Preview

Metaphors In Beowulf '

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
497 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Metaphors In Beowulf '
beowulf has a vast amount metaphors in its story mostly representing the beliefs of the original author. Some of these metaphor can be easily notabile such as on how good will always triumph over evil witch is represented by beowulf always defeating his foes. one of the many topics discussed throughout the story is gold and the influence on the characters. the story is based in anglo saxon times therefore most of the peoples beliefs would be about loyalty,honor, bravery and such. Gold throughout the story isn't really seen as economic value it's mostly used as as social object. For example when beowulf kills Grendel he is rewarded a large quantity of gold by Hrothgar. he also rewards beowulf's men with smaller amounts of gold as a way …show more content…
he feels as if the treasure he had just acquired was worth risking his own life for. another use of gold in the story is to represent greed they do this by using the dragon that has been guarding gold for hundreds of years, this in a way is a representation of greed. Aside from that, after beowulf slays the dragon and ask wiglaf to bury him with the gold the narrator says “so gold can easily triumph, defeat the strongest of men, no matter how deep it is hidden”. In my opinion what the narrator tried to say was no matter how strong a person can be, gold can easily make anyone fall to greed. the way way gold affect today's society is that it's seen more of a social standard as an equal as economic standards. the richer you are the more you flash it with fancy jewelry or big houses or luxurious cars. it's still used as a form of wealth and power but it isn't sought after as it used to be in anglo saxon times. you don't need to have much fame or be as noble as some of the hero's spoken of in order to have large quantities of gold.aside from a social standard gold is also used for economic purpose. since we live in an economy where we trade money for good and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    lucky to find gold, for others brought disappointment. This why some people decided to buy and…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The warriors were given treasures, arms, and feasts among other rewards for their terrific valor in battle. Beowulf received offerings like this for his expeditions. Hrothgar says to Beowulf, “Show forth thy valiant strength, be watchful against the foe. Thy desires shall not be unsatisfied, if thou escape with thy life from the great adventure.” (lines 660-662). Hrothgar tells Beowulf over the feast at the mead hall that he will be rewarded handsomely if he defeats Grendel and restores order to Herot. Beowulf will fulfill Hrothgar’s request and receive his purse for completing the quest. This is an example of how the lords were generous to the warriors that protected their kingdoms. When Beowulf dies, he passes his belongings onto Wiglaf, his most loyal warrior. Right before he dies, Beowulf “The great-hearted king took from his neck the ring of gold; gave this to thane, the youthful warrior, his helmet gold-adorned, his ring and his byrnie, bade him enjoy them well.” (lines 2809-2812). Beowulf commends Wiglaf for his bravery and loyalty in a situation where his other warriors deserted him and left him to die. Wiglaf will inherit his riches because of this. Beowulf passes on his whole inheritance to his bravest warrior instead of a family…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf was one of the bravest of his time. Vehemently going into battle, horror and death were only a few things he had to face just to save people in mortal danger. " I shall win the gold…

    • 274 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The poet’s attitude towards gold is that it is valued by everyone but it can be the downfall of people. Characters in Beowulf use gold as a means to pay favors such as someone’s family gets gold after their loved one dies in battle, or as payment for defeating a monster that was terrorising a town. Wealth is seen as evil in the myth, because of how it is connected with destruction. A man in the myth put all of his failing city’s gold in a cavern as a way to preserve it, but then a dragon found the cave and decided it would live there for it’s wealth. After years a slave found the cave and took a gold cup as a way to win his master’s favor, but the dragon noticed the missing cup which cause the destruction of buildings in Beowulf’s town out…

    • 181 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The gold standard supplemented a higher value of the national money therefore making it harder for them to pay loans and debts. Bimetallism became a major issue politically and economically. Industrialist and bankers opposed because inflation for them was not good either. One representative was William Jennings Bryan, author of one of the most influential speeches of all time, “The Cross of Gold”. This disquisition was mainly about how the usage of “common people” in order to save the business and the country’s economy was amiss and the importance of…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout history, different cultures have held different virtues in the highest regard. The Anglo-Saxons, like the anonymous scop of the poem Beowulf, valued strength and courage over any other quality. On the other hand, the earliest English people, like the poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, respected honor and the basic codes of chivalry over all else. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain, therefore, display the most favored qualities of their people: Beowulf by defeating monsters, performing great feats of courage, and telling of his deeds; Gawain by being loyal, brave, and honest. Both sets of qualities are displayed throughout each tale.…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It had been fifty years after Beowulf had defeated Grendel and his mother. Beowulf had returned home to his homeland and became king there and his rule was successful. There was a dragon that lived near by to Beowulf’s kingdom, which guarded old treasure. A thief stole a goblet from him and awakened him, and the dragon then went on a revengeful killing spree. “The dragon began to belch out flames/ and burn bright homesteads; there was a hot glow/ that scared everyone, for the vile sky-winger/ would leave nothing alive in his wake.” (l. 2312-2315) The dragon held onto this treasure, which is useless now, so long that he was able to know exactly what was gone and he must have had it back. The dragon represents greed and selfishness. The dragon began to slay people because of his missing goblet. When Beowulf heard about the dragon, he decided to do something about it immediately, as a good king should. During the battle between Beowulf and the dragon, both parties were fatally wounded. The dragon fought to the death to protect “his” treasure that he found, while Beowulf fought to protect “his” people. The dragon’s greed and selfishness had taken over his life and his lifestyle, which became the death of me. It can also be seen that Beowulf had allowed greed to overcome him, and that being the death of him also. He wanted the dragon’s treasure for his people, and his last wish was to see the treasure that he…

