Epic Worrier In Beowulf

Epic Worrier In Beowulf
It's true that ancient Egypt had started the first communication system with their hieroglyphs
symbols, and then the Greeks added consonants and vowels in their alphabets; but at a time when
the rest of Western Europe was still writing in Latin, the Anglo–Saxons developed a confident
tradition of vernacular writing in English. The love of literature in Anglo–Saxons started with
poetry, so it is doubtless to say that they brought with them the beginnings of poetry as it stands at
the foundation of English literature. The Anglo–Saxons appreciation of literature came as a result of
their religion. Because it didn't offer them any form of life after death, they turned to poetry, as it's
their only hope for immortality. Poets, who held an honored place in society, wrote about the heroic
deeds of the warriors to preserve them in the memory of people. At first, the poetry started with a
group of people expressing their emotions together, communally in a rhythmical fashion, mostly
after an achievement, showing their ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Aragorn is an extremely skilled worrier, who we discover later is the rightful heir of the throne of
the kingdom gondor. Beowulf is a legendary worrier, who's also the future king of Geatland.
Moreover, both of them do not take the throne greedily from desire or seeking power. Their
companions encourage them both into sitting on the throne after having doubts if they're suitable for
the role. The resemblance does not end there, just like Beowulf who's father is a violent defender
passing through one kingdom after another, Aragorn is a man with a suspicious family past. It's very
appealing to think that Aragorn was in fact based on the epic's hero, indeed so, now that we know
that Tolkien is probably the biggest fan of Beowulf, he would've done anything to keep the last
surviving masterpiece of old English literature from being
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Epic Values Of The Epic Of Beowulf
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. Even though throughout the time the epic, continuously passed down was changed and evolved
to the version that exists today. Which was written to the text by Christian Monks, who added here
and there parts of their own religion to the epic, leading to the well–known epic today. Moreover,
through Beowulf, the reader has the ability to take some of their values ... Show more content on
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Loyalty, defined as support and allegiance to someone or a country, demonstrated through various
aspects of the human condition can be seen through aspects of the epic. Therefore, in the text, when
Beowulf went to Herot to help the king Hrothgar it was discovered that he felt loyalty to this king.
King Hrothgar after gaining the crown was faced with a conflict. This feud that Hrothgar got
involved in saved Beowulf and his father. (ll. 191–207, Burton Raffel). This loyalty relates to the
aspirations and growth in characters. This loyalty demonstrated through the Anglo–Saxons text
leads to the ideas of the human condition today. That loyalty is an essential part of being human. All
beings feel a sense of loyalty to someone or something. Beowulf, for example, felt loyalty to the
king because he had helped Beowulf and his family. Later in the text, Wiglaf demonstrate loyalty to
a dying Beowulf, when all of the valiant warriors abandoned their loyalty to their leader and king.
Wiglaf demonstrates to the reader that he too was loyal to the king due to the wonderful gifts that
Beowulf had bestowed upon them, but most of all him. (ll. 754–790, Burton Raffel). Therefore,
loyalty played a large role in the Anglo–Saxon time, but not only that, but it still plays a huge role
today. Loyalty today demonstrated through patriotism, love for one's country and the ability to care
for one another based on prior experiences. Moreover, the Anglo–Saxon value of loyalty
demonstrates the importance of allegiance to leaders and families but creates an illustration of what
loyalty today looks

Beowulf : An Epic Hero
Beowulf is a character that exudes the qualities of an epic hero. Throughout this epic, Beowulf is
seen as a hero to many and a major threat to the evils he encounters. The values of the Anglo–
Saxons, who would have read and admired this poem, included loyalty, bravery, and honor.
Beowulf's character exemplifies all of these qualities to the highest degree. The values and traditions
of the original composers of this story cause Beowulf's character to be the perfect example of an
Anglo–Saxon epic hero.
There are specific characteristics of epic heroes that are common throughout many folk epics. Epic
heroes are known to be larger–than–life figures, usually of noble or semi divine birth, who use their
courage and skill against evil forces, go on quests, and accomplish valorous deeds. Beowulf is a
character that fits the definition of an epic hero perfectly. In each part of this poem Beowulf shows
himself to be the hero his people need. There are many examples of each characteristic throughout
the epic.
The poem describes Beowulf as "greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world" (lns.
110–111); this quote presents evidence of Beowulf having the characteristic of being a larger–than–
life being. Another example of this characteristic is when he explained why he is worthy of fighting
Grendel. Beowulf talks of his time in war, how he cleared the world of giants, and how he swam and
hunted monsters out of the ocean. When he goes to fight Grendel's

The Epic Poetry Of The Epic Of Beowulf
It was an epic of the Germanic time, a poem of a noble man with high power, who strived to be a
victorious hero. Beowulf is one of the oldest poems of the old English language to have survived
(Raffel 30). As a story that has withstood this epic and heroic–age, Beowulf shows how, for the
Anglo–Saxon cultures of the time, the value these cultures placed on war and what they considered
to be a hero.
Written around the eighth and tenth centuries, "surviving in a single tattered manuscript, its edges
burned by fire, Beowulf provides a startlingly vivid glimpse into the early medieval past. Written in
Old English, with a vocabulary that would have seemed old fashioned even to its very first audience,
the poem recalls a heroic age in which monsters stalked men by night, dragons guarded hoards of
precious gems and heirlooms swords, and heroes carried out great deeds of warfare that would later
be commemorated by song and feast" (Puchner 107). It has no known author and no known date of
when this story was originally first told. It can be thought as one of the greatest stories to travel our
world and make an impact on more than one generation. As " Epic poetry has been and continues to
be used by peoples all over the world to transmit their traditions from one generation to another,
without the aid of writing. These traditions frequently consist of legendary narratives about the
glorious deeds of their national heroes"(Yoshida). Since these narratives did not need to be

Epic Values In Beowulf
Epic heroes are a type of familiar character to most readers, and they are also considered essential to
early literature. Because they are so common, epic heroes are often dismissed as bland characters.
However, epic heroes warrant a closer look, as they are able to show us the values of cultures vastly
different from our own.
This makes sense when one considers the origin of epic poems. They were first part of an oral
tradition, and would have been passed down generation to generation by mouth. Epic poems were
only written down later to ensure their preservation.
While the primary purpose of epic poems was entertainment, they also served a far more practical
purpose: one of education. It only makes sense that societies would have ingrained their values in
these tales. Stories are a subtle way to implant a fixed mindset into others. "Beowulf" is a perfect
example, Beowulf displays ideal Anglo–Saxon values, and much can be learned of the Viking
culture from him.
Allegiances with others were paramount to survival in the harsh environments of the Vikings, and
loyalty was highly valued. This is shown in Beowulf: the majority of his actions are spurred by
loyalty to others. When King Hrothgar is troubled by the demon Grendel, Beowulf immediately
comes to the aid of the king, because his father "Ecgtheow, [had] acknowledged [the king] with
vows of allegiance." Beowulf does not take advantage of the king's age and weakened state either,
he never attempts to overtake the

