Literary Analysis Essay on Beowulf's Teachings

Introduction

The stories that were authored in the past, centered around epic battles between monsters that could be described to have had supernatural powers. Beowulf was written at a time when Greeks had more control of art and literature. It is a classic story that mimics epic encounters of gladiators that sought supremacy by fighting off their rivals in order to take over their territory. Beowulf, the main character of whom the story is named, is a monster who had a never-ending desire to conquer other rivals who had enslaved, tortured and killed innocent civilians. The story is full of symbols that reminiscence biblical promises of believing in God. The desire of Beowulf to defeat Grendel in order to restore peace to the Danish and Heorot people teaches us about courage, self-confidence, and trust in God.

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Self-Confidence

The lesson of self-confidence is best illustrated in the story through the character of Beowulf. In the story, Beowulf hears about the suffering of Heorots under the hands of Grendel who is feared and has never lost any battle. The desire to restore peace to these people challenges him to embark on a journey that is hard and risky. Neidorf observes that "the travels through the sea and swimming across the water to reach the other side of the sea show the determination of a person who is out to rescue" (15). When Beowulf arrives in Heorot and informs their leader Hrothgar of his desire to help them secure their land, his words are put into doubt. It becomes challenging to trust Beowulf abilities to fight Grendel. Grendel was widely feared, and a person of Beowulf caliber would easily be doubted of his abilities to defeat someone who had never been defeated. In a bid to convince Hrothgar that he was up for the challenge, he noted that "he had had the plight of his people through the stories brought by sailors" (Neidorf 559) and that he "he knew he was a better match Grendel, something that could allow him to settle the matter in one fight" (Cox 5). The confidence in the words of Beowulf depicted a man who trusted his abilities and was out here to conquer.

Courage

Beowulf oozed courage and determination whenever he spoke, and his words showed action and the desire to conquer. When Unfearth challenged Beowulf that he would not match the strength, abilities, and technique of Grendel, he is quick to defend his abilities and show courage by taking on Grendel irrespective of the outcome. Beowulf defended his courage with the example of the strength he used while swimming on their way to Heorot. Beowulf exclaimed that The truth is this: when the going was massive in those high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of all" (Neidorf 561). These words echo his strengths that were unmatched by other swimmers including Becca. Beowulf further informed Unfearth that "He knows that Grendel can trample down you Danes to his heart's content, humiliate and murder without fear of reprisal" (Neidorf 563). But Beowulf provides assurance that "I will show him how Geats shape to kill in the heart of battle" (Cox 7). The words directed to Unfearth served to boost his confidence and develop trust that Beowulf would defeat Grendel. Beowulf showed leadership by inspiring the weak and rallying them to believe that they could finally restore their land.

Symbolism

The symbolism present in this story helps to give people hope by trusting in God. The entire story is filled with symbols that can be compared to biblical teachings. "The coming of Beowulf to rescue the Danish and the Heorots" symbolizes the coming of Messiah who came to save the human race (Cox 5). Grendel in this story has been symbolized as the devil who torments and tortures the week. In the story, Grendel is described as "God-cursed" just like the devil who was cursed and sent away from heaven (Neidorf 17). When a woman gave Beowulf a drink during one of the feasts, the woman was glad to note that "she had welcomed the Geat and thanked God for granting her wish that a deliverer she could believe in would arrive to ease their afflictions" (Neidorf 562). These words portray Beowulf as the messenger who would come to rescue and give dignity back to the people. Cox exclaims that "the story previously indicated that the suffering of the Danish would one day come to an end when one person would come to solve their problems" (5). The devil nature of Grendel is further symbolized by his arrival where he appeared to be demonic and looked to trounce at the people of Heorot who appeared to be weak and unable to fight. Besides, Grendel had the intention of devouring them to show his true character of mocking and torturing the weak.

Conclusion

The reading and analysis of this story provide valuable life lessons. The nature of the main character in this story helps to teach about courage, self-confidence and having trust in God. Beowulf was courageous to fight Grendel and save the people. It was through his self-confidence that he traveled through a dangerous sea to help people that had been exploited. The trust in the abilities of Beowulf by the people restored hope that they would again regain their peace.

Works Cited

Neidorf, Leonard. "Peter S. Baker. Honour, Exchange and Violence in Beowulf." Anglia, vol. 131, no. 4, 2013, doi:10.1515/anglia-2013-0070.

Cox, Betty S. Cruces of Beowulf. Mouton, 1971.Neidorf, L. "Beowulf before Beowulf: Anglo-Saxon Anthroponymy and Heroic Legend." The Review of English Studies, vol. 64, no. 266, 2012, pp. 553-573., doi:10.1093/res/hgs108.