Phillip werner: the characters UNPLUGGED
Beowulf: The protagonist/hero of the epic, Beowulf is a Geatish hero who fights the monster Grendel, Grendel's mother, and a fire breathing dragon. Beowulf's pride and self-satisfaction, encounters reveal him to be the strongest, ablest warrior around. When he was young, he possessed all of the best characteristics of the heroic culture. When he was aged, he proved a wise and effective ruler.
King Hrothgar: The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his kingdom. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that shown by the young warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the king of kings that Beowulf becomes.
Grendel: A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar's warriors in the mead-hall, Heorot. His ruthless and miserable existence is part of the retribution saught by God for Cain's murder of Abel; Grendel fits excellently within the spirit of revenge that controls the world of the poem. Beowulfs fight with Grendel symbolizes the first part of the epic.
Grendel's Mother: An unnamed swamp monster, Grendel's mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her tyranny of Heorot is explained by her desire for revenge; a human motivation. Beowulfs fight with Grendels mother symbolizes the second part of the epic.
The Dragon: An ancient, powerful creature, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulf's fight with the dragon symbolizes the third and final part of the epic.
King Hrothgar: The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his kingdom. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that shown by the young warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the king of kings that Beowulf becomes.
Grendel: A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar's warriors in the mead-hall, Heorot. His ruthless and miserable existence is part of the retribution saught by God for Cain's murder of Abel; Grendel fits excellently within the spirit of revenge that controls the world of the poem. Beowulfs fight with Grendel symbolizes the first part of the epic.
Grendel's Mother: An unnamed swamp monster, Grendel's mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her tyranny of Heorot is explained by her desire for revenge; a human motivation. Beowulfs fight with Grendels mother symbolizes the second part of the epic.
The Dragon: An ancient, powerful creature, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulf's fight with the dragon symbolizes the third and final part of the epic.
The ePIC POEM AND THE EPIC HERO
Epic Definition: An epic is a long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society.
Epics often concern eternal human problems such as the conflict between Good and Evil, written or told on a grand scale and often in ceremonial style.
Epics often concern eternal human problems such as the conflict between Good and Evil, written or told on a grand scale and often in ceremonial style.
two types of epics
1. Folk Epic- oral compositions passed on from storyteller to storyteller and has changed over time.
2. Literary Epic- written compositions that are unchanged over time.
Epic Characteristics
#1 The hero is a great leader who is identified strongly with a particular people or society.
#2 The setting is broad and often includes supernatural realms especially the land of the dead.
#3 The hero does great deeds in battle or undertakes an extraordinary journey or quest.
#4 Sometimes gods or other supernatural or fantastic beings take part in the action
#5 The story is told in heightened language.
The Epic Hero
2. Literary Epic- written compositions that are unchanged over time.
Epic Characteristics
#1 The hero is a great leader who is identified strongly with a particular people or society.
#2 The setting is broad and often includes supernatural realms especially the land of the dead.
#3 The hero does great deeds in battle or undertakes an extraordinary journey or quest.
#4 Sometimes gods or other supernatural or fantastic beings take part in the action
#5 The story is told in heightened language.
The Epic Hero
- The epic hero is a larger than life person who embodies the highest ideals of his culture.
- The epic hero usually takes a journey/quest to achieve something of great value to themselves or society.
- Epic heroes "live on after death" meaning they are forever remembered by those who live after them.
- Achieving a type of immortality
- Not a "Superman" with magical powers but a "regular" human (sometimes part god/part human) whose aspirations and accomplishments set him/her apart.
- Overcomes great obstacles/opponents but maintains HUMANITY.
- The epic hero experiences typical human emotions/feelings, yet is able to master and control these human traits to a greater degree than a typical person.
- It is often necessary for the epic hero to connect/make contact with 'lesser' humans in order to succeed.
beowulf plot overview
King Hrothgar of Denmark, a descendant of the great king Shield Sheafson, enjoys a prosperous and successful reign. He builds a mead-hall, called Heorot, where his warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their lord, and listen to stories sung by the scops, or bards. But the noise of great happiness angers Grendel, a horrible demon who lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar's kingdom. Grendel terrorizes the Danes every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. The Danes suffer many years of fear, danger, and death at the hands of Grendel. Eventually, however, a young Geatish warrior named Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's situation. Inspired by the challenge, Beowulf sails to Denmark with a group of kinsmen, determined to defeat Grendel.
Hrothgar, who had once done a great favor for Beowulf's father Ecgtheow, accepts Beowulf's offer to fight Grendel and holds a feast in the hero's honor. During the feast a jealous Dane named Unferth taunts Beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation. Beowulf responds with a boastful description of some of his past accomplishments. His confidence cheers the Danish warriors, and the feast lasts happily into the night. At last, however, Grendel arrives. Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving himself stronger than the demon, who is fearful. As Grendel struggles to escape, Beowulf tears the monsters arm off. Severely wounded, Grendel slinks back into the swamp to die. The severed arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a trophy of victory.
Overjoyed, Hrothgar showers Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor. Songs are sung in praise of Beowulf, and the celebration lasts late into the night. But another threat is coming. Grendels mother, a swamp-hag who lives in a desolate lake, comes to Heorot seeking revenge for her sons death. She murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgars most trusted advisers, before slinking away. To avenge Aeschere's death, the men travel to the murky swamp, where Beowulf dives into the water and fights Grendel's mother in her underwater lair. He kills her with a sword forged for a giant, then, finding Grendel's body, decapitates it and brings the head as a prize to Hrothgar. The Danish countryside is now purged of its treacherous monsters.
