... in their battle against Grendel. His strength is another reason he is marked as a hero as the poem reveals it to be the equivalent to thirty men. Beowulf also shows the qualities of loyalty, confidence, and wisdom which all make him a hero. Grendel is considered a monster because he lacks compassion for the human ... hall " the characters never say why they thin Grendel attacks. According to the narrator Grendel is bigger than a man and his arm that is removed by Beowulf feels like "barbed steel"". It is also mentioned that his skin is made of scale and he has claws. 5. Cain exiled Grend...

• Word Count: 2142
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... hands to kill Grendel, not only would Grendel have survived but the brawl would not have such a significance in the history of the Geats. Beowulf would not seem as brave, and even if Beowulf had died, the battle would not have been as legendary. There would be no arm, shoulder, or claw to symbolize Grendel's death or ... also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, who is seeking revenge on her son's death, he is able to slay her by slashing the ...

• Word Count: 793
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... would take a small gasp, his plan would be ruined, and Grendel would realize he was awake the whole time. The battle begins, and instantly Beowulf's strength is apparent to both his followers and Grendel as he takes hold of the creatures arm and proceeds to tear it away from Grendel's body ... in mind, revenge. She begins to pick up where Grendel left off, killing numerous Danes with the blink of an eye, until Hrothgar beckons Beowulf to save his people once again. His superhuman skills are first apparent when he goes to find Grendel's mother, in her underwater cave. Normal ... is the D...

• Word Count: 1010
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... poem leaves the reader with a lasting impression and usually contains theme of the poem. In Howell D. Chickering, Jr's translation of the anonymously written epic poem Beowulf the poet uses the end and beginning to describe the funerals of two important kings. Scyld is the King and founder of the Danes and represents everything a ... commoners feel due to the death of their previously flawless king. The Geatish people are also concerned about the future of the kingdom. The one thing Beowulf did not do for the Geats was to arrange for a predecessor. This leaves the Geats with no one to tur...

• Word Count: 1146
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... "grief-racked and ravenous, desperate for revenge" (1278) due to the murder of her son. After Grendel's mother "avenged her son and wreaked desctruction" (1278), Beowulf must descend into "some other world" (1349) to find her. This other world seems to parallel the lakes of Hell, infested with "writhing sea-dragons [ ] ... she welcomed the Geat and thanked God for granting her wish that a deliverer she could believe in would arrive to ease their afflictions" (625-628). Beowulf, as Christ, acts as a sacrificial lamb by giving up his own life in order to save his people. Klaeber writes, "We...

• Word Count: 824
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... in his way he would defeat. Like other epic poems someone or something had to have a problem with something that they couldn't handle themselves. This is where Beowulf comes in. the Danes where in the hall where they drank and had a good time. After that they were all a little tipsy and they went to sleep ... sword and while walking he found Grendels body, laying there lifeless. He took one swing and chopped off Grendels head off. Once again Beowulf had won in victory. After kill both monsters, Beowulf much that he became kind of the Danes fifty-years. But the threat was still not over. ...

• Word Count: 819
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... against monster opponents. In the English tradition, a perfect hero displays courage, generosity, and loyalty. Similarly, throughout the course of the epic poem, Beowulf presents himself as the ideal English hero, as someone who "has bridged the gap between foolhardiness and true courage" and "has become an embodiment ... (Renoir 1). He does not make cursory decisions, and has carefully planned out strategies, to carry out his attacks against his foes. Ultimately, Beowulf's main strength is his physical stature, but his discerning actions complement him as he ends up victorious in his b...

• Word Count: 795
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... son's death, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster's neck with a Giant's sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with ease, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Herot mead-hall ... safety for the Geats so a tall lighthouse is built in order to help the people find there way back from sea. The most heroic of traits within Beowulf is that he is not afraid to die. He always explains his death wishes before going into battle and requests to have any assets delivered to his people. ... in ...

• Word Count: 723
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... in the conflict with Grendal and the Troll Wife, but because of his self-serving intent, he is definitely not a hero. The heroic characteristics expressed by Beowulf in these two conflicts are fearlessness and courage in dangerous situations, as well as determination and loyalty for his people. Unlike a true hero, who would work ... his hardest for the good of the people in need, Beowulf's motives for fighting are very self-serving. A celebration was held in the mead-hall to recognize the help the Danes were going to receive from ... but he was the king and he fought the dragon. The dra...

