In short, this poem is about a man who has failed at love, has a chance to redeem himself, but doesn't know if he can, or should, even do it.
In not short...
J. Alfred Prufrock an intellectual, indecisive
man, takes us with him through a typicall city. He
describes the streets and hints at a social gathering of women, trying to sound smart, talking about Renaissance artist Michelangelo. He describes yellow smoke
and fog outside the house of the party, and keeps promising that
there will be more than enough time to do many things in the social world.
One thing that I find to stand out about this is the time he says he has. He is balding? He must be middle-aged, he's intellectual so he's had some experiences. He really doesn't have that much time left, and at this point in life, it is usually ideal to be married, working on your own family and holding a steady job. He doesn't fit this, so what happened in his life that causes him to end up like this? Alone and afraid.
Another thing I don't agree with is the women at the party. They are talking about Michelangelo because Michelangelo Buonarroti is remembered, so he must have done something important right? These women are just trying to sound smart so that they attract the smart men. Keep in mind the age these people are; they are middle-aged, they know how to 'work it'.
Next, Prufrock stresses heavily over his social actions, worrying over how others
will see him. He thinks about women's arms and perfume, but does not
know how to act. He walks through the streets and watches lonely men
leaning out their windows. The day passes at a social engagement but he
cannot muster the strength to act, and he admits that he is afraid.
The descending stairs - is occasion for magnified insecurity and the fear that he will "Disturb the universe" (46) by not following the stairs of life/time. He
continues asking himself questions about how to conduct himself, but
admits that he will reverse these decisions soon. His inactions are constantly
tied to the social world: "Should I, after tea and cakes and ices, /
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?" (79-80) The rhyme here spotlights the absurdity of his
concerns.
...am i rambling...
And den, Prufrock wonders if it would be worth going to the party, trying to ease out of his deep depression, and then end up finding his love and, get rejected. He thinks of himself not of a Hamlet figure, but a secondary
character in life. Worried over growing old, he remembers the fashions of
youth. By the beach, he sees images of mermaids singing and swimming.
This is the final section of the poem. The emotions T.S. Eliot is evoking grows more vague; what exactly does
Prufrock feel here? Perhaps he is unsure: "It is
impossible to say just what I mean! / But as if a magic lantern threw
the nerves in patterns on a screen" (104-105). The fact that he has trouble presenting his true feelings
results in this crazy, kaleidoscopic scene of teacups
and mermaids.
Aside from desperation and loneliness, confusion is one
of the main emotions provoked throughout.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Pshh I always show my best side....(except that this is late)...
Sometimes the best way to explain things is with reverse psychology. It makes the person, or in this case reader, further question your thoughts or ideas and, if they understand you, understand better. In the poem Not My Best Side by U. A. Fanthorpe, three characters that everybody in the world knows fully are portrayed in deep contrast.
Character one is a dragon. Dragons usually are mean, evil and greedy. However, the dragon in this poem is girly, dissapointed and truely unsatisfied. He is worried about what his picture looks like more than getting killed. He is dissapointed in his "conqueror" and his "unatractive" maiden holding him "literally on a string". He just wants to be taken seriously.
Character number two is the maiden. Typically, the maiden has this dream of being rescued by her prince charming and living happily ever after in love. This maiden is a little off. She is strongly attracted to the dragon for some reason, and seems to not want to go with the knight at her rescue. She aslo is unsatisfied. But, since she is a woman, she figures she better go with the knight and have her material wishes.
The last character is the knight. This knight, I feel, does follow tradition. He comes to the dragon and says, (in my own words =D) "Okay dragon, I have the armour, I have the skill, this is my job. We all know I'm better than you at everything, so let's just make this simple. I kill you, I get the girl, and I go off to kill more of you. But I'm wasting time talking, let's do this." Really, this is what a knight should do. I guess most knights are in it for the girl. This knight seems to be just a work-aholic and all about getting his job done so he can go home and...do knight things...
All and all this poem, when related to the world today, it shows that we are falling away from tradition and it's all just one big joke, and all of us should feel unsatisfied with that. We need to remember our forefathers and think more like them and about the greater good of mankind.
