After slaying this monster, Beowulf cuts off the head of the corpse. Robert F. Students respond to the lack of falsifying sweetness that would gloss over a world that they recognize as basically an image of our own.
The appeal of Beowulf points to the continued interest in the basic instincts of man, and the absolute defeat of evil by strong heroes. Post a Comment. Categories Uncategorized. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:.
Email required Address never made public. Name required. Create a free website or blog at WordPress. Follow Following. Sign me up. Already have a WordPress. Log in now. The Importance of Beowulf in Modern America By Jennifer Carley Modern culture and literature include many stories of great heroes and fictional adventures. Many people grow up reading about these great adventures and looking up to the heroes of the stories. Heroes are great roll models because they are portrayed as courageous and trustworthy individuals, two very admirable qualities.
Despite numerous cultural and technological advancements, life in modern America continues to bear resemblance to the Anglo-Saxon world of the hero Beowulf. The poem is about a great hero who overcomes seemingly impossible obstacles until one day meeting his match in battle. Since characteristics of human nature have stayed the same, from work place to personal relationships, the similarities between the two worlds are uncanny.
Even though Beowulf dates back to a very different era, the poem itself not only gives modern day readers a historical view of Anglo-Saxon life, but it also emphasizes on innate human characteristics and themes of life that are universal and therefore is pertinent to modern day readers.
Carley 2 Beowulf is a great leader and is considered a hero by his followers and readers of the poem. The qualities that make up a good leader and in turn, a hero, are one of the most important themes in the poem because they outline the standard that every individual in the Anglo-Saxon period must try to live up to. A hero, for one, must be a good warrior: one who demonstrates virtues of wisdom and courage. Politicians, for instance, must pay close attention to their actions in order to gain respect and power over their citizens.
If they betray their own family or friends then it is concluded that they cannot be trusted to keep promises that they make to people they do not even know. One who is able to make wise decisions about his actions is then able to gain power and respect over the community.
Courage is another characteristic of a warrior that leaders must embody. Today, a leader must take risks in doing what he believes will better his life or society as a whole. Most superheroes are revealed to be very loyal to the people that they are watching over.
Spiderman defeats many villains as he protects the huge city of New York. These superheroes go to where the danger is and save the day every time, just as Beowulf did. Just as the mighty Geat traveled to Heorot to defeat Grendel, firemen travel throughout various places to defeat a modern-day villain known as fire.
They risk their lives in the line of duty to help protect people from this raging enemy. Policeman serve the people by keeping their streets safe and families protected from villains, such as thieves and murderers. Stories and poems just like Beowulf were treasures used as entertainment in that time. And while those stories were passed down from generation, they led to even more stories that involve loyalty and honor and super-human strength.
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