Motivations In Beowulf

Motivations In Beowulf
Out With a Bang
(An Analysis of Beowulf's Motivations)
From the Anglo–Saxon epic, the poem "Beowulf" is known to be the first written story in English
history. The Anglo–Saxon era was the time of the vikings and Norse people. There is little to
nothing known of this era except for the written language and a bit of the religion and lifestyle.
However, the Anglo–Saxon era was the beginning of the written English language that we know
today. It all starts with the poem "Beowulf". Obviously, there is no author accounted for because the
story began as oral interpretation that evolved into the epic poem we know today through multiple
translations. The story is about the first English hero, Beowulf, who became an ultimate hero of his
time. Through his travels in this story he comes across a place that gives him the motivation to
become the ultimate king and an epic hero. There are three motivations of the epic hero, Beowulf,
which are duty, glory, and ending it all with a bang. Beowulf's first motivation is his duty ... Show
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In the end, that is basically what he does, but he does not succeed in actually killing the dragon.
Instead, his cohort, Wiglaf, had been the only man to stand by his side and ended up being the man
who kills the dragon in the end and becomes king. However, Beowulf still succeeds in his ultimate
goal to have one final battle to fight in his life that ends with his unfortunate demise. However, he
does succeed with his ultimate goal of leaving his life with a legacy and insisting to have his body
taken back to his father for a proper funeral service. There are rumors of the famous Odysseus
(Ulysses) who, after his time of heroic deeds, eventually withers away into oblivion. Unlike
Odysseus, Beowulf knows that if he is going to die, he wants to die with style and wants to ensure
that his legacy will be known for his whole life; and known for centuries to
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Epic Hero In The Odyssey
The definition of an epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great
achievements or affected by great events. An epic hero is a main character in the epic poem. They
also typically represent their culture by the values that their culture admires. They focus on the epic
hero and are told in an elevated style of language."The epic is a narrative poem that focuses on
grand themes like fate, and it includes heroic characters and divine beings. At the heart of the epic is
the epic hero, who is almost always a man." An epic hero has a status like a king and is usually
related to the divine, though is not a god himself. Despite the use of the word "hero," the epic hero
does not have to be good –– he can be evil. Two examples ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Hrothgar shows Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor. They have song to praise of
Beowulf, and the celebration lasted all night. But another threat is approaching. Grendel's mother, a
swamp–hag who lives in a desolate lake, comes to Heorot seeking revenge for her son's death. She
murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgar's most trusted advisers, before slinking away. To avenge
Aeschere's death, the company travels to the murky swamp, where Beowulf dives into the water and
fights Grendel's mother in her underwater lair. He kills her with a sword forged for a giant. Then
Beowulf find the Grendel's corpse the he decapitates him and going to use the head as a prize to
Hrothgar. In conclusion, we saw how epic heroes can be demonstrated in a good and bad way.
Beowulf displayed how he is a good epic hero and wanted to help others. Odysseus showed us how
he was a mean epic hero but he still had the traits to be one. We also saw their religion views.
Beowulf believed in one God and God was on his side. Odysseus worshipped many Gods and
Athena was his favorite God. Beowulf came to earth without parents, in the book it says that angels
brought Beowulf to the earth . Odysseus came from his

British Literature Essay
British Literature
1. the Middle Ages the oldest literature monument of the Anglo – Saxon period is the old Germanic
legend called BEOWULF. This heroic poem is about the strong and courageous pagan hero Beowulf
John Wycliffe – is a professor of Oxford University. With his students he translated the whole Bible
into English – he influenced Master Jan Hus and our Hussite movement very much
2. the renaissance and humanism
Geoffrey Chaucer – Canterbury Tales – brilliant portrait of 30 pilgrims who travel to Canterbury and
they were saying stories each other, each one said four stories, but in tact there are only 23 tales.
William Shakespeare – is the biggest author of this period
Christopher Marlowe – might became another ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Among his major novels belong "Little Dorrit, David Copperfield, The Pickwick Papers, Great
Expectgations, Oliver Twist, Christmas Carol" – see enclosed paper
7. The 1. Half of the 20th century
William Makepeace Thackeray – he wrote novels against snobbery and hypocrisy. His main novel is
"Vanity Fair"
Thomas Hardy – together with D.H.Lewrence represents the naturalistic trend in literature. He
understands hard life of common people, hates hypocrisy and brutal egoism of the rich, his work is
ironical and pessimistic
Oscar Wilde – he was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father was a well – known surgeon and his
mother was a successful writer. After a comfortable childhood, he decided to study classical
literature in a College in Dublin. In 1874 moved to a College in Oxford. After college he continued
writing poems and he moved to London. He publishes here his first book simply called "Poems" §–
many literature professors criticized him, they said he was not original, because he had used many
words from other poets and writers. But in spite of this criticism he became more popular (he got a
great reputation for the way he dressed, for his intelligence and conversation skills). In 1884 he
married Constance Lloyd and they had two boys. Wilde wrote many stories for his childern
including "The Happy Prince, The Canterville Ghost". The play Oscar Wilde wrote after 1890 mad e
him legend. He

