In the epic poem Beowulf, which is more prominent … Free will or fate? Burton Raffel conveys that free will is more prominent for the key characters in this poem because on various occasions, the key characters acted on pure instinct, according to the particular situation at hand. Likewise to how Beowulf made his decision to travel to the Danish shores to take care of the menacing Grendel. Beowulf himself, decided to go across the Danish shores and take care of the havoc that Grendel had brought upon Herot; this was under his own free will and was not destined. Raffel translates how Beowulf’s heroism comes into play when he hears about the turmoil in Herot. He says, “Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror … Proclaiming that …show more content…
In this next quote, Raffel translates the overall fear that Grendel creates and his monsterous persona in this quote. He says, “Till the monster stirred, that demon, Grendel, who haunted the moors …” (Beowulf, p. 49, II. 16-17). This quote explains how Grendel was irritated by the warriors and their loud of praise of the Lord, which led to his vicious attacks. In this next quote Raffel talks about Cain and his spawns, and also where Grendel’s fiery hatred stems from. He says, “The Almighty drove those demons out, and there exile was bitter.” (Beowulf, p. 49, II. 23-24). To elaborate more on this quote, it’s explaining Grendel’s family history and pretty much why he is so angered by the presence of God in any way. In this next quote, Raffel translates Grendel’s upbringing and the reasons behind his fiery hate for the Almighty. He says, “… A brood forever opposing the Lord’s Will, and again and again defeated.” (Beowulf, p. 49, II. 28-29). To elaborate more on this quote it’s explaining how Grendel and his family has always been against God, but have always faced defeat no matter what. In a similar manner, Grendel’s mother took to revenge for own
Beowulf has shown many characteristics of a hero. Where as Grendel has shown characteristics of being an outcast. The role of the hero in Beowulf was portrayed by Beowulf himself. Beowulf was the leader and took on three quests for the people. Most heros would need some form of preparation before they complete quests, but Beowulf on the other hand did not need any. Beowulf had a calling when he was leader. These callings were the three quests that Beowulf needed to complete for the greater good of Hrothgar’s people, defeating Grendel, defeating Grendel’s mother, and attempting to slay the dragon that had burned the houses and land of the Geats’.
Fate and free will are often shown as contrasting subjects. While free will allows for a person to make their own conscious decisions, its devil’s advocate suggests that even individual choices made are the work of fate. This suggests that every path one takes down a fork road is already predetermined. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the main character, Beowulf, faces many decisions that could have unimaginable consequences in which he always refers to a greater power like fate. Because of these actions, the plot is completely reliant on the driving force known as fate and although our hero of the story battles with decisions, it is ultimately fate that makes the final call.
It was a lot of hate and revenge going on between the characters in Beowulf. The poet of the epic poem Beowulf used revenge to drive to the poet. To illustrate the plot of Beowulf the author added many cases of vengeance starting with Beowulf vs. Grendel.
Yes Beowulf was a “hero” but he didn’t have to kill someone in cold blood. When he felt the wrath of Grendel’s mother that was the pain and anger caused by him from killing Grendel. He could have banished him or blockaded him from the town. There were numerous things they could have tried to keep him from killing people.
As Beowulf lies at rest, the question must be asked. Was he a true hero? Wanting only to help the towns people and keep them safe? Or just a mighty man wanting to be king, loathed in fame and riches? That is something that may always stay
In the epic poem, Beowulf, by Heaney, Beowulf shows his courage throughout the story as he faces challenges after challenges.
In the epic poem Beowulf is about a powerful hero that takes a journey to Herot to help restore peace within the mead hall. Herot is suffering because Grendel keeps attacking its people due to the noise they create. It is chaotic until Beowulf makes his appearance in Hrothgar’s place of meal. Beowulf seizes to amaze me by the way he overcomes
Upon entering the Danes' hall, Herot, Grendel is confronted by Beowulf, who immediately seizes Grendel's arms and drives fear into the monster's heart, "... [Grendel] knew at once that nowhere on earth/ Had he met a man whose hands were harder..." (lines 751-752). Through his slaughter of Grendel, Grendel's mom, the dragon, and other monsters, Beowulf proves his amazing strength to the other characters and to the readers.
