Heroism, reputation, and allusion to God are major ideas that are presented in Beowulf. It seems that the more you act like a hero, the more you are respected and supported by others. To act and become a hero, one must achieve something that others have not been able to do before. Beowulf proves himself to have heroic qualities throughout this poem, but these qualities are what God chooses for him.
Starting off with the introduction really helped in giving an idea of what was expected of various characters, for example, “When a warrior vowed loyalty to his lord, he became not so much his servant as his voluntary companion, one who would take pride in defending him and fighting in his wars.” (30-31). It also prepares the reader for the type of mood that the poem will start off which helps demonstrate what type of language and vibe will come ahead. It primed me for a poem that I had never previously read before.
The beginning of the poem immediately gave the sense of how important it is to have courage throughout ones lifetime, so when death occurs he will be remembered for all of the audacious things that had previously been done and therefore a good reputation will stay alive. Line of ancestry was also demonstrated in the prologue, “…when fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by him and hold the line. Behavior that’s admired.” (34) Respect and support for those who will fight for other is evident and seems to be important for those who hold that position.
God plays a very important role throughout Beowulf it is evident how Beowulf acknowledges God as his protector time and time again in the poem. He takes it upon himself to travel to Heorot and fight the demon Grendel or as he quotes, “God-cursed Grendel (48)” and whoever else comes in his way of obtaining peace for the people. The idea of heaven and hell is apparent when “The hero observed that swamp-like thing from hell…(66).” Throughout his soliloquies he references to God as the one who has the power to choose his fate and assist him in his times of need. For example, during the celebration that occurred after the defeat of Grendel and Grendel’s mom Beowulf exclaims, “…if God had not helped me, the outcome would have been quick and fatal. (69)” Once he successfully defeated the enemies he immediately became viewed as more of a God-like figure. To overpower these monsters he needed to have characteristics such as courage and desire to prove the desire of heroism within him. He truly does believe that “Almighty God rules over mankind and always has (48).” God’s presence is huge and every action that takes place; whether it is to win a battle, or be superior, He is the one who has the power to demonstrate who is capable of achieving greatness or failing miserably.
I definitely agree with the first part of your rumination about how to become a hero. It also shows a different side to Beowulf himself - the fact that he had a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders. Not only does he have to be great, but he has to be great in a way that nobody has ever been great in before. As time goes on, it becomes harder and harder to gain fame, respect, or praise within this cycle.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that many of his qualities seem to have been attributed to him by God. After reading about swimming with Breca, it definitely seems that, in that story atleast, Beowulf takes on godlike characteristics (and godlike stamina). Not only is he gifted by God, but he almost sees himself (and is seen by others) as an extension of God's great power and strength. Perhaps the reason he is able to battle Grendel without weapons is because he has the power of the almighty on his side and therefore requires no additional weapons.
Finally, I feel that Beowulf is not only about Heroism and fame, but also about the idea of an inevitable fate and one man's journey to realize his own.
I agree with what you said about Beowulf being a man of God. The fact that he was this God praising man gave real depth to his character. He also had quite the different personality. I saw this when I saw the conceited side of him. Line 1530-1531 says, "Hygelac's kingsman kept thinking about his name and fame." I thought it to be ironic that he has two different aspects on personality that drive his actions.
ReplyDeleteGod is definitely a huge factor in Beowulf's strength and greatness, as well as the other characters lives. For them, it seemed as though God was the deciding factor in everything that happened, and Beowulf's strength was a blessing from God to them.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Beowulf God is apparent in different parts of the play but one part that courage and God stood out to me was in the first fight. Beowulf decided to remove his armor and be unarmed to face Grendel (line 683-685). Through the quote "And may the Divine Lord in His wisdom to grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit" (line 685-687), the reader gets a sense that Beowulf believes in God and is looking to him for the courage and strength to beat Grendel, but if God grants victory to Grendel then Beowulf will accept this because it is what God has chosen.
ReplyDeleteI found the character of Beowulf to be heroic, faithful to God and the people he was fighting for, and at times conceited. For example, when Beowulf is talking about himself and his accomplishments, to get back at Unferth he says, "The truth is this: when the going was heavy in those high waves, I was the strongest swimmer all( lines 532-534)." In these lines, Beowulf is boasting about his strength and how he was better than all the others. I read Beowulf in high school and as I read it the second time this week, I realized how much of a role God plays in this story. I agree that God has given Beowulf some of his powers and I do also agree that he has Godlike powers. Beowulf has accomplished so much because of his faith and God given strength, but he also works very hard and proves himself over and over again.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Jamie, when you said "Respect and support for those who will fight for other is evident and seems to be important for those who hold that position." This becomes very apparent at the end of Beowulf when he has his final fight with the dragon. It seemed as though Beowulf felt defeated when almost all of his followers ran in fear, except for Wiglaf. Wiglaf stayed with Beowulf and encouraged him to not give up and fight the dragon. Although Beowulf suffered a fatal injury, he was still able to defeat the Dragon before his death. I believe that Beowulf may not have had the strength or drive to defeat the dragon if it had not been for Wiglaf. Do you think that Wiglaf played an important role or do you think Beowulf would still have succeed alone?
ReplyDeleteThat is a good point. What did surprise me, as I responded to in other ruminations was how determined Beowulf was despite his age, "I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning (2511-2514)." God has been there to help Beowulf succeed in his battles and when he was not there the outcome did not come out as well as they previously have. I do find Wiglaf as a very large assistance to Beowulf and they have a very strong connection especially because the characteristics that Wiglaf obtain are those that Beowulf look for in a successful leader.
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