Beowulf As An Epic
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word epic? Something epic could
be associated with an event or action of something heroic or impressive. This is similar to what an
epic poem is. Beowulf is an epic poem, a long narrative poem that is usually about the deeds of a
heroic figure. Occasionally stories that are passed down orally through different generations are
transformed into epic poems. The people who heard the story of Beowulf experienced it not be text,
but by hearing it from scops. Scops were poets who entertained people by memorizing and telling
stories like Beowulf. These poets memorized 3,200 lines of the poem. Beowulf is on of the first
works of English literature. It might have been recorded in writing in Old English around 700 A.D.
by an Anglo–Saxon poet. Since Beowulf originated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Weapons were only wielded by men. The most common weapon carried by Anglo–Saxons are
knives, although knives were typically used more as utensils or tools instead of weapons. A weapon
that is easily accessible as they were, in many instances, used for cutting down trees, are axes. Axes
could be brought into a battle for close quarters combat (Anglo–Saxon Discovery). Spears held
during the activity of hunting were also deployed in battles. Anglo–Saxons laws suggest that these
spears, often more than two meters long, should be owned and available to all male citizens (Anglo–
Saxon Discovery). Swords were also evident amongst Anglo–Saxons, however swords are more
expensive and required more work to construct, therefore swords were seldom found. Protection
such as chain mail and helmets were only possessed by rich and high–ranked warriors. Weapons are
armed by Anglo–Saxon men primarily to boast his ranking within society as much as it is used for
battle (Anglo–Saxon Discovery). An Anglo–Saxon who wore a helmet, chain mail and wielded a
sword can be considered as a powerful and respected

The character of Beowulf demonstrates several characteristics that make a great epic hero.
Throughout his lifetime he displayed several characteristics such as honor, bravery, physical
superiority, leadership, and glory. These characteristics all formed how the Anglo–Saxons believed
one should live their life. Along with the valorous deeds that Beowulf accomplished he is considered
to be a prime example of an epic hero. Beowulf would have even been considered a model human to
the Anglo–Saxons due to how he consistently demonstrated these qualities. Beowulf demonstrated
honor when he fought Grendel without using a weapon. Beowulf decided not to use a weapon while
fighting Grendel because Grendel was unarmed. By doing this Beowulf had made the fight fair and
was able to keep his honor. Beowulf would have also fought the dragon without a weapon had it
been possible, but due to the dragons immense size, strength, and fiery breath he could use his
sword and shield while retaining his honor. Honor is an important characteristic for an epic hero to
have and Beowulf demonstrates it quite well throughout the poem. Beowulf demonstrated another
important Anglo–Saxon characteristic, bravery, when he fought the dragon. Beowulf knew he was
old when he decided to face the dragon but did not back down from the fight at hand. He decided to
stand and fight the dragon instead of running even when he knew he could not defeat the beast by
himself. Like the true hero he was

Epic Of Beowulf
The Story of Beowulf is the first epic to be written in English language. Originally it had only been
told and recited orally. Until a few hundred years a monk decided to write down the epic. The story
of Beowulf becomes more involved with christian beliefs after it gets written down. The story starts
off with the halls of Herot being filled with the joyous laughs and singing of men. The king,
Hrothgar, is an honorable king and cares deeply for his subordinates. The celebration gets cut short
by the monster Grendel, descendent of Cain, who devours 30 men in their sleep in the halls. Grendel
continues this onslaught for years. News spread to distant lands and ends up with Beowulf heading
for the kingdom. Beowulf is the hero in the epic. Known ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Some just by a little and others majorly. For example Hrothgar is a drunken selfish ruler in the
Hollywood version but is a honorable, admirable ruler in the original. The halls do indeed fill with
the joyous melodies of singing and merrymaking but it is not the song of creation they celebrate but
their king instead. Grendel does attack the warriors but not because of the creation song but because
of his sensitive ears. Grendel does not attack them during their slumber, but instead in the midst of
their celebration. Beowulf is accompanied by Wiglaf the entire journey as opposed to the end.
Beowulf does end up killing the beast in the same way. However Grendel's mother does not just kill
one person, she causes a massacre in the halls while Beowulf slumbers. Hrothgar learns of this and
decides to pass the the crown down to Beowulf and decides to kill himself. Beowulf then decides he
must kill another beast. He arrives at the cave from which the creatures emerged but does not swim
through the bottom of lake, instead he walks right in and eventually finds Grendel's mother. Grendel
turns out to be not a monster but instead a beautiful shape–shifting creature. Beowulf does not slay
her but instead make love. Beowulf does indeed battle a dragon at the end of the story but the
dragon turns out to actually be his own son birthed from Grendel's mother. Beowulf does indeed kill
the dragon,his son, but Grendel's mother remains intact the rest

The Epic Hero Of Beowulf
An epic hero is someone who is of great importance, they have supernatural abilities, have some
form of connection with the Gods, and accomplish great deeds. In Beowulf, translated by Seamus
Heaney, Beowulf is the epic hero in his tale and he is considered great by those who know of his
life. There are two versions of his story which portrays him in a certain way. The video version does
not do its best to portray him as an epic hero but instead show that he is a liar, a womanizer, and a
coward. The written version does not portray him as such, it portrays him as someone who is strong,
brave, and fearless. The written version best portrays Beowulf as an epic hero by showing his
actions involving superhuman deeds in battle.
Beowulf's first battle that portrayed his supernatural ability was with Grendel, a monster who has
been plaguing Hrothgar's kingdom. He comes at night and wreaks havoc upon the kingdom, killing
the men who dare destroy him. Beowulf hears of the stories about Grendel and decides to take a
journey to Heorot, to free Hrothgar of the monster. Hrothgar let him in with open arms because he
knew of his ancestry and he settled the debts that his father left behind, "he knows your ancestry;
also that he welcomes you here to Heorot," (lines 392–3). That night after Beowulf arrived, he
stripped off his armor because he did want to face this battle with Grendel having armor and
weapons. He decided that he would fight him bare handed, "And the Geat placed complete

Beowulf As An Epic Hero
When discussing epic heroes, some of the more prominent ones that come to mind are Beowulf
(from Beowulf), Hektor (from The Iliad), and Achilleus (also from The Iliad). These are all
characters from literature who have displayed a multitude of the characteristics embodied in epic
heroes. Each one of these literary figures has exhibited necessary traits needed to be considered an
epic hero. Whether those traits are some of the common ones such as strength, honor, loyalty,
perseverance, and bravery, or some of their own such as pride, intelligence, and morality. Whatever
the case, these three have undergone difficulties and shown ties to the values held by their cultures
within how they deal with issues. In this essay, I will attempt to ... Show more content on
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Eventually, Grendel (the demon Beowulf was sent to kill) makes an appearance and battles Beowulf.
Using possibly his greatest characteristic of strength, Beowulf defeats Grendel. This is seen in lines
814–817 where it states, "The monster's whole body was in pain, a tremendous appeared on his
shoulder. Sinews split and the bone–lappings burst. Beowulf was granted the glory of winning..."
We really see the strength held by Beowulf in this line as he rips off Grendel's arm thus making him
the victor. In the story of Beowulf, there are also some cultural themes such as religion. Christianity
at the time was being adapted to as this story was written, yet you already see it in some parts of the
story. Such is the case in lines 685–688 where Beowulf states, "And may the Divine Lord in His
kingdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit." This is not the only time religion
is used in the writing, in fact it is found throughout. In lines 696–697 it's said, "But the Lord was
weaving a victory on His war–loom for the Weather–Geats." Also in the line 710 Grendel is called
(God–curse) yet another religious statement. Suffice to say religion is a common cultural element in
the tale of Beowulf. You can see it often in the works entirety when read, showing the significance
God played in the daily lives of the author(s). It was also very honored to be a

