Historical Significance Of Beo
Beowulf is an epic poem written, most likely, towards the end of the first millennium. It is considered a masterpiece and is the oldest known piece of English literature. Written in Old English, the story tells of magnificent heroes and terrible monsters, of the struggle between good and evil. Beowulf follows the style of the time, intended to be read aloud and one of few stories written in that manner successfully recorded. Because of the time period the story was told, it encompasses many different worldviews. Within the epic are found ideas common in the Christian faith, alongside the values of Germanic warriors of the Teutonic tradition. Each of the characters in Beowulf also have ...
Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers
|
Grendel, plagued them. Upon hearing of this great and powerful creature, Beowulf travels to Herot (the mead-hall built by Hrothgar) to ask permission to challenge Grendel. Upon receiving permission and defeating the beast, Beowulf must then try his hand again at the monster, Grendel's Mother. She proves to be a more difficult battle, but Beowulf is successful none-the-less. After gaining the position of King of the Danes, fifty years pass before Beowulf must fight again. This time, the country is being torn apart by a dragon who is seeking revenge for stolen treasures. However, this fight proves to be Beowulf's last, as the dragon is able to strike the final blow. Though he was able to defeat the dragon, he still pays the price of his own life for the safety of his people. Given a proper burial and many funeral speeches, the epic ends with a fond farewell to a great leader.
Crucial to understanding the importance of Beowulf's place in society is the ideas of Christian and pagan ...
Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.
Already a member? Login
|
in Beowulf exemplify the ideas held by Christian and Pagan thought at the time. The first of these is Beowulf, himself. When looking at Beowulf from a Christian point of view, on sees that he exemplifies many qualities of the savior figure in the religious thought. When the Geats are in fear of another, powerful being, Beowulf is the one they put their trust in. When he fights the dragon at the end of the epic, the dragon's lair is full of treasures and gold, but Beowulf is more concerned with his people than with the treasures he might discover. The poem directly states "But Beowulf was not greedy for gold; rather had he looked for the grace of the Almighty." Also, when he fought ...
Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.
|
CITE THIS PAGE:
Historical Significance Of Beo. (2007, September 9). Retrieved November 28, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Historical-Significance-Of-Beo/70932
"Historical Significance Of Beo." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 9 Sep. 2007. Web. 28 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Historical-Significance-Of-Beo/70932>
"Historical Significance Of Beo." Essayworld.com. September 9, 2007. Accessed November 28, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Historical-Significance-Of-Beo/70932.
"Historical Significance Of Beo." Essayworld.com. September 9, 2007. Accessed November 28, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Historical-Significance-Of-Beo/70932.
|
Save
Report