The paper is in MLA format and I had some trouble keeping it in present tense, block quoting a speech from poetry, and siting the poetry inside the paragraphs themselves help would be very very appreciated. sorry its so long. also I dont know if i like my closing statement, should I add more or take a more traditional approach to it?
thank you,
frantic senior.
(already corrected)Throughout time there has been a constant struggle between light and
dark, good and evil, heaven and hell. This everlasting conflict is depicted
most famously in
Beowulf, a timeless Old English epic poem written in
the Anglo-Saxon time period between 449 and 1066. The original creator is
unknown, but was first composed by Christian monks after years of paganistic
oral illustration. In Anglo-Saxon culture, along with literature, one not only had
to be a strong, intelligent, and brave warrior but also show devout loyalty to
his brethren. Beowulf embodies the quintessential Anglo-Saxon hero. He sails
the seas to a neighboring country to gain fame by defending and defeating
seemingly impossible super-natural forces, while showing his unparalleled
god-like strength.(already corrected)
Beowulf’s super-human
strength compares to no other of his time. Several points throughout the story
Beowulf Displays such strength that one can hardly believe he’s a mortal man.
Beowulf exhibits this incomprehensible strength when he is clashing with
Grendel. While leaning up on one arm he locks on to Grendel’s flaying limb and
violently heaves, yanking so hard he tears skin, muscle, and bone clean off
Grendel’s shoulder (“Grendel,” lines 265-270). Once again, in the heat of
battle with Grendels revenge thirsty mother, Beowulf exhibits this spectacular
brawn when he spots “a [massive] heavy sword…/hanging on the wall…/so heavy no
mortal man could lift [it]”(“Grendel’s Mother,” lines 215-220). He snatches the
sword off the wall like it was an ordinary feat and brings it crashing down
upon the evil she wolf’s neck, slicing it clean off.
Almost equivalent to his
mind numbing strength is his wisdom and intelligence that far surpasses his
young age. Before making the journey over seas to Herot the young hero has to
first ask for recourse from the elders. With zero hesitation the elders agreed
with his request to gain fame by defending his father’s allied domain and the
slaying of evil demonic monsters. Later in Beowulf’s life, at an old age of 60,
he’s informed of a dragon pillaging his countryside in search of an
appropriated item. Beowulf feels such a substantial amount of guilt that he
feels he must act on behalf of his compatriots. Beowulf believes that anything
that goes askew in his country or to his countrymen is his responsibility. “He
accus[es] himself of breaking gods law”(“Death” lines 17-18) and that he has
brought “The Almighty’s anger down upon his people”(“Death” lines 19-20). The old
stout king, humbled by many years of a war torn life, suits up for his last
confrontation.
One of the most important
qualities of this Anglo-Saxon hero is his exceptional bravery, exclusively in
the face of eminent death. Early in his life Beowulf is portrayed as slightly
over confident. When he arrives in the court of Hrothgar and he declares:
“Grendel is no braver, no
stronger than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not, easy as it
would be. This fiend is a bold and famous fighter, but his claws and teeth
scratching at my shield, his clumsy fists beating at my sword blade, would be
helpless. I will meet him with my hands empty-unless his heart fails him,
seeing a soldier waiting
weaponless, unafraid. Let God
in His wisdom extend His hand where
He wills, reward whom He
chooses!”(“Grendel” lines 133-143).
After successfully
fulfilling his prophecy, Beowulf hunts down the wicked mother of the forlorn
beast whom he had just slain. He finds himself and his men at a pool swarming
with serpents and water beasts yet he throws on his hauberk and dives through
the serpents. Pushing his way towards the essence of all-evil with only a vest
of chain mail to protect him.
Beowulf,
still today, stands as a record of values and customs from an unrefined and
heroic time. It embodies the message: "Do your utmost to gain a good name
and fame because, after death, it’s all of you that can remain in this world.
It is the courage to strive for this, not success, that ultimately and eternally
enshrines a true hero in legend."