Character one is a dragon. Dragons usually are mean, evil and greedy. However, the dragon in this poem is girly, dissapointed and truely unsatisfied. He is worried about what his picture looks like more than getting killed. He is dissapointed in his "conqueror" and his "unatractive" maiden holding him "literally on a string". He just wants to be taken seriously.
Character number two is the maiden. Typically, the maiden has this dream of being rescued by her prince charming and living happily ever after in love. This maiden is a little off. She is strongly attracted to the dragon for some reason, and seems to not want to go with the knight at her rescue. She aslo is unsatisfied. But, since she is a woman, she figures she better go with the knight and have her material wishes.
The last character is the knight. This knight, I feel, does follow tradition. He comes to the dragon and says, (in my own words =D) "Okay dragon, I have the armour, I have the skill, this is my job. We all know I'm better than you at everything, so let's just make this simple. I kill you, I get the girl, and I go off to kill more of you. But I'm wasting time talking, let's do this." Really, this is what a knight should do. I guess most knights are in it for the girl. This knight seems to be just a work-aholic and all about getting his job done so he can go home and...do knight things...
All and all this poem, when related to the world today, it shows that we are falling away from tradition and it's all just one big joke, and all of us should feel unsatisfied with that. We need to remember our forefathers and think more like them and about the greater good of mankind.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
I love laying in my hammock!
1) A man is laying in a hammock on a farm, most likely, realizing he has
made a mistake somewhere in life. He even finds that the poop around him
is doing better at life than him.
2) We know he's not really a 'moving' character. Time around him is passing while he sits and simply observes.
3)
5) The natural world around him is growing and full of life and color. It is summer most likely.
6) It starts out smooth, colorful and with life; morning. Then things begin to get less relaxed and more filled with lonesome and failure; afternoon. "And darkness comes on" and he is lifeless; night.
2) We know he's not really a 'moving' character. Time around him is passing while he sits and simply observes.
3)
- The cowbells passing:
- he hears them grow farther away-time is passing and he's not doing anything
- he is on or near a farm
- He is on a hammock
- it's warm outside-could be summer
- there is life-the butterfly, the poop blazing up, the chicken hawk
- He is lifeless and alone
- the house is empty
- he said he wasted his life
5) The natural world around him is growing and full of life and color. It is summer most likely.
6) It starts out smooth, colorful and with life; morning. Then things begin to get less relaxed and more filled with lonesome and failure; afternoon. "And darkness comes on" and he is lifeless; night.
Monday, September 26, 2011
...Beowulf!
18)
Beowulf’s fight with Grendel’s mother symbolizes a few things. If you look at the book in three sections/monsters, this is section/monster two. This fight is a little more difficult to get to and complete, being that her lair is under a lake filled with monsters and that none of his weapons work against her. Another way you could look at it is Paganism vs. Christianity where they are both shown. An underwater fight is more Pagan because humans need oxygen to breath. The fact that his “battle-torch refuses to bite” and there just so happens to be a sword from the times of the giants can be looked at as Christianity or wyrd. It could’ve been placed there by God for Beowulf to use in this very battle, and Beowulf was fated to use it and win.
19)
After the fight with Grendel’s mother, the sword Beowulf finds melts. If the previous post was correct and it was indeed fated that Beowulf was to use that holy sword in battle against Grendel’s mother, then its purpose was served. This is why the sword melts, it no longer has use.
20)
(ln. 1688…It was engraved all over and showed how war first cam into the world and the flood destroyed the tribe of giants. They suffered a terrible severance from the Lord; the Almighty made the waters rise, drowned them in the deluge for retribution.”)
This is symbolic in the Christian faith to the story of Noah’s Ark in the Bible. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights and Noah was to gather animals of both sexes to repopulate the Earth when it stopped raining. But they never really said why he needed to do this…In Beowulf this flood was to wipe out the giants, but it doesn’t say anything about any animals or people who also live on Earth. These two floods are the indeed the same. God needed to wipe out the giants, but only the giants, so he trusted Noah gather all the animals the world should have after the flood, and put them on a boat to repopulate after the flood.
21)
(ln. 1758 …”O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the petter part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away…)
The theme recognized is The Transitory Nature of Life; the idea that life is a fleeting moment that passes and fades quickly and without warning. It reminds Beowulf not to be in search of too much pride because one day he will die without warning. So he needs to realize that at some point and plan for his afterlife as any good king does. Instead, he seeks glory and never finds enough.
22)
What is one single lonesome man to do with all the treasures of his people, killed by fate or some other occurrence? For without society, riches become un-rich and matters become un-meaningful. So what does he do? He leaves it all and wanders about, searching for meaning in his life, slowly becoming forgotten with his people already forgotten. Then eventually somebody, or something must find it. That just so happens to be a dragon. The dragon finds the treasure and wants it all to himself, for dragons are a symbol of greed. I believe the single survivor of the forgotten people is the dragon that Beowulf finds guarding the treasure. He was the only one who knew about it and there must have been a reason he survived over all of his people.
23)
(ln. 2317 …Far and near, the Geat nation bore the brunt of his brutal assaults and virulent hate…)
The dragon wreaks havoc on the Geats. The dragon is the wanderer of the forgotten people and he is mad that other nations are surviving around him and he’s all alone with his treasure. He has gone postal. This is where section/monster three comes into the story and we await another fight.
24)
(ln. 2341 …After many trials, he was destined to face the end of his days in this mortal world; as was the dragon, for all his long leasehold on the treasure.)
This reminds us of the role of a warrior in Beowulf’s society. They are to go into battle thinking, “Either he dies or I die trying to kill him!” This is what is said about the dragon guarding the treasure; his days are up and Beowulf, as a good warrior, is ready to fight for his life to end the dragon’s.
25)
The dragon burns down Beowulf’s house. This affects him directly, and he is ready to fight. This is the final battle in for Beowulf, but what is different in this fight to the fights previous is that he has a reason to fight now. When he was facing Grendel, his intentions to do so where to gain fame, glory and respect among the people. When he was to sleigh Grendel’s mother, she was just taking back her son’s arm and Beowulf wanted his trophy back. This time he’s ‘just chillin’ and his home is burnt to ashes. After 50 years of ruling the Geats he has reason to fight.
26)
(ln. 2345 Yet the prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky-plague…)
This is Beowulf’s tragic flaw: he is too proud. He is caught up in trying to seek fame, glory and respect that he forgets to ask for help sometimes.
27)
(ln. 2650 …As God is my witness, I would rather my body were robed in the same burning blaze as my gold-giver’s body than go back home bearing arms. That is unthinkable, unless we have first slain the foe and defended the life of the prince of the Weather-Geats…)
This is the exact role of a warrior. Every warrior should have this in mind before, during and after each and every battle. This is said by Wiglaf, son of Weohstan. He is the only warrior in the group who stands by Beowulf when all others run away. He then runs to Beowulf’s aid telling him to do what he said he would do and that he would be right behind him all the way till the end.
Beowulf’s fight with Grendel’s mother symbolizes a few things. If you look at the book in three sections/monsters, this is section/monster two. This fight is a little more difficult to get to and complete, being that her lair is under a lake filled with monsters and that none of his weapons work against her. Another way you could look at it is Paganism vs. Christianity where they are both shown. An underwater fight is more Pagan because humans need oxygen to breath. The fact that his “battle-torch refuses to bite” and there just so happens to be a sword from the times of the giants can be looked at as Christianity or wyrd. It could’ve been placed there by God for Beowulf to use in this very battle, and Beowulf was fated to use it and win.
19)
After the fight with Grendel’s mother, the sword Beowulf finds melts. If the previous post was correct and it was indeed fated that Beowulf was to use that holy sword in battle against Grendel’s mother, then its purpose was served. This is why the sword melts, it no longer has use.
20)
(ln. 1688…It was engraved all over and showed how war first cam into the world and the flood destroyed the tribe of giants. They suffered a terrible severance from the Lord; the Almighty made the waters rise, drowned them in the deluge for retribution.”)
This is symbolic in the Christian faith to the story of Noah’s Ark in the Bible. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights and Noah was to gather animals of both sexes to repopulate the Earth when it stopped raining. But they never really said why he needed to do this…In Beowulf this flood was to wipe out the giants, but it doesn’t say anything about any animals or people who also live on Earth. These two floods are the indeed the same. God needed to wipe out the giants, but only the giants, so he trusted Noah gather all the animals the world should have after the flood, and put them on a boat to repopulate after the flood.
