The archetype of hero is a literary character that is all-round good. He or she will save other people, do the right thing, protect that is good and they will fight any monster that comes to his or her way. They are one of the basic paradigms in tales and mythology from across the world, but especially in European culture. For example, the hero archetype starts from Achilles until Beowulf via superheros such as Superman and other 1980s action
Passed down through various societies for multiple generations, the poem Beowulf is a true literary masterpiece. While first spread by word of mouth, the work was later transcribed, translated, and transformed into numerous forms of literature and media. Due to this, we know that their is not one true Beowulf. As Professor Martin Foys once said, “each generation gets the version of Beowulf it deserves”. These various adaptations led to differing tales of the conquests of Beowulf, as is the case with the first of the three agons, Beowulf’s clash with Grendel.
In almost every source of literature, a constant battle occurs between two seemingly equal sides and in the end, only one can prevail. In the historical epic, “Beowulf”, set in eastern Europe in the sixth century, the battle is the vast difference of the higher class noblemen and the foul underbelly of society. The only difference is that in this poem, the crude, lower-class is made up of mythical monsters and medieval demons. The author of “Beowulf” establishes a defined conflict between the barbaric beasts and the civilized people through the juxtaposition of Beowulf and Grendel.
In the early medieval ages, the spread of Christianity greatly influenced the Germanic ideals. One can see this drastic transition in character while reading and comparing the books of Beowulf and King Arthur. Although the story archetypes remain the same for the most part, the archetypes reflect the different ideals of the different time periods. Archetypes such as the hunting group of companions and quest still hold significance, but reflect different ideals. The ideals of the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe drastically change as Christianity moves across the region, and the traditional story Archetypes reflect this change in cultural ideals.
The epic Beowulf, reflects the values and importance of the Anglo-Saxon period. Beowulf, who is a brave leader, encounters three major challenges; the battle with Grendel, the battle with Grendel’s mother, and the battle with the dragon. He is triumphant in all three battles. The three major ideas, fate, Anglo-Saxon hero, and fame are all displayed in Beowulf. A recurring pattern or model of an action, a character, or an image in life or literature is called an archetype.
M.A. Roberts and M.H. Abrams are two people who separately translate the epic Beowulf from the Old English, performed version. Abrams reworded more of the text to add more action and drama to the text, while Roberts reworded very little, making Abrams’s version better. Roberts’s version describes Beowulf as “the earl’s defender” (Roberts 5), which is not very impactful because he only protects the earl’s men. Abrams describes Beowulf as “the protector of warriors” (Abrams 6), suggesting that he is so powerful that he protects other warriors. Imagery is made where mighty warriors need help, and Beowulf is their savior.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, faces three “monsters” at different times in his life. The poem begins with Grendel, a monster who attacks only in the dark of night, tormenting the kingdom of Hrothgar. The last two sections of the epic detail the conquering by Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and the dragon. The battle between the monsters and Beowulf represent the theme of good versus evil in the poem, as well as the fusion of pagan and Christian ideals in the changing Germanic society. Grendel’s mother’s actions directly juxtapose the role of a woman in this time period, and the greediness of the dragon with his treasure contrasts with the virtues of what would be considered a good king.
Flaws by Contrast Comparisons and contrasts play a huge role in literary works, especially between characters. Not only do they show similarities and differences between various characters, but they also bring out specific qualities that make a character unique and help guide the readers towards a common conclusion. In the popular Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist and hero, Beowulf, is emphasized for his extraordinary greatness. Throughout his story, he, as an advocate of good, encounters many opposing forces in the form of other characters. In a society where heroism and bravery are honored as essential aspects of culture, the contrasting values of these characters, or foils, help define Beowulf as the model hero.
Critically assess the extent of Christian and Latinate influence on Beowulf. When first reading Beowulf it would appear that the Christian references within it superimpose onto the essentially pagan view that makes a huge body of the poem. Therefore, within this assignment, there will be investigations of inconsistencies. Sources clearly show that Beowulf was written by Germanic pagans that had been debauched by some leftist ecclesiastic wordsmith , to the insistence that the author designedly created the Christian allegory along the lines of Book 1 of The Faerie Queen. It is know that Germanic traditions and techniques were used by Anglo-Saxons to frame Christian literature, just as it was with the poet of Beowulf.
Most readers often question the concept of queer theory and ask themselves, “Did the author/poet purposely add these homoerotic quotes or did it just happen?” In a close reading of some Anglo-Saxon readings, there is plenty of evidence to support the case of there being queer theory works implemented and how it relates to the overall plot of the story. The poem of Beowulf contains a lot of hidden imagery, symbolism, and other underlying messages throughout and the hidden theme or theory that is most prevalent throughout the poem is the queer theory, or that Beowulf is actually a homosexual. There are multiple situations and circumstances that would give the reader this impression within the text and the use of different literary devices give the poet, who is unknown, the ability to express them. In the poem, the poet utilizes phallic symbols, coding, and heteronormative roles in society to show the possibility that Beowulf was queer in a time where heteronormative roles were what was the social norm in society.
It is evident that the Beowulf poem should not be viewed as a historical document, but it is hard to deny its connections to its context and its time. In this essay I will explore and compare the Norton critical edition of The Beowulf poem and the revised edition of the Poetic Edda. I will look into how the two correlate with each other, some of the common themes and ideals that are evident in the texts as well as how the
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.
Alliteration, Imagery, and Kenning in Beowulf In the Anglo-Saxon poem “Beowulf”, the author’s used multiple different literary devices, three in particularly stuck out throughout the entire story, being alliteration, kenning, and imagery; the literary devices were used to connect the story, and help the reader understand the life of Beowulf, and emphasize the parts that were not clear throughout the story. The author uses literary devices throughout the story of “Beowulf” to emphasize on Beowulf’s heroism, and to connect Beowulf to the epic poem. The use of alliteration is used to create a voice that only the readers will understand from reading throughout the story, an example following the idea of alliteration would be “Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgement by God” (lines 400-441). Alliteration is to be described as a repetition of similar consonant sounds.
5 Literary Devices in Beowulf: “the way it all melted as ice melts” (p.52) Beowulf just finished slaying Grendel and his mother; the ancient sword he used to kill them melts. The poet uses a simile comparing the sword to ice cubes as they melt to emphasize. Giving the image/effect of the sword slowly dissolving in a stunning way; emphasizing the incredibility of it. “the shining blade refused to bite” (p.50) Beowulf dives underwater to fight Grendel’s Mother.
Charles Scott Moncrieff’s translation of Beowulf is more linguistically similar to the original text than interpretive of that text which indicates a formal equivalence philosophy. Moncrieff’s translation uses literal translations of the original language, and mirrors the structure and layout of the original text. The first line of Moncrieff’s translation, “Then came from the moor / under misty slopes,” appears to be an exact translation of the original first line. Also illustrated in the first line is the similarity of form. Moncrieff’s translation preserves the medial caesura of the original with backslashes.