Epic of Beowulf Essay
Beowulf
Word has traveled across the seas to Geatland of a great disturbance in Heorot. A threatening
creature has befallen on Hrothgar, King of the Danes, and his people. In no time, a Geat by the name
of Beowulf arrives at Heorot. However, why would one man, an unpopular man at that, not known
of possessing any strength or talent, travel a great distance to offer his services to the Danes? Textual
evidence provides that Beowulf, although he proves himself brave and strong, expresses his ego
through boasting of his epic deeds, illuminating on his strength and wit. In addition to feeding his
ego, it can be proved that Beowulf is out to make a legend of himself since he comes from a broken
lineage, and in the time of the Danes and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A young character by the name of Unferth challenges Beowulf and his boasts. It begins with
Unferth, at the feet of the King, in response to a challenge, "Are you the Beowulf who took on
Breca in a swimming match on the open sea, risking the water just to prove that you could win?"
(p.43, lines 504–508). This statement not only challenges Beowulf, but also goes on to suggest that
Beowulf is indeed a boaster ("risking the water just to prove that you could win?"). Beowulf goes on
to confirm his boastfulness: "...when the going was heavy in those high waves, I was the strongest
swimmer of all," (p.43, lines 533–534). To top it all off, Beowulf insults Unferth and makes him out
to be a coward, which helps Beowulf portray his strength and skills even further, which is to his
advantage and thus satisfying his goal more.
Now I cannot recall any fight you entered, Unferth, that bears comparison. I don't boast when I say
that neither you nor Breca were ever much celebrated for swordsmanship or for facing danger on the
field of battle. You killed your own kith and kin, so for all your cleverness and quick tongue, you
will suffer damnation in the depths of hell. The fact is, Unferth, if you were truly as keen or
courageous as you claim to be Grendel would never have got away with such unchecked atrocity,
attacks on your king, havoc in Heorot and horrors everywhere...But he will find me different. I will
show him how Geats shape to kill, (p. 44–45,

Beowulf Epic
Beowulf: An Epic story
Beowulf is an old english book. Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem in english. Beowulf is a
very brave, loyal, honorable person. Beowulf was an embarrassing guy, nothing could destroy him
or even hurt him. He fought things that no other man kind could have fought. Beowulf strength is
unbelievably strong and nothing can be compared to how powerful it is. EveryOne pretty much
looked up to beowulf to make sure that they were all safe. A theme From beowulf exemplified
through the story would include how embracing loyalty brings glory and honor while disloyal brings
destruction. In this theme beowulf exemplified through the story would include how embracing
loyalty brings glory and homer while disloyalty brings ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulf earned the right to be buried with the treasure because he earned it. Beowulf was brave
enough to risk his life to protect all the people in his village and the geats pretty much lost
everyone's respect because they chickened out and ran and left beowulf there to fight on his own.
The thief was disloyal to his people and the dragon reeked havoc on the geats. After beowulf was
dead the geats built a tower to honor the Greatest, bravest man alive that honored them and fought
for them and they took his trust for granted. It took 10 days to build but the geats built a monument
in his honor. After it was built all the silver and jewels were buried in the sandy Ground to be
hidden. The twelve of the bravest geats rode there horses around the tower telling their sorrows and
telling stories of their dead king and his greatness, his glory praising him for heroic deeds for a life
as noble as his name "Beowulf:.
Beowulf's geats were loyal waiting on beowulf at the edge of the lake after fighting grendel's mother
dones were disloyal by leaving when they saw blood spurting through. Geats received grendel's
head and the hilt of the sword asa trophies while the dames were shamed for leaving beowulf. While
beowulf was fighting grendel's mother he named his sword, his sword was named Hrunting. It's
pretty much a tradition to Germanic warrior's swords were

Comparing The Epic Of Beowulf
Mindless creatures who blindly walk with cricks in their necks from staring down at their new
cutting–edge electronics is what describes the current generation. The twenty–first century is
focused around technological advances and social status based on the accumulation of items, which
influences the society. On the contrary, the fifth and sixth centuries was a simpler time filled with
valiant warriors defending their community and their king. The society reflects these values and
Beowulf symbolizes this era and its aspects very accurately. The epic of Beowulf is structured
around oral writing, the concept of comitatus, Pagan–Christian tension, and warriors. At the time,
there was no form of writing meaning all the stories were orally composed, which leads to certain
mechanisms and strategies being used. Beowulf was originally composed in Old English and in
rhythmic meter to make it easier to be remembered and recited. One of these strategies was using
long dialogues or speeches that a single character says. This was used because it makes it easier for
the orators to speak in speech form. Also, repetition was used throughout, so that certain points were
emphasized and aren't forgotten or overlooked. For example, Beowulf told his people the whole
story about defeating Grendel and his mom, even though the fights were just told. In an oral culture
without written documents, the author inputted family lineage when mentioning a name of a person,
like Unerf, son of Ecglaf.. Oral

Waking up out of bed in the morning, going to school, work, or sports practice, or attending an event
you otherwise wouldn't be present at. The question isn't where are you and where did you go, but the
reason your body is moving in that general direction. Many people in the world tend to not have a
purpose in their movements anymore, having little to no motivation to accomplish anything in their
life. In the stories throughout history there are always multiple reasons why the characters, whether
they're good or bad, do what they do. Dating back all the way to ancient stories one of these studied
people is the man known as Beowulf from old English epic poetry. He is an epic hero known for
protecting people all around Europe from terrifying, unbeaten, undamaged beasts. He was also part
of the period where the anglosaxton culture was built, and he was their main mold for what it meant
to be a man and warrior of the culture. Being their spokesperson he had many reasons why he did
what he did, and some were seen a little more clearly than others, The motivations of Beowulf are
linked to the values in the anglosaxton code, and shown in his three monstrous battles in the epic,
being glory, duty, and generosity. In his fight with Grendel, Beowulf 's motivations that are from the
anglosaxton code are that of glory as a young, strong, successful warrior. Now Grendel is the first
beast in the story and is terrorizing, not Beowulf and the Geats, but king Hrothgar and the land of
the

Beowulf As An Epic Poem
Beowulf as an Epic Poem Beowulf is a legendary Old English poem believed to have been written
in the eighth or ninth century. Though its origin is unclear and its author is unknown this poem has
continued through time. Portions of the original transcript have been lost with the passing of time
and many translations of the work have been made. Each version of the work one aspect has
remained the same, its hero. In all versions of the poem the hero is characterized by his impressive
strength, bravery and loyalty. These traits make an epic hero. Beowulf can be defined as a true epic
because the work and its main character exhibit the characteristics of an epic poem and hero,
making it the subject of numerous translations.
Beowulf is the oldest surviving Germanic epic as well as the most important poem written in Old
English. The story and its hero are fiction, yet there are historical elements through the poem. There
is certainly a great deal of Germanic history incorporated in the poem. Whether Beowulf was a real
man or not, his character fit invariably into the context of his society. Many of the poem's characters
were real: The Geat king, Hygelac, Hrothgar, and others. Also, the Ravenswood battle which took
place in 510AD is true.
The poem is believed to have been composed as early as 700, and that an oral version of the poem
was composed even earlier. The poem was retold through a significant period of time before it was
written down. The retellings caused the story to