21)
(ln. 1758 …”O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the petter part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away…)
The theme recognized is The Transitory Nature of Life; the idea that life is a fleeting moment that passes and fades quickly and without warning. It reminds Beowulf not to be in search of too much pride because one day he will die without warning. So he needs to realize that at some point and plan for his afterlife as any good king does. Instead, he seeks glory and never finds enough.
22)
What is one single lonesome man to do with all the treasures of his people, killed by fate or some other occurrence? For without society, riches become un-rich and matters become un-meaningful. So what does he do? He leaves it all and wanders about, searching for meaning in his life, slowly becoming forgotten with his people already forgotten. Then eventually somebody, or something must find it. That just so happens to be a dragon. The dragon finds the treasure and wants it all to himself, for dragons are a symbol of greed. I believe the single survivor of the forgotten people is the dragon that Beowulf finds guarding the treasure. He was the only one who knew about it and there must have been a reason he survived over all of his people.
23)
(ln. 2317 …Far and near, the Geat nation bore the brunt of his brutal assaults and virulent hate…)
The dragon wreaks havoc on the Geats. The dragon is the wanderer of the forgotten people and he is mad that other nations are surviving around him and he’s all alone with his treasure. He has gone postal. This is where section/monster three comes into the story and we await another fight.
24)
(ln. 2341 …After many trials, he was destined to face the end of his days in this mortal world; as was the dragon, for all his long leasehold on the treasure.)
This reminds us of the role of a warrior in Beowulf’s society. They are to go into battle thinking, “Either he dies or I die trying to kill him!” This is what is said about the dragon guarding the treasure; his days are up and Beowulf, as a good warrior, is ready to fight for his life to end the dragon’s.
25)
The dragon burns down Beowulf’s house. This affects him directly, and he is ready to fight. This is the final battle in for Beowulf, but what is different in this fight to the fights previous is that he has a reason to fight now. When he was facing Grendel, his intentions to do so where to gain fame, glory and respect among the people. When he was to sleigh Grendel’s mother, she was just taking back her son’s arm and Beowulf wanted his trophy back. This time he’s ‘just chillin’ and his home is burnt to ashes. After 50 years of ruling the Geats he has reason to fight.
26)
(ln. 2345 Yet the prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky-plague…)
This is Beowulf’s tragic flaw: he is too proud. He is caught up in trying to seek fame, glory and respect that he forgets to ask for help sometimes.
27)
(ln. 2650 …As God is my witness, I would rather my body were robed in the same burning blaze as my gold-giver’s body than go back home bearing arms. That is unthinkable, unless we have first slain the foe and defended the life of the prince of the Weather-Geats…)
This is the exact role of a warrior. Every warrior should have this in mind before, during and after each and every battle. This is said by Wiglaf, son of Weohstan. He is the only warrior in the group who stands by Beowulf when all others run away. He then runs to Beowulf’s aid telling him to do what he said he would do and that he would be right behind him all the way till the end.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
I'll post more later my brain hurts...
7)
Shield Sheafson is introduced as a good king to whom every clan pays tribute to. He could be called their guardian. Very fitting for a man named "shield". His funeral is one of the first scenes, reminding us of the transitory nature of life and the importance for a warrior to establish a name for himself during life so that he can be celebrated in death.
8)
(ln. 24 ...Behavior that's admired is the path to power among people evrywhere.)
The theme we can relate this to is the importance of the king. The people praise a good king if the king truly is good to them. Also, it can be related to the role of a warrior. This is how a warrior trying to gain fame for the after life can be remembered
9)
(ln. 43 They decked his body no less bountifully with offerings than those first ones did who cast him away when he was a child and lauched him alone out over the waves.))
Shield was not born into royalty. It was predetermined that this child coming from nowhere would be their king and master. It could be said it was by divine right, which would show support for Christianity rather than for Paganism.
10)
(ln.455 Fate goes ever as fate must.)
Beowulf is about to fight Grendel and he believes in fate. He says if Grendel kills him, his men are to take his stuff to Lord Hygelac. This is wyrd, a symbol of the themes: transitory nature of life, role of warrior, and also can be taken as an allusion to the Spartans. They used to say, "Come back with your shield, or on it." Which means fight with all you have, work as hard as you can, then work a little harder, and what happens.
