beowulf. themes the importance of establishing identity the importance of establishing identity...

BEOWULF

THEMES

• The importance of establishing identity

• Tensions between the heroic code and other value systems

• The meaning of monsters

Pick a theme, apply it to yourself, and write about it.

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BEOWULF CHARACTERS• Beowulf

• The protagonist of the epic. Beowulf, a Geatish hero, is incredibly strong and able. In his youth, he personifies all of the best values of the heroic culture. In his old age, he is a wise and effective ruler.

• The Dragon

• An ancient, powerful serpent. The dragon, who guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound, is Beowulf’s final nemesis.

• Grendel

• A demon descended from Cain. Grendel suffers for the sins of Cain, leading a ruthless and miserable existence because God seeks vengeance for Cain’s murder of Abel.

• Grendel’s Mother

• A swamp-hag. Grendel’s mother possesses fewer human qualities than Grendel. Still, her terrorization of Heorot springs from her understandable anger over her son’s death.

• King Hrothgar

• The king of Danes. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar leads in a different way than the youthful warrior Beowulf does. Hrothgar is a father figure for Beowulf and a model for the kind of king Beowulf will become.

BEOWULF FREEWRITE

“Beowulf is the archetype of the dragon slayer, the hero who faces death in order to save a threatened community. Does Beowulf remind you of any heroes in real life, in fiction, or in the movies today? What characteristics do the heroes share?”

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