero is prevalent through all generations because it presents a template for ethics and behavior. Beowulf is a pivotal epic told by poets throughout early european society and mirrors the manly nature of their ideal hero. The patriarchal values of the Anglo-Saxons are displayed through the epic Beowulf. The characters’ loyalty to their leaders as well as their conventional sense of masculinity indicate that the values of a society determine the values of an individual.

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472 Words | 2 Pages

Being an epic hero, Beowulf was very brave and battled many immortal creatures. One monster he came across was Grendel. “Conceived by a pair of the monster born of Cain, murderous creatures banned by God..,”(44), Hrothgar’s men would say. This is a reference from the Bible, showing the evil portrayed in the monster Grendel. This monster went to Herot and killed thirty men just because he was hungry.

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526 Words | 3 Pages

UThe Anglo-Saxons were a tribe of people who lived in Great Britain during the 5th century. They were warriors who had traveled all the way from northern Germany and southern Scandinavia. The Anglo-Saxon people are very well known today despite not having been around for the several, several centuries. Their people led to the spread of Christianity through eastern Europe and the establishment of seven major kingdoms. They are also well known for the code of Honor, as the Anglo-Saxons had many values that their soldiers must live by.

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A wise man named Samuel Butler once said ,``The truest characters of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance. Does having too much pride trap or serve us? Some believe that having a healthy self-worth means taking pride in the achievements we make. But if value is linked to our self-image or accomplishments then it is built on a tenuous foundation. Pride is a characteristic proven to prevent us from acknowledging our vulnerabilities as a human.

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Although he knew there was a chance that he would not make it out alive, he chose to leap into the peril moor not worrying about the potential consequences. King and Beowulf both fought Grendel. However, King’s “Grendel” can be seen as equality between all races. Threats, violence, or attacks never caused them to back down from their

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1008 Words | 5 Pages

Thus allowing the reader to interpret the tone better because of how Grendel expresses his feeling. On the other hand, Beowulf gives the reader a generalization of how he sees society. Plain and simple. Beowulf only sees the world as good and evil, black and white, there is no gray area, causing the tone to be bland and boring due to no detail or unexpected turns. Beowulf overlooks society as a horrible place that only " the vicious raids and ravages of Grendel, his long and unrelenting feud, nothing but war...young and old were hunted down by the death shadow" (line 151-160).

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805 Words | 4 Pages

He has true honor and respectfully distributes treasure and gifts to those whom he believes rightfully deserves them. Beowulf’s loyalty to the Danes helps shed light on his true character. He expresses that he believes he may die in battle between Grendel, but that does not dissuade him from fighting the beast. Another example is when Hygelac dies, Beowulf is asked to take the throne. In doing so, that would mean the the son of Hygelac would be stripped of his own inheritance, which is dishonorable in Beowulf’s eyes, and thus he declines the offer.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

The epic poem Beowulf is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good, as shown in the story, is any action that fights evil and defends the community and the people of it. The evil intent of Grendel, the story’s antagonist and cannibalistic murderer, who is depicted as a “fiend out of hell” (99), is strongly countered by the heroic actions of the stories main protagonist, Beowulf. The noble King Hrothgar is a role model for young Beowulf at the beginning of the epic, displaying acts of charity and wisdom throughout his life.

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560 Words | 3 Pages

Literature has maintained a strong influence on society and its perceptions of heroes for centuries. In consequence, the time period in which a literary work is written reveals much about that society’s ideals. For example, the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, illustrates the deeds of a heroic knight and reflects the values of his community. Throughout the poem, Beowulf displays commendable behavior by saving another kingdom, defeating three villains, and maintaining allegiance to the lord and his people. Even though a millennium has passed since the release of this epic, heroes today display characteristics similar to those of Beowulf.

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