themebeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - Themes and Motifs in Beowulf :: Epic Beowulf essays

Beowulf Themes and Motifs Beowulf is the most important work of sometime(a) English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. Throughout the large, the Anglo-Saxon story narrator uses some(prenominal) chemical elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a some of the important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth & Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and gentleman vs. Wild themes. Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, delimit by their status. But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon destination withal adds an element of note. To the Anglo-Saxons, a characters importance, as well as their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, save 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 quite as his ability to lead the Danes to such glory. and as his tendency to In battle, leave the putting green pasture untouched, and taking no lives. Through this display of compassion for the public who doesnt fight in battles, Hrothgar proves the full extent of his honor and and then the extent of his wealth and status. Beowulf, the hero-prince, also proves his true wealth and status finished 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 exploitation Honor and wealth to define a characters character, the story-teller(s) fall in incorporated alternating Biblical and Paganistic mot ifs in the epic-poem. The original Epic was on the face of it Paganistic due to the time period of its creation. But, as time wore on, the revising and touching up of the manuscripts by various sources including religious monks, caused the characters to have elegant Christian characteristics. These Christian themes have become very important to the epic to add am element of depth that wouldnt be realistic in modern times due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs.