“People don’t follow what people say, people follow what people do.” These words of motivational speaker Keith Hawkins perfectly describe the connection between barbaric and civilization in the epic Beowulf. Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, is one of the oldest and most famous Anglo-Saxon poem written in Old English, whose original poet is unknown. The epic hero, Beowulf, continues to grow his fame by battling three monsters. The Geat, Beowulf, defeats Grendel and his mother at Heorot Hall in the demense of the Danes. After becoming king of the Geats, the dragon wounds Beowulf and before dying, he passes down his throne to his loyal thane, Wiglaf. Through the prevalence of the barbaric versus civilized motif, the poet conveys the satirical message that civilization contains many barbaric elements, therefore it contradicts the meaning of civilization and creates confusion for the reader.
Throughout Beowulf, revenge is the cause of all conflicts. At the battle of Heorot, Beowulf…show more content… In result, society does not possess two separate groups, but a continuum to show who is more civilized or barbaric using societal norms to compare and contrast their actions. Today, many people associate themselves with a group or belief, but do not conform to what is expected of them. For example, presidential candidate Donald scolds companies for investing in foreign countries. However, his own companies, such as the Trump Hotel, are located throughout the world. Many examples of hypocrisy by Trump can be easily found, which many find it absurd for him to be running for president. Civilization does contain barbaric elements, but it is considered to be justifiable against an “evil group,” solely based on opinion. It is not what one says that defines them, but how they deal with situations and the effect it