Tragedy And Epic Of Beowulf
Aristotle's Poetics is a brilliant book on the mechanics of poetry, tragedy, and epics. He details the
specific characteristics that poetry, tragedy and epic needs to have in order to make it such. The
poem Beowulf is a wonderful example of a brilliant piece of poetry, originating from England, tells
of the great warrior Beowulf and his battles with Grendel, Grendel's mother, and finally his last
battle with the dragon that terrorizes his city and leads to his death. Considering Beowulf's death
while fighting the dragon, should the poem, Beowulf, be thought of as an epic or a heroic tragedy?
According to Aristotle, "Tragedy is a representation of an action of a superior kind–grand, and
complete in itself– presented in embellished language, in distinct forms in different parts, performed
by actors rather than by a narrator, effecting, through pity and fear, the purification[catharsis] of
such emotions" (Poetics 23). Tragedy is supposed to give the viewer a way to channel emotions
through mimesis, pity and fear, and catharsis. In fact, Leon Golden identifies mimesis, pity and fear,
and catharsis as "the starting point in [an] attempt to establish a fully adequate theory of tragedy"
(Golden 23). Mimesis means imitation; however, the English word imitation does not do justice to
what the words means in its original Greek. In Greek, mimesis connotes imitation, but imitation of a
deeper level; imitation almost on the level of occupying someone else's body in order to achieve

Is Beowulf : An Epic Hero Or An Epic Fool?
Is Beowulf an epic hero or a proud fool? In most cases, people would look at him and say that he is
both a proud fool and an epic hero. A epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics, Beowulf
shows that he truly possesses these characteristics by his actions of bravery, power, and his honor.
Beowulf show's that he is brave when he goes across the sea to help those in need even though he
would be risking his life in the process. He shows that he has strength when he takes on the mighty
dragon and kills it along with so many other fearsome beasts before it. Also, Beowulf shows that he
is honorably to his people when he stands beside them and risks his life for them and for the Danes.
While Beowulf may have been an epic hero in the poem Beowulf, there are many great and fantastic
heroes right here in America. Beowulf may have fought sea monsters and a dragon, but people here
in America have fought against others who are out to destroy us like the 9/11 attack on the World
Trade Center in New York. The day of 9/11 when the planes hit the buildings was a day that will
forever be remember as one of the worst day in American history, but brave men came together to
help those in need. Police officers, Firefighters, EMT's, Doctor's, and many more where there to take
care of those who needed it. Heroes All throughout the poem Beowulf has not once hesitated in
showing that he is brave and that he does not care about risking his own life to help others. In the
beginning of the

The Adaptation Of The Epic Of Beowulf
The epic poem Beowulf is one of the oldest surviving literary pieces and therefore one of the most
important works of Old English literature. John Gardner, in the form of the novel Grendel, created
an adaptation based on one of the most well known epic poems. The adaptation is a successful one
due to the fact that Gardner maintains the pivotal events from the plot that are present in the original
Beowulf. The adaptation reincarnates the original through its use of the same characters present in
both works. Grendel remains the antagonist in both of the literary works, as he wreaks havoc on
Hrothgar's mead–hall. The literary works end the same way, with Grendel dying and Beowulf
remaining the epic hero for humanity. The differences in the ... Show more content on
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Grendel is a monster killing the Danes in both the original and adaptation, but readers of Grendel
see he is also a miserable creature through his narration. The character of Beowulf remains the
same, as the qualities that make Beowulf a great leader are still clearly defined in the adaptation.
Grendel is able to recognize Beowulf's strength and leadership attributes. In Beowulf the Geat's
leader is "a thane...with the strength of thirty/in the grip of each hand" (Heaney 380–381). Beowulf
proves his strength and leadership qualities in both of the works as he prepares to defeat Grendel.
The fight scene between Beowulf and Grendel remains true in the two pieces of literature; Beowulf
fakes sleep and engages the monster in hand–to–hand combat. Beowulf is able to tear Grendel's arm
off from the shoulder, ultimately killing him. Before battle the thane proclaims, "I hereby
renounce/sword and the shelter of the broad shield,/the heavy war–board: hand–to–hand/is how it
will be, a life and death/fight with the fiend" (Heaney 436–440). Beowulf's incredible strength is
what separates him from the other humans; it plays a large role in the making of the epic poem.
Therefore the adaptation maintains Beowulf's strength, remaining faithful to an important
component of the original work.
Aside from characters, another major component of an adaptation is the plot and whether it remains
true the original work. The plot of Grendel derives from the original work,

Beowulf, The Epic Hero
Beowulf, The Epic Hero An epic is a long poem, usually derived from ancient oral stories,
describing the adventures and deeds of a legendary hero. Typically, most epics follow a pattern or
hold certain characteristics. These characteristics are; a hero, a quest, valorous deeds, divine
intervention, and great events. The hero is usually the protagonist that in which is sent on a quest. As
the heroes proceed on their quest, they will exhibit valorous deeds or actions that show their
character. Epics also intertwine great events to set the theme of the story. Some of these events
develop from myths or cultural aspects. Lastly, the hero must undergo divine intervention, or the
help from a person or supernatural force. One of the most well known Anglo–Saxon Epics is
Beowulf. The story of Beowulf contains all of these characteristics, along with the values of the
Anglo–Saxons. The values of the Anglo–Saxons can best be described as The Heroic Code. This
Code of Honor was the ruleset every warrior was to follow. The warriors were to be brave,
honorable, truthful, and loyal. Beowulf perfectly exhibits these values, making him a great example
of an epic hero. The poem starts off with the introduction of Grendel, a beast originating from the
cursed family of Cain and Abel. Because he is an abomination that has been exiled from man by
God, Grendel lives in the darkness. He constantly hears the sounds of celebration coming from the
mead hall full of warriors causing him to cringe.

Beowulf: The Epic Hero
Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The
poem illustrates the Anglo–Saxon's strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior
and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength
and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code.
Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and
forgiveness into the hero archetype. The Anglo–Saxon culture ran on the outline of the heroic code.
The warrior pledged allegiance to his lord in exchange for protection ("Beowulf" 38). Through acts
of strength and bravery in battle, the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He was a considerate man (Beowulf 1807–12).
Beowulf displays a kingly character. Though his fellow man turns on him, he chooses to remain
loyal to his warriors and show forgiveness. Beowulf illustrates the both powerful bravery and
strength that define the heroic code. The poet describes the Geat warrior as a "man whose name was
known for courage" (Beowulf 330). Beowulf knows he is strong and declares himself capable to
King Hrothgar stating, "I battled and bound five beasts, / raided a troll–nest and in the night–sea /
slaughtered sea–brutes" (Beowulf 420–2). His testimonies of strength and battle achievements are
not to boast for personal glory but to credit himself worthy and capable of defeating Grendel.
Beowulf succeeds in mortally wounding Grendel, but the demon's mother threatens Hrothgar's hall
again with another attack. Beowulf does not turn away from this set back but rises to the challenge
and encourages Hrothgar to avenge the death of his friend, Aeschere . Beowulf explains to Hrothgar,
"It is always better / to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning. / For every one of us, living in
this world / means waiting for our end. Let whoever can / win glory before death" (Beowulf 1384–
8). Beowulf's concerns are largely of loyalty to his lord and obtaining glory no matter the risks.
Critic Joseph Weidenboerner writes, "the clan hero is always conscious of the 'other,' focusing on his
service to persons or powers greater

The Epic Of Beowulf By Beowulf
People throughout the world practice a variety of religions. Some religions are more popular than
others such as Buddhism versus Jainism. Religions tend to spread within a society and then die back
down. However, there are still people amongst us who believe or may even still practice archaic
religions. Some religions date back to 700 A.D such as Christianity and paganism. Over the course
of hundreds of years both religions have evolved. Throughout different works of literature, people
are able to understand the original aspects of these different religions. Due to the construction of this
Beowulf, students and professors are able to study and get a true understanding of a pagans'
demeanor and how life evolves through their eyes. Throughout the epic poem Beowulf, paganism is
exemplified as this epic hero falls victim to fate while embarking on his journey through life
fighting monsters and chasing after his fame.
To begin with, Beowulf was composed in Old English by an anonymous writer between the sixth
and seventh century, and it is known for portraying the emergence of the Anglo–Saxons and their
way of life. Adams David Leeming, author of "The Anglo–Saxons 449–1066", stated that the island
of Great Britain, secluded from the European continent, seemed perfect for the birth of legends,
poets, and the belief in elves due to its rain–drenched and almost always fogged weather. This type
of weather is ideal for such stories involving heroes and legends. This island has been

The Epic Of Beowulf
Beowulf is a wonderful tale. It is exciting, interesting, and all around fun to read. It is categorized as
an epic poem. It fits all of the characteristics. It is elongated and follows the journey of a great
warrior. I believe that it portrays this genre perfectly. An epic poem is a long, narrative poem that
involves some sort of heroic action. Epic poems usually follow a hero's journey where he executes
heroic tasks, wins battles, and many times performs miracles involving sometimes superhuman
strengths. An epic is lengthy and often book–length. The Story of Beowulf is epic. He is an amazing
leader and a very gifted warrior. Beowulf travels to distant places to rid the world of horrid
monsters. He saved many people in his lifetime and has ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"And you struggled for seven long nights/ To survive" (L. 250–251). It is incredible to be able to
swim for seven nights. It is also very incredible for Beowulf to be able to fight sea monsters during a
seven nights swim. "A monster seized me, drew me/ Swiftly toward the bottom" (l. 286–287).
Beowulf slayed that sea monster, and what seemed like several more. "By morning they'd decided to
sleep on the shore, / Lying on their backs, their blood spilled out/ On the sand" (l. 298–300).
Beowulf's final battle takes place fifty years after the battle with Grendel. Beowulf is now an old
man. Most old men cannot fight all that well; However, Beowulf will be a warrior until the day he
dies. In this battle Beowulf will be fighting a dragon. Only a true hero will be able to destroy a
dragon. Beowulf still manages to end the dragon's life even though he is much older than the
previous battles.
The story of Beowulf Definitely fits the characteristics of an epic poem. In the story Beowulf saved
Herot and many more people. He was a hero. He showed powerfulness in each of his battles such as
ripping off Grendel's arm, wielding a heavy sword made by giants, swimming long distances, and
killing a dragon at a pretty old

Beowulf as Epic Hero
Epic heroes usually exemplify the character traits most admired in their societies, and Beowulf is no
exception. "Beowulf" is set in the Anglo–Saxon society, a time when war was rampant among the
many peoples trying to take over the different kingdoms of England. In this dangerous, violent time
people lived in constant peril and jeopardy. These conditions only allowed people of great bravery to
survive and men of outstanding courage were admired the populous. These warriors fought for their
leader and tribe in return for treasure and protection. This relationship between the lord and his men
was the basis of the Anglo–Saxon society. The epic poem "Beowulf" is a perfect example of how
this system worked in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
/ Nor will I" (l 188–191). His saying this makes it evident to Hrothgar that he refuses to use
weapons against this unarmed monster. Beowulf is also brave enough to battle a fire dragon which
ultimately leads to his demise. Yet, Beowulf never let his own accomplishments exceed the praise of
his lord. "But no one meant Beowulf's praise to belittle / Hrothgar, their fine and gracious king!" (l
514–515) Just as Beowulf defends his king, Beowulf's followers defend him when he challenges
Grendel and Grendel's mother. In the battle with Grendel "All of Beowulf's / Band had jumped from
their beds, ancestral / Swords raised and ready determined / To protect their prince if they could" (l
446–449).
After the warriors have performed their duties, the lord must also perform his. The lord must protect
his followers, reward his warriors, provide hospitality, and honor all of the brave warriors who have
protected him. The Danes had a tremendous victory early in the poem, and Hrothgar "Resolved / To
build a hall that would hold his mighty / Band and reach higher toward Heaven than anything / That
had ever been known to the sons of men" (l 4–7). This serves as a reward for his men. When
Beowulf arrives in Herot, he addresses Hrothgar as "Lord and protector of this noble place" (l 183)
and as the "shelterer of warriors" (l 185). These comments prove

Beowulf : The Epic Of Beowulf
To begin, Beowulf the poem has a unknown author, Beowulf is an epic poem. In Beowulf he is
challenged by the murderous monster Grendel, Grendel is eating and slaughtering Hrothgar the King
of the Danes men and people, the king needs Beowulf 's help in defeating Grendel, Beowulf ends up
killing the monster and is now tormented by the monster 's mother that is much larger, she is no
match for Beowulf and he kills her as well, lastly it is Beowulf's last battle after he has been king of
Geatland for fifty years, he has to defeat the dragon and he does but dies shortly after. In this essay I
will be explaining how lof, comitatus, and wyrd is very important to Beowulf's culture. First and
foremost, lof meaning fame is important to Beowulf's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For example, in lines 761–765 it states " Sad at heart, addressing his companions, Wiglaf spoke wise
and fluent words: I remember that time when mead was flowing, how we pledged loyalty to our lord
in the hall, promising our ring–giver we would be worth our price." (Raffel, the final battle). In this
quote it explains the importance of being loyal to your king or leader, they pledge and put their life
on the line to make sure that their leader is taken care of, in Beowulf's culture comitatus is extremely
important and one of the main ways of their lives. Another example of comitatus in Beowulf is in
lines 148–151 it states " My people have said, the wisest, most knowing and the best of them, that
my duty was to go to the Danes' Great king. They have seen my strength for themselves." ( Raffel,
part 1). In this quote it explains how Beowulf himself showed loyalty to King Hrothgar by offering
to help kill Grendel once and for all, Beowulf wanted to help him because their fathers were friends
and Hrothgar's father helped Beowulf's and it was now Beowulf's duty to help the king and repay
him for what his father had done. As seen in this paragraph comitatus is a very important part of
Beowulf culture, being loyal to your leader is simply out of respect and is done at all times. Finally,
wyrd also known as fate is important to Beowulf's culture because their way of life is that
everything is predetermined, everything is supposed to happen

Beowulf : The Epic Hero
What do Achilles, King Arthur, Harry Potter, and Beowulf all have in common? They all
demonstrate the qualities of epic heroes. Beowulf represents several characteristics of an epic hero
and demonstrates the values of the Anglo–Saxons. He is the main character of his story, he has a
main goal, he travels and fights with a group of people, and he accomplishes many valorous deeds;
the values of the Anglo–Saxons are also shown through the actions of Beowulf, such as courage,
loyalty, and fame. For example, when Beowulf heard a cry for help in a far off land, he answered.
He fought larger than life monsters, and won. His exceptional strength proves his epic courage and
heroism.
One way in which Beowulf represents the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
448–449). Lastly, in The Last Battle, Beowulf states, "And this dragon's treasure, his gold/ And
everything hidden in that tower, will be mine/ Or war will sweep me to a bitter death!" (ln. 647–
649). This is the last of the main goals Beowulf sets before his death.
Another way in which Beowulf represents a characteristic of an epic hero is he travels and fights
with a group of people. "So Beowulf chose the mightiest men he could find,/ The bravest and best of
the Geats, fourteen/ In all," (ln. 119–122). Beowulf personally chose the warriors he journeys with
himself; although Beowulf is generally the one to conquer the monsters, these soldiers are with him
through all of his battles. In The Battle With Grendel, all of the men are sleeping in Herot; yet, when
Grendel appears, Beowulf is the one to fight and execute him. The story is similar in The Battle
With Grendel's Mother; his men follow him to the edge of the lake, yet he is the one to explore the
lake and fight and kill Grendel's mother. Likewise, in The Last Battle when Beowulf fights the
dragon, he begins fighting with all of his men, yet all but one abandon him. Beowulf obtains a
strong group of people that he travels with, yet ultimately he solves problems himself.
In addition to traveling with a group of people, Beowulf accomplishes a multitude of valorous
deeds. The first way in which this is demonstrated is through The Battle

Epic Hero In Beowulf
Nobility of Mankind
The foremost valued trait of a gallant is the champion hero. The one who takes on the belligerent
task, the repercussions of fear enclosed by the tribulations. A typical epic usually contains
challenges, journeys, adventures and crucially, a hero. An epic hero has several characteristics that
make him idiosyncratic. The individual usually comes from a noble family, which means, a noble
birth. They also tend to have superhuman strength and accomplish beyond the platitude human
deeds. A requisite in all Epic stories is that this hero must go on a quest in search of something. This
quest, also known as a journey, holds several challenges and unexpected turns that the hero must
overcome those larger–than–life challenges.
Beowulf, an epic hero, is a prime example that fits the standard qualities of an epic hero. He is
noble, brave, and has superhuman strength, not only in his body but also in his heart. This strength is
one that makes him think of himself as immortal and invincible. What Beowulf lacks despite this, is
a sense of self–knowledge, something learned about oneself through experiences, but he gains this
characteristic through his epic quest in which he will realize that in fact, he is not immortal. Beowulf
does not gain self–knowledge; there is a multitude of events which lead up to his inner realization.
Grendel is a powerful monster who terrorizes the Danes. He is feared of immensely by all of the
people and nobody who has the courage to withstand

The Epic Poem ' Beowulf '
11
Given, the current high profile debate with regard to dating the epic poem Beowulf, it is quite
surprising that some scholars go as far as placing it during the Vendel era around 550 – 793 CE.
Eventhough it is considered as a kind of folk tale, many are those who believe it happened towards
the early Vendel era. As a rebuttal to this point, it might be?convincingly argued?that this period is
also referred to as the Germanic Iron Age. Moreover, this era saw the rise of Norse mythology,
which is very fatalistic in nature; it focuses on a world coming to an end in a great cataclysm. Along
with this fatalism comes the willingness to die. That?s why warriors would go to fight in battles and
combats. Surprisingly enough, not only the heroes ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Mead–Hall is also a place where Hrothgar rewarded his followers for their loyalty. Evidence for
in support of this opinion, can be found in the plot of the poem which
concerns its hero Beowulf who managed to defeat Grendel and later on his mother who
wanted to avenge her son?s death. Upon this victory, there was a big fest at Mead–Hall inwhich
Beowulf was loaded up with gifts and he achieved full rank hero by being sung in heroic songs by
Hrothgar?s bards or scops. Later on, he was to become king of the Geats and has protected his
people very well. As he grew older, a dragon is awakened by a theft of a cup from his horde and he
began to terrorize Beowulf?s people. So as an old man, Beowulf put his arm one more time, and
went on to fight one last battle. In the fight, all his faithful warriors deserted him and ran away
except one whose name was Wiglaf who satyed and helped him fight to the end. After a terrific
struggle, they killed the dragon, but during the battle Beowulf is mortally wounded and he lived just
long enough to see some of the treasures that he had won for his people ran out of the cave before he
died. The poem ends with the Geats building a a huge burial mount for Beowulf, and with the
gloomy predictions about what would happen to the people; now that Beowulf had gone.
A?closer look at the?data?indicates that Beowulf has its origins in an earlier pagan era. As it has
been suggested by many scholars, the author of the written

Beowulf, the Epic Hero
Beowulf, the Epic Hero
There have been many grand stories about great warriors, and champions; those about epic heroes
however, are the truly exceptional tales. One such tale, over a thousand years old, stands out from all
the rest: Beowulf, the tale of a great warrior, on his quest to achieve eternal glory, defeating great
opponents. Throughout the whole story, Beowulf demonstrates most –if not all– of the qualities that
an archetypal hero possesses. He embodies the highest ideals of his culture, travels to find
adventure, and is not emotionally connected to his followers. Beowulf undertakes his journey to
achieve something of great value to himself and society, defeats monsters, yet maintains humanity.
Although Beowulf experiences ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Later in life, when Beowulf is crowned King, he asserts himself greater by chasing after the Dragon,
to protect his kingdom.
Another obvious heroic characteristic that Beowulf portrays is the defeat of monsters and other
malevolence. He does this throughout the story, not only using brute force, but also cunning tactics,
such as the time when he attacks Grendel's extremely sensitive ears. Beowulf also disposes of
Grendel's Mother, using a gigantic sword in her lair to decapitate her, and ends the reign of terror on
the Danes. Years later, after Beowulf is crowned King, his land is assailed by the Dragon. This epic
battle proves just how valiant Beowulf actually is, going after the beast single–handedly, instead of
endangering any of his men. It is a long, hard–fought battle, in which Beowulf contests with all his
might. Beowulf ultimately kills the Dragon –rips out its heart–, but not without a price; the battle
costs the King his life.
Although the acts of battle and heroism that Beowulf performs are anything but human, he manages
to maintain a sense of benevolence. During a Frisian invasion, in which the assailants are no match
for the Geats and Danes, Beowulf states, "This is not battle, Wiglaf. This is slaughter." When a
prisoner is captured in this battle, Beowulf prevents the men from teasing and ridiculing him,
demanding that they kill him swiftly, and respectfully. When this man, Finn of Frisia,

