Epic heroes possess many traits that other characters lack. Among these are physical strength, bravery, and wisdom. These attributes aid the heroes with their journeys throughout the epic. Beowulf exemplifies each of these traits somewhere is the story. They aid him in his battles with monsters and allow him to be a leader to his […]
Tag Archives: Grendel
The hero and the anti-hero are opposed, it will not be argued. However, the definitions of both, and therefore the qualities that surround them, come immediately from the arguments. Beowulf and the Stranger are two works with protagonists that can be argued to lie at either end of the hero spectrum. Beowulf can be said […]
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What do you think of when you see the word “hero?” A person who possesses great skill and courage, no doubt; one who uses those attributes to aid others in ways large or small. Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, and Gandhi are all examples of modern heroes. But what about Beowulf? While he […]
Beowulf is considered the first great work in Anglo-Saxon literature. Written in the form of a heroic poem, it tells of the heroic Beowulf, who has the form of what it means to be a man, both in Anglo-Saxon times and in modern times. But the concepts of heroism and masculinity are not the focus […]
The usage of symbolism in literary works has been a constant for thousands of years. Many scholars have devoted their lives to researching and delineating what a certain novelist or poet was trying to portray through their literature. Analyzing the symbolism of a literary work, however, can give the reader a slight background on the […]
Beowulf: Roles of Women Throughout the history of literature female characters are often side characters that do not get much recognition from readers. Further analysis of male-centric works, reveals that women play central roles in literature regardless of the proximity to the protagonist(oftentimes, male) who is struggling with internal and external conflicts. Many of these […]
“She [Grendel’s mother] had been forced down into fearful waters/the cold depths, after Cain had killed / his father’s son…” (61.Lines 1260-2). Grendel’s mother, one of the three monsters that Beowulf fights, in the epic poem Beowulf written by an author unknown, is a violent being who creates conflict to avenge her son, Grendel. Grendel’s […]
If you were to consider Beowulf a hero by today’s standards, I would ask you to really analyze who he is as a person and some of the things he does before making that decision. While at times he acts with valor in hero-esque fashion, all this was for show. To be considered a hero […]
The Dragon’s Role in Grendel’s Death In the European Mythology novel, “Grendel” by John Gardner, the Dragon symbolizes a satanic influence on Grendel, whom inevitably dies by the hands of ‘fate’. Grendel was attached to humans and was confused about his position in the world; therefore he took a journey to visit the Dragon and […]
A fate of epic proportions Instances of fate are scattered throughout Beowulf. Whether Beowulf is considered a Christian poem or a part of paganism, or whether it is completely neglected as a religious one, it cannot be denied that there are certain examples in this poem, which is too convenient not to act. Something more […]