American Literature
American Literature through Time To find out more about a particular literature time period, click
on the links below:           Puritan Times Rationalism/Age of Enlightenment
American Renaissance/Romanticism Gothic Realism Naturalism Modernism Harlem Renaissance
Postmodernism Contemporary Puritan Times period of American Literature – 1650–1750 Content:
   errand into the wilderness be a city upon a hill Christian utopia Genre/Style:     
sermons, diaries personal narratives captivity narratives jeremiads written in plain style Effect:  
instructive reinforces authority of the Bible and church Historical Context:   a person 's fate is
determined by God all people are corrupt and must ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Genre/Style:     short story, novel characters usually lower class or lower middle class
fictional world is commonplace and unheroic; everyday life is a dull round of daily existence
characters ultimately emerge to act heroically or adventurously with acts of violence, passion, and/or
bodily strength in a tragic ending Effect:  this type of literature continues to capture audiences in
present day: the pitting of man against nature Historical Context:  writers reflect the ideas of
Darwin (survival of the fittest) and Karl Marx (how money and class structure control a nation)
Modernism period of American Literature – 1900–1946 Content:    dominant mood: alienation
and disconnection people unable to communicate effectively fear of eroding traditions and grief over
loss of the past Genre/Style:     highly experimental allusions in writing often refer to
classical Greek and Roman writings use of fragments, juxtaposition, interior monologue, and stream
of consciousness writers seeking to create a unique style Effect:  common readers are alienated by
this literature Historical Context:    overwhelming

Literary Devices In The Odyssey
The first literary device used to show growth of a character is setting. The setting can place a hero
anywhere and give detail to his past. Such as in the Odysses, "I will take no horses back with me to
Ithaca,but will leave them to adorn your own stables, for you have much flatground in your kingdom
where lotus thrives, as also meadowsweet and wheat and barley, and oats with their white and
spreading ears; whereas in Ithaca we have neither open fields nor racecourses, and the country is
more fit for goats than horses, and I like it the better for that.None of our islands have much level
ground, suitable for horses, and Ithaca least of all (Homer)." Ulysses childhood homeland is
described. He lived in a mountainous area better suited to smaller ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Leading to the hero, Beowulf, to be seen as the light or the savior of the town. Grendel, the monster
Beowulf has come to defeat, has created a town of despair and anguish. Beowulf's job is to defeat
the monster and bring hope and joy back to the town. The setting characterizes the hero as a god–
like man, seen as in Beowulf, "...They lived in secret places, windy Cliffs, wolf–dens where water
pours from the rocks, then runs underground, where mist steams like black clouds, and the groves of
trees growing out over their lake are all covered with frozen spray, and wind down snakelike roots
that reach as far as the water and help keep it dark(Beers 25)."Giving the story of Beowulf a dark
outlook had lead Beowulf, to give off a larger than life personality, almost god like.The monsters
both Grendel, his mother, and the dragon all live in daunting places. This has caused them to look
more monstrous and evil. Some settings make the hero look foolish, such as in the Iliad, "Trojans
take refuge behind the walls of their city, but Hector remains outside the gates. As Achilles races
toward Troy, Hector's parents urge their son to come back inside the city walls(Beers 58)." The
setting of the Iliad places Hector outside of the safety of the city; ready to battle against

Odysseus Influence On Homer's Odyssey
"Think you're escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home" (James
Joyce). A profound summary of the themes in Joyce's Ulysses, the quote above deals with journey,
escapism, identity, and nostalgia; all important parts of everyday life. Ulysses, however, was far
from the first literary work to deal with themes such as those. Indeed, the works of Joyce, as well as
Dante, Milton, and Virgil can be directly traced to the works of Homer, specifically the Odyssey.
One of the most translated, discussed, and taught literary works of all time, the influence of Homer's
Odyssey cannot be understated. Although Odysseus's journey is magnificent and supernatural, the
epic discusses the deeply personal struggles of one man, swept up in forces beyond his control, as
well as telling one of the first, if not the very first, coming of age stories. The account of Odysseus
and Telemachus deeply influenced not only western literature, but also music and media. In
addition, the Odyssey contains numerous insights into the culture of the ancient Greeks, the
originators of Western Culture as a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The story of Telemachus growing from a boy to a man and of Odysseus finding his way in a cruel,
absurd world will remain timeless because of its relatability, especially for college aged people. The
word odyssey has been adapted into the English language to mean a great journey. In a way, every
person on this earth experiences their own odyssey through life. To feel tossed about by life's
randomness and seeming cruelty while just trying to get by is part of the human condition. By taking
that feeling and making it fit a story containing gods, monsters, love, and war, Homer created a
work that not only influenced nearly all literature after, but a work that continues to be relevant by
its own

How to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes
From How to Read Literature Like a Professor Thomas C. Foster Notes by Marti Nelson 1. Every
Trip is a Quest (except when it's not): a. A quester b. A place to go c. A stated reason to go there d.
Challenges and trials e. The real reason to go–always self–knowledge 2. Nice to Eat With You: Acts
of Communion a. Whenever people eat or drink together, it's communion b. Not usually religious c.
An act of sharing and peace d. A failed meal carries negative connotations 3. Nice to Eat You: Acts
of Vampires a. Literal Vampirism: Nasty old man, attractive but evil, violates a young woman,
leaves his mark, takes her innocence b. Sexual implications–a trait of 19th century literature to
address sex indirectly c. Symbolic Vampirism: selfishness, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
It's Greek to Me a. Myth is a body of story that matters–the patterns present in mythology run
deeply in the human psyche b. Why writers echo myth–because there's only one story (see #4) c.
Odyssey and Iliad i. Men in an epic struggle over a woman ii. Achilles–a small weakness in a strong
man; the need to maintain one's dignity iii. Penelope (Odysseus's wife)–the determination to remain
faithful and to have faith iv. Hector: The need to protect one's family d. The Underworld–an ultimate
challenge, facing the darkest parts of human nature or dealing with death e. Metamorphoses by
Ovid–transformation (Kafka) f. Oedipus: family triangles, being blinded, dysfunctional family g.
Cassandra: refusing to hear the truth h. A wronged woman gone violent in her grief and madness–
Aeneas and Dido or Jason and Medea i. Mother love–Demeter and Persephone 10. It's more than
just rain or snow a. Rain i. fertility and life ii. Noah and the flood iii. Drowning–one of our deepest
fears b. Why? i. plot device ii. atmospherics iii. misery factor–challenge characters iv. democratic
element–the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike c. Symbolically i. rain is clean–a form of
purification, baptism, removing sin or a stain ii. rain is restorative–can bring a dying earth back to
life iii. destructive as well–causes pneumonia, colds, etc.; hurricanes, etc. iv. Ironic use–April is the
cruelest month (T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland) v.

The Sonnet Form: William Shakespeare
Shakespeare's Sonnets
William Shakespeare
The Sonnet Form
A sonnet is a fourteen–line lyric poem, traditionally written in iambic pentameter–that is, in lines ten
syllables long, with accents falling on every second syllable, as in: "Shall I compare thee to a
summer's day?" The sonnet form first became popular during the Italian Renaissance, when the poet
Petrarch published a sequence of love sonnets addressed to an idealized woman named Laura.
Taking firm hold among Italian poets, the sonnet spread throughout Europe to England, where, after
its initial Renaissance, "Petrarchan" incarnation faded, the form enjoyed a number of revivals and
periods of renewed interest. In Elizabethan England–the era during which Shakespeare's sonnets
were ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Past cure am I, now reason is past care,
And frantic mad with evermore unrest,
My thoughts and my discourse as madmen's are,
At random from the truth vainly expressed; For I have sworn thee fair and thought thee bright, Who
art as black as hell, as dark as night.
In many ways, Shakespeare's use of the sonnet form is richer and more complex than this relatively
simple division into parts might imply. Not only is his sequence largely occupied with subverting
the traditional themes of love sonnets–the traditional love poems in praise of beauty and worth, for
instance, are written to a man, while the love poems to a woman are almost all as bitter and negative
as Sonnet 147–he also combines formal patterns with daring and innovation. Many of his sonnets in
the sequence, for instance, impose the thematic pattern of a Petrarchan sonnet onto the formal
pattern of a Shakespearean sonnet, so that while there are still three quatrains and a couplet, the first
two quatrains might ask a single question, which the third quatrain and the couplet will answer. As
you read through Shakespeare's sequence, think about the ways Shakespeare's themes are affected
by and tailored to the sonnet form. Be especially alert to complexities such as the juxtaposition of
Petrarchan and Shakespearean patterns. How might such a juxtaposition combination deepen and
enrich Shakespeare's

Second Grade Teacher
To my former grade school teachers,
I have a confession: I only learned one thing from you. It's not what you think of course, it's far
worse. You taught me of course, but not the lessons you were supposed to. You taught me to doubt
myself, to be ashamed of my knowledge, to hide my gifts and talents, and to sit silent even though I
had plenty to say.
"TV will rot your brain," said my 2nd grade teacher.
From Transformers, I learned about Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court"
before I finished elementary school. It was condensed, but the themes were all there: technology as
magic, fighting a larger force, feeling displaced, but this version was complete with giant
transforming robots.
I learned about Homer's "Odyssey" before I entered Middle School because of a series called
Ulysses 31 which made ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Civil War? World War II? I've been there, done that with a controller in my hand. But it wasn't a
chapter in a textbook with questions at the end, so that didn't exist in your world.
"All you know is useless. You'll never amount to anything with it," said my Calculus Teacher.
I'm a teacher now, a scary thought I'm sure. I'm a good teacher. A damn good teacher. And I know
one day I'll be a great teacher, but I know I'm a better teacher than you ever were. I know that from
simple interactions like this:
After explaining to the class that Beowulf was the first superhero and knowing the student's had
seen the movies, I ask "Okay class, which Avenger best relates to Beowulf?"
Many show a simple connection by stating Thor, but most believe Captain America is the best fit.
He has the fewest flaws and the biggest ideals, which is very similar to Beowulf. But in the back, a
senior who barely speaks most days quietly chimes in, "He's more like Black Panther."
The class gives the young man a confused look. They weren't familiar with the character, he hadn't
made it to the screen. But they saw the look of knowing on my

Dante's Inferno And Beowulf Analysis
Importance of Name and Remember in Dante's "Inferno" and Beowulf
One of the important themes that stands out in Dante's epic poem, "Inferno", is a theme of legacy via
endurance of one's name. In other words, the human need to have one's name and story shared with
others in an effort to gain some sense of immortality. Even from the depths of hell the characters in
the "Inferno" express a wish to have their stories told. The "Inferno" tells of Dante's adventure
through the depths of Hell with the spirit of the great Roman poet Virgil as his guide. In this epic
adventure, Dante treks the Nine Circles of Hell and in each circle he encounters prominent figures in
both his personal life and in history. The poem as a whole is a commentary on sins and
transgressions, but the significance of these transgressions are amplified with the attachment of
names we the readers recognize from history and literature. Among them are figures one would
expect to be Hell for their famous transgressions such as Judas Iscariot, Attila the Hun and Brutus
but also more surprisingly Ulysses, the hero from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, who is in the Eighth
Circle of Hell for the crime of spiritual theft and Pope Celestine V, whom Dante condemns for
abdicating the papacy and thus allowed Pope Boniface VIII to become the new pope. This was a
transgression worthy of hell in Dante's eyes because historically Pope Boniface VIII was something
of a rival to Dante, who had been an advocate for the separation of

