length: 398 words 1.1 double spaced pages symbolizing honor and strength, control of the wine hall passes into the hands of the victor, under the traditional laws of the danes and geats. As beowulf triumphs over the fiend, grendel, he casts off the shame and dishonor which would have befallen him, and full control of the wine hall, as well as territorial supremacy, are clearly his. Only later in the poem does beowulf begin to lose the primacy that had been exclusively his domain.

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Even in death, however, beowulf is immortalized by the members of his tribe, and by the writer, as he passed into glorious history his funeral pyre, and monument on the coast, bore witness to his greatness. It seems that the avoidance of shame and dishonor in one's youth establishes a life long pattern in geat society, whether minor failures are registered later in life or not. His people thrive on his noble character and triumphs his opponents tremble at his name, in awe and respect. Further, inter tribal generosity and openness, for example, during scenes of thankfuness for the victory over grendel, are also qualities which shine forth throughout this saga, further advancing the premise that this geat warrior king and his people embody all of the characteristics thought noble and high minded in the eyes of his tribesmen. The obvious premium placed on the honor of victory , and the shame of defeat is demonstrated again and again in violent confrontations which punctuate this dramatic tale.

The narrator seems to persist in focusing on the same acts of valor, varying the descriptions only slightly, as one passage melts into the next. On many occasions, women surround the victor wine, treasure or tribute are exchanged and valiant acts are praised in song and dance. Nonetheless, destruction of one's reputation is possible, as well, as the poet points out in the tragic episode dealing with haetheyn who inadvertently killed his own kinsman. Indeed, contrast between the sorrow of death on the field of battle, and the merriment of victory lends a touch of reality to the poem which would otherwise be jewel encrusted and far too gilded. It can be said that a credible balance between these mutually exclusive values of honor and dishonor, or pride and shame, is achieved, lending a quality of greatness to this famous old english poem. 19 feb 2016 length: 1062 words 3 double spaced pages after fighting and winning many battles, beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, geatland. Even in his old age, his code of honor still obligates him to fight against an evil, fiery dragon.

Over centuries no one had disturbed the dragon’s kingdom until one day when a thief broke into the treasure, laid hand on a cup fretted with gold, which infuriated the dragon. The fiery dragon had destroyed the people's stronghold, the land along the sea, the heart of the country norton 57. Beowulf is an epic poem that was written in the late tenth century, at the kingdom of the west saxons. Beowulf's world is a very violent society with wars as a dominant part of daily life. After fighting and winning many battles, beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, geatland. Beowulf has no fear of the dragon, because he has fought many enemies that were much more ferocious. No one other than beowulf is brave enough or strong enough to volunteer to fight grendel.

Wiglaf is the only person who stays with beowulf to serve his lord and to fight the dragon. The dragon gets the best of beowulf, he seized all his neck with his sharp fangs: he was smeared with life blood, gore welled out in waves norton 62. Wiglaf, then, summons his wits and they killed the dragon: the wound which the dragon had dealt him began to burn and swell at once he felt dire evil boil in his breast within him norton 62. Even though he is seriously injured, he still had the strength to break the fifty foot dragon in half. He knows that his life has ended, and with it, all the joy of his years on earth.

Beowulf then says, now i would wish to give my son my war clothing, if any heir after me, part of my flesh, were granted 62. Beowulf is saying that if god had granted him a son that he would be the first one to receive his armor and sword. He tells wiglaf to move quickly so that he may see the beautiful jewels that were kept and watched by the dragon. He says that there are many precious jewels, glittering with gold lying on the ground, wonders on the wall 62. When beowulf sees the treasure, he says: i speak with my words thanks to the lord of all for these treasures.

For what i gaze on here, that i might get such for my people for my death day norton 63. Beowulf is saying that he will not be satisfied until all his people receive these precious treasures. This signifies that beowulf's life is ending and he wants to pass on his legacy to his followers. Beowulf tells wiglaf that he is last one left of the thanes and it is now his job to carry on the tradition: fate has swept away all my kinsmen, earls in their strength, to destined death. Beowulf is saying that fate has taken the lives of all of his kinsmen and he must go as well. Before death, beowulf displays great honor when he removes the necklace from his neck and gives it to his thane, wiglaf as a symbol of his life, pride and kingship.

This poem tells about a time in history that few people know about, or have even heard of, yet the message of heroism and honor rings as clear in this millennium as it did in the millennium in which it was written. Instead, why is beowulf compelled to fight the dragon? what is his code of honor? how is beowulf heroic? why doesn’t anyone else help beowulf fight the dragon? how does this make beowulf a great and honorable warrior? chris johnson with honor throughout the poem of beowulf he shows great honor, and loyalty, which was a reason why he is so dominating in battle. In the poem king hrothgar sends calls out for help across the seas to beowulf, to kill the demon monster grendel, who has been tormenting hrothgar s land, and killing his men. Grendel s arm gets ripped from his body, and his arm kept as a trophy hung high in the halls.

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Beowulf first come to hrothgar s aid, due to the fact there was a monster, and if there was a monster, beowulf would die striving to be the best. We beowulf first arrived, his first test of his loyalty, honor did not come from a battle, but from a uncertain unferth who believed beowulf was not the hero he claimed. You ve been lucky in your battles beowulf, but i thinks your luck may change if you challenge grendel.

258 259 beowulf did not tolerate this, with his honor intact, he held of unferth s attacks, and told him off. As all the soldiers ran for their lives, losing all there honor, by being disloyal to the king they ran for their lives, fled deep in a wood. 748 749 beowulf with just himself and his faithful companion wiglac, and only one of them remained, stood there, miserable, remembering as a good man must, what kinship should mean, 749 751. Beowulf died how every man wished in battle with more honor and loyalty than any of his peers. The above preview is unformatted text throughout the entirety of the story of beowulf the role of honor can be found and analyzed in many ways.

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From the beginning of the epic tale, beowulf himself and other characters express a great importance in honor and in having honorable intentions as well as actions. The story itself, being a tale of an individual voluntarily coming from a far away land only to help other people defeat a great monster that has killed everyone in its path and knowing that there is a great chance that he himself will not survive the fight, gives you a pretty good overview that honor is very important without even going beyond a basic synopsis of the tale. From this point on, not only is honor one of the most important themes of beowulf in a central manner, but it can also be found in character development and on a more in depth level than just the basic plot of the story.