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.