The Danes are again overjoyed, and Beowulfs fame spreads across the kingdom. Beowulf departs after a sorrowful goodbye to Hrothgar, who has treated him like a son. He returns to Geatland, where he and his men are reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd, to whom Beowulf recounts his adventures in Denmark. Beowulf then hands over most of his treasure to Hygelac, who in turn rewards him.
In time, Hygelac is killed in a war against the Shylfings, and after Hygelac's son dies, Beowulf ascends to the throne of the Geats. He rules wisely for fifty years, bringing prosperity to Geatland. When Beowulf is an old man, however, a thief disturbs a mound where a great dragon lies guarding a horde of treasure. Engraged, the dragon emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery destruction upon the Geats. Sensing his own death approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid of Wiglaf, he succeeds in killing the beast, but at a heavy cost. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck, and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter. The Geats fear that their enemies will attack then now that Beowulf is dead. According to Beowulfs wishes, they burn their departed kings body on a huge funeral pyre and then bury him with a massive treasure in a barrow overlooking the sea.
Hrothgar, who had once done a great favor for Beowulf's father Ecgtheow, accepts Beowulf's offer to fight Grendel and holds a feast in the hero's honor. During the feast a jealous Dane named Unferth taunts Beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation. Beowulf responds with a boastful description of some of his past accomplishments. His confidence cheers the Danish warriors, and the feast lasts happily into the night. At last, however, Grendel arrives. Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving himself stronger than the demon, who is fearful. As Grendel struggles to escape, Beowulf tears the monsters arm off. Severely wounded, Grendel slinks back into the swamp to die. The severed arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a trophy of victory.
Overjoyed, Hrothgar showers Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor. Songs are sung in praise of Beowulf, and the celebration lasts late into the night. But another threat is coming. Grendels mother, a swamp-hag who lives in a desolate lake, comes to Heorot seeking revenge for her sons death. She murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgars most trusted advisers, before slinking away. To avenge Aeschere's death, the men travel to the murky swamp, where Beowulf dives into the water and fights Grendel's mother in her underwater lair. He kills her with a sword forged for a giant, then, finding Grendel's body, decapitates it and brings the head as a prize to Hrothgar. The Danish countryside is now purged of its treacherous monsters.
The Danes are again overjoyed, and Beowulfs fame spreads across the kingdom. Beowulf departs after a sorrowful goodbye to Hrothgar, who has treated him like a son. He returns to Geatland, where he and his men are reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd, to whom Beowulf recounts his adventures in Denmark. Beowulf then hands over most of his treasure to Hygelac, who in turn rewards him.
In time, Hygelac is killed in a war against the Shylfings, and after Hygelac's son dies, Beowulf ascends to the throne of the Geats. He rules wisely for fifty years, bringing prosperity to Geatland. When Beowulf is an old man, however, a thief disturbs a mound where a great dragon lies guarding a horde of treasure. Engraged, the dragon emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery destruction upon the Geats. Sensing his own death approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid of Wiglaf, he succeeds in killing the beast, but at a heavy cost. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck, and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter. The Geats fear that their enemies will attack then now that Beowulf is dead. According to Beowulfs wishes, they burn their departed kings body on a huge funeral pyre and then bury him with a massive treasure in a barrow overlooking the sea.
central themes of beowulf
- Displayed by Beowulf himself, is loyalty. At every step of his journey, loyalty guided Beowulf virtuously. Beowulf comes to the help of the Danes for complicated reasons. The young Geat is devoted to Hrothgar because he came to the assistance of Beowulfs father Ecgtheow, years before.
- Another motivating factor for Beowulf is reputation. From the beginning, Beowulf is rightly concerned about how the rest of the world will see him. Reputation is his most valuable possession, also the single quality that endures after death, his one key to immortality.
- King Hrothgar and Queen Wealtheow take on the themes of generosity and hospitality. The king provides land, weapons, and a share of treasure to his warriors in return for their support of a leader in battle. The leaders generosity and is one of his highest qualities. Wealtheow shares in the gift giving and is the perfect hostess.
- Despite a jealous rant at the first banquet from Unferth, the most serious display of envy in the epic is from Grendel. The monster who has terrorized Hrothgars people for twelve years is envious of the Danes because he can never share in mankinds hope or joy.
- Revenge serves as a motivating factor for several characters throughout the poem, initially powering Grendel and his mother. Grendel seeks revenge upon mankind for the heritage that he has been dealt. He delights in raiding Heorot because it is the symbol of everything that he detest about men. Grendels mothers revenge is more specific. She attacks Heorot because someone there killed her son, she is motivated by a mothers fury.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/beowulfs-excavated-denmark-royal-hall_n_3896309.html Royal Hall From "Beowulf" Found? Site Described In Epic Poem Excavated
"The Land Of The Beowulf"
http://www.landofbeowulf.com/geats.html
Anglo-Saxon England
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=8F36D6B6A9329F6CB15EFA8C37126EBD.journals?fromPage=online&aid=150119
"The Land Of The Beowulf"
http://www.landofbeowulf.com/geats.html
Anglo-Saxon England
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=8F36D6B6A9329F6CB15EFA8C37126EBD.journals?fromPage=online&aid=150119