Grendel, because of his lineage from Cain, was exiled from the human world. This causes Grendel to not be able to fully think through his actions. He kills the Danes and fights Beowulf because of the deep emotion of loneliness that overcomes him. If the reader looks only at Grendel as a monster or demon, he will be considered evil and therefore Beowulf is honored as a great hero. By seeing Grendel more humanely the reader can see him more as a human rather than a monster. The circumstances that Grendel has grown up in has caused him to act out with evil tendencies. “I tried to tell her all that had happened, all that I’d come to understand: the meaningless objectness of the world, the universal bruteness. She only stared, troubled at my noise. She’d forgotten all language long ago, or maybe had never known any.” (Gardner 28) This quote shows how little communication Grendel had with anyone in the outside world. He was not able to express any of his thoughts due to the fact that his mother was incompetent and did not speak. “Why can’t I have someone to talk to? I said. The stars said nothing, but I pretended to ignore the rudeness.” (Gardner 53) Those who believe Grendel is evil do not acknowledge the whole reason that there is a hateful relationship between Grendel and the Humans. The failure to communicate lead to confusion and fear which lead to the attacks made by Grendel or the humans. If Grendel was not as isolated in his
This quote is saying that not only is Grendel the enemy but he is the literal personification of evil, the thing that the hero of the hero's quest has to constantly quarrel with. Another way in which beowulf fills the hero archetype is the fact that often he is seen doing things that people are unable to do and more specifically wield weapons that no others are able to we see this in a specific example with Beowulf wielding the giants sword and killing grendel's mother with it. The sword is spoken about in the quote “Hrothgar spoke; he examined the hilt, the relic of old times. It was engraved all over and showed how war first came into the world and the flood destroyed the tribe of giants.
Grendel A hero, a villain, and a quest for peace, the typical plot line to any adventure, but in Gardner’s novel Grendel, things are not so black and white. Grendel is the antagonist in this epic tale, but being able to read his thoughts, the reader develops a very close relationship with him. Through Grendel’s eyes it is evident that he is lost and all alone in a world where bloodthirsty warriors like Beowulf are called upon as ‘heroes’. In the third person perspective from the people of Herot, Grendel is perceived as a God-cursed demon that endlessly torments their city.
Throughout “Beowulf”, Beowulf decides to go on an adventure to the Danish islands and help out the Danes in a battle of good versus evil. The reason of Beowulf’s journey was to end the reign of terror of Grendel, a monster who lives under Herot and massacres individuals. In the poem Beowulf states to King Hrothgar, “‘…Now Grendel and are called/ Together, and I have come…That I, alone and with the help of my men,/ May purge all evil from this hall,” (Beowulf 254-261). This quotation explains that Beowulf wants to rid the world of evil and help the Danes defeat what has been preying on their men and inflicting terror upon a civilization. Also, Beowulf
Beowulf’s triumphs are short lived due to another attack on Herot. This time, Grendel’s mother comes to the great mead hall to avenge her son. The battle between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf differs greatly from the previous battle with the beast’s son. After another attack, Beowulf now must seek out his new enemy, and fight her on her own turf. As it stood, the scores were even between the monsters and the Danes, but Beowulf now looked for victory over the monsters, not revenge. Beowulf also had to regain his reputation. He had just won a trophy, when the bigger, badder bully came up to him and took it straight from his grasp. Now Beowulf traveled to the burning lake, which proved a test of its own. He then swam to the bottom of the lake where the monster resided. All of this just to get to the monster shows that this brave hero would do anything to set the scores right for his people and for the glory that came with it.
With a goal in mind, one can be driven to do the impossible; however, in the end, one doesn't control destiny. Wyrd gives Beowulf great opportunities to achieve exactly what he had always wanted, and those possibilities are just how this epic poem was made possible. Great as it is, Beowulf didn't come easy; back in those times no one, yet, knew how to write. Destiny may lay roads in front of you; however, Beowulf wasn't wyrd's puppet. Fate has steered Beowulf towards his goal, and made an amazing epic poem with him, but who was really in control of the story?
Grendel's Mother, then, appears as the face of vengefulness. This fault is not so common a powerful occurrence as guilt; emerging only when faced with grief and loss and the desire for retribution. Grendel's Mother is described as having “scavenged and gone her