- - - I am pretty smart, but I just don't get why Beowulf - leader
of the Geats, would care at all about risking his life to fight a
semmingly unwinnable battle against a beast terrorizing OTHER PEOPLE,
namely the Scylds. Perhaps you all could shed some light.
-
- - Do the Scyldings overdo it with the celebration of Beowulf's
achievement? Why do they go to such lengths? Support your responses.
--- In Beowulf's time, heroism was extremely important to a successful life. A memorable warrior would perform heroic acts for their tribes or king in hopes of receiving large amounts of treasure as a reward. If someone was the son of a king or powerful warrior, they would try to follow their father's footsteps to become legend as well. Beowulf's father, Ecgtheow, pledged his allegiance to Hrothgar. Beowulf has the honor to continue the allegiance and assist Hrothgar. In return, Beowulf would obtain extensive amounts of wealth and fame. That is what is needed to be remembered as a hero and if Beowulf defeats Grendel, that's what he will receive.
ReplyDelete--- Beowulf's father pledged allegiance to Hrothgar. To keep that allegiance strong, Hrothgar must reward Beowulf substantially to keep the allegiance alive. Like Sheafson, Hrothgar is a powerful king. He has the resources to reward his warriors and others alike. His generosity will make Hrothgar look like a great and rightful king. Hrothgar now thinks of Beowulf as his own son and hopes to preserve their friendship. Beowulf can get anything he wants as long it is under Hrothgar, so Beowulf has to remain loyal to him.
The Scyldings over do the celebration to Beowulf's achievements because they want him to know they're grateful for his actions in defeating Grendel. Bravery is also very important to the Scylds, so the fact that Beowulf came over and conquered the beast means a lot to the people.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Beowulf is a warrior that looks for a challenge and he believes that he can defeat Grendel. He says that he came because his people know his strength and thought he could help. Beowulf seems caring also which would show why he does not want more people to be hurt. It could also have to deal with the fame aspect of everything. The Scyldings do overdo Beowulf's celebration a bit by making it a huge party. They do this though because the evil monster is finally dead and they are able to rejoice. Giving Beowulf horses, weaponry, and gold is a little extreme though. They also make it a little crazy by showcasing Grendel's hand, arm, and shoulder at the party which is odd.
ReplyDelete1. Beowulf has a good reason to defend the Scylds. His father was friends with the Scyld King. Beowulf also wishes to do heroic deeds to protect against Grendel, and if he should fail, die on the field of battle with the monster.
ReplyDelete2.The Scyldings do not overdo the celebrations. The Scyldings' way of life was threatened by the wrath of Grendel. They believed no man could defeat Grendel, so when Beow defeated Grendel, it was viewed by the Scyldings as one of the greatest deeds ever done. The Scyldings kept their kingdom and ruler, and felt grateful towards Beow, leading to the celebration.
1. To me, Beowulf knows that courage and valor are so important to society. He lives for the attention and rewards his society gives to the people that show courage. He knows that he may not have the best chance at defeating the beast but he feels he still must try. He took a risk and he could have either A, failed and been defeated or B, be the hero that defeated the monster and saved the city. The odds were in his favor when he defeated the beast. I don't think he cared so much about protecting the other people but more to enhance his reputation.
ReplyDelete2. I do not think the Scyldings overdid their celebration of Beowulf's achievement. The beast was terrorizing their people and seemed unstoppable until Beowulf came along. They owed a debt to him for saving their city from the horrible beast and the large celebration seemed to be their way of thanking him and honoring him for his courageous act.
The reason why the men go to such extremes celebrating is because, no one has ever seen someone even come close to defeating such a beast. Even the fact that Beowulf was able to tear Grendal's arm off, and wound him, was an extreme achievement. They also celebrate because they finally realize that they may have a hero that can drive the beast away from the land and, they have someone who can protect them. Their celebration may be extreme because this is just a small step on the path to defeating the great beast Grendal.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf has the reputation of being able to beat the best of the best. He is willing to travel to other lands to keep up this reputation. Grendel is just the next big "unbeatable" challenge before Beowulf. After he slays Grendel, Beowulf is able to say he has beaten the best of the best. Without facing Grendel, he could not say this. To Beowulf, Grendel is not OTHER PEOPLE's problem. Grendel is just the next achievement.