11)
(ln. 479 ...but God can easily halt these raids and harrowing attacks!)
This is a Christian thought. There is faith that God will stop Grendel at some point. Maybe Beowulf is that very package sent by God. That is how the people view him, and if he does win they will get rid of the "maybe".
12)
(ln. 501 ...Beowulf's coming, his sea-braving, made him sick with envy...)
By bringing up the story about Beowulf and Breca's swimming contest, Unferth is hoping to make Beowulf seem like less of a hero. It is important to be a hero to Unferth because he is from a warrior culture and wants to be remembered. Unferth's story shows that he is threatened by Beowulf and is jealous of all the attention he is getting. Beowulf correcting Unferth shows that Beowulf can tell that Unferth is threatened by him. The story Beowulf tells Unferth to correct the situation is an example on how Beowulf boasts himself.
13)
It seems like Beowulf is motivated by two things. The first is people not believing in him. He seems to be more confident to fight Grendel after he is challenged by Unferth than when he arrived in Hrothgar's kingdom. After gaining this new confidence, Beowulf uses the opportunity to correct Unferth's story about him as a time to share his confidence with everyone in the room. He does this by telling them that he will conquer Grendel in one fight. The second thing that seems to motivate Beowulf is himself. He is always bragging about what a great warrior he is and the large numbers of beasts he's killed. He sees himself as a threat to everyone, (lines 677-678) "When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel." It also doesn't hurt Beowulf that there are many others by his side that inflate his ego by telling him how great he is either.
14)
Thought I'd have fun with this one at line 7/11
(God-Cursed Grendel came greedily loping.)
This is...AN ALLITERATION!
15)
(ln. 802 ...no blade on earth, no blacksmith's art could ever damage their demon opponent..)
If Grendel is in exile by God, did God make it so that no one could kill him because he wanted him to be in exile forever?
16)
(ln. 1355...They are fatherless creatures, and their whole ancestry is hidden in a past of demons and ghosts.)
Fatherless creatures. When looked at in Christian perspective they are without God. They are the Devil's workers. This is why they are looked at as evil right off the bat all the time.
17)
(ln, 1383-1396, Beowulf bolsters Hrothgar's courage. He proclaims the heroic code that guides their lives)
Beowulf shows this sort of faith that he holds stronger than anything. It's not faith in God like the rest of the men seem to have, but it's faith in fate. He knows already his fate and he aims to make it. He believes his fate is to be remembered more than any other warrior ever. Obviously it worked, I mean he is studied now...but this is another example of wyrd. And from this we can point out that Beowulf's tragic flaw is his pride. He believes he can do anything with nobody's help and all will be well. People will say, what if you get hurt? And he would say, yeah but it would be cool if I did it right?
Shield Sheafson is introduced as a good king to whom every clan pays tribute to. He could be called their guardian. Very fitting for a man named "shield". His funeral is one of the first scenes, reminding us of the transitory nature of life and the importance for a warrior to establish a name for himself during life so that he can be celebrated in death.
8)
(ln. 24 ...Behavior that's admired is the path to power among people evrywhere.)
The theme we can relate this to is the importance of the king. The people praise a good king if the king truly is good to them. Also, it can be related to the role of a warrior. This is how a warrior trying to gain fame for the after life can be remembered
9)
(ln. 43 They decked his body no less bountifully with offerings than those first ones did who cast him away when he was a child and lauched him alone out over the waves.))
Shield was not born into royalty. It was predetermined that this child coming from nowhere would be their king and master. It could be said it was by divine right, which would show support for Christianity rather than for Paganism.
10)
(ln.455 Fate goes ever as fate must.)
Beowulf is about to fight Grendel and he believes in fate. He says if Grendel kills him, his men are to take his stuff to Lord Hygelac. This is wyrd, a symbol of the themes: transitory nature of life, role of warrior, and also can be taken as an allusion to the Spartans. They used to say, "Come back with your shield, or on it." Which means fight with all you have, work as hard as you can, then work a little harder, and what happens.
