Complexity In Beowulf

The story of Beowulf is full of vigor and excitement; it is also composed of many different elements especially when talking about the characters and their psychological complexity. When talking about the story of Beowulf we need to recall that it was written around 1000 A.D. therefore, we would assume that the characters are not fully developed or that they cannot compare in complexity to the characters of today’s novels. However, I find this untrue, the characters in Beowulf are more dynamic and have greater moral value when compared and contrasted to characters in most modern day novels. When we think of the epic “Beowulf” the first thing that comes to mind is the main character of the story Beowulf himself. Throughout the story he is …show more content…
However, there are also some not-so-similar values found in this work, such as the grandeur and quality of hospitality shown to Beowulf by Hrothgar. This cultural value is one that we do not extend to everyone that comes to our home, unlike Hrothgar we do not value how everyone feels about us nor do we feel obligated to treat everyone as guests. This deficit is just one of the many things in today’s society that has been degrading since the time of Beowulf and before. The simple facts are that we do not think that we can afford the same kind of hospitality and honor that Hrothgar bestows upon his visitors. We do not have the time to thank someone that comes to help us with a problem, we need to get the problem fixed and get back to life. There are very few of us that seem to think akin to Hrothgar. For example, if we are friendly to an electrician and help him in any way possible, maybe get him a drink or something, if we ever need his services again I would bet that his repairs are more prompt and his attitude is better than if we had been mean or indifferent to him the last time he had to come fix something. It makes me think that Hrothgar has some common sense in acting this way to Beowulf; this is just one example of the moral deficits we find when comparing Beowulf’s society to our …show more content…
He does not fall short when it comes to moral decisions, he takes everything in stride, and he is not lacking in the bravery department. His character is very dynamic and changes throughout the epic, not only that but his comrades change along with him, some for better and some for worse. I cannot help but admire this epic in all its glory, not only is it a great story with a good plot but it has survived for over a millennia and to this day never fails to entertain readers. How can I compare some novel that is not even thirty years old to this epic, I do not expect any modern novel to be as great as Beowulf or to attain such a level of fame and respect. If one was to ask me why, I would tell them to check with me in a thousand years and see if they could find their favorite novel from the present being studied in colleges across the world. Even then I doubt that it would be on par with Beowulf nor for that matter any other works written around that time. Overall the epic Beowulf has better character development than almost any modern book that I have had the pleasure, or displeasure, to