ReplyDeleteNo they do not. Beowulf has just freed a stronghold Grendel had over these people for twelve years. They can relax and live their lives a bit. Beowulf, almost a complete stranger, came to help them. All these gifts and gold are just a small price to show his appreciation.
1. Beowulf's father had started a trouble after he had killed Heatholaf of the Wylflings and his people sent him away because they didn't want their lives to become in danger. As a result Beowulf's father came to the Danes where they had protected him by sending the Wylflings gifts to end the tension between them and Beowulf's father. His father agreed to be forever loyal. Beowulf could be following in his father's footsteps by repaying them back for their good deed. If Beowulf succeeds in the battle against Grendel, he will be rewarded by the Scylds and may become their king.
ReplyDelete2. The Scyldings do overdo the celebration in honor of Beowulf. Beowulf did not completely destroy the monster but only cut his arm off. The monster could easily come back for revenge and destroy many. The Scyldings treated Beowulf as a true hero and that their lives are saved but that is not the case. By giving Beowulf a feast along with many treasures from the king and queen, they are only boosting his confidence up. If Beowulf fails to complete his request, he is only letting down more people and putting their lives in danger. The Scyldings decide to have an elaborate celebration because they value a person that is willing to risk their lives just to help out their tribe. They want to show their appreciation and graditude.
1) Hrothgar once defended or saved the life(?) of Beowulf's father, Ecgtheow. And so, until the moment that Beowulf showed up to defend the Danes against Grendel, Ecgtheow's family owed a debt to the Schyldings. Beowulf came to repay that debt, or die trying (also honorable). There was a custom of that time: instead of terrorizing each other, representatives of different groups would defend each other against their enemies, and establish debts of life, such as this one.
ReplyDelete2) The Scylding's celebrated in a way that honored both the wisdom of their king AND the victorious act of Beowulf. Honor was very important to them, as well as material goods. Showering Beowulf and Hrothgar with both, was a way to fulfill their cultural obligation.
1.) Beowulf wants to save Hrothgar's people because his father owed a debt that was passed onto Beowulf. Long before Beowulf was born his father, Ecgtheow killed Heatholaf (member of Wulfing tribe). Hrothgar sent treasures to the Wulfing tribe to end the fued between them and the Geats. Ecgtheow gave his alliance to Hrothgar in return and when he died, the debt was passed onto his son Beowulf. By defeating Grendel, Beowulf would fulfill the debt to Hrothgar.
ReplyDelete2.) I do not think the Scyldings overdo the celebration of Beowulf. After 12 years of being terrorized by Grendel finally a hero has come to save them. They go to such lengths to reward him because he has freed them of a monster that no one else could and this is their way of showing gratitude. All the feasts and treasures are a custom payment back then to a heroic act.
Beowulf cared about risking his life to battle Grendel because he knew that he would win. He had the confidence and he knew exactly how to defeat Grendel, by using pure strength, not with a sword or shield. Beowulf also wanted to protect the people, because they trusted him to keep them safe from harm. When Beowulf defeats Grendel, the Scylds highly overdo the celebration for him. The king would gave him various gifts, such as a banquet, a new sword, armor, a helmet, and eight horses. He even loved Beowulf as his own son after what he had done. He was not the only one who received gifts, however. Each of Beowulf's men received treasures of their own. Beowulf did defeat Grendel, but it was unnecessary for them to go to such lengths as to the celebration they threw.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf is the leader of the Geats that has a reputation for having strength, power, and bravery. He had accomplish many challenges before he went to help the Scylods. Beowulf believe him and his men could not be defeated by anyone. Beowulf wanted to be known as a honorable leader and helper just like his father was in the past. He would go into a battle, to either win or died in the fight.
