Each individual provide written answer to question.
Kylie, Josh, Paige, Rachel--Given the bipartite construction of the poem, how is the Beowulf in the second half of the poem different from the Beowulf in the first half of the poem? Find a specific passage to illustrate. How are the two Beowulfs similar? Find a specific passage to illustrate. OR How do the opening and closing images of the poem add to the unity of the poem?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Beowulf in the second part of the poem is different from the Beowulf in the first part of the poem because he is fifty years older and who feels he has grown prideful. The older Beowulf accuses “…Himself of breaking God’s law, of brining/ The Almighty’s anger down on his people” (2329-2330, 96), becoming to prideful over the fifty years he ruled as king. The older Beowulf has come to the conclusion that being prideful has dire consequences, while the younger Beowulf believes that he is superior and “…no man swims in the sea/ As I can, no strength is a match for mine” (532-533, 25). The younger Beowulf is under the self delusion that his pride is productive and will have no consequences. The younger Beowulf is later proven wrong by both Hrothgar and the dragon.
The two Beowulfs are similar because they both value treasure and fame more than their own lives. An example of the older Beowulf is when he utters “I sold my life/ For this treasure, and I sold it well” (2798-2799, 113) while he is lying on his deathbed after slaughtering the dragon. The younger Beowulf believes that his “…purpose was this: to win the goodwill/ Of your people or die in battle, pressed/ In Grendel’s fierce grip. Let me live in greatness/ And courage, or here in this hall welcome/ My death!” (634-638, 29). Both Beowulf s believe that to be remembered they must achieve phenomenal fame that is unmatched to become truly immortal. In a way Beowulf is afraid of death, not in the traditional sense, but he is afraid of obscurity.--Josh
Beowulf goes from a mysterious man with potential into a proven ruler with power! At first, we question his strength and his abilities to defeat such giant monsters, but he then shows how capable he really is through overcoming obstacles that no one else could even fathom. The Geats believed this too for the longest time, and the quote I found to support this is as follows:
"And yet as a boy he was scorned; the Geats considered him worthless...they were sure he was lazy, noble, but slow. The world spun round, and he was a warrior more famous than any, and all insults were wiped out" (2182-2189).
I then answered the question: How do the opening and closing images of the poem add to the unity of the poem? Which I answered by saying that in the beginning, they talked of his role as a royal descendant and his potential, which sets us up to believe he will be really great. He then proves his royalty and earns a place on the same level as God for Hrothgar and his people, as well as the Geats. This is symbolized in his passing through the sending of the smoke, up to heaven to take his rightful place and protect them from up above. --Kylie
How do the opening and closing images of the poem add to the unity of the poem?
The opening image of the poem is: “Then, Hrothgar, taking the throne, led the Danes to such glory that comrades and kinsmen swore by his sword, and young men swelled his armies, and he thought of greatness and resolved to build a hall that would hold his mighty band and reach higher toward Heaven than anything that had ever been known to the sons of men” (Raffel 58-70). Similarly, the closing of the poem goes like: “The Geats stayed, moaning their sorrow, lamenting their lord…Then the Geats built the tower, as Beowulf had asked, strong and tall, so sailors could find it from far and wide; working for ten long days they made his monument, sealed his ashes in walls as straight and high as wise and willing hands could raise them” (Raffel 3152-3160). Both of these images depict great heroes that not only led their country but also inspired their men. In addition to illustrating the characters of these two kings, they also describe 2 different monuments that are built “reaching towards heaven” in their honor. Hrothgar had a mead hall that was built in honor of him and his warriors and similarly Beowulf had a tower built in his honor. By having both the opening and closing passage be similar in ways (but not identical i.e. different characters), it really ties the story together.--Paige N.
Although Beowulf is consistently confident in his battling abilities, he recognizes in the second half of the poem that he actually needs others' help. Early in the poem when Beowulf goes after Grendel's mother, he does not ask for any soldiers to accompany him into the lake as "Only Beowulf would risk his life in that lake" (1468). In the second half of the poem when Beowulf goes to battle the dragon, he brings men with him and desires that they stay nearby so they can fight by his side when he comes "a beaten warrior" (2596).
Beowulf is similar in his character throughout the entire poem because he never fears death. When fighting Grendel's mother he was "not afraid for his life," and before fighting the dragon "he saw nothing to fear, thought nothing of the beast's claws, or wings, or flaming jaws--he had fought, before, against worst odds, had survived, been victorious, in harsher battles" (1443, 2347-2351). Ultimately, Beowulf is a character who clings to his original acceptance of death while becoming a more logical soldier. --Rachel
Post a Comment