Beowulf ... Continued!

Havn't seen the movie yet ... but here's another assignment ... It's a good one!

Nicky Correia
A.P. English 4
English I.E. Exercise/Essay Drill

After the completion of the grand tower, in their kings
honor, the Geats mourned in great sorrow. In the end, they recounted the deeds Beowulf
had accomplished, each one just "as straight and high as wise and willing". They praised
him for his heroic actions and for living a life as noble as his name. Why then would such
an epic end so tragically? Why not reiterate all the good Beowulf had done and recite
all that had benefited from it? Someone may have "the good life" but such a thing is
temporary. What this Old English poem is trying to convey is that, in real life after every
good thing that takes place, a bad thing follows close behind. Change is enduring and
will remain constant.
The change of emotion and attitude in Beowulf gives it the several gloomy and
dark things that it needs to present the message. Although there are reoccuring
celebrations exemplified, the poem is dark. It explains how the world itself is a dark
place. The world is not just made up of decent, good, and moral things. No, it also
includes ignorrance, pride, death, and filth, just as in Beowulf. Therefore, I feel that such
darkness makes it the classic poem that it is today. In a way, it looks at how todays
society really is, when everything is going good, something terrible inevitably happens.
Beowulf, however, isn't the only book that uses such sorrow to send the message.
The Bible itself uses death, filth, pride, and great ignorrance to get the "message" across.
It is considered one of the best books in the world, if not the best, and it indeed has its
share of dark times. Just as Beowulf dies for his people, Jesus was crucified to give
everyone everlasting life. Jesus went through terrible pain and suffering even though he
cured several people and was considered a hero. Beowulf put himself in danger for the
safety of all, for all his people, making him a known hero among his people. The Bible,
just as with Beowulf, is a great way to understand the change of today and how it will
effect tomorrow, even if it is in such a gloomy way.