ReplyDeleteThe Scyldings did overdo the celebrations for Beowulf, because the Scyldings did not even have Grendel's body as evidence of the killing. All they had were the arms mounted, but they still believe Beowulf is a hero. I think they should have only gave him a dinner with all of the members and some treasures. I believe they over expressed what Beowulf did and they shouldn't have gave his solders any treasures because they did not do anything to help Beowulf. I think the celebration was too much and over exaggerated.
Beowulf cares about risking his life to fight Grendel because his father vowed loyalty to Hrothgar for settling a feud between the Geats and the Wylfings. The feud occurred when Beowulf's father killed Heatholaf of the Wylfings. He fled to Scyld and Hrothgar harbored him and paid off the Wylfings to stop the feud. Beowulf wanted to honor his father's debt and defeating this monster would fulfill this.
ReplyDeleteNo the Scyldings did not overdo the celebration for Beowulf because he defeated an enemy that had been viciously terrorizing the town. Beowulf was brave and risked his life to protect people of a town other than his own. He deserved all the treasures and rewards offered to him. They go to such lengths for him because he accomplished a goal that no other person was capable of doing.
Beowulf is seen as a perfect hero without any tragic flaws. He is a noble man who lives to spread his fame. This being said, he travels to defeat Grendal for this exact purpose. he lives to defy the odds and create the legend of Beowulf so to say.
ReplyDeleteYes they do overdo it by presenting him with large amounts of food and gold, and even his own personal sleeping arrangements. They go to these great lengths to show their immense gratitude for slaying this "unwinnable battle" and protecting their land.
1. The time period of Beowulf puts great praise on heros. Beowulf would be looked at as a hero if he was able to complete the task that no one else would even dare to take on. Beowulf knows this even before arranging a meeting with Hrothgar. His plan of heroism came true when he defeated Grendel and was praised very highly with treasures and banquets. The opportunity for praise came again when Grendel's mother came to seek revenge. He was able to defeat her as well and got even more praise. He was getting this praise and protecting the Scylds, not even his own people. Beowulf knew that by coming to fight Grendel in the place he terrorized the most, he would receive the most praise in return.
ReplyDelete2. The Scyldings go to such great lengths in celebrating Beowulf to show their appreciation for what he did. Grendel was terrorizing their land the most and no one in their land could do anything about it. They have to show Beowulf praise because he did a task that no one else could accomplish. They did not overdo it with celebrating because that is what their time period did. Their time period was big on heros and giving praise when rightfully deserved. Beowulf was a hero that deserved praise and that is exactly what Hrothgar did by continually giving him treasures, gold, weapons, etc.
Beowulf's main objective is to gain notoriety by defeating a previously unstoppable force of nature and evil. By doing so, he proves himself superior to any man who tried and failed. The poet has already made clear Beowulf's drive for legendary status, describing in detail his competition with Breca and the mighty beasts he slays. Another possible motivation is the Geats' innate desire to serve a king, clan leader, or pagan god. Since Hrothgar is in need, Beowulf naturally wants to help. He believes he will be rewarded in success or in failure.
ReplyDeleteThe Scyldings revere Beowulf as "more fit to rule than any man", and for this are justified in the gifts, praise, and adulation they shower upon him. For conquering Hrothgar's curse in single combat, the thane is to be given anything that he desires. Hrothgar feels that Beowulf has lifted from him a terrible plague and that now he can conduct his kingdom without the fear of another attack. Now he can finally enjoy Heorot "The greatest hall under heaven" with his worthy thanes. To him, peace of mind is priceless.
Beowulf is a man of great pride and is wants to be a man of power. The killing of the beast would allow for him to have great praise and honor associated with his name. Killing Grendle was impossible for any before Beowulf. Therefore if Beowulf was successful he would be a hero to the other clan as well as his own. Becoming a hero to another clan could make him a very popular and powerful man.
ReplyDeleteThe Scyldings do not overdo it with the celebration of Beowulf’s achievement. The beast has been terrorizing their clan for a while, murdering their people. When an end finally comes to the beast, the terror ceases and the safety of the people is secured. The safety of the people has been restored and the prosperity of the clan is also secure. Because the whole clan was saved by Beowulf’s achievement, the least they could do was thank him with a celebration. The Scyldings go to such lengths because they are no longer in constant danger from Grendle and want to express their thanks to Beowulf for practically saving their entire community of people. Without the population of the clan, it would cease to exist, wiping out an entire group of people.
