Tragedy And Epic Of Beowulf - 2267 Words

Aristotle’s Poetics is a brilliant book on the mechanics of poetry, tragedy, and epics. He details the specific characteristics that poetry, tragedy and epic needs to have in order to make it such. The poem Beowulf is a wonderful example of a brilliant piece of poetry, originating from England, tells of the great warrior Beowulf and his battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and finally his last battle with the dragon that terrorizes his city and leads to his death. Considering Beowulf’s death while fighting the dragon, should the poem, Beowulf, be thought of as an epic or a heroic tragedy? According to Aristotle, â€Å"Tragedy is a representation of an action of a superior kind-grand, and complete in itself- presented in embellished language, in distinct forms in different parts, performed by actors rather than by a narrator, effecting, through pity and fear, the purification[catharsis] of such emotions† (Poetics 23). Tragedy is supposed to give the view er a way to channel emotions through mimesis, pity and fear, and catharsis. In fact, Leon Golden identifies mimesis, pity and fear, and catharsis as â€Å"the starting point in [an] attempt to establish a fully adequate theory of tragedy† (Golden 23). Mimesis means imitation; however, the English word imitation does not do justice to what the words means in its original Greek. In Greek, mimesis connotes imitation, but imitation of a deeper level; imitation almost on the level of occupying someone else’s body in order to achieveShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel1363 Words   |  6 PagesWhen one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how diff erent other cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that things haveRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel1363 Words   |  6 PagesWhen one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that things haveRead MoreFate And Fate In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight741 Words   |  3 Pageseffect. In the epic poem Beowulf, the hero battles many enemies and at the same time discovering his destinies. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain must be able to meet his fate as he faces the Green Knight. In the tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth finds ways to try and alter his fate. Fate is portrayed in the epic poem Beowulf as he discovers his heroic destiny, in the epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as Gawain is determined seek the Green Knight, and in the Shakespearian tragedy Macbeth as heRead MoreMonsters and Men in a Array of Literature 727 Words   |  3 Pagesother are obscure from the: Macbeth, Beowulf, and Frankenstein. All three writers published each for separate purposes. William Shakespeare Constructed Macbeth for the king and was hinting advice toward the king. In reflection, the epic poem of Beowulf is not similar to Frankenstein in anyway. However all of these pieces of literature have an allusion to monsters and men. In stating this monsters and men are not universal throughout the genres of tragedy, epic poem, and romanticism novel. The playRead MoreDifferences Between Hamlets Mental/Emotional Conflicts and Beowulfs Physical Battles960 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulfs physical battles Beowulf is an epic poem from an unknown author. The main point and theme of Beowulf is about heroism of a warrior with courage who becomes an epic hero; not only by his strength in the battles but also by his social obligations. In Williams Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet’s mental and emotional conflict is based on a tragedy of revenge. It is the differences of Beowulf and Hamlet, that also make it the same. The epic poem Beowulf tells the story of a Geatland warrior;Read MoreEssay on Comparison of Modern Day Heroes and Beowulf744 Words   |  3 PagesHeroes and Beowulf Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the main character of the epic, showsRead MoreBeowulf And The Epic s Christian Identity896 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and the Epic’s Christian Identity Composed in early eighth century by an unknown author the epic poem Beowulf, follows the exploits of the protagonist of the same name. Originally composed orally by a tribe’s scop, the epic of Beowulf delivers insight on the lives and adventures of characters that lived in the sixth century. Although, the tale of Beowulf was formulated during post Roman collapse by presumably pagan people; written around seven hundred A.D., it is probable that a ChristianRead MoreCourageous Acts by Heroes in Ancient Literature1546 Words   |  6 Pages In my essay I will be taking about the courageous acts by heroes in ancient literature. An old English epic poem set in Scandinavia called â€Å"Beowulf† is a brave adventurous poem about the hero of Geats who helps the King of Danes. Secondly, â€Å"The Antigone† a tragedy play written by Sophocles in 400BC. It is mainly focused on a brother sister’s relationship. At last I will talk about the epic Latin poem â€Å" The Aeneid† by Virgil is a legendary story about Aeneas travels to Italy. In Italy, Aeneas’sRead MoreEpic of Beowulf Essay740 Words   |  3 Pages The characters Oedipus and Beowulf represent two different types of heroes. Oedipus is a tragic hero and characterized by its standards. He was an influential man of stature who had a tragic flaw. While he contributed to his own downfall, Oedipus was not entirely responsible for it. He also learned a lesson from his mistakes which ultimately creates a catharsis in the reading audience. Beowulf, on the other hand, is characterized by the standards of an epic hero. He strives for excellenceRead MoreEssay on A Comparison of Oedipus and Beowulf693 Words   |  3 Pages The characters Oedipus and Beowulf represent two different types of heroes. Oedipus is a tragic hero and characterized by its standards. He was an influential man of stature who had a tragic flaw. While he contributed to his own downfall, Oedipus was not entirely responsible for it. He also learned a lesson from his mistakes which ultimately creates a catharsis in the reading audience. Beowulf, on the other hand, is characterized by the standards of an epic hero. He strives for excellence