Animal Symbolism

In the Epic Poems Beowulf, by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, and Grendel written by John Gardner, Grendel, regardless of what he does, has been seen as unsafe to man. Grendel, perceived as treacherous, is just misunderstood and an outcast to society. The back story of Grendel is crucial to the reader’s understanding of Grendel becoming a monster. Grendel’s life experiences of his environment, men and meeting a dragon contribute to the drastic change.

The Giraffe takes place in a small town, in what appears to be Italy, although that can only be assumed from the names, buildings and author of the text. The city plays what could be considered an important role if you were to assume that the subtext of the story is one centered on change and progress. That being that the small town represents likely a place that is not very adaptable or open minded as is often seen in smaller more close knit communities, which may be why the story is situated there. Furthermore, aside from that, the location in Italy may also play a role in the subtext of the story if you were to interpret it as a story with a biblical relation, Italy being a country heavily influenced by the catholic religion, and containing the Vatican, the center of the catholic religion. The biblical influences can also be expanded upon if you consider that the giraffe taking refuge inside the church is deliberate, indicating that maybe the church is a clue to the giraffe being some sort of Jesus metaphor or an indication of the giraffe needing some sort of sanctuary.

Animals such as horses and dogs proved to be quite significant in the 16th century. They assisted humans, brought joy to humans’ lives, and became entertainment to the once boring lives of humans

in G.K. Chesterton's compelling poem, The Ballad of the White Horse. During a time when the

“The Hound! After all the running and rushing and sweating it out and half drowning, to come this far, work this hard, and think yourself safe and sigh with relief and come out on the land at last only to find… The Hound! Montag gave on last agonized shout as if this were too much for any man. The shape exploded away. The eyes vanished. The leaf piles flew up in a dry shower. Montag was alone in the wilderness. A deer. He smelled the heavy musk like perfume mingled with blood and the gummed exhalation of the animal’s breath, all cardamom and moss and ragweed odor in this huge night where the trees ran at him, pulled away, ran, pulled away, to the pulse of the heart behind his eyes.

With no known author, Beowulf, originated in oral-tradition representing the Anglo-Saxon culture and lifestyle. It is a showcase work of “art”, serving as a purpose of moral instructions. Beowulf, shows a great demonstration on important Anglo-Saxon values. The main characters, Beowulf and Wiglaf, help portray the values of which the Anglo-Saxon hold among their culture. The poem, Beowulf exhibits three monumental values they uphold: bravery, honor, and loyalty.

In Simon Armitage's translation of the classic Arthurian poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, he recounts the various conflicts Sir Gawain endures in his struggle against the wicked, Green Knight. Similarly, in Joseph Bédier's retelling of the classic medieval romance, Tristan and Iseult, the narration of the tale is anchored around the brewing strife between Tristan and King Mark of Cornwall for the hand of the beautiful, Lady Iseult. It is within each respective text, both male protagonists embark on a heroic quest. Through comparing and contrasting both medieval works, this paper will examine the rationale behind Sir Gawain and Tristan embarking on their quest, the trials they face, and the climatic consequences the quest inflicts on both heroes.

In the Anglo-Saxon epic poems “The Wife’s Lament”, “The Wanderer”, and “The Seafarer”, the authors make their poetry much more interesting and enjoyable by inserting literary devices that add meaning and cohesiveness to each line. Each poem contains multiple literary devices such as kennings, caesuras, and imagery. These tools work together in order to add mood and transparency to the poetry.

The Anglo-Saxon poem “Beowulf” takes the reader back into a time long past; one of family, fate, and fealty. Beowulf offers a glimpse of a society struggling between two different paths, one path being the assimilation into the new Christian traditions and the other is the fast fading past of glorified warriors and family ties. In the poem, the reader can see the attempts of the poet to convey the values and stories of Judeo-Christianity in a society of Anglo-Saxon paganism. The poet illustrates the infiltration of the Christian teachings and how they might have appeared within the lives of the people through the literary devices of symbolism, allegory, and allusion.

Animals are enticing, they seem to have a remarkable grace, ferocity, or stature that catches the eye of artists everywhere, even novelists and authors take a liking to them. The book, “Animals Observed, A look at animals in art” by DORCAS MacCLINTOCK, (Latest copyright date- 1993 by Dorcas MacClintock) is about animals, I learned many important things from reading this book, this book has influenced the way that I feel about animals, and I would recommend this book, to animal lovers as well as, admirers of ancient and impressionism artworks.

Anglo-Saxon culture, as conceived through the context and writing of Beowulf, provides a clear glimpse into the lives, modes of function, and habits of the ancient society. In this, many aspects of their culture can be understood from reading the epic and analyzing the importance of it’s contents. However, certain details about large cultural ideologies, such as Anglo-Saxon beliefs concerning the universe and conduct, convey a deeper and more important understanding of Anglo-Saxon society. These concepts, in building the framework of our understanding for and about Anglo-Saxon culture at this time period in history, displays a complexity and line of thought that is still present to a degree in modern times. Thus, the Anglo-Saxon concepts

The Penguin Classic Early Irish Myths And Sagas exhibits a great cross-section of the many examples of the stories told by Iron Age Celts. These stories revolve around the customs, battles, gods, and heroes of the ancient Celts. It is said that a great deal can be learned from Irish tales about the clothing, weapons, houses, and other aspects of the material culture of the Iron Age Celts 1 and that the stories are more valuable for scholars of society than scholars of religion 2.

Beowulf poem was written between “the middle of the seventh and the end of the tenth century of the first millennium, in the language that is to-day called Anglo-Saxon or Old English.” There is no source to find who was the author of this poem. Before this paper reaches to the story of Beowulf. It is important to know the Old English writing character and the rhyme of the poem. Through these characters, one may feel the atmosphere of the story that will be examined. Below is the Old English writing character which is extracted from Beowulf:

From Greece’s Aesop Fables to China’s Monkey King, animals have played an important and influential role in stories and folktales in various parts of the world. Yet having animals in these stories also comes with the difficulty in representing and presenting these creatures to various audiences.

Animals are often used in literature to describe elements of one’s character or appearance. Different species of animals have various characteristics with which they are associated, which is a tool that authors use to illustrate characters in a more abstract way. Some animal descriptions also give key insight to the societal or cultural norms that are present within a particular text. The animal symbolism used in literature often represents elements of humanity and also highlights varying cultural aspects.