Beowulf's Three Fights
In the epic poem Beowulf, the character Beowulf is seen to have three battles. The first battle is
against Grendel, the second is against Grendel's mum, and the final battle is against the dragon. In
each of these battles Beowulf is portrayed as a great hero (well he should be since it's a
characteristic of an epic poem to glorify the hero) and is always seen to be brave and fearless.
The first battle he fights is versus Grendel. It takes place in Hrothgar's Hall of the Hart where
Grendel has been plaguing them for twelve years. Beowulf comes because he is told by people from
Geatland to help the Scyldings. To get ready for the battle the hero takes off all his armor and sets
aside all ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This battle takes place in a cave after Beowulf had tracked her to a bog until he found the spot where
the water was on fire. Once there he jumps in and swims for a whole day until he found the cave. In
this battle he wears his armor and takes a sword by the name of Hrunting. It was Hrothgar's sword
and Unferth carried it for the sea–geat. So with all this gear he swims through the water until he
happens upon Grendel's mum who grabs him and tries to hurt him, though to no avail. Beowulf gets
pinned and the sea monsters come around him and tear at him, which does hurt him a little. He
finally gets his arm free and swings Hrunting at the mother of evil but it breaks upon her head. Then
she pulls a dagger on him and tries to stab him but his armor protects him. Then he sees a sword off
to the side that he grabs and stabs her with. The sword is supernatural and doesn't break on her but
after he cuts the head off of the hell thane, the sword dissipates and only the hilt is left. The hilt
depicts a great flood, which supposedly was supposed to have killed Grendel and his mum but they
were able to survive in their cave and made it alive. So the bold thane has fought with Grendel and
his mum and still he stands.
The third and final battle takes place back in Beowulf's homeland, Geatland. Beowulf is an old man,
possibly eighty, and is now the ruler of the Danes. The dragon has just

The Epic Poem ' Beowulf '
Given, the current high profile debate with regard to dating the epic poem Beowulf, it is quite
surprising that some scholars go as far as placing it during the Vendel era around 550 – 793 CE.
Eventhough it is considered as a kind of folk tale, many are those who believe it happened towards
the early Vendel era. As a rebuttal to this point, it might be convincingly argued that this period is
also referred to as the Germanic Iron Age. Moreover, this era saw the rise of Norse mythology,
which is very fatalistic in nature; it focuses on a world coming to an end in a great cataclysm. Along
with this fatalism comes the willingness to die. That's why warriors would go to fight in battles and
combats. Surprisingly enough, not only the heroes die but so do the Gods. Therefore, the central
value of this culture is glory and heroism. Having considered the fundamental premises upon which
the Poem Beowulf took ground , it is also reasonable to look at the epitome of this epic poem which
starts with a tale about the ancestors of the Danish king, Hrothgar who wins great fame and wealth
in different battles. Therefore, he built a Mead–Hall called Herot, to commemorate his victories. The
Mead–Hall took its name from a popular drink, mead, being fermented liquor which was drunk at
banquets and celebrations. Herot is also a place intended for peace and community.The Mead–Hall
is also a place where Hrothgar rewarded his followers for their loyalty. Evidence for in support of
this opinion, can

Epic In Beowulf
What is the purpose of an epic? There must be a logical explanation to how they could still exist
after all this time. Even stranger most people do not realize how regularly they show up. For
example, when they read a story, watch a movie, or even play a video game, each and every one of
them gives a story with an epic hero. Epics play a huge part in the world's history from the B.C. ages
to now. They show their dreams and values from there culture. Even now in America's culture they
play a bigger part then anyone could ever imagine. People do not realize that "[everyone] must fight
[their] own Grendels and dragons – [as well as their own] inner and outer demons," as said on page
55. Although from different time periods, both Beowulf, from the epic poem ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulf's people loved him, as seen when it says "kindest to his people and keenest to win fame,"
(842). Captain Americas people, on the other hand, did not love him as much instead they kind of
made fun of him but he still achieves fame later on. Steve Rogers believes in god, they know this
because in the "Avengers," he tells Black widow that there is only one god. While in "Beowulf,"
they do not, as shown on page 7 where it says the Anglo – Saxon England cutler believes in
"animinsm." They also differ in the sense that Beowulf does not save the prisoner Grendel's mom
takes, this proven when it says "Edgetho's son, and died there," (628). While Captain America saves
his friend and the POW from the Red Skull. The last big one, Beowulf dies after his last battle, this
evident when it says, "twelve warriors road around the tomb," (829). In Captain America the First
Avenger it shows that he survived the airship crash but gets unfrozen after 70 years. Both Beowulf
and Steve Rogers share their similarities and difference that represent their culture, but why do we
tell epic stories like

The Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel
When one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences
between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic
warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of
fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other
cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that
things have changed since that time, somewhere around 580–1000 A.D. Perhaps these changes
contribute to the differences encountered in various types of media about the same story. For
example, Beowulf the epic poem focuses on Beowulf's strength, whereas ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
A lot of Grendel's behavior is a result of his descent. "Cain got no good from committing that
murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang
ogres and elves and evil phantoms" (Heaney, Seamus page 9). References to the Biblical story of
Cain and Abel throughout the epic allow readers to infer that Grendel comes from a cursed
bloodline. This was common during this time period, as kinship was weighed heavily in determining
a person's character. In this time, it was not common to see an antagonist as complex as the hero of
the story, which is why Grendel is very plainly evil. As the story progresses, there is no change in
his character, and even in his defeat, it is hard for readers to sympathize with him because of this.
He is constantly described as a monstrous creature, one of pure evil, which adheres to the thinking
of simplistic duality present in the culture of the Anglo Saxons. Everything was simply good or evil
by nature, and Grendel obviously fell under the latter. While that was considered normal for that
time period, current audiences would not accept it so willingly. Our culture is one of reasoning and
logic, questioning everything without simply accepting it. In the time of the epic, they simply
embraced what was and demanded no explanation. Perhaps this contributes largely to the difference
in text and film, and why characters pursue different quests.
In Beowulf and Grendel,

Culture And Values : The Epic Of Beowulf And Beowulf
Culture and Values: An Analyzation of the Beowulf Epic and the Beowulf and Grendel Film The
epic tale of Beowulf was written sometime after his death. In other words, a long time ago during
the Anglo–Saxon period. Today, directors in Hollywood did not keep from creating their own
rendition of this epic poem As a result, plenty of modern interpretations of Beowulf, such as Sturla
Gunnarsson's Beowulf and Grendel, have been released. Naturally, the cultural values that might be
reflected in modern Beowulf renditions will demonstrate a clash with those of the original fifth
century Beowulf literature. One reason for this is that in the modern age we value characters with
profound characteristics, characters that change due to the challenges they experience; characters
that we as the audience can attach to. Flat characters like those of the original Beowulf text are
difficult to empathize with since they are not realistic enough for our standards. Due to these
differences in culture and values, the Beowulf and Grendel from the original Beowulf text possess
definite contrasts when compared with their Beowulf and Grendel counterparts. Initially, a Geat
endowed "the strength of thirty men in each of his hands," seems like an immense hyperbole.
However, throughout the epic, the truth does not seem to be too exaggerated. During their fight in
the text, the protagonist, Beowulf, expropriates Grendel of his arm. Grendel was "overwhelmed,
manacled tight by the man who of all men was

The Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel
When one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences
between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic
warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of
fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other
cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that
things have changed since that time, somewhere around 580–1000 A.D. Perhaps these changes
contribute to the differences encountered in various types of media about the same story. For
example, Beowulf the epic poem focuses on Beowulf's strength, whereas Beowulf and Grendel
(Gunnarsson, 2005) the film focuses on the tragedies Grendel faces. By creating a more complex
Grendel in the film, it becomes obvious that our culture demands justice and reason behind every
action. The film Beowulf and Grendel presents a far more complex Grendel, which complies with
our culture's necessity to give antagonists motives for their actions, and reason for the audience to
sympathize with them.
Reader 's' first encounter with Grendel in the epic is towards the beginning," a powerful demon, a
prowler through the dark, nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud
banquet every day in the hall," (Heaney,Seamus page 9). This line from the text shows that Grendel
antagonizes the Danes out of

What Is The Epic Of Beowulf
An Epic strained to Reality There are numerous occasions and aspects in which we as a society, and
through the stains of history, commandeer ourselves and tend to force our opinions onto others. The
Epic poem of the great folklore tale Beowulf in comparison to the film of 2005, Beowulf and
Grendel, is engulfed of a larger amount of vast differences, relations, and biblical references. Further
advancing the knowledge and comprehension of our mentality to understand right from wrong;
justice from injustice and who there is to be at fault. The ignition and possibly the sole purpose of
defiance between arguments of which either the descriptions of what both the film and the epic's
facts are true and authentic. The religious accounts that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
With that being said, the Geat's religion and their ideas of bringing honor and glory to their
respective peers offers an excessively much gory mentality image that develops an uncertainty as to
whether or not we can truly understand their works, and purposes of their life cycle. With an
abundant much knowledge of the folklore, we can determine precisely exactly how their process of
working sufficiently together deciphering and untangling the strands of figuring out fact from
fiction, complexity from simpleness, and the interpretations from misinterpretations. As for Beowulf
and Beowulf, they have a fair decent amount of similarities, yet their sum of differences seem to
outweigh those similarities. are much in the highs of a numerical

Comparing Beowulf And The Epic Of Beowulf
Anglo–Saxons refers to settlers from the German regions that migrated to Britain during the fall of
the Roman Empire. In the story Beowulf, his actions portray him, indeed be an epic hero. Both
Christianity and Paganism are both portrayed throughout the epic Beowulf. Beowulf frequently
speaks of God throughout the story, while there are also many Pagan elements that are evident
throughout the story as well. In addition, "It 's hard to ignore the Christian and Pagan elements in
Beowulf. These types of elements are what define the heroic warrior in the epic Beowulf"
(Vengeance the Pagan and Christian Inspiration). Throughout the epic Beowulf, while the Anglo–
Saxons followed Christianity, they had a hard time letting go of the Pagan beliefs when things got
hard. First, references to the bible are one way that Anglo–Saxons followed Christianity, while they
had a hard time letting go of the Pagan beliefs. One of the first Christian aspects in the story is
referring to how God created the earth. Furthermore, "The Almighty created the earth, creating all
the beautiful landscapes that is marked off by the waters, and lighted by the moon and sun"(The
Monster Grendel from Beowulf Translated by Burton Raffel the Monster Grendel 1). Furthermore,
in this quote the author portrays how the Almighty created the earth and how he gave life to
everything in the world. This quote is reminding us of the religious aspect of the poem because it is
a Christian viewpoint, only about Pagans. In

Beowulf
The epic poem Beowulf is a story of heroes and monsters, good and evil. The poem tells about the
accomplishments and deeds of a legendary Geatish hero who first rids the Danish kingdom of
Hrothgar of two demonic monsters: Grendel and Grendel's mother. Later in the story, Beowulf meets
a dragon, kills it with the help of Wiglaf, but dies of wounds.
No one knows who wrote Beowulf. It was not really written in the way that literature is written now.
It is an epic poem, meant to be spoken aloud, very few of them were ever written down, and very
few of them survived into modern times.
Known as the first poem of the English literature, Beowulf is the major literary monument of Old
English literature and of Anglo–Saxon ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Wiglaf: The bravest of Beowulf's warriors and the one that helps defeat the Dragon. Beowulf leaves
him the kingdom of the Geats, since he has no son of his own. Wiglaf is very loyal to Beowulf.
Beowulf's Death
(pages 61–63 of "The Norton Anthology")
The dragon advances, and Beowulf finds his iron shield less protection than he thought against the
dragon's flames. Nevertheless, he strikes the dragon with his sword. Angered by the blow, the
dragon ejects even more fire, and Beowulf is forced to step back. At this point all of Beowulf's
companions (except Wiglaf) flee to the woods. The dragon bytes Beowulf on the neck with his huge,
poisonous fangs. As Beowulf bleeds all over the cave, Wiglaf finds the dragon's weak spot on its
neck and hits it with his sword. Beowulf manages to stab the dragon with a sharp knife from his
vest. Both, the dragon and Beowulf, fall.
Wiglaf patches his King's wounds, and Beowulf speaks to him. He knows he is about to die.
Beowulf says he has no son to whom to leave his armor, but he is glad that he held the throne for
fifty years and protected his people. He rejoices that he has not indulged in plots or sworn false
oaths and that the Lord will have no occasion to accuse him of the slaughter of kinsmen. He asks
Wiglaf to build a great burial for him and to take a good care of his people. He says that although he
is dying, he is glad to give his people the gold that was found in dragon's place.

I thank God that

The Epic of Beowulf
"Beowulf" is the oldest anglo–saxon poem written in English. The poem describes the heroic deeds
of Beowulf in his fight against monsters. Even if the events narrated in the poem take place in
Denmark, the poem was transmitted by oral language between the anglo–saxon even 200 years after
its creation. Anglo–saxons did not consider themselves british, but vikings, and their heroes were
always from Scandinavia.
The author of "Beowulf" is anonymous. The original poem was written on sheep tanned leather.
"Beowulf" is not only the story of a young man that gains glory against monsters or of an old king
that dies fighting a dragon, but it is the story of a brave man who, once young and invincible,
chooses to fight against the dragon though he knows that he's going to have a tragic end.
"Beowulf" meets all the features of an epic poem: it is a long narration of a national hero ( he is
recognized, rewarded and glorified by the king himself and his people), his travel on the sea, his
adventures and the heroic episodes he's the central figure in. Moreover, the main protagonist,
Beowulf, is a brave young man, like Gilgamesh, Achilles or Hercules, with more–than–human
strength and wiser, more courageous than others. Unlike the other epic heroes we have studied untill
now, Beowulf is giving us a detailed self–description when he meets the king :"In my youth I have
done many glorious deed.
The episodes of the poem are moving ahead step by step; this literary procedure is called

Epic Worrier In Beowulf

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