11)
(ln. 479 ...but God can easily halt these raids and harrowing attacks!)
This is a Christian thought. There is faith that God will stop Grendel at some point. Maybe Beowulf is that very package sent by God. That is how the people view him, and if he does win they will get rid of the "maybe".
12)
(ln. 501 ...Beowulf's coming, his sea-braving, made him sick with envy...)
By bringing up the story about Beowulf and Breca's swimming contest, Unferth is hoping to make Beowulf seem like less of a hero. It is important to be a hero to Unferth because he is from a warrior culture and wants to be remembered. Unferth's story shows that he is threatened by Beowulf and is jealous of all the attention he is getting. Beowulf correcting Unferth shows that Beowulf can tell that Unferth is threatened by him. The story Beowulf tells Unferth to correct the situation is an example on how Beowulf boasts himself.
13)
It seems like Beowulf is motivated by two things. The first is people not believing in him. He seems to be more confident to fight Grendel after he is challenged by Unferth than when he arrived in Hrothgar's kingdom. After gaining this new confidence, Beowulf uses the opportunity to correct Unferth's story about him as a time to share his confidence with everyone in the room. He does this by telling them that he will conquer Grendel in one fight. The second thing that seems to motivate Beowulf is himself. He is always bragging about what a great warrior he is and the large numbers of beasts he's killed. He sees himself as a threat to everyone, (lines 677-678) "When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel." It also doesn't hurt Beowulf that there are many others by his side that inflate his ego by telling him how great he is either.
14)
Thought I'd have fun with this one at line 7/11
(God-Cursed Grendel came greedily loping.)
This is...AN ALLITERATION!
15)
(ln. 802 ...no blade on earth, no blacksmith's art could ever damage their demon opponent..)
If Grendel is in exile by God, did God make it so that no one could kill him because he wanted him to be in exile forever?
16)
(ln. 1355...They are fatherless creatures, and their whole ancestry is hidden in a past of demons and ghosts.)
Fatherless creatures. When looked at in Christian perspective they are without God. They are the Devil's workers. This is why they are looked at as evil right off the bat all the time.
17)
(ln, 1383-1396, Beowulf bolsters Hrothgar's courage. He proclaims the heroic code that guides their lives)
Beowulf shows this sort of faith that he holds stronger than anything. It's not faith in God like the rest of the men seem to have, but it's faith in fate. He knows already his fate and he aims to make it. He believes his fate is to be remembered more than any other warrior ever. Obviously it worked, I mean he is studied now...but this is another example of wyrd. And from this we can point out that Beowulf's tragic flaw is his pride. He believes he can do anything with nobody's help and all will be well. People will say, what if you get hurt? And he would say, yeah but it would be cool if I did it right?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Hrothgar is Robin Hood
6)
pg. 7 ln. 64-73
("The fortunes of war favoured Hrothgar.
Friends and kinsmen flocked to his ranks,
young followers, a force that grew
to be a mighty army...
...and there he would dispense
his God-given goods to young and old--
but not the common land or people's lives.")
When I read this, all I could think was, "Steals from the rich and gives to the needy." And I thought, who does this also? Robin Hood!! One thing that I found wrong in this train of thought was in fact the very start of it: "Steals?" Does Hrothgar really steal? Not in today's world, but the Anglo-Saxons in this story come from a warrior culture. Empires all around are expanding, this is why they need the Mead-Hall. Street-cred (glory/fame) requires such an amount of ice ("wonder of the world forever"). So they have to fight off people and take their stuff, negating the doubt that Hrothgar, like Robin Hood, does indeed steal from the rich and give to the needy! To rewind, look at the very begining. This is proof he has a "gang of merry men!" Now, I'm not going to try to explain the tights part...
pg. 7 ln. 64-73
("The fortunes of war favoured Hrothgar.
Friends and kinsmen flocked to his ranks,
young followers, a force that grew
to be a mighty army...
...and there he would dispense
his God-given goods to young and old--
but not the common land or people's lives.")