Beowulf fights him because he feels that to honor the gods he must risk his life for them. Hrothgar values his noble thanes and kingdom so when Beowulf defeats Grendal he is greatly rewarded.
ReplyDelete1) Beowulf heard of this great beast and the terrorization of the Scylds. He believed it was wrong that the people were unsuited to match up against Grendel. He was overpowering them and killing masses of people with no reason. Beowulf generally cared and as a strong warrior wanted to help. Beowulf was courageous and feerless of this beast. He also wanted to pay a debt to Hrothgar for helping out his father. When you think about it, traveling overseas to an unknown land and risking his life to help people he did not know looked like an act of stupidity rather than kindness. But, there was a greater picture Beowulf saw. When discussing about what the saxons valued most, the answer to all of his madness becomes quite clear. Beowulf faught this seemingly unwinable battle to gain glory. He wanted to be looked upon as a hero to everyone.
ReplyDelete2) I do not believe they overdo the celebration. The great terror of their people has finally come to an end. Beowulf ended the massacre of their land and deserves to be praised at great length. He was not ordered to help them but did so through heroism. What he achieved proved what great power he has. King Hrothgar gave him great praise as not only a warrior, but to go on to be a king. After Beowulfs great achievement, I believe it is only right for him to be king. He posseses great skills of power and gained a vast amount of respect in the process of his achievement.
Beowulf is a great warrior and feels he should risk his life to serve a king or god. Hrothgar values his kindom and Grendel was causing great harm and suffering to it and his people. Hrothgar was very happy with Beowulf's actions that he crowned him and rewarded him. This was a big deal for the Scldings so no they did not overdo it.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf is a great warrior and feels he should risk his life to serve a king or god. Hrothgar values his kindom and Grendel was causing great harm and suffering to it and his people. Hrothgar was very happy with Beowulf's actions that he crowned him and rewarded him. This was a big deal for the Scldings so no they did not overdo it.
ReplyDelete1.I think Beowulf has a very good reason for helping the Schylds. The first is personal gain and glorification. Beowulf is taking a risk of trying to destroy Grendel because he feels that he has conquered everything in his homeland including his own people, and now looks to complete a "final test" so to speak.
ReplyDelete2. They understand that Beowulf is a very powerful man and they do not want to be taken over by Beowulf and his men, expanding Beowulf's territory.
1.I think he would do it because respect and honor is a big thing to him. I think he felt like he needed to help those in great need and knew he had the power and strength to finish Grendel.
ReplyDelete2.Well they give him riches, armor, and a sword. They also have a big feast for him and tell everyone of his greatness and express there condolences for there lost member in his group. I think the dans are truly appreciate towards Beowulf and what him and his group has done for them. Grendel was a huge problem and continually scared the townspeople into feelings unprotected so the king showed as much appreciation as he could.
Beowulf values protection and security, as if he knows that he is a hero of great strength. He has mentioned stories, particularly to Unferth regarding his heroic deeds and slayings of beasts, in which he has done so to preserve peace for others. This, and the fact that the manner that he speaks in implies strength and confidence and a resolve. He would not want to waste his life if he did not value human life for others. Beowulf acts a hero in light of others, but not so much for personal gain. He just has an affinity to strike down wrongdoers. Also, we can take into account the representation of Grendal. If Grendal symbolizes the Roman Empire, and it has been attacking and murdering entire nations under its rule, then it seems fitting that Beowulf would desire to do something about it. Not to mention that perhaps his father, the king mentioned in the Prelude, died at the hands of Grendal. This would give him even more incentive to want to risk his life. Even if it seems impossible, these factors would warrant him the will and courage to try and overcome.
