Five-Week Assessment Fall 2008 12th Grade British Literature Beowulf 1. Beowulf may have been first told by a scop who was a(n) a. Traveling entertainer b. Monk c. Epic hero 2. Two conflicting codes in this poem are a. Christian and pagan b. Materialist and idealist c. Political and spiritual 3. Beowulf sails to Denmark because a. He wants to fight Grendel b. Hrothgar invited him c. A big reward was offered 4. Grendel is a descendant of a. Satan b. Chaos c. Cain
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Beowulf was originally written as a pagan oral tradition before the Christian monks infused their religion into it. The epic hero showed his faith to God as he battled the monsters and depicted the world of Christianity. However‚ the ideas in the poem are presented in both Christian God and pagan power which exemplifies Wyrd. Christianity and paganism are at opposite ends of the religious spectrum and each represent different beliefs and customs. Christians believe and follow the teachings of Christ
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The Monsters of Christianity At first glance‚ the Epic of Beowulf and The Rule of St. Benedict appear to have little in common. In the tale of Beowulf‚ a hero seeks to fulfill his destiny by slaying multiple beasts and protecting the Danes until his fated death. On the other hand‚ The Rule of St. Benedict discusses how monks should live in a God centered community with one another. Despite their differences‚ both these medieval works are fighting vicious fiends‚ literally and figuratively‚ with
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The epic poem of Beowulf is regarded as one of the most important pieces of literary composition in the old and the modern world today. Not only does it provide scholars with an epic story‚ but it gives them a look at where the English language came from. Beowulf does not have a known author‚ but was more than likely written by a monk around 700 A.D.‚ after the rise of the Holy Roman Empire. The setting is composed around Scandinavia‚ and tells of an epic battle between good and evil between the
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Achilles‚ Beowulf‚ Gilgamesh‚ Samson and Heracles can all be characterized as heroes. However‚ each of these characters embodies different attributes that earn them the heroic distinction. This paper will seek to show that Beowulf is the "most" heroic figure based on his adherence to the heroic ethos. Also‚ the character of Gilgamesh will be used as a means of comparison to further showcase the heroic nature of Beowulf. The heroic ethos is a set of values that prioritize and glorify the valor
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mead-hall‚ Heorot‚ every evening. The narrator of Beowulf claims that Grendel’s motivation is hearing Hrothgar’s bard sing songs about God’s creation of the world‚ which rubs his demonic nature the wrong way. Whatever the reason‚ every night Grendel slaughters more Danes and feeds on their corpses after tearing them limb from limb. Although he can’t be harmed by the blade of any edged weapon‚ Grendel finally meets his match when the Geatish warrior Beowulf takes him on in a wrestling match. Cannibalism
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Hellenistic Culture vs. Beowulf in the Anglo Saxon Culture How would one define a person as a “hero”? Those from different time periods have different cultural beliefs that could contribute to their definition of a hero. Those from the Anglo-Saxon culture‚ from which the character Beowulf comes‚ may have different views on various heroic attributes compared to those who were raised in the Hellenistic culture from which Jesus comes. Although Beowulf‚ from the epic poem Beowulf‚ was known to be the
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Wealhtheow: The Role of Women in Beowulf Beowulf is an epic tale written over twelve hundred years ago. In the poem‚ several different female characters are introduced‚ and each woman possesses detailed and unique characteristics. The women in Beowulf are portrayed as strong individuals‚ each of whom has a specific role within the poem. Some women are cast as the cup-bearers and gracious hostesses of the mead halls‚ such as Wealhtheow and Hygd‚ while others‚ Grendel’s mother‚ fulfill the role
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Beowulf Literary Analysis Looking through the phenomenal piece of writing that is Beowulf‚ and analysing the characters and events‚ there is quite a bit of information and evidence that points and leads that religion plays a large role in the entirety of the story. The story roots into the past where the religion that the Saxons had followed under was mainly pagan‚ before the Saxons had been converted to Christianity. Inside the story‚ there were parts in which there were mild hints that led
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Zill Patel Ms. Scanlon British and World Literature 12/1/10 Cultural Significance in Beowulf and it’s Time Period 1) Beowulf had a significant amount of history revealed throughout the text allowing the reader to imagine the cultural life style back in the seventh through tenth centuries. a) BackgroundBefore the British lived in Britain‚ the Celts had settled in Britain. Around 55BC‚ The Romans deiced to begin and attack Britain. The invasion was successful around A.D. 43 when
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