The epic, Beowulf, sings the song of a hero who rescues a besieged land and the society he comes from, told by the Anglo-Saxons. Anglo-Saxons are Germanic people who ruled over Denmark and Great Britain from the 5th century to the 11th century. Hailing from a patriarchal society that places great importance in loyalty and a warrior’s way with a sword, and even more, their way with words. Around Beowulf’s origins, Christian beliefs were being introduced, intermingling with their pagan religion. Told orally until circa 1000 AD. Finally, in 2007, the American movie and animation industry adapted it into their own tale. The age-old poem and the modern-day movie tell a story of similar origins, they take different paths. Outside of the plot difference, …show more content…
It holds true that we should remain intimate and true to the people we hold dear. All the while, revenge and atonement are still a strong emotion humans feel when they or someone they care about has been wronged, which ties back into loyalty when acting on another’s part. Bestowed in the movie is this message: “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” The Seven Deadly Sins are also tied deeply into the actions of the characters, primarily pride, lust, and greed. Grendel’s mother’s curse haunts the message they you should learn from your predecessors, which shines through when it comes to Wiglaf’s ignorance and how it’s implied that he’ll fall victim to the curse, as well. Pride, greed, and lust motivate all of Beowulf’s action, where he his lust lured him into Grendel’s mother’s grasps, his greed pushed him to fall for the curse, and his pride swallows him whole when he refuses to speak the truth about his actions. Between the two societies, the needed message to portray was different. In a war-stricken society, the Anglo-Saxons would need to display the importance of loyalty and being morally good. However, in the present, we need to emphasize different messages, such as learning from the past and to not fall victim to
First, Grendel is a “devil spawn” so is predetermined to be evil. In the novel, Grendel realizes that he has to be evil, but he doesn’t think he is. He describes himself as “The terrible race God cursed” (Gardner 51). If Grendel is truly a descendant of the cursed Cain, then it is certainly possible that Grendel could be suffering from an action that he had no knowledge of. Grendel has no control over his fate; he wants to break his fate, but the dragon tells him to embrace it.
In the epic, Beowulf, the writer constantly added in Christian values and references, “punished forever for the crimes of Abel’s death.” In the society that Beowulf grew up in, strength and fame occurred in everyday life, with the practice of story telling. A warriors life goal was to protect their king, and make it into a bards tale to gain immortality. One of the Anglo-Saxon values, loyalty, shows its self when Beowulf fights a dragon. His men run away, but one stays to help finish killing the dragon.
Beowulf’s Motivations (An Understanding of the motivations of Beowulf to Fight the Three Monsters) Every human being has a certain code with which they follow, most are outlined by the Anglo-Saxon, better known as Viking, code. This code itself was depicted through the epic poem known as, “Beowulf,” and more importantly, Beowulf’s motivations. His first motivation for fighting Grendel, is because he believes it is his duty to fight the monster. Secondly, Beowulf believes that fighting Grendel’s mother would help him in receive glory.
The Anglo-Saxons were a tribe who traveled throughout the endless vast sea and battled many European tribes. Many poets have retold and sung Anglo-Saxon epics of noble heroes battling vicious creatures, but none were as experienced as Beowulf. Beowulf, a young honorable Geats warrior, travels throughout the islands to fight anyone or anything that comes to battle him. Beowulf shows the Anglo-Saxon beliefs of good vs. evil, the nation’s fate, and glory.
I would recommend this movie to someone who read the poem but only to show them how the movie ruined a good story. After watching the movie my final reactions are the movie is way off from the poem, but if it wasn't based off of the poem "Beowulf" then I think it would be a great
The epic poem “Beowulf”, translated by Burton Raffel, focuses on a hero by the name of Beowulf who goes on a quest to rescue King Hrothgar and his people from an egregious monster by the name of Grendel. This Anglo-Saxon tale gives insight into the values and beliefs of the people from whom the story originated. Their war-centered ideology and views on loyalty and courage were the principles that the Anglo-Saxon culture was founded upon. While warfare was a focal point in their lifestyle, it was far from a savage, barbaric state of fighting. Honor and prestige were bestowed upon those who died during battle and selflessness for fellow warriors was a fundamental belief.
Beowulf might have served as a good moral story to the Anglo-Saxons, but when adapted to christian values, it contradicts itself. As an illustration, Beowulf was originally written to represent the perfect hero according to the Anglo-Saxons. This is evidenced since throughout the whole poem, Beowulf not once demonstrates a fault, and even at the moment of his death, he has not failed in his purpose, as he has defeated the dragon, has died a heroic death: (lines 2702-2711) “Once again the king gathered his strength and drew a stabbing knife he carried on his belt, sharpened for battle.
Beowulf Essay In Anglo-Saxon time, fame and reputation played a huge role Throughout Beowulf, Beowulf brags about himself, and you can tell that the main thing he cares about is his fame and reputation. In their time, you were represented by your fame and reputation. There are many specific examples that can be found throughout the book that shows the Anglo-Saxon values being reflected in Beowulf. The first example is when Beowulf arrives and Unferth and Beowulf get into a confrontation, Unferth says “You’ve been lucky in your battles, Beowulf, but I think your luck may change if you challenge Grendle.”
In almost every source of literature, a constant battle occurs between two seemingly equal sides and in the end, only one can prevail. In the historical epic, “Beowulf”, set in eastern Europe in the sixth century, the battle is the vast difference of the higher class noblemen and the foul underbelly of society. The only difference is that in this poem, the crude, lower-class is made up of mythical monsters and medieval demons. The author of “Beowulf” establishes a defined conflict between the barbaric beasts and the civilized people through the juxtaposition of Beowulf and Grendel.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, faces three “monsters” at different times in his life. The poem begins with Grendel, a monster who attacks only in the dark of night, tormenting the kingdom of Hrothgar. The last two sections of the epic detail the conquering by Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and the dragon. The battle between the monsters and Beowulf represent the theme of good versus evil in the poem, as well as the fusion of pagan and Christian ideals in the changing Germanic society. Grendel’s mother’s actions directly juxtapose the role of a woman in this time period, and the greediness of the dragon with his treasure contrasts with the virtues of what would be considered a good king.
In Beowulf, an English epic poem that tells of the tell of the incredible warrior Beowulf, Anglo-Saxons values of the time period are displayed. Loyalty, bravery, and honesty are three of the most important values
He appreciates Beowulf’s bravery and loyalty so much that he thanks his mother and tells him he will love him like his own son. Another cultural value that can be seen in both Beowulf and the Anglo Saxons is the devotion to those in need. Specifically, the commitment to avenge a death of people of importance. The Anglo Saxons valued family and the importance of supporting and helping those close to them, which in some cases involved avenging loved ones deaths.
The epic poem Beowulf presents insights into the importance of boasting in Anglo-Saxon culture. On the eve of Beowulf's battle with Grendel, he has a scuffle with Unferth. Beowulf ends up using a notable skill, boasting, an important mechanism to assert prowess and triumphs. They can serve as a certification of reputation, bravery, and power, all values of Anglo-Saxon society. The exchange between Unferth and Beowulf exhibit the value of boasting in a society that values the truth.
Most movies have a few differences between the book and poem they are originated from. The battles in the movie and poem were probably the biggest differences between the two. Both the movie and poem are similar and
Christian influence has long dominated European tradition. One clear evidence of the church’s permeating control of culture is seen in the epic Beowulf, written circa 1000 A.D. Despite Beowulf’s pagan influences, the unnamed author still manages to fill a guts-and-glory Viking tale with continuous references to a Christian God. Beowulf has Christian influence beyond its explicit and seemingly random attributions to God; by interweaving varied kinds of diction within a greater theme of warfare, Beowulf’s speech to Hrothgar is reminiscent of the theme of Christian warfare, in which there is a constant inner battle between the Christian’s sinful flesh and his reborn spirit. The constant referral to battle in Beowulf establishes an overall theme