1. Revenge is a key value in this section of Beowulf. The dragoon had burnt down Beowulf's home, his own city, and the best buildings in the city. Because of this, Beowulf became enraged with anger. This is shown in lines 2331-2336. "His mind was turmoil,/ unaccustomed anxiety and gloom/ confused his brain; the fire-dragon/ had raised the coastal region and reduced/ forts and earthworks to dust and ashes,/ so the war-king planned and plotted his revenge." Beowulf was furious and focused on nothing else but killing the dragon. When Beowulf dies, he hands down his legacy to his sons and the people of his city. He understands that he is leaving earth and he must leave what he can, behind. This is shown in, "Now should I give my sons/ my battle garments,/ but fate did not grant/ that I have these sons./ I ruled the people for 50 winters. Not one king among/ the neighboring peoples/ dared greet me/ with a sword;/ I feared no one."
2. This story is different from the other sections of Beowulf because in the end, the hero, Beowulf, dies. In the other stories he always pulls through and has victory over whomever he is fighting. It gives an entirely different vibe because the whole story showed that Beowulf was basically invincible, except for this section where he is killed.
3. Beowulf's death would be honorable because he died doing something that he was born to do, fighting for himself and his people. As he was dying he left his whole legacy to his sons and the others of his city. He also gained quite a bit of treasure, which he shared with his people. He also died heroically by fighting a huge fire-breathing dragon.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Beowulf LRJ #2
1. One value in the battle with Grendle's mother is revenge. Grendle's mother was very mad at Beowulf because he killed her son Grendle. She was furious because of this and wanted to seek her revenge and kill Beowulf for what he had done. This is shown in, "So his mother, greedy/and gloomy as the gallows,/ went on a sorrowful journey/ to avenge her son's death." Another value of this society is the need to help. They fill each other with confidence and help each other through tough times. This is shown when Beowulf is giving the king hope. '"Do not sorrow, wise king!/ It is better for a man/ to avenge a friend/ than mourn much."'
2. Basically the entire story of Beowulf is unrealistic. The monsters and amazing events that happen in it would never exist or happen in reality. "Grendel's mother, a monster/ woman, she who lived in/ the cold streams,/ thought of her misery." This is unrealistic because there are not any monsters that attack people on land that dwell in the water. These unrealistic touches to the story make it much more exciting and eventful. Without them the story would be more dull and boring.
3. My favorite quotes in this story are the ones that add suspense. "They did not know,/ that grim fate/ would come to many nobles/ after evening fell/ and powerful Hrothgar/ went to his house to rest." This quote keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. It gives a small clue to what will happen but there is still a big part missing. "Hard edged swords were drawn in the hall,/ swords off the benches,/ and many broad shields fast in hand,/ though they forgot about helmets/ and broad mail shirts when/ terror seized them." I like this quote because it shows how the soldiers were prepared to fight, but one little mistake left them all for death. I really like how it's worded as well. It uses very good details when describing the armor and it has a powerful way in telling how Grendel’s mother killed the soldiers.
2. Basically the entire story of Beowulf is unrealistic. The monsters and amazing events that happen in it would never exist or happen in reality. "Grendel's mother, a monster/ woman, she who lived in/ the cold streams,/ thought of her misery." This is unrealistic because there are not any monsters that attack people on land that dwell in the water. These unrealistic touches to the story make it much more exciting and eventful. Without them the story would be more dull and boring.
3. My favorite quotes in this story are the ones that add suspense. "They did not know,/ that grim fate/ would come to many nobles/ after evening fell/ and powerful Hrothgar/ went to his house to rest." This quote keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. It gives a small clue to what will happen but there is still a big part missing. "Hard edged swords were drawn in the hall,/ swords off the benches,/ and many broad shields fast in hand,/ though they forgot about helmets/ and broad mail shirts when/ terror seized them." I like this quote because it shows how the soldiers were prepared to fight, but one little mistake left them all for death. I really like how it's worded as well. It uses very good details when describing the armor and it has a powerful way in telling how Grendel’s mother killed the soldiers.
Beowulf LRJ#1
1. In Beowulf, the Dane society valued a mead-hall called Herot. Herot was basically a place for people to read poems, eat, play music and interact with one another. It was the center of the Danes community. As shown, "So Hrothgar decided he would build a mead-hall,/ the greatest the world had/ ever seen, or even imagined./ There he would share out/ to young and old alike/ all that God gave him/ (except for public lands and men's lives). Another thing the Danes valued was religion. In Herot a poet would teach them all they needed to know about God and the creation of earth and people. This is shown in, "The Poet Told how the world/ came to be, how god made the earth/ and the water surrounding,/ how He set the sun and the moon/ as lights for people/ and adorned the earth/ with limbs and leaves for everyone."
2. Alliteration is used in Beowulf to make characteristics and descriptions more detailed. Alliteration is shown in the line, "The old king sat sadly". This puts emphasis on the way the king feels and how he is moving about. Alliteration is also shown in, "Poets sang sad songs throughout the world". This shows how the poets felt, and it creates a livelier and thicker description of the way they are singing, and how they are interacting with the rest of the world.
3. A kenning is a word that replaces a noun, which usually describes something. Kennings are shown in Beowulf such as "Well-braced", which describes the ship being strong and sturdy. It is used again in "War-clothes" which is shows a different and more interesting way of describing armor, and "sea-guard" which is just a different form of the protector of the sea. Kennings are much more interesting ways of saying boring nouns, and they give off more of a powerful meaning.
2. Alliteration is used in Beowulf to make characteristics and descriptions more detailed. Alliteration is shown in the line, "The old king sat sadly". This puts emphasis on the way the king feels and how he is moving about. Alliteration is also shown in, "Poets sang sad songs throughout the world". This shows how the poets felt, and it creates a livelier and thicker description of the way they are singing, and how they are interacting with the rest of the world.
3. A kenning is a word that replaces a noun, which usually describes something. Kennings are shown in Beowulf such as "Well-braced", which describes the ship being strong and sturdy. It is used again in "War-clothes" which is shows a different and more interesting way of describing armor, and "sea-guard" which is just a different form of the protector of the sea. Kennings are much more interesting ways of saying boring nouns, and they give off more of a powerful meaning.
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