Literary Elements In Beowulf

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Imagine that you are reading a super interesting novel, but all the author does is tell the story as a list of facts. To prevent this authors use different literary devices to help the story develop and to make it more interesting. These elements of writing help to describe and imagine the time, as well as moving the plot along. Beowulf is an epic that has all these literary elements in it. In Beowulf three of the prominent devices are kennings, allusions and symbols. Throughout the story kennings,word phrases that emphasize a character’s nature, describe the terrible monsters and the great warriors. Grendel, who is an evil beast, is described as “a prowler through the dark” (Beowulf line 86). This makes Grendel seem like a creepy and sly creature. It helps to move the story along by explaining how he strikes in the night, it also helps to set the tone of the story. “The captain of evil” describes Grendel again and …show more content…
This poem has many biblical references. One reference is to the story of Cain and Abel, Cain and Abel were brothers and Cain was jealous of Abel and killed him.Throughout the epic Grendel is described as the spawn of Cain. “in misery among the banished monsters,/ Cain’s clan, whom the Creator had outlawed” (Beowulf line 106-107). The allusion makes Grendel appear as a monster that has a family ancestory of being so despicable that one would kill their own family member. Within the poem, the narrator tells a story of Sigmund a dragon slayer. This story is similar to the Norse mythology of Sigurd a dragon slayer, who has a father named Sigmund. The inclusion of this story, helps show what the people value in a hero: courageousness, strength, and to be famous. This story and its hero mirror similar attributes to Beowulf. These allusions give the reader examples of the characters and how they should act by relating them to other stories that readers would

Rhetorical Analysis Of Beowulf

helps readers determine how they feel about the author, characters, and themes that a story portrays. In the case of Grendel, a demon from the Old English poem Beowulf, the reader can get two opposing but complementary rhetorics from the stories Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, and Grendel, by John Gardner. The opposing rhetorics of Beowulf and Grendel develop through the focuses, language, and narration of the publications, but both effectively address the audience of each work and provide two…

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English Critical Lens HamletBeowolf Essay

idea is the epic poem “Beowulf” by an unknown author and the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Through the use of characterization and conflict, both works of literature demonstrate the theme of the critical lens. The epic poem “Beowulf” by an unknown author supports the critical lens by showing how with the greater difficulty each experience he completes, a greater award is presented to him through the use of characterization. The poem is focused on the protagonist, Beowulf, who throughout the poem…

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Beowulf Essay

Beowulf Essay Beowulf, one of the oldest surviving epic poems of Anglo-Saxon literature, is a heroic adventure of a great Scandinavian warrior battling dragons and ogres. Beowulf is a very memorable story because it makes use of exemplary examples of literary elements. It also demonstrates values of bravery and loyalty that were important during the warrior era. Three elements that help develop the poem are bravery, antagonists, and imagery. Bravery is one of the key elements of this poem. Beowulf…

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Comparing Beowulf And The Priest's Tale

heroic tale was a popular literary form during the Middle Ages. A heroic tale is a long narrative poem written in an elated and dignified style. The main character of a heroic tale is a hero. The hero in a heroic tale is brave, strong, and intelligent and is depicted with superhuman qualities. The characters and events have universal qualities. The heroic tale is written in a long narrative poem in an elated and dignified manner. These characteristics apply to both Beowulf and the Nun’s Priest’s Tale…

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Beowulf And Grinch Comparison

as their mood, style, and habitat. For example, in the poem Beowulf and in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, both monsters lived in a lair. The monsters are also very evil and attack at night. Although Beowulf and How the Grinch Stole Christmas have many similarities, they are also different because of conflict, setting, and characterization. Conflict occurs differently in Beowulf and in the Grinch. Conflict is a literary element that involves a problem in a story. For instance in the Grinch…

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Short Term 12 Vs Beowulf Essay

the two have very similar elements that go hand in hand. One could argue that massive, people eating monsters have no comparison to abusive parents, but the two actually have quite a bit in common. For example, there are no abnormal creatures in the troubled teen facility, but the children experience monsters themselves: their parents. Whether it’s Beowulf saving the Danes from Grendel or Grace saving the children from danger, every story has it’s own hero. Although Beowulf is an original epic novel…

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Essay on Beowulf

World Literature 22 October 2013 Warrior code in Beowulf Beowulf, which was written centuries ago, was one of the most important works of English literature. The context of the epic is the sixth century in what is now known as Denmark and Sweden. In such a society where Beowulf takes place, the warrior code, which includes reputation, courage, loyalty and revenge, defined how a noble person should act. This heroic adventure tells the tale of Beowulf, a brave knight, whose fame is known throughout…

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Odysseus And Beowulf Analysis

on the attributes that define a hero. Being the most renowned out of all literary works, the narratives centered around the heroic acts of Odysseus and Beowulf are notable exemplifications of these heroic qualities, as both characters idealize the elements of unity, loyalty, bravery, selflessness, and wisdom. However, as we can also see through the examination of our own modern heroic tales, the stories of Odysseus and Beowulf share…

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Who Is To Blame Grendel's Mother

The epic poem Beowulf is an Anglo Saxon literary that portrays important aspects of life. Some of these aspects found within the poem are familiar and alien to us, causing the reading of the poet, to be a challenge. Despite the spanning a thousand years, the poem indicates readers because we can relate to the idea of a mother’s revengeful anger. No one can blame Grendel’s mother for avenging her son’s death; in fact, we can almost sympathize for her loss. However, we certainly cannot relate to the…

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What Makes a Monster Essay

Bong, a volatile creature arises from the city river after a lab scientist illegally disposes of toxic waste down a drain. Similar to Frankenstein, movies like The Host and Beowulf, are both stories of nature and nurture and how both can separately play a role in creating monsters. For example, Grendel (the monster from Beowulf) was brought up living a simple and humble life until local townsmen inexplicably killed his father. Where on the other hand, the river creature from The Host becomes a product…

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