• Word Count: 607
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... from this horrifying monster. However in Grendel, the titular character is shown as a childish, nave being who kills because of his own emotional turmoil, and Beowulf is shown as a cold, murderous man who not only wants to kill Grendel, but wants to torture him mentally as well. Although these two works tell ... the same story, each one will give you an entirely different point of view. In the poem Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed as bloodthirsty and animalistic, but when we see the story from his point of view in Grendel, he just seems scared and ... does not want to be the bane of man's...

• Word Count: 789
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Kindness. Your glory is too great to forget/...Spread your blessed protection/ Across my son, and my king's son (Beowulf, 1216-1227). After the king of the Geats, Higlac, dies, Beowulf is made king for proving his strength, courage, and knowledge through his many heroic feats and triumphant battles. This serves ... his courage and puts his people before himself to go defeat the dragon. As all his companions, excluding Wiglaf, run for their lives, as Beowulf uses his last strength to slay the dragon before his own death. He took us/ For soldiers, for men. He meant to kill/ This ... Flam...

• Word Count: 631
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• Grade Level: High School

... the perfect hero are amazing physical strength, ability to put his people's welfare before his own, and the fact that he does not fear death. Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength. He fought in numerous battles, and he returned victorious until his ... his strength to kill the monster, Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years. With his bare hands, Beowulf rips off the monster's arm leaving him to die. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's vengeful mother, he is slays her by slashing her neck with a Giant's sword that could o...

• Word Count: 473
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... journey finding a magic sword called the hrunting, so heavy no man or woman in the world could pick it up, except Beowulf who picked it up with ease. Also to be an epic hero you need to be brave, and Beowulf fits that description perfectly. Swimming in the ocean for seven days battling monsters along the way, he goes on search for ... . Being called out by King Hrothgar, he finds Grendel and battles him, ripping off his arm leaving him to bleed to death in his cave. Bravery is in Beowulf's blood. What makes Beowulf an epic hero from being any other hero is Beowulf is mortal. Every battle...

• Word Count: 292
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... made him a well respected Geat. Since his childhood, he was very fond of bees and considered himself the bee hunter. Out of all the Geats he knew, Beowulf respected his Uncle Hygelac, the king of the Geats, the most. In the land of the Danes, there was a disturbance in King Hrothgar's hall, Heorot. The ... were true. Grendel's treachery caught the attention of people far and wide including poets. After discovering of what has happened in the land of the Danes, Beowulf was the one brave soul who decided to do what he can to save the great hall. Prior to his arrival, Grendel attacked once ...

• Word Count: 521
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... die. The severed arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a trophy of victory. After Grendels defeat, Grendels mother comes to Heorot and seeks revenge for her son's death. Beowulf dives into the swamp and fights Grendels mother. He kills her with a sword, and cuts her head off and brings it as a trophy ... . Beowulf ascends to the throne of the Geats. He rules wisely for fifty years, bringing prosperity to Geatland. When Beowulf is an old man, however, a thief disturbs a barrow, or mound, where a great dragon lies guarding a horde of treasure. Enraged, the dragon ... emerges from the barro...

• Word Count: 350
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... many references and images of good and evil that are trough out this story that was intended for a pagan culture. In the beginning of the story, Beowulf hears about the many killings that plague the Danes and how an unknown monster, later referred to as Grendel, is coming about and causing havoc at ... sent brave warriors to fight Grendel but to no avail. The Danes were not successful because they were part of the corrupted society and that is why Beowulf, the outside interference, comes in and in one battle kills the descendent of Cain. Then the second brawl, with Grendel's mother, show...

• Word Count: 1092
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... sister play with her Barbie, naturally he will want his revenge and try to get her toy taken away. Revenge and vengeance are prominent themes in Beowulf. While the example above is merely represented with children, you can only imagine what severe depths it can reach in larger proportions. "Revenge proves ... its own executioner" (John Ford, The Broken Heart). The first representation of the theme of revenge in Beowulf, is shown in the relationship between Grendel and the Danes. The continuous cycle of revenge is begun by the evil beast Grendel. Grendel descends from the ... take place...

• Word Count: 756
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• Grade Level: High School

... in the mead-hall" (632-638) Boasting in the poem seems to be a suitable and accepted form of self-assertion. It is interesting to see how the protagonist Beowulf is able to boast with out appearing to be conceded. As odd as it may seem he is very humble with his boasting. It is more like he's selling ... himself to Hrothgar and his county men by telling them what he can do for them rather than bragging. I came to this conclusion because of the Danes reaction to Beowulf's boasts. They are not threatened or offended by his boasts instead they feel protected, even thought they have yet to se...

• Word Count: 390
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... time while he was in Heorot, all he was trying to do was to show everyone that he is the best and no one can survive without him. Beowulf indirectly killed most if his people just to show how brave he is. One example if this is when grendal come into the meadhall and tries to eat up ... the sleeping Danes, Beowulf could and should of stopped grendal before but he didn't. Beowulf let grendal eat a few people before he stepped in to show that if he's not there, they will all die. In his second ... her son's death. The mother comes into the meadhall, eats many people and then goes into an ...

• Word Count: 365
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... poem, there is one specific scene that portrays how crucial generosity is to the warrior culture. This specific scene is when Hrothgar realizes that Beowulf would one day be king and in order to stress the importance of generosity, specifically gift giving, he warns him about the mistakes of King ... Heremod. Hrothgar lived through Heremod's reign and expects Beowulf to learn and understand the true values of the culture by listening to his lecture. He states: "Heremod was different, the way he ... So learn from this and understand true values. I who tell you have wintered into wisdom"...

• Word Count: 585
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... epic poem and relevant to our times and life, loyalty, good vs. evil, and honor. I chose loyalty as one of my themes because in the epic poem Beowulf's men were loyal to him. They were there for him when he was in a ruff situation and stayed waiting for him when they had thought they might not see ... . The reason I chose this theme is that it was basically the whole theme of the story. In this epic poem the good which were the kings, warriors, Beowulf and his men, and also the people who lived there had to face the evil that were monsters. In there time the evil they had to face were mon...

• Word Count: 577
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... uses Grendel as a symbol of what is evil and immoral. It is a typical battle of good and evil, something that we see every day in our lives. In the story Beowulf the author makes three main points to show that Grendel is indeed a symbol of immorality, where Grendel comes from, the terrible description of Grendel's killing, and Grendel's loneliness and isolation ... and evil can not and will not ever co-exist. We face it every day, but only through a personal relationship with God can we overcome evil and have true peace. "Beowulf" is a great epic depicting the forces of good and evil. I...

• Word Count: 652
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... Staying by Brecca took courage because it would later seem as if Brecca had won, and Beowulf would have to put up with people saying Brecca was greater than he was. Another time Beowulf exemplifies his trait of incredible courage is when he travels to Heron to help Hrothgar, although ... indeed at least some part of his motive to fight the monsters. This quote also implies that he received treasure for defeating Grendel. Another time Beowulf receives treasure is when he kills the dragon that has been attacking his country. The price paid for this treasure is very great, though. ... Aft...

• Word Count: 897
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... ensues, much like the battle that Ghost Dog fights when he storms into the house where the Mafia is presiding. Both warriors are alone when their encounter occur. Beowulf's men forsake him during his battle with Grendel's mother. Ghost Dog is a loner, friends only with Raymond, a French ice cream man and Pearline, a ... survival of their respective codes. As fleeting as the result is, both warriors eliminate their foes and survive the altercation. On arrival back to his home, Beowulf is made king of the Geats and rules for fifty years. He becomes aged, and stalwart in his ruling as "pri...

• Word Count: 1160
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... has caught the balance of these things brilliantly; he has put together a masterpiece from a masterpiece. Perhaps the most notable aspect of Seamus Heaney's Beowulf is that it can be read almost as if it were prose and at the same time the reader can think deeper for the poetry. Seamus ... Heaney writes in his introduction, "I came to the task of translating Beowulf with a prejudice in favour of forthright delivery. I remembered the voice of the poem as being attractively direct, even though the diction was ornate ... narrative method at times oblique" (Heaney XXVIII). Reading an excerp...

• Word Count: 1162
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School