Beowulf LRJ #3

One key value in beowulf is that the strong never need any assistance. The quote, "Yet the prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky-plague." (Heaney 2345) expresses his feelings about being helped by others  and how he wold greatly prefer working alone. Another value is the massive bravery and pride of beowulf. He likes to take any challenge that presents itself and boost himself up by saying it will still be no match for the powerful beowulf.

In the last section we exhibit a much more toned down older beowulf. he is not the young warrior anymore that we saw in the previous chapters. "But I shall be meeting molten venom/ in the fire he breathes so I go forth/ in mail-shirt and shield" (2524) this quote show Beowulf's weakness due to his age.

Beowulf died a very honorable death. he was protecting the people from harm as he nce did as the young and powerful beowulf. We can know he died by the quote, "so well endowed on the day I die" (2798). Beowulf died in peace knowing that he had slain the flying beast and kept his people safe from any further harm from it.

Beowulf LRJ #1

In Beowulf, Hrothgar does many things to show his love to his people. He builds a great mead hall "So he turned his mind to hall building"(Heaney 67-68). When his people are attacked by Grendel he feels helpless and is upset that he couldn't protect his people. These actions display a value that the king must always protect and provide for his people under any circumstance.

Alliteration was a prominent literary device in beowulf. "Blundering back with the butchered corpses"(125) was one example of alliteration. This describes Grendel running with the men he had killed and mangled back to his  lair.

Kennings were also used in beowulf. a kenning would be A figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun. An example of a kenning would be, "He set the sun and moon to be earth's lamplight "(Heaney 94-95). The kenning would be earth's lamplight

Beowulf Commentary

"Then as dawn brightened and the day broke Grendel's powers of destruction were plain: their wassail was over, they wept to heaven and mourned under morning. Their mighty prince, the storied leader, sat stricken and helpless, humiliated by the loss of his guard, bewildered and stunned, staring aghast an the demon's trail, in deep distress. He was numb with grief, but got no respite for one night later merciless Grendel struck again with more gruesome murders. Malignant by nature, he never showed remorse. It was easy then to meet with a man shifting himself to a safer distance to bed in the bothies, for who could be blind to the evidence of his eyes, the obviousness of that hall-watcher's hate? Whoever escaped kept a weather-eye open and moved away"(Heaney 126-143)

These twenty lines of Beowulf are significant because it shows the reader a new side to the king Hrothgar. Until this point Hrothgar had been described as a "mighty prince"(Heaney 129), but now that Grendel has attacked his people he is bewildered and doesn't know what to do. This passage offers a new perspective on Hrothgar and how characters sometimes show their emotions.

In this passage there are several different literary devices used. Alliteration is used in line 129 "Mourned under Mourning", and in line 133,"the demon's trail, in deep distress." He uses alliteration to get a main idea or a important point across. Such as in line 129, the main idea is that he's mourning the loss of his guard. Also in line 133 the main idea is that he is stressed and troubled about the situation with Grendel and how he need to resolve it.

Another literary device is the authors choice of words or diction. He uses very uncommon and formal words in his writing. Words such as brothies, malignant, bewildered, and aghast. By using these words he can express his ideas even more and get them clearly across. In lines 132 and 133 ("bewildered and stunned, staring aghast an the demon's trail, in deep distress") you really envision Hrothgar's feelings because of the clear and specific language.

These lines give Hrothgar a new personality trait that change our outlook on Hrothgar. This is one of only two times in the story of Beowulf that Hrothgar or anyone is seen this vulnerable. It is also very rare to see a hero or main character act in such a way that shows weakness in older english stories. These lines were very unique and seemingly out of place for this story and the type of main character that they described.  

Beowulf LRJ #2

 There were several values displayed in the story of beowulf. One of the values were being a great protecter of the people and a great fighter. Hrothgar was always concerned about the safety and well-being of his people. An example was when Grendel made his first attack on the danes. "their mighty prince, the storied leader, sat down stricken and helpless, humiliated by the loss of his guard"(Heaney 129). This quote shows how he would like to protect his people and do the best for them. Another value shown by the anglo-saxons was not showing emotions of grief. When beowulf was talking to Hrothgar he says,"Bear up and be the man I expect you to be"(Heaney 1395). 

This was when hrothgar was grieving and beowulf was saying to be a man and avenge your loved ones.

Unrealistic aspics in the story was when Beowulf was fighting Grendel's mother for a while he was fighting her underwater. "without more ado, he dived into the heaving depths of the lake."(Heaney 1494) he is fight her in the water until he killed he killed her which was unrealistic because you can't breathe underwater.

One of my favorite quotes was "bear up and be the man I expect you to bear"(Heaney 1395). Beowulf is basically telling Hrothgar to grow a pair. It adds a value to the story on how men were not supposed to grieve for friends or family but avenge them.    

Antigone paper

In Antigone Creon was the ruler of Thebes. He was called to the throne after Oedipus resigned and Polyneices and Eteocles killed each other. Creon brought peace and stability after the war between the brothers. But soon afterwards he began to be very stubborn and prideful. He would not take advice from anyone. The three deaths that occur during the play were reactions to Creon's selfish and bashful decisions as king of thebes, therefore being his fault.

The first death to occur was Antigone's. She was killed by starving in a cavern. This death was the starting momentum of the next two deaths that occur in the story. The reason that the death of antigone is Creon's fault is he was to stubborn to see the error in his ways and pardon Antigone. She died because she was doing what was right and what the traditions of that time entailed. 

Heamon had committed suicide after a heated discussion with his father Creon. As they argued Creon tells Heamon "You’ll never marry her while she’s alive" (Sophocles 750). Then Heamon says to Creon, "Then she’ll die—and in her death kill someone else" (Sophocles 751). Then they say a few more word and Heamon leaves. Later he is found dead by his own hand. This is the second death caused by Creon.

The last death is of his wife Eurydice. She was found dead in the palace. She committed suicide after hearing the news of her son Heamon's death. this is an indirect reaction to Creon's bad sentence on Antigone.

In the end Creon discovers the error of his ways and wants to repent but it was too late. His wife and son were already dead. Creon also eventually admits to killing them and admits he made. He says, "Aaiii—mistakes made by a foolish mind, cruel mistakes that bring on death. You see us here, all in one family—the killer and the killed. Oh the profanity of what I planned. Alas, my son, you died so young—a death before your time. Aaiii . . . aaiii . . . you’re dead . . . gone—not your own foolishness but mine." (Sophocles 1406-1414). This is why Creon was guilty.       

LRJ #2

An important image in Antigone is when Teiresias is talking to Creon. He Says, "I heard a strange voice among them; they were screaming with dire, feverish rage, that drowned their language in jargon; and i knew that they were reading each other with their talons murderously"(Fitzgerald 1012). This quote explains to Creon that if he keeps going on the path that he is going it will result in a feud and the death of family members. This quote also brings out the character of Teiresias as being a prophet.

In Antigone the characters fatal flaw was his stubbornness to admit that he was wrong. When Teiresias is talking to Creon, Creon says,"Whatever you say, you will not change my will" (838). This statement tells the reader that whatever Teiresias says that he will not accept it. This flaw eventually brings about the downfall of Creon. 

When Creon discovers his fatal flaw. At this point in the story his son and his wife are dead by his flaw. Antigone has also perished. Creon says,"Aaiii-mistakes made by a foolish mind,"(Sophocles 1406) This is Creon admitting to his mistakes and him realizing he should have done things differently.

Creon's Peripeteia starts when his son Haemon dies by suicide "Haemon had been killed. by no stranger shed his blood"(Sophocles 1303). Then he finds out his wife kills herself after the death of her beloved son. "Yout wife is dead --blood mother of that corpse slaughtered with a sword-- her wounds are very new, poor lady."(Sophocles 1425). This was when the messenger reveals to Creon that his wife had committed suicide. After these events Creon realizes his fatal flaws.

Catharsis happens at the end of the play. After all is said and done and all the deaths the corus conveys a feeling that sums up everything. "the most important part of true success is wissdom"(Sophocles 1348). this makes you pity Creon because his perception of success was wrong. He was always rejecting wisdom that people tried to give him when he should have been excepting it.   

In Antigone women were thought to be under men or inferior. An example of this was when Antigone was talking to Creon, he says,"No women's going to govern me"(Sophocles 600). this is creon blatantly disrespecting Antigone to her face by say a women won't be in a higher position than him while he's still alive.          

Extra! Extra! Polyneices buried after King's Disapproval

Late today a sentry came running frantically into the palace doors. at first he stumbles to get his words out then after a few short minutes he gains his composure and was able to deliver the message. That someone outrightly disobeyed the decree to not bury Polyneices. "I thought that maybe the gods did it but why." says the sentry. The only thing that made sense was someone buried him. shortly after the king tells his sentry "go and find this traitor and bring them to me, or else, you will suffer the wrath that I must bestow upon someone. do not fail me in this task!" The sentry comes running out the palace with grief and drama written all over his face. A citizen of Thebes Comment on the situation "I'm upset that someone would outrightly disobey a law so shortly after the king announced it. this type of behavior only causes anarchy." Yet and still Polyneices was still buried and a frantic sentry is out there right now looking for the man that has Defiled the king.   

HMMM...

man i do not now what to talk about... any have any ideas??

The gateway to technology

HMMMM... Technology. My experience starts when I was a young lad growing up in the technological era. On that fateful day I came home and walked into the living room to discovery my father booting up our new gateway. It was a mammoth of a machine but it was the best of the best that year. I bet i was no older than 5 during that time. along the way I had bumps and milestones with the windows based operating system. The year I had my first big project about mars, the computer formatted the disk and I lost all my work. After this I didn't use it for a month. just as fast as it became my enemy it became my friend. I had actually found out how to work the machine and actually enjoyed my time with it. But then, while completing my sixth grade essay on greek mythology the stupid computer crashed. This was the worst day of my life. As soon as i rebooted the hard drive cleared itself in an attempt to salvage the operating system. and from that day forth I will only use the beautiful breed of super machines known to many as macs. yahhh!!! :)