    • 950 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dbq Indian Removal Act

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In 1828 gold was discovered in North Georgia near Wards Creek. When the Native American discovered the gold it had no monetary value to them.…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    First, both the characters prove that they are, indeed, true Anglo Saxon warriors, both upholding and maintaining the values, qualities, and characteristics required of a thane by their society. They display loyalty in their gratitude to their gold giver, bravery in their reactions to dire situations, strength and skill with weaponry in their battles, and generosity. The characters ' loyalty is of no question in this text. Beowulf, before he wrestles with Grendel 's mother, makes sure that in the instance of his death all of his bounty will be bequeathed to his lord to show his appreciation of the lord 's generosity. He orders Hrothgar to "send Hygelac the treasures I received" and "let the Lord of the Geats gaze on that gold,…and see that I found a ring-giver of rare maginificence and enjoyed the good of his generosity" (P. 66). Furthermore, after Beowulf returns to his lord, he bequeaths the treasure to him and states, "It is still upon your grace that all favor depends. I have few kinsmen who are close, my king, except for your kind self" (P. 79). Wiglaf shows this same type of loyalty to Beowulf in later sections of the story…

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Symbolism is used many times throughout the epic poem Beowulf. Key symbols are used to represent a variety of objects, people, and places. For instance Heorot Hall, swords, the sea, the mere, and the water are some of the most commonly used symbols throughout Beowulf . The use of symbols provides the readers with a more visual idea of the epic poem. Establishing the importance of each symbol allows readers to understand the behaviors of the characters. The author uses symbols to show that Anglo- Saxons have embedded it’s original theme of high ideals and heroes in the epic poem.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Firstly, the color gold is used several times throughout the novel to exemplify wealth, happiness, success along with the value of opportunity. In…

    • 627 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Good vs. Evil

    • 1647 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In Beowulf, the conflict between good and evil is the poem 's main and most important aspect. The poet makes it clear that good and evil doesn’t exist as only opposites, but that both qualities are present in everyone. Beowulf represents the ability to do good or to perform acts selflessly and in help of others. Goodness is also showed throughout this epic as having the ability to cleanse evil. Even though evil is presented by Grendel, Grendel 's mother, and the dragon, who are filled with a desire to act against people and ultimately destroy them, even pride, a human quality, is presented in Beowulf as a sign that evil exists. This story might even be considered a classic because it mainly talks about the old fashion good vs. evil, hero vs. villain. Beowulf and the three monsters show the significant difference between good and evil, and why god will always prevail.…

    • 1647 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    During the Gilded Age there came a time of economic stability and expansion that brought the country a surplus of wealth. What made this happen was the Second Industrial Revolution that came about post-civil war time, with the building of railroads and being able to transport raw materials from east to west and visa versa. Although the times from 1870-1890 were fiscally dominant the politics in which business was executed was not for the faint of heart. The term “Gilded” is expressed by Mark Twain means “covered with a layer of gold,…

    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Treasure, as well, is one of the most important elements of the Anglo-Saxon’s social lives. As Katherine O´Brien O´Keeffee says “ The touchstone of that life- as represented in Old English literature at least- is the vital relationship between retainer and lord, whose binding virtue is loyalty. Continuing loyalty is ensured in the lord´s giving of treasure. Through gifts of worth, a lord enhances both his own reputation and that of his retainer, and he lays upon his man the obligation of future service.”And it is possible to see that, when the story opens, describing a funeral ceremony, one of the rituals in those years. “Next to that noble corpse/They heaped up treasures, jewelled helmets/ Hooked swords and coats of mail, armor/Carried from the ends of the earth: no ship/ Had ever sailed so brightly fitted”/ (L. 36). This shows the human relationship between the warrior and his lord, the “ring –giver”. Also, warriors must bring these golden helmets, famous swords, and armour to their kings, in repaid for all the protection they have received, as Beowulf upon his return home, presents a wide variety of treasures to Higlac, “So I could bring his riches to you, my ruler,/And prove his friendship, and my love. Your favour/Still governs my life.../(canto 31, l.2149-2150) when he comes back from Denmark; and in turn receives golden armour, high rank and extensive land. “Then Higlac, protector of his people, brought in/His father´s-Beowul´s grandfather´s- great sword,…

    • 882 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gilded Age

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages

    With all these financial and economic boosts how could the gilded age be a negative thing? Just as the definition defines gilded, the gilded age was a covered up bad unsettling realty. Covered in gold, money, and wealthy people was low wages for the common worker, long work days and horrible working conditions. These conditions were not seen by everyone. Foreigners sought out to America to live a better life and live the American dream but to only find that they would be taken advantage of along with all the other Americans that were already working in these conditions. It was believed that the roads were “paved with gold” as to assume that the land of opportunity was a place to get rich and anyone could do it. The truth is there were only a handful of business owners that were wealthy.…

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays