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Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wealth In Beowulf

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In the epic poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, it discusses the advantages and disadvantages of wealth that are shown in today’s modern society.
In Beowulf, the epic depicts an abundance of scenes of how wealth, in today’s modern culture, shows someone’s power. One way the benefit of wealth is shown in Beowulf by the kings in not solely the story but the Anglo-Saxon culture. This is shown by King Hrothgar when he talks about how he handled his enemies, saying, “Finally I healed the feud by paying / I shipped a treasure-trove to the Wulfings” (Heaney 470-471). Moreover, the amiable King Hrothgar pays his enemies with precious gold from his treasure hold and he ends up settling the feud. It is displaying how being wealthy can synthesize the jubilance a person can obtain by being so powerful that they can pay their enemies to stop attacking them. Another way that wealth can demonstrate the power in Beowulf is when the kings are being described. One excerpt that shows this is when King Hrothgar greets his companion, Beowulf, saying, “Then the grey-haired treasure-giver was glad” (607). The author specifically describes the highest powerful men in the land as treasure-givers. Comparatively, this not only showcases the Anglo-Saxon cultural beliefs, but is an even greater reflection on current the population. The wealthiest man in the world, currently, is Bill Gates with a net worth of 85.6 billion dollars (Kim). Not only is he extremely wealthy, but his influence in
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