ReplyDeleteThe Scyldings have never before seen a hero that exhibited such skill and confidence in battle before, which is one of the first things Hrothgar says in Chapter XIII. So at Grendals defeat, it seemed to give them confidence that Beowulf is the man sent by God to destroy the vile entity for good. If he did it once, after all, why not do it again? In Chapter XIV, the king even goes so far as to even offer his complete friendship, and to "love you as if you were mine own son." They go to such lengths for these honors, as well as the mention of the previous reknowned hero, Sigemund. He was killed by his enemies and disgraced, and so perhaps the Danes do not wish to have this happen to their hero again.
Within the poem, mostly in chapters six through eight, the narrator discusses how Hrothgar –ruler of the Scylds- once did a great favor for Beowulf’s father, Ecgtheow. Hrothgar himself recounts a story of how Beowulf’s father killed a man from another clan and that his death caused a feud. In order to relax tensions, Hrothgar sent treasure to the dead warrior’s clan and afterwards, Beowulf’s father gives his allegiance to Hrothgar causing an obligation between the two families. As we have seen from past chapters, loyalty is extremely important in this society so their obligation would not be taken lightly or forgotten. In these times, it was common for men to repay the deaths of other warriors –such as what Hrothgar did for Ecgtheow- so it is possible to assume that Beowulf is truly in Heorot just to repay his father’s debt and ensure that Grendel pays his death-price, however, the narrator does not directly state why Beowulf has come to kill Grendel. Another possible reason Beowulf is in Heorot is so that he can prove just how heroic he is and to show his loyalty to Hrothgar, his confidence in himself, and his bravery against Grendel. Beowulf says he has come just to kill Grendel but even if this was not true and he was there just to repay his father’s debt, Beowulf would not say this because he wants to keep his confidence whole and show his free will exists.
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe they overdid it but I do believe it was a premature celebration. It is easy to see why they threw such a big celebration for Beowulf, however, because without him killing Grendel, many more men of Scylding would have died. Yet the Scyldings became so caught up in the fact that Grendel was gone that they did not stop to think of the possibility that another creature was lurking about; their lack of judgment is what allowed more people to die at the hands of Grendel’s mother. Alas, large celebrations were a big part of this society, so had the Scyldings not done something grand for Beowulf, he may have taken offense to this which could have begun a feud so, the Scyldings had to honor Beowulf.
1. Beowulf decided to fight Grendel by becoming glorious for himself. The people strongly admire achievements and glory from the rulers. Involving this, Beowulf fights the beast with his bare hands, showing bravery and courage. He wins therefore gaining glory for himself. He fights him by wanting to help the people under Hrothgar also however he does this for self achievement. He wants to prove to everyone that he can be brave and he is boasting to show pride in his accomplishment. He also fights Grendel because he owes Hrothgar a favor because he helped out his father. Beowulf offers to fight Grendel in replace of the favor. Mostly, Beowulf wants to boast and feel confident by the people knowing that he took on a beast and won.
ReplyDelete2. After Beowulf’s achievement, the Scyldings throw a huge celebration for him with food and drinks. This is a time where they are celebrating that they finally have protection. The Scyldings and their people are all about loyalty and protection. Now that Beowulf finally defeated Grendel, the Scyldings are secured and safe where they are, in their home. They have a leader that done great accomplishments for them and he proved his loyalty by defeating Grendel.
In 450 A.D. the Saxons honored nobility of an individual. Those who were thought of as noble were given praise and thanks. Beowulf uses the excuse that he is just returning the favor of Hrothgar’s father to his years ago, but this information is faulty. The readers are led to believe that Beowulf has a humble personality and that he acts upon the risk, saying his only goal is to “accomplish the will of the people.” However, it has become clear to me that Beowulf’s intentions are not what they seem. While Saxons honored nobility, they valued safety over their own freedoms. Beowulf becomes the man supplying the Scyldings with protection because he beat the monster Grendel. He knew that if he could carry out this seemingly impossible task that the Scylds would glorify him. Beowulf wants to have that reign over people and to be looked at as a hero. By completing this act, he becomes a figure of safety and heroism and a large party is thrown back at mead-hall in his honor. This is exactly the outcome Beowulf was looking for, because he was not in any way doing it for anyone but himself. The celebration idolizes his bravery and further adds to Beowulf’s overconfidence in himself.
ReplyDeleteThe Scyldings go to such lengths to honor Beowulf because they cherish their own safety. When Grendel dies, the Scylds believe that they have been saved from the monsters and their troubles are now gone. It’s accustomed to their culture to hold celebrations like this for people of status. They are also honoring God for providing them with someone who is willing to support their protection and Hrothgar for being such a great leader. They place extreme value to religion, which is exemplified in the idea of war. They are first willing to go into battle even if they know they will not come out alive, because it is simply apart of God’s plan. I do not think the celebration is overdone, because the Scyldings believe they have just been freed from the demon. Their actions are justified because this is something that is apart of their culture. They have these extravagant gatherings to express the gratitude they feel towards someone who has done right by them.
1.) Beowulf proves himself as a true warrior by accomplishing his boast. Mounting Grendel's arm in Heorot symbolizes their society's triumph over the outsider. Beowulf fights Grendel for the glory and the attention of those who he was terrorizing. He goes to fight Grendel to help the people under Hrothgar, but more notably to obtain all the glory for himself. He fights the beast with his bare hands just as he planned and he surfaces victorious. While Beowulf just wanted praise, chapter 6 shows us the first a correlation between Hrothgar and Beowulf. It is implied that there was some sort of relationship between their parents. By fighting Grendel, Beowulf was returning a favor to Hrothgar. He fights this beast to prove his nobility while making amends with Hrothgar.
ReplyDelete2.) The Scyldings go to such lengths at their celebration of the victory over Grendel because they finally have security and protection. The defeat of Grendel makes them feel safe. However, While the Danes are partying over the Grendels death, there seems to be some tension that makes the reader feel like something isn’t right. It’s like there is a sense of danger. Although Beowulf has conquered Grendel, there is a feel in the celebration that something worse is about to happen.
He risked hia life in order to take after the people that fought become him and to protect his people.
ReplyDeleteThey dint over do it by cerebrating his achievements they wanted to reassure that he would be there to protect them again if needed so they bribed him with a celebration.
The people of this time period care more about what a person does than almost anything else. They prove so when Beowulf boasts(27,28,29).They prove so when Unferth tries to tell the people that Beowulf is not the best man for the job by saying that another had done the same as Beowulf but better(29). Beowulf wants to take on this challenge to add to his boast list. That boast is like a list of completed jobs. Beowulf wants to do is add a little to his resume, but he also did enjoy receiving all of the gifts after he reported his success.
ReplyDelete2.) The Scyldings probably did overdo it with the celebration of his achievement. Though Beowulf did enjoy the gifts, he mostly wanted more to add to his legendary tale. The party that was thrown should have been enough. Most heros, as was said, were not as accepting of the gifts as Beowulf was(41). If the other heros did not need the gifts, then Beowulf best of heros(39) would not need them. The Scyldings only went so far, because of how important the task was. The great hall was built by a ruler many years ago. After using it for some time, Grendel shows up and is all " Hey quiet I'm trying to sleep up here. Then he goes down and tears them limb from limb. This scares the people from using the great hall which was supposed to be a symbol of pride. A great hall was a huge part of their culture. Since they couldn't use it, they were devastated. They also thought the task was near impossible. Many "heros" had attempted to defeat Grendel and wound up being torn limb from limb. The best had all failed, and they were beginning to call him the spawn of the devil.
Though Beowulf is leader of the Geats and has no business with Grendel, he travels to the land of the Scylds to help them defeat the beast for two reasons. First of all, patriarchal lineage was a big issue during this time. People were known by who there father was, and most took great pride in this. Beowulf knew that his father was friends with Hrothgar's father long ago. So to repay any debts that Beowulf's father might have owed to Hrothgar's father and to do his duty and help the Scylds just as his father would, Beowulf travels across seas to defeat Grendel with his own hands. The second reason he helps defeat Grendel is for his own pride. In defeating such an enormous, terrorizing beast, he becomes renown all over the land of the Scylds. His legacy lives on.
ReplyDeleteThe Scyldings celebrate Beowulf's achievement in an entirely practical way. Grendel has been terrorizing and destroying their town and murdering their innocent people. They have not been able to defeat this beast for a long time, and Beowulf destroys him with his bare hands. It is only right for the people to ride on noble steeds to share the tale of Beowulf's glory. During this time, heroic acts were renown all over the land, and Beowulf's act of heroism receives just the same.
1.) Beowulf risks his own life for other people because he wants to become a hero and he knew that if he would fight the beast that he would get credit from his own people and would be named a hero in some way. Not only was he bothering other people but he was also bothering Beowulf himself.
ReplyDelete2.)I think the Scyldings may overdo the celebration a little bit but they are just so proud of Beowulf because they have never had a person to be this proud of before from where they live at. They are excited that the beast is killed and he will not be bothering them anymore.
Beowulf cared about risking his life to fight Grendel because he owed his loyalty to Hyeglac. Also he thought of himself as a strong fighter and wanted to be the hero. Saving a whole town from something that had been killing for years would not only prove it to himself that he is the strongest but also to everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI do not think the Scyldings over did it with the celebration of Beowuf's achievement. It is part of their culture to reward people with gold and weapons after doing something of great value. It was showed in the first scene of the book that it is tradition to honor a hero with treasures. Beowulf defeated a huge threat to the Scyldings. They went to such lengths to show they appreciate all that he risked for them.
Beowulf father, ecgtheow, plegded allegiance to hrothgar. In this time, it is honorable to keep allegiances of your father and of the past. Heroism is very important in this society and Beowulf is a great warrior. He also knew that he could win so it wasn't a big deal to him.
ReplyDeleteThe celebration or Beowulf for killing Grendel was not overdone. Grendel was completely terrorizing the town, and killing people. When Grendel finally died, it was natural for the people to party hardy.
1. Beowulf risked his life for others, because during the Angelo Saxon period, it was an honor to risk your life in battle. He wanted to end any tension between the Geats and the Danes. Beowulf wanted to save all people from being killed for years to come. As a result, Beowulf gained pride and fame.
ReplyDelete2. I do not believe that the Scyldings overdid it, because Beowulf killed Grendel who was terrorizing their tribe. The people simply wanted to show their appreciation for Beowulf's brave act. During this time period, it was not uncommon for the people to have a large celebration held to honor a hero. For these reasons, I believe that the Scydings did not overdo it.
--- Beowulf wants to create a better image then his rivals. It is said earlier in the story how he participated in events such as swimming out to sea just to prove he is as heroic as his rival. By defeating a demon/monster (without any weapons) that would better his image even more.
ReplyDelete--- No they did not overdo the celebration. The king said he would only be able to repay him in lesser favors cause the deed he did was so great. Also they were terrorized by Grendel for such a long time and they were happy it was finally over. They can finally come out of hiding because of Beowulf and best way to honor it would be to throw the best celebration they could.
In the saxon culture, reputation was what defined who one was. Beowulf supposedly goes to help the Danes because Hrothgar helped his father during a battle but this is only a superficial reason. He really risks his life to give himself a name and to gain the reward that came with his success. You can tell that Beowulf is all about his reputation when he mocks Unferth by saying, "What mighty things you've just said of Breca and his triumph, my dear Unferth, while you're drunk with beer!" (p. 27).
ReplyDeleteThe celebration may have been overdone but the Danes were so grateful that they had their great hall back. "Then, as men tell me the story, many warriors gathered in the morning around the gift-hall, leaders from far and near came by the wide roads to view the wonder, those traces of the hated one." This quote exemplifies how excited the Danes were to have their great hall back (p. 37). This was the first banquet that had been held in Heorot for years and now that Grendel was gone, there was no reason to hold back.
After so many years of being terrorized by the monster Grendel, finally someone has come to save them. They went to such lengths because beowulf accomplished something nobody else could before. Beowulf freed the people from the terrorization of Grendel and so it's not surprise they went to such lenghts. I don't think the scyldings overdid the celebration. Beowulf risked his life trying to save people not even of his own town. He deserved all the rewards he received. It's apart of the scyldings culture to celebrate victorys.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf cares to risk his life to fight this battle against Grendel. He does this because he has a reputation for showing strength and courage. He can show he is strong and a man of power by defeating the man who has been terrorizing their town. He can show courage by fighting Grendel who is known to be scary yet he will do it anyways. Beowulf is the hero in this story and if he didn't take one the challenge of fighting Grendel how could he be the hero. Secondly, Beowulf's father died because of Grendel. Beowulf may feel like he owes it to his father to defeat Grendel once and for all.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the Scyldings over did it with the celebration of Beowulf's achievement. He had the courage to do something no one else in the town would do so he should be rewarded for this. They could have been going to such great lengths for 2 reasons. 1 because they could have been scared of him. After seeing how he does have the strength to defeat Grendel, they could be scared he'd take over their town once he defeated Grendel. 2 because they want to show him respect for what Beowulf did for the people. Celebrating was their way of thanking him for being their protector.
Beowulf is proving himself as a true warrior by his boast. Him mounting Grendel in Heorot symbolizes their revenge. I think that he was fighting Grendel just for the fame and to help Hrothgar and his people. He will glory.
ReplyDelete2. They celebrate so much because they finally feel safe and protected not just because grendel dies but they have security from Beowulf. He came from no where so he was a gift from the gods to these people. There seems to be a tense feel to the mood of the book which to me is foreshadowing something bad that will happen later in the story.
1) Beowulf is the son of Ecgtheow. Ecgtheow owed debt to the king of the Scydlings. Beowulf believes that to be an honorable warrior he must do a favor for the king and defeat Grendel with his bare hands. Not only would he be paying respect to his father and the king, but Beowulf would take pride in himself and earn great respect from others.
ReplyDelete2) I don't think the Scyldings overdid their celebration at all. Grendel has been terrorizing their tribe for many years, and to finally have the terrible creature defeated by a noble warrior with his bare hands is a great reason to celebrate. The Scyldings were protected by Beowulf and felt the need to give great thanks to him.
- Beowulf is the son to Ectheow, who had an allegiance with the Scylds. By killing Grendel, Beowulf would be bringing honor to his name. Not only this, but he would receive great wealth and fame, which is given to him by Hrothgar as a reward. Beowulf wanted to become even more honorable than his father and he believes doing things like killing Grendel will give him that honor.
ReplyDelete- I don't think the Scylds overdue Beowulf's celebration. Grendel has been terrorizing the Scylds for a long period of time so it's death is a good reason to celebrate. Also, by giving so many rewards, Hrothgar was making himself look generous, which improves the way he is viewed.
1. Beowulf believes that he needs to prove himself as a true warrior and the only way to do that is by defeating Grendel himself. By doing this he will earn respect from others and pay his tributes to the gods.
ReplyDelete2. Grendel has been terrorizing the tribe for so long that celebration is acceptable. Beowulf protected the Scyldings so they wanted to give him thanks by celebrating the fall of Grendel.
Beowulf risks his life for the scylds because he wants the fame and fortune that goes with the risk of his life for seemingly imppossible to win battle. The first thing he does when he shows up in the land of the scylds is say bassically im here to kill your monster because i think im better then him. Beowulf recognizes the oppurtunity to become famous and he risks his life for others to receive his fame and fortune.
ReplyDeleteNo, the scylds do not over do it with the celebration. This monster has terrorised them for 12 years and there fearless leader Hrothgar has just had meeting on how to kill this Grendel while Grendel is just killing all his people. Beowulf shows up and kills this monster that has scared there "great king" into hiding. They go to such lengths because Beowulf coming to there land and saving them is what they value. Beowulf killing there monster is giving them what they want which is protection. Hrothgar was lemme say that again was a great leader for what he did. Hrothgar was and again was a war hero and now Beowulf making good on his boasts and what he said he could do makes him what Hrothgar was which was a war hero. Beowulf is now a war hero in the perspective of the scylds.
Few reasons: Beowulf is going to feed his ego. He is a tough guy. Sometimes the only way to know your a tough guy is to beat a is to beat yet another tough guy. Beowulf has beat monsters in the past. He also feels it is honorable to die fighting evil. Also he might be helping the Danes to repay the Danish king for helping his father.
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