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Literary analysis of beowulf
Literary analysis of beowulf
Literary analysis of beowulf
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Literary analysis of beowulf
Literary analysis of beowulf
Literary analysis of beowulf
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Beowulf is an archetypal story known by generations around the world. Beowulf took place during Anglo-Saxon English time period. In this work, Beowulf, a young Geat man, journeys to Denmark to save the Danes from the wrath of the demonic Grendel. During Anglo-Saxon time, Beowulf was a folk song only passed around by word of mouth. Monks eventually transferred it to paper since they were the only ones capable of writing.
In the epic poem Beowulf passed on by the Anglo-Saxons, the alienated character of Grendel and the heroic character of Beowulf underscore the values, assumptions, and morals of the Anglo-Saxon culture.
The Anglo-Saxon era is the beginning of modern English literature. The story of Beowulf was passed down orally for hundreds of years before it was written down by a Christian monk in 700 A.D. The story of Excalibur is a chivalric epic written in the Medieval era that shares some values with Beowulf. The characters in these stories have both similar and dissimilar traits. Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and King Arthur all show the qualities of heroism and honor, but Sir Gawain and King Arthur do not have the superhuman strength of Beowulf.
This poem was first set in Scandinavia, which where Beowulf first became a hero of the geats. Beowulf is the oldest poem in English Language which has been told by Anglo-Saxons and still told by many people today, composed by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet around 700 A.D. This poem is in the British library but became famous by the name of the story’s protagonist. In 1731, Sir Robert Bruce Cotton was very upset and unpleased by the burning of the Ashburnham House in London by someone.
Nanjing Massacre The Nanjing Massacre was a genocide involving the Chinese, the imperial Japanese troops, and a small third party made up of Americans and Europeans (“Scarred by history: The Rape of Nanjing”). It took place in Nanjing, China in 1937 (“The Rape of Nanking, 1937”). The massacre of the Chinese lasted for six weeks (“The Rape of Nanking, 1937”). The start of the genocide was most likely a step of Japan’s plan to control, as well as “revenge” (“The Rape of Nanking, 1937”). The Japanese committed many atrocities which would take Nanjing many years to recover from (“Nanjing Massacre”).
The fall of Rome was caused by Barbarian Invasions. The Romans referred to foreigners and anyone that did not speak the Roman language as Barbarians, because they could not understand them (livescience.com). For many years the Romans defended themselves from the Barbarians (Bernstein and Shek 361). Even then, the Barbarians attacked the northern borders of the Roman Empire (Bernstein and Shek 361). While the Barbarians attacked in the north, Persians invaded the east (Bernstein and Shek 361).
Ode to a Grecian Urn and Beowulf were written in two completely different time periods, because of this, they connect to the audience in distinct ways that make them unique to their time period. The culture in which each poem was written affects the literary devices and tones used in each passage. Beowulf was written around 1000 A.D in Anglo-Saxon England. It is the oldest epic poem from this time period and gives Beowulf the characteristics of a traditional hero. An epic poem consists of a plot surrounded by valor and courage.
The Beowulf poem and the Poetic Edda A comparison between Norse and Anglo-Saxon literature There are some texts that have changed and formed our view on literary history, and two of the more notable pieces are The Beowulf poem and the Poetic Edda. The two have redefined our view on the literary past of both England and Scandinavia and have laid the foundation for what we acknowledge as literature. J.R.R Tolkien wrote in his Essay Beowulf: The monsters and the critics ”Barely all the censure, and most of the praise, that has been bestowed on The Beowulf has been due either to the belief that it was something that it was not — for example, primitive, pagan, Teutonic, an allegory (political or mythical), or most often, an epic; or to disappointment at the discovery that is was itself not something that the scholar would have liked better — for example, a heathen heroic lay, a history of Sweden, a manual of German antiquities, or a Nordic Summa Theologica.” He continues to debate for the poems importance as literature, instead of as a historical document.
Beowulf is an archetypal character within a legendary piece of text. He embodies the conglomerate of many Anglo Saxon values expressed throughout his heroic journey. Contrived by the mighty Northern Anglo Saxons, Beowulf is the manifestation of the Anglo Saxon ideals. This work of art helps us identify and analyze Beowulf’s ideals in a way that lets us deduce the values of the Anglo Saxon society. Examination of this poem lets us familiarize ourselves about a society obsessed with religion, vengeance and war-lust beings.
The Celts (/ˈkɛlts/ or /ˈsɛlts/, see pronunciation of Celt for different usages) were an Indo-European people in Iron Age and Medieval Europe who spoke Celtic languages and had cultural similarities,[1] although the relationship between ethnic, linguistic and cultural factors in the Celtic world remains uncertain and controversial.[2] The exact geographic spread of the ancient Celts is also disputed; in particular, the ways in which the Iron Age inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland should be regarded as Celts has become a subject of controversy.[1][2][3][4] The history of pre-Celtic Europe remains very uncertain. According to one theory, the common root of the Celtic languages, the Proto-Celtic language, arose in the Late Bronze Age Urnfield
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.
Anglo-Saxons, the clans that ran Old England and led Britain, used bards and Scops to tell their stories. These bards and Scops, honored members of society, passed their oral traditions down the generations. A well-known epic poem told by the Anglo-Saxons, Beowulf, about an epic hero, who leads the Geats in many well-known victories, demonstrates various beliefs that the Anglo-Saxons had. Throughout time, the epic became continuously passed down was changed and evolved into the version that exists today. Which was written into text by Christian Monks, who added here and there parts of their own religion to the epic, leading to the well-known epic today.
The oral tradition refers to stories, old sayings, songs, proverbs, and other cultural products that have not been written down or recorded. The forms of oral tradition cultures are kept alive by being passed on by word of mouth from one generation to the next. These diverse forms reveal the values and beliefs of African Americans, the things they hold to be true, and lessons about life and how to live it. In African American culture, the oral tradition has served as a fundamental vehicle for cultural expression and survival. This oral tradition also preserved the cultural heritage and reflected the collective spirit of the race.
The epic poem, Beowulf was influenced by Anglo-Saxon cultural beliefs. Beowulf is the longest, and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem. The setting of the epic is the sixth century in what is now known as Denmark and southwestern Sweden. This poem strengthens the Heroic Code. This code was derived from the Anglos-Saxons’ Germanic roots and was a basis for Anglo-Saxon honor.