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Beowulf and the good and the evil
Moral values of beowulf
Beowulf and the good and the evil
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Beowulf and the good and the evil
Moral values of beowulf
Beowulf and the good and the evil
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The Dishonoring Warrior Beowulf ‘s prologue begins with a funeral for an old king to which the Danes community presents “no fewer gifts [of]/…battle-weapons and [sic] war-gear, / blades and byrines” as tribute to “support him—[for his] praiseworthy deeds” (Beowulf, 24-44). It can be seen throughout the poem that material items do not only have symbolic value, but also an ancestral reputation within the community since the spear-Danes believed “a young man [should] bring about good/ with pious gifts from his father’s possessions” (Beowulf, 20-1). In other words, one should honor the handed down gifts, as they tend to hold family stature.
Beowulf exemplifies the concept of good and evil. It includes the archetypical hero who battles multiple monsters and faces struggles along the way. Even though Beowulf is thousands of years old, the theme of good vs evil is still seen in modern literature, on television, and in many other places. Good vs evil is seen in many places in the present time period, especially in superhero comics and movies.
Beowulf Essay Beowulf is pretty much all about fighting and violence. There are many bloody and gory battles in Beowulf. Beowulf has 3 main battles with much violence: Beowulf against Grendel, Beowulf against Grendel’s Mother, and Beowulf against the Dragon that guarded the gold. All these battles had something in common, they were very violent. These battles in Beowulf were depicted very violent and disturbing because the Geats and the Danes originated from Vikings, they were very violent.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the theme good vs. evil guides Beowulf through his many endeavors and conquests. This theme shows the different values of Beowulf and helps supplement the reasons for Beowulf’s actions throughout the poem. The author uses situational, symbolic, and character archetypes to enhance the plot of the poem and to provide justification for the themes of the epic poem. The situational archetype and theme good vs. evil is a major driving force behind Beowulf’s actions in the poem.
As the Anglo- Saxons and Danes descended upon the British Isles, a politically motivated feud culture emerged and an endless cycle of violence began. Blood Feuds, as some have called them, dominated the emerging culture of the Anglo-Saxons. Marriages of exogamy and the custom of wergild were implemented to try to prevent feudal violence between ruling families and lords were a common social structure during the tenth and eleventh centuries. While some scholars debate the existence of the feud in Anglo Saxon culture, literary texts such as Beowulf and exhibit the values and ideals of an active and very real feud culture and the measures taken to ensure civilized arrangements in a violent culture. The poem of Beowulf reflects the maxims of feudal
Beowulf: A New Translation for Oral Delivery, translated by Dick Ringler, utilized the dark and the ominous to foreshadow or to portray the impending savagery of mankind. Darkness could be defined either by the absence of light or by the lack of intellectual enlightenment. The monstrous creatures are shrouded within the darkness or associate with the ominous. Throughout Beowulf the theme of violence and darkness are intertwined, which is manifest by correlating the darkness with the unknown through Grendel. The unknown generate fear among the mass through their inability to control and understand the existence of inhuman beings.
Beowulf, an epic poem written in the sixth century, addresses modern problems that society faces today. Beowulf centers around a hero who saved the Anglo-Saxon community when a monster threatens their community. The community is threat by a creature for many years until Beowulf interferes and kills the monster. Eventually, the creature's mother comes for revenge, and in the end the creature's mother dies and so does Beowulf. Throughout the poem there are parallels to the current society from Anglo-Saxon culture in the modern society.
Beowulf is an example of an epic poem written in Middle English during the Anglo-Saxon period. Beowulf was speculatively transcribed by two Christian monks who are thought to have added Christian elements into the original pagan tale. The basis of Beowulf is a heroic character goes and extricates a kingdom plagued by an evil creature. The significance of Beowulf is that the tale demonstrates medieval warrior culture from Europe. Beowulf has very apparent Christian influences that are very noticeable with even in the first few pages of the poem.
The story of Beowulf isn’t just any ordinary story, but a story that has been told for centuries. A story of a hero who’s legacy has been told for so long. Beowulf’s life shows the characteristics of a true epic hero. He showed bravery, he used his strength against his enemies and in the end gave the ultimate sacrifice for his people.
Celebrated civil rights leader Malcolm X once said, “Sometimes you have to pick the gun up to put the gun down.” This quote reflects the way many people throughout time have regarded violence; some people believe that in order to attain a peaceful society, violence must be used. For this reason, Human history has always been riddled with brutality, from the Roman conquests to the Syrian civil wars of today, and societies have developed different ways to deal with the constant conflict in life. Some communities preach peace while others opt for a more warlike approach. In the epic poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, the ancient Norse society is depicted as giving value to an alert king, glory and honor, and courageous warriors, all of which stems from a desire to stay alive in a violent era.
In “Beowulf,” there are many concepts of good and evil portrayed in the epic poem by an unknown author. Beowulf brings good to the Geats. The people would say he was a gift from the Gods to battle and demolish the evil. The monsters, however, cause trouble to the people and bring out the evil in everything. These elements of good and evil help define this an epic poem.
To conclude, in the anglo saxon poem Beowulf, the use of the author’s literary devices portrays a variety of good versus evil examples. The theme of good versus evil helps create the story to be more intriguing which attracts the interest of people. For every good hero there will be evil which in result creates a good conflict and moreover a better
Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/
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.
Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.