Beowulf Reactionary Analysis

A detailed Summary of Beowulf Reactionary Analysis

Dealing with internal wants and feelings of personal gain can be difficult to obtain with external controls such as peer pressure and social status quoes. Beowulf constantly showed virtues admirable of any man during the Anglo-Saxon time period, but what was really going on inside that outer shell? Following the ways of Comitataus, Beowulf often has to quell his internal natural human tendencies and live up to what was expected of an Anglo-Saxon warrior. Beowulf is constantly dealing with a dual ordeal from external battles with supernatural demons and pressure from those around him to internal battles caused by natural human tendencies of pride, greed, cowardice, betrayal, and self-concern, throughout his life.

The obvious physical external struggle with the demon, Grendel, is not the only ordeal Beowulf had to endure. He had to always be in control of his natural urges of pride, greed, cowardice, betrayal, and self-concern. In the flyting match with Unferth Beowulf did not let pride blind him when Unferth suggested that Beowulf had lost a swimming race to Brecca. Instead of arguing Beowulf agreed that he may have lost in Unferth's eyes,

but it was he who had carried Brecca to shore. Beowulf not letting his emotions overcome him counters and thus comes out on top. These flyting matches forced Beowulf into many predicaments in which most men would have cracked, but Beowulf was in complete control of his emotions. Beowulf's concern for himself comes last in his own mind. He volunteers to help King Hrothgar to rid Grendel from Herot. In this way he casts aside his feelings of self-concern and cowardice in order to once again uphold Comitataus and not give in to his natural tendencies. He is looking for nothing in return form Hrothgar for his noble services. He does not ask for reward or treasures, although Hrothgar rewards him anyway. He does not let greed guide him; instead he follows his heart. This is a very admirable quality and it is not easily obtain or demonstrated by any man. The temptation to betray Hrothgar's trust and flee with his treasures never crosses Beowulf's mind. He wants only to rid Grendel from Herot in order to gain fame and immortality. Having to deal with all these internal dilemmas as well as supernatural enemies would have been a difficult undertaking for any man to fight for their entire life, such was the path Beowulf chose.

Beowulf is again faced with all these problems when the Hag, Grendel's mother, comes to Herot to avenge her fallen son. Beowulf must now finish the blood feud for Hrothgar. In the battle with the Hag Beowulf

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Approximate Word count = 973
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History