Beowulf 12
Beowulf 12Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old
English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the
story of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes
of the monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, and of his exploits fighting
Grendel's mother and a Dragon. Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon
story teller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters.
Just a few of the important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth &
Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes.
Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by
their status. But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon culture also adds an
element of honor. To the Anglo-Saxons, a character's importance, as well as
their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, but it
was also measured in terms of honor, fame, and accomplishments.
Hrothgar, king of the Danes, is one example of the Anglo-Saxon
measurement of importance in Beowulf. In Canto 1 the story teller describes
his wealth and importance, not as mounds of gold or jewels, but instead as
his ability to "[lead] the Danes to such glory." and as his tendency to "In
battle, [leave] the common pasture untouched, and taking no lives."
Through this display of compassion for the commoner who doesn't fight in
battles, Hrothgar proves the full extent of his honor and therefore the extent
of his wealth and status. Beowulf, the hero-prince, also proves his true
wealth and status through his deeds as defender of the Danes.. As he fights
and defeats Grendel, Beowulf Earns Fame and wealth from his companions,
and from the Danes, but more importantly, he earns honor raising him to the
level of an archetypal hero. Grendel, on the other hand, is the total opposite
of Beowulf. He has no wealth, no honor, and he in infamous as an evil
killer. This lack of wealth and honor defines Grendel as a symbol of evil and
corruption. In addition to using Honor and wealth to define a character's
character, the story-teller(s) have incorporated alternating Biblical and
Paganistic motifs in the epic-poem.
The original Epic was obviously Paganistic due to the time period of
it's creation. But, as time wore on, the rewriting and touching up of the
manuscripts by various sources including religious monks, caused the
characters to have slight Christian characteristics. These Christian themes
have become very important to the epic to add am element of depth that
wouldn't be possible in modern times due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon
culture and beliefs. An example of the Biblical motif in Beowulf is Grendel.
Grendel it biblically described as evil in this excerpt:
[ Grendel]...
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