A Hero : A Comparison Of The Hero Of Beowulf
Tyler Cardon
English 2610
Fellers
01Oct2017
Paper # 1 Heroes are everywhere in human history. From modern examples such as Superman, The
Avengers, to early history such as Hercules, or Ulysses. Beowulf is a great example of one of the
early heroes written about. But what is a hero? The Merriam–Webster Dictionary defines a hero as:
"an object of extreme admiration and devotion; a mythological or legendary figure often of divine
descent endowed with great strength or ability." Beowulf has many of these characteristics including
great strength, and is portrayed as a legendary figure by those who look up to him. Through the
entire poem, he is the epitome of a hero and displays many heroic qualities. In the poem, it states:
"He worked ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
And may the Divine Lord in His wisdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit.
(quoted in Beowulf lines 679–687) Beowulf is also shown to be a man of God when he states that
whatever happens, its Gods will. After he battles Grendel's mother, he says to his companions, " ...if
God had not helped me, the outcome would have been quick and fatal." (line 1657–1658). Through
all of his battles, he shows a respect for God, which proves that he knows that he is not invincible,
and appreciates the gift that he was given. Another characteristic of Beowulf that is consistently
shown through the story is that Beowulf is human. He performs many great deeds and faces deadly
challenges, but he is not flawless. He faces his challenges knowing that he may not be able to defeat
his enemy. During Beowulf's great battle with the dragon, the dragon bites Beowulf and causes the
deadly blow:
When a chance came, he caught the hero
In a rush of flame and clamped sharp fangs
Into his neck. Beowulf's body ran wet with his life–blood: it came welling out. (quoted Beowulf
lines 2690–2694) After Beowulf dies, he is given a kingly funeral, as was the tradition of the time.
He was placed on a pyre, and it was stacked with treasures, armor, helms and other precious things:
"The Geat people built a pyre for Beowulf, stacked and decked it until it stood foursquare, hung
with helmets,

Epilogue To John Steinbeck's 'Ulysses'
Readers Theater Reader 1: Andrew Reader 2: Sadie Reader 3: Sabrina On a dreary day, Ulysses and
his wife sat together in a room after Ulysses had killed all of Penelope's suitors. Ulysses dragged his
feet over to Penelope and there he confronted her. He remembered the walls with floral accents on
every corner and a crystal chandelier on the ceiling. A white desk was on one side of the room and
held cloth and a loom. It was there that Penelope had pondered about her suitors. A breeze entered
the room through an opening in the window. The trees swayed in the wind, and the sun peeked
through the murky clouds. Thunder outside shook the castle, and the clouds rained bullets. "How do
I know you are truly my husband?" Penelope asked ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Characteristics of a Hero Brave Strong Trustworthy Smart Powerful Fearless Aggressive (not timid)
Leader Courageous Bold Self–less Honest Dedicated Worthy Warmhearted Confident Champion
Loyal Cooperative Important Valiant Grand Discipline Thoughtful Role model Heroes in History,
Literature, and Film History– Abraham Lincoln Literature– Hercules Film– Captain America How
they compare with Ulysses and Beowulf Abraham Lincoln– one of the greatest heroes in the world,
abolished slavery, president during Civil War, brave, trustworthy, a great leader Hercules– massive
amount of strength and courage, fights monster Cacus,lionhearted actions, bold moves against
enemy Captain America– protected America from the natzis in the world war, didn't have any formal
training but as courageous, thought of others, dedicated, trustworthy, strong,

A Brief History of English Literature
A brief history of English literature 1. Anglo–Saxon literature
Written in Old English c.650–c.1100. Anglo–Saxon poetry survives almost entirely in four
manuscripts. Beowulf is the oldest surviving Germanic epic and the longest Old English poem;
other great works include The Wanderer, The Battle of Maldon, and The Dream of the Rood.
Notable prose includes the Anglo–Saxon Chronicle, a historical record begun about the time of King
Alfred´s reign (871–899) and continuing for more than three centuries.
Authors: Caedmon (English poet), Cynewulf (English poet), Franciscus Junius, the Younger
(European scholar) and John Gardner (American author)
Works: Beowulf (Old English poem), Exeter Book (Old English literature) manuscript volume of
Old ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Philip's, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Universidad de Valencia. 13
October 2010 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?
subview=Main&entry=t142.e3806>
4. The Renaissance and Reformism
The reformation, owing both to the wishes of its academic founders and to the popular tendencies
underlying it, concerned itself largely with popular preaching. It is a widespread error to assume that
there was little popular preaching in the Middle Ages. It is true that there were many bishops and
parish priests who shirked their canonical duties in this respect, but there was much popular
instruction; there was, especially among the friars, much simple, at times even sensational, mission
preaching. But the deepening of religious life that preceded the reformation led men to employ with
greater diligence all means of helping others, and popular preaching was thus more widely used.
Here again, both a conservative and a revolutionary tendency are observable. On the one hand, we
can trace the fuller but continuous history of the older use of sermons. On the other hand, we find
the tendency, seen at its strongest in Zwinglianism, to exalt the sermon above the sacraments, to put
the pulpit in place of the altar. Both tendencies made the literature of sermons more popular, and
more significant. But, in the literature thus revived, the

Motivations In Beowulf

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Motivations In Beowulf