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Taking Risks In Beowulf And Iliad

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Taking risks is a part of life. Sometimes people risk the lives of others to make their life better. In all the following three texts: The Mosquito Solution, Beowulf, and Iliad, there were part in each story where a person was willing to take a risk no matter the consequence. In the story The Mosquito Solution the scientist took risks by releasing mosquitoes into Brazil’s community. “Despite the experiment’s scientific promise, many people regard the tiny insect as a harbinger of a world where animals are built by nameless scientist, nurtured in beakers, then set loose-with consequences, no matter how noble the intention… Which means the Moscamed team is willing to release the dengue disease no matter what the risk is.” (Reyes 99-103). The scientist released mosquitos around to …show more content…

He likes to take risk no matter what the cost because he wants all the glory. “If the dragon hiding in his tower dares /To face me (Beowulf 5-6)”. He shows that he will take a risk by trying to kill the dragon despite the risk. Beowulf is old and does not have the skill he did as a young man. Also, Beowulf stays to kill dragon even after all of his soldiers leave. Beowulf stays so can get glory for killing the beast at great cost to himself. Ultimately he dies as a result of this risk. In the Iliad Hector show no fear know that he is taking a risk fighting Achilles. “No more running from you in fear, Achilles.” (Homer 73) Hector is facing Achilles in a duel by taking a risk to see if he lives or dies. Hector is tired of running from Achilles. So Hector decides to face Achilles. But Achilles kills Hector in front of his people. In these stories taking a risk was part of the characters lives they wanted to live up to a challenge in their life. Where there was no boundaries, They want to prove to themselves that they were not afraid to taking a risk, to get what they

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While preparing for the fight against the dragon, Beowulf goes into the fight seemingly with the cards stacked against him already hearing the previous story from the bard about Sigemund the dragon slayer. This use of foreshadowing by the poet is not known until now when Beowulf looks to go to head-to-head against the dragon. Sigemund slayed the dragon during the bard’s story but this led to celebrations being held for the slayer, but this already happened on two different accounts for Beowulf. It is then said that “men who relied on his lordship for redress, / who presumed that the part of a prince was to thrive / on his father’s throne and defend the nation” (908-910). This quote shows the foreshadowing of how Beowulf’s downfall will be when

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Most people in life take risks. In Beowulf the main character, Beowulf, fights the monster named Grendel. In the short story “The Deep” Tom cannot overstress his heart but still takes the risk on loving Ruby. Beowulf shows risks by sacrificing himself to the monster so save hundreds of innocent live, even though the monster already ate only a few. In these stories, you see both characters taking risks in life for others.

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Existentialism in the Real World As my high school saga comes to a satisfactory conclusion, I am left feeling very accomplished, educated, and rounded as an individual. And as I prepare for life beyond high school, I do feel a little worried. How could it get better than this? The great friends, the great moments, all the school activities and events. There’s no way things could get better right?

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He had no fear fighting off Grendel, but he did have fear fighting the dragon, but he was not going to give up. Beowulf was so loyal to the Geats he died after killing the dragon. The soldiers in the world are loyal to our country by protecting the citizens and obeying orders. Some soldiers die fighting, but most soldiers would be happy to die that way knowing that they fought for our

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The epic poem states “ wait, for me close by, my friends we shall see, soon who will survive this bloody battle, stand when the fighting is done no one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster no one could try,” (lines 679-685). This quote shows how the hero steps up to slay the all mighty dragon that no one was able to kill but him. Beowulf tells his men to stay behind so that he could do it on his own. Beowulf was doing something that all hero’s do, which is giving his opponent a fair fight and seeing who comes out on top.

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But he knew the greatest threat came knocking at his door for a fight that will live on being told for eternity. Beowulf sacrificed his own life for those around him, “Quickly, the dragon cam at him, encouraged as Beowulf as Beowulf fell back; its breath fared, and he suffered, wrapped around in swirling flames- a king, before, but now a Beaton warrior” (lines 687-691). In the end Beowulf fought till the end fighting not only for himself but for his people. He fought like a king until his death. Beowulf gave the ultimate sacrifice to save his people.

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Beowulf definitely displays multiple examples of courage, such as fighting Grendel barehanded and going to fight a dragon alone, but the most pronounced example is when Beowulf goes to fight Grendel’s mother, his second trial. Her home is a disgusting, murky lake that’s “infested with… sea-dragons / and monsters” (1425) and so deep that “the mere bottom has never been sounded by the sons of men” (1367-1368). Even the creatures that live around it would rather die than dive under the water’s surface. Beowulf makes a big deal out of how terrifying her home is, expressing how the warriors who arrived at her home were “not man enough / to face the turmoil of a fight under water / and the risk to [their] life” (1468-1470). But Beowulf is willing to.

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Taking risks is a necessary action to live a full life. Although many risks have unwanted consequences, they can also result in good consequences. The Deep, Beowulf, and the Challenger all address the idea taking risks can have positive outcomes. In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf takes one of the greatest risks, his life, to protect his people. Beowulf puts himself in danger simply by choosing to fight the Grendel, a huge man-eating monster that has been terrorizing Herot for twelve years.

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First, Beowulf instructs us on the Old English views on bravery. Beowulf demonstrates bravery all throughout the poem by never backing down, and by always willing to take on whatever complication presents itself. When Beowulf first crosses the sea, he only had one purpose in doing so, for he wanted “to win the goodwill Of your people or die in battle,” (366-367) This signifies Beowulf fearlessness of death and shows his true heroic characteristics. He does not care about his own life as long as he can conquer his enemy and win over the heart of the people.

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I will be analyzing a battle scene to answer the question of why do the men in Homer’s “The Iliad” continue to fight when all hope of winning perishes? especially as they face the consequences and horrific tragedies of war. What is it that they continue to fight for, even at the expense of their lives? What is considered to be so valuable that they are willing to die? And is it worth the risk?

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Beowulf embodies many universal societal heroic values that are signified in the modern world like courage, bravery, and strength. In the poem, Beowulf displays courage. “Now, I mean to be a match for Grendel, settle the outcome in single combat” (Heaney 425-426). This quote shows courage because he’s telling them that he can fight Grendel and wants to weather he wins or loses.

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The theme most evident throughout our selection from the Exeter Book, Beowulf , and The Man of Law 's Tale from The Canterbury Tales, is wyrd: or a concept from Anglo-Saxon culture and society and correlate to fate and one 's personal destiny. Wyrd plays a large role in all of these literary pieces, because they’re in part descended from Anglo-Saxon literature, and is an ancestor to modern British literature. Theses stories helped preserve and channel the beliefs of the Anglo-Saxon culture. Throughout the Anglo-Saxon Culture the theme of fate, or known as wyrd, is heavily prevalent, and can be expressed as one 's personal journey. Beowulf is an epic poem, that takes place in modern day Denmark and Sweden, around the sixth century.

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It 's easy to flee a battle, but it 's hard to stay knowing death is a definitive factor. Beowulf shows that he is willing to die for his glory and to protect the Danes in every battle he faces. Against Grendel, Grendels mother, and the dragon. During his battle with

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(Beowulf 806-7). Beowulf had risked his life for the reward - the defeat of the dragon, the treasures and happiness of his people, his victory - and he knew the risks before

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In grief Achilles wants to fight Hector for what he did. Hector has two choices, either to fight Achilles or hide behind the walls of Troy. Hector exclainms doubtedly “What shall I do? If I retreat behind these walls, … And now that I have ruined them all by my rashness, I am ashamed to face the men and women of Troy, or some base fellows may say-Hector thought too much of his own strength, and ruined us all!”

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