preview

The Epic Of Beowulf By William Shakespeare

Good Essays

Beowulf is one in a sea of many epic poems exemplifying battle, glory, great leaders, and, inevitably, death. Classic plot lines have followed the general flow of such stories from exposition to conflict to resolution, the majoity thriving off of a hero-villan mentality. The battle between good and evil has been perpetuated throughout history in literature and story. The media today suffers from the clear segregation of right and wrong just as much as society did in the days that Beowulf was first written. Though literary portrayals of good and evil appear clearcut, the identification of good and evil in daily life is complex and muddled. In Beowulf, there is an obvious divide between monsters and heroes; however, under closer scrutiny, heroes and monsters are not as dissimilar as they appear. Beowulf is portrayed as the fearless hero in his very own epic poem. A native of the Geats, Beowulf is “the mightiest man on earth,/ high-born and powerful” (197-198). He holds a powerful position as the Thane of Hygelac, king of the Geats as well as the title of a powerful monster slayer. Besides Beowulf’s prominent title and advantages in strength, what defines him as a hero? Those who have heard of Beowulf place unfailing belief in his abilities. The men of his homeland have faith in him even in the face of grave danger:
“Nobody tried to keep him from going, no elder denied him, dear as he was to them.
Instead they inspected omens and spurred his ambition to go, whillst he

Get Access