- Entertainment
- Environment
- Information Science and Technology
- Social Issues
Home Essay Samples Life Personal Beliefs
Why Taking A Stand Or Winning Is Not Everything
*minimum deadline
Cite this Essay
To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below
- Table Manners
- Famous Person
- Being Different
Related Essays
Need writing help?
You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need
*No hidden charges
100% Unique Essays
Absolutely Confidential
Money Back Guarantee
By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails
You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic
Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.
- How it works
Argumentative Essay on Beowulf
Beowulf is the study of a dual ordeal: An external battle with vicious opponents and an internal battle with human tendencies of pride, greed, cowardice, betray, and revenge.
Introduction
Beowulf is one the oldest and popular Anglo-Saxon poetry it involves a hero who fights extraordinary powers and evil spirits in his lifespan to keep his people safe. It is an example of dual ordeal where the hero deals with evils in the society as that attacks not only his physical being but also his mind. The dual trial in the story occurs when the hero is confronted by vicious opponents as well as internal battles with human tendencies of pride, greed, cowardice, betrayal, and revenge. In the poem, Beowulf the peom can be said to be a dual odearl as the hero fights supernatural powers and evil spirits as well as fighing his internal battles. This statement can be justified by this study and dicusssion.
External Battles
Exteranal battles are when an individual is confronted by the eternal powers such as a fight with a different person, conflict between an individual and the community, or when a soldier face the enemies in the battlefield. The first battle that Beowulf's face involves a character known as Grendel who was describe using words such as this monster grim haunting the marches marauding round to health fen and fastness and a banished creation of Cains kin (Beowulf 101-108). There are various conditions that Grendel put forth to make the fight fair for his opponent. For example, Grendel says that he hereby renounce sword, and the shelter of the broad shield according to Beowulf (436-437). Despite the difficulty that was faced in the battle against this vicious creature, Beowulf managers to win the fight as soon as he rips the handoff the monster. From this fight, we see that the hero Beowulf fights fearlessly despite the fact that his opponent was an extraordinary being. However, ripping off the arm of Grendel and winning the first battle is just the beginning of his many more coming battle in the future.
The second opponent with extra powers was the mother to Grendel. She came to battle to avenge her son who died in the hands of the hero Beowulf. She puts a dangerous and fearful battle held under water to show how furious she was towards Beowulf. Beowulf had a sword that was given to him by Unferth, but the weapon fails him. However, he manages to find a magical sword which seems to have been directed to him by fate. This magic weapon is used to kill the fearfulness and dangerous opponent. As if the battle was not enough for the victory, Beowulf seeks and seizes Grendels body as a trophy for his fight. It was this conflict and action that brought fame to Beowulf and at the same time restoring peace in the kingdom of Hrothgars. The fight against the evil Grendel and his mother who came seeking for revenge is a good example of the external fights involving spirits. The mother and son in this battle represents the supernatural powers that Beowulf defeated in his youth to restore a lasting peace in his kingdom.
The last fight that Beowulf fought involved a fierce dragon. This battle happened after Beowulf had ruled his country for close to 50 years. This happened to be his last battle in the field, and it resulted in his death, leaving the kingdom without a king, or a hero to take his place. However, before he could die on the battlefield at the fate of the dragon, Beowulf ensured that the enemy dies so that he could leave the kingdom with peace. He slew the dragons head before he could take his last breath. The dragon was a very fierce creature that scared all other Beowulfs men away from the battlefield. However, since Beowulf wanted to maintain his pride and at the same time providehis people with a land free of threat, he could not run for his safety. In other words, he chose pride and power over his safety.
INTERNAL BATTLES
Other than the external, fierce, and supernatural fights that Beowulf fought and won, there were the intimate encounters involving pride, greed, cowardice, betrayal, and self-concern. In each and persons mind, there are always questions relating to the ways in which they handle the external conflict. The manifestation of eternal fights can be judged form the internal perspective of the individual in question.
During his reign, Beowulf and the community believed that fame and pride were the top achievements a man could achieve. It is evident from the time that Beowulf arrived in the kingdom that it was pride which was his primary source of motivation as described by his arrival to the Kingdom where the leader of the troop unlocked his word-hoard (Beowulf 258). He also carried himