Beowulf And Modern Day Analysis

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Page 1 of 3 Beowulf’s Characters Compared to Modern DayThe epic of Beowulf provides a story of good versus evil in the often used mode of mightof right. Beowulf is a truly powerful warrior who engages incredible monsters and defeats themthrough strength and will. The characters the story reveals to the reader, when examined, bringlight to shared characteristics of modern day subjects that can be compared with simpleillustrations.Since Beowulf is the title character I will begin with him. He is known as strong as wellas a leader of warriors. He travels great distances to assist strangers in their time of need andacts with bravery and swiftness. Beowulf is undefeated in battle and is a legend in his ownlifetime. It may sound conceited…show more content…
Forthat he rages and commits acts of violence. I see society’s homeless, sick, uneducated and crimecommitting individuals when I think of Grendel. Society’s outcasts today desire help,acceptance, friendship and a livelihood just as those included in the norm of society. Perhapsproviding those would have had the better effect.Grendel’s mother doesn’t leave her lair until her son is killed by Beowulf. She slaughtersmany people and leaves, luring Beowulf to come and find her. It appears that she is exists aspure evil. ”She was doomed to dwell in the dreary waters, cold sea-courses, since Cain cutdown with edge of the sword his only brother, his father’s offspring, outlawed he fled,marked with murder, from men’s delights warded the wilds” (Beowulf 19). The Bibleteaches that Cain slew his brothers and those that oppose God are the descendants ofCain. The text reference of Cain’s actions resulting in Grendel’s mother being an outcastand wanderer brings an identifying relationship between the two. When Grendel isdefeated, as often evil entities are, another evil seeks revenge and leaves the messagethat evil still exists. Evil created Grendel, evil acted with revenge when Grendel waskilled, and evil still existed after the defeat of Grendel’s mother in the monster dragon.Hrothgar represents…show more content…
Seek if thou dare” (Beowulf 20). When Beowulfdeparts from Hrothgar’s kingdom they both weep as they say goodbye with brokenhearts.Lastly I choose the citizens of Dane to compare to modern day. They are nodifferent than we are as citizens of a world of evil ruled by men. Decisions are made byleaders or evil people that have treacherous effects on civilians. We, as a group ofcitizens, are caught in the crossfire of society’s ills, acts of aggression and acts ofrevenge. “They were easy to find who elsewhere sought in room remote their rest atnight, bed in the bowers, 1 when that bale was shown, was seen in sooth, with suresttoken, —the hall-thane’s 2 hate. Such held themselves far and fast who the fiend outran!Thus ruled unrighteous and raged his fill one against all; “ (Beowulf 2). The citizens ofDane were helpless against the menace of Grendel and his mother as we can be todayagainst those that are out to harm through acts of anger, aggression and revenge. Asthey were in the novel, we are also caught up in collateral damage at the hands of ourheroes and our
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