Beowulf 's Legacy : A Summary

Beowulf-A New Telling by Robert Nye has a theme that runs deep in the blood of fantasy works:The millenia old battle between light and darkness. Although not directly mentioned, in many books including this one, Darkness and Light are portrayed as physical, however rather explaining conflict within humans, or even conflict between humanity and the mysterious outside. Robert Nye does amazingly well portraying this through many events and physical objects.

Beowulf: A New Telling by Robert Nye is a story of horrendous monsters of legends Beowulf has to face. But, Beowulf is not your ordinary hero, and this story isn’t your ordinary hero legend of Good Vs. Evil. In Fact, the story shoes things aren’t so black and white. You will hear again and again, about light and darkness being in the same being, a kind of a yin and yang concept. That is one of many themes throughout this story, and the longer you read the more you see the deeper, overarching theme of the entire story.

Imagine a slimy swamp like place where only the most horrid monsters with the most disgusting features live, this is the fen. Now imagine A wonderful bright beautiful hall that’s almost castle like, these are the two elements of the story Beowulf a New Telling.

Beowulf proclaims “In the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned. Now Grendel and I are called together” (liens 156-160). Beowulf claims that he must go to defeat Grendel, as it was his errand, or his duty, and his fate. This speech he makes to King Hrothgar reinforces his true reason to come to the King, not for any pride. Another vow Beowulf makes is when he says “That this is one favor you should not refuse me—That I, alone and with the help of my men, many purge all evil form this hall” (lines 163-166). In this line, Beowulf is pleading for the King to do one thing, which is to give him the permission for him and his men to go and fight Grendel, what Beowulf had arrived for. The fact that Beowulf asks the king for only one thing, which is to fight Grendel, shows Beowulf’s selflessness and concern for the safety of others. At no part does he ask for a reward, but even says that if fate is in favor of Grendel to give his armor back to his family. These words help paint the image of Beowulf being concerned for others, not for his

Not only is Beowulf honorable and well respected, he is brave as well. His courage is shown by not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane’s enemies. By being self-assured, Beowulf is able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me.”(ll. 2511-2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying, “When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster.”(ll. 2525-2534). In his actions, Beowulf’s bravery is clearly shown throughout the poem.

Beowulf: A New Telling by Robert Nye is about a character named Beowulf who has to fight evil by using strength, but by also using cleverness. Beowulf’s name means “bee hunter” and Beowulf loved bees. In the story a hall is built it is called Hall Heorot. “By day it towered above men’s heads like a second sun, so bright were it’s walls and roofs”(p. 5). Once the hall is made, a monster comes and eats people at night.

Beowulf is an epic poem that, above all, gives the reader an idea of a time long past; a time when the most important values were courage and integrity. The only factors that could bestow shower fame upon a person were heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the paradigm of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to amass fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is ever present throughout the poem seems to color the identities of its characters.

Life was meaningless in the Anglo-Saxon era unless a hero was able to attain a memorable legacy because Pagan religious ideals were still relevant in society during this time. Stories of adventures and triumphs were meant to live through many generations by being retold several times through scops. These heroic tales eulogized the hero’s triumphs in order to achieve glory for generations to come which often meant heroes would take daring risks in their conquests as seen in the epic poem, Beowulf. In spite of, the violence in Beowulf during the various battles, it is through these violent endeavors that maturity is revealed in the hero, Beowulf. In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf portrays the different stages of life: youth, middle age, and old age through the various battles he fought in his life in order to leave behind a memorable legacy.

Beowulf: A New Telling is a book for people that need reassurance that light will overcome darkness and that we need to accept that we have some darkness inside of us, then our weaknesses can become our strengths. Beowulf has to face many faces of evil, including Grendel, the cruel slimy creature who murders Beowulf’s friends and She, the wife of Cain and malicious monster that lives at the bottom of a pool of blood. He becomes king of Geats and is famous all throughout the land.

What are the challenges of the Anglo-Saxon life, that Beowulf faces? The strongest competitors Beowulf faced were Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon.

A person's great legacy can quickly be revoked and changed depending on the actions they take and their characteristics. For Beowulf's warriors their legacies were not as positive because the warriors did not maintain the Comitatus code and stay by their King's side until death. King Hrothgar's legacy is an example of one that was balanced from successful to a problem starter. Lastly, Beowulf's rule was very productive even though he was selfish he made up for it with his heroism which he was known for in his legacy. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the characteristics and events that shape someone's legacy.

Beowulf is one in a sea of many epic poems exemplifying battle, glory, great leadership, and, inevitably, death. Classic plot lines have followed the general flow of such stories from exposition to conflict to resolution the majority thriving off of a hero-villain mentality. The battle between good and evil has been perpetuated throughout history in literature and story. Society today suffers from the clear segregation of right and wrong just as much as society did in the days that Beowulf was first written. Though literary portrayals of good and evil appear clear-cut, the identification of good and evil in daily life is complex and muddled. In Beowulf, there is an obvious divide between monsters and heroes; however, under closer scrutiny,

Throughout the poem, Beowulf, is characterized by his acts of heroism in the Anglo-Saxon society. He not only possesses the values of strength and bravery, but as well exhibits the theme of the “Germanic-Code” which include loyalty, chivalry, and self-respect. But it seems that his values of heroism leans

Although “Beowulf” is the oldest recorded English poem, it is amazing how it can still relate to life today. “Beowulf” is an Old English epic poem created by an unknown Anglo-Saxon author whose intention for this poem was that it be read aloud and passed down orally. In the epic “Beowulf,” it is easy to see how different the values of the Anglo-Saxons are compared to the values of our modern society when it comes to honor and value. In the epic poem, “Beowulf,” a major theme is the differences and similarities of a warrior and noble kings character, as well as how the author utilizes the qualities of the character Beowulf to embody both groups.

Throughout the epic poem Beowulf, many values of the time period are expressed through the actions of the characters, including Beowulf himself. Among these values are loyalty, bravery, and leadership. Each of these values is important to not only Beowulf’s journey through the epic but also to the society of the time period. Not only do they hold importance in the past, but they also play very big roles in our lives today. Therefore, the values of loyalty, bravery, and leadership prove to be beneficial in both past and present societies.