When I read this, all I could think was, "Steals from the rich and gives to the needy." And I thought, who does this also? Robin Hood!! One thing that I found wrong in this train of thought was in fact the very start of it: "Steals?" Does Hrothgar really steal? Not in today's world, but the Anglo-Saxons in this story come from a warrior culture. Empires all around are expanding, this is why they need the Mead-Hall. Street-cred (glory/fame) requires such an amount of ice ("wonder of the world forever"). So they have to fight off people and take their stuff, negating the doubt that Hrothgar, like Robin Hood, does indeed steal from the rich and give to the needy! To rewind, look at the very begining. This is proof he has a "gang of merry men!" Now, I'm not going to try to explain the tights part...
Friday, September 2, 2011
Eowulf Bay
1)
ln. 72-73 ...his God-Given goods to young and old- but not the common land or people's lives...
Shield, the guardian, was made king by divine right. He was exiled as a kid, then found and made king. His kingdom passed to Beow, then to Hrothgar. King Hrothgar builds Heorot hall which was meant to be a wonder of the world forever. The quote symbolizes his use of power. He is a good king, by the fact that he gives to those in need rather than those who just want.
2)
Grendel
Grendel is a decsendent of Cain, who kills his brother, Abel, because of jealousy and is punished by banishment from the Garden of Eden by God. In Grendel is exlied by God and cannot communicate with anybody. He is cut-off and outcasted. He is like Cain because he hears the music playing from the Mead-Hall and cannot parttake, so this drives him to insanity, or jealousy too, and he kills to spread his pain. His only escape is in death...
3)
ln. 336 ...I have never seen so impressive or large an assembly of strangers. Stoutness of heart, bravery not banishment, must have brought you to Hrothgar...
This is a sign of Beowulf's leadership, and fame soon to come. First impressions last, and Beowulf knew that. He and his crew show that they have the gear to take down Grendel, now all that's left to show is the skill to do so. The Coast Guard who said this quote goes on to beg Hrothgar to grant them a reply. This is another example into how much of an impression Beowulf and his crew put on them.
4)
ln. 455 ...Fate goes as fate must...
-Wyrd
This reflects the theme of transitory nature of life, where things in life are a fleeting moment that pass quickly, and without warning. Fate is a moment that fits this description, you either follow through or back out. It is in Beowulf's fate to take out Grendel.
5)
ln. 573 ...fate spares the man it has not already marked...
This means that if a man is facing death, without already being fated to do anything, he must be spared to fulfill his fate. Fate is something that must be completed, not only for one person, because when fate is fulfilled, there is a consequence for that, and it messes with other's fate.
ln. 72-73 ...his God-Given goods to young and old- but not the common land or people's lives...
Shield, the guardian, was made king by divine right. He was exiled as a kid, then found and made king. His kingdom passed to Beow, then to Hrothgar. King Hrothgar builds Heorot hall which was meant to be a wonder of the world forever. The quote symbolizes his use of power. He is a good king, by the fact that he gives to those in need rather than those who just want.
2)
Grendel
Grendel is a decsendent of Cain, who kills his brother, Abel, because of jealousy and is punished by banishment from the Garden of Eden by God. In Grendel is exlied by God and cannot communicate with anybody. He is cut-off and outcasted. He is like Cain because he hears the music playing from the Mead-Hall and cannot parttake, so this drives him to insanity, or jealousy too, and he kills to spread his pain. His only escape is in death...
3)
ln. 336 ...I have never seen so impressive or large an assembly of strangers. Stoutness of heart, bravery not banishment, must have brought you to Hrothgar...
This is a sign of Beowulf's leadership, and fame soon to come. First impressions last, and Beowulf knew that. He and his crew show that they have the gear to take down Grendel, now all that's left to show is the skill to do so. The Coast Guard who said this quote goes on to beg Hrothgar to grant them a reply. This is another example into how much of an impression Beowulf and his crew put on them.
4)
ln. 455 ...Fate goes as fate must...
-Wyrd
This reflects the theme of transitory nature of life, where things in life are a fleeting moment that pass quickly, and without warning. Fate is a moment that fits this description, you either follow through or back out. It is in Beowulf's fate to take out Grendel.
5)
ln. 573 ...fate spares the man it has not already marked...
This means that if a man is facing death, without already being fated to do anything, he must be spared to fulfill his fate. Fate is something that must be completed, not only for one person, because when fate is fulfilled, there is a consequence for that, and it messes with other's fate.
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