Essay about Beowulf The King - 1001 Words

Many readers of the poem Beowulf may find it difficult to distinguish the good kings from the rest – indeed, almost every man who holds a throne in the epic is named at one point or another to be good. By examining the ideals of the time period as identified by the heroic code, it becomes clearer that a truly good king is one who generously distributes treasure and weaponry to deserving retainers to honour courage and strength displayed in battle and to encourage the defense of the kingdom (Intro). When Beowulf ascends the throne of the Geats, the heroic traits of courage and strength for which he was so highly praised as a warrior do not serve well in making him a good king. Indeed, by exhibiting the traits of a thane, that is, by†¦show more content†¦Hrothgars intentions are sociocentric: by employing the strength of â€Å"many peoples† (76) to build the â€Å"legendary hall† (412) of Heorot, he brings his people together and gives his people a legacy, ensuring a future for Denmark. Beowulfs main fault lies in his neglect to unite his people under his rule. He is described, like Hrothgar, as a â€Å"ring-giver† (2635), but since Beowulf himself is â€Å"too proud/ to line up with a large army† (2345-46) and he adopts the title of sole â€Å"protector† (2337), â€Å"trusting his own strength entirely† (2540), he doesnt allow his thanes the opportunity to show their courage and strength in battle. The price in gold of any treasure is inconsequential: it is its price in deeds performed to earn the treasure that matters. In other words, only treasures earned are worth something, and endowing gifts to the undeserving is akin to when the theif steals the â€Å"gem-studded goblet† (2217) from the dragons hoard: it â€Å"gained him nothing† (2217). Beowulf never realizes this as king. As he lies on his deathbed, beholding the treasure hoard of the dragon, he even gives thanks that he has â€Å"b een allowed to leave [his] people/ so well endowed on the day [he] die[s]† (3797-98). The reader sees, however, that his people are left with nothing. Even the treasure, â€Å"bought and paid for by Beowulfs death† (2843) is left in the ground, â€Å"useless to menShow MoreRelatedArchetypes And Ideals Of Beowulf And King892 Words   |  4 Pagesreaders to follow in his footsteps. The Anglo-Saxon Beowulf and Medieval Christian King Arthur display many archetypes and ideals to shape the story and make it exciting. The Beowulf and King Arthur storytellers use archetypes to create stories with suspense and have their heroes display values of loyalty to their respective listeners. Beowulf, king of the Geats, engages in battles in order to protect his community from physical creatures while King Arthur’s knights engage in spiritual battles againstRead MoreIs Beowulf A Successful Hero Or King711 Words   |  3 Pagespeople think of a successful king, they often associate them with the hero. However, many fail to notice that no one could own both the title king and the hero at the same time; they need to give up either one of the titles to become a truly successful hero or king. In the famous epic poem, Beowulf, despite Hrothgar rules Danes, another hero, Beowulf, shows up to solve Danes’ problem while the true Danes king sits on his throne and simply gives all honor and credit to Beowulf. To become a truly successfulRead MoreComparison of Hrothgar and Beowulf as Kings.1660 Words   |  7 Pagestheir definitions of a successful king for generations. The epic poem Beowulf introduces two kings: Beowulf, the protagonist of the story, the famed hero w ho slays monsters with his bare hands and then becomes king of the Geats, and Hrothgar, the king of the Danish court, who is grateful for Beowulf s help in overcoming Grendel and his mother. A king received respect for wealth, fame, and warriors, during the time in which the poem Beowulf takes place. However, a king should go beyond these basic needsRead MoreCompare And Contrast Beowulf And King Arthur901 Words   |  4 Pagespossess influence their own lives and those of the people around them, specifically like the heroes in the epic â€Å"Beowulf† and the novel The Once and Future King. Each trait that Arthur and Beowulf possessed impacted major events in their lives, such as defeating Grendel in â€Å"Beowulf† or removing Excalibur from the stone in The Once and Future King. In both literary pieces, Arthur and Beowulf embark on quests in order to save their people. For both heroes, the effects of their actions differed, as wellRead MoreComparison Between Beowulf A nd King Lear Essay2229 Words   |  9 PagesBoth Beowulf and King Lear give viewpoints of varying types of kingship at drastically different eras of Britain’s life. In the case of the former, the anonymous author portrays a war-oriented culture focused on ideals of bravery and heroism. In the second, Shakespeare presents a view of a much more aristocratic society, deeply rooted in ideals of nobility and politics. Throughout both texts, however, there is a focus laid out on the idea of what makes a good king – or, in the case of Edmund, noblemanRead MoreLeadership in Beowulf, Oedipus the King, and Antigone1860 Words   |  8 Pagesthree stories of Beowulf, Oedipus the King, and Antigone. Beowulf is a poem that was written in the Anglo-Saxon language that tells of Beowulf, a Geatish hero who fights the monster of Grendel, Grendels mother, and even a fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf fights with determination and follows the way of his predecessors by only fighting with his bare hands. As a young man, Beowulf is a strong warrior, but as he grows up he turns into a wise and noble leader. Throughout the story, Beowulf greatly personifiesRead MoreThe Role Of Government In Beowulf And King Arthurs Society1629 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough the role of the government found in Beowulf and in King Arthurs societies had basically the same functions (to protect the people from invasion and provide safety and order within the community), each government was set up with some drastically different ideologies. The ideologies that perhaps governed the formation of each government were defined easily by the time periods in which each work was written. Both governments describe leader s (Kings) who are honorable and kind to their peopleRead MoreThe Hero Of Heroes, Beowulf, And The King s Land1180 Words   |  5 PagesGeat in King Higlac’s land. Five moons have risen since the departure of the hero of heroes, Beowulf, and the fourteen strongest Geats in the clan to kill a monster plaguing King Hrothgar’s land. This absence has left Geatland in great peril, and word has spread across the region about the increased vulnerability of the Geat clan. Because of this, warring tribes against the Geats planned to seize control of the once secured land. In preparation of the knowingly inevitable attack, King Higlac hadRead More Essay Comparing Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki976 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki      Ã‚   There are so many similarities between the hero of the poem Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, an Iceland saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written, that these similarities cannot be attributed solely to coincidence.    The Cambridge History of English and American Literature states that the hero of the poem, Beowulf himself, may be the same person as Bodvar Biarki, the chief of HrolfrRead More A Comparison of Fierceness in Beowulf and in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki1787 Words   |  8 PagesFierceness in Beowulf and in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is fierceness mentioned only in Beowulf or is it an element common also to this famous Icelandic saga? Is fierceness described the same way as in Beowulf?    The Anglo-Saxons prior to 1000AD were as a race fierce. They possessed great courage. Beowulf reflects their fierceness and courage in a variety of ways. Beowulf complains to Unferth in the Danish court: â€Å"Grendel would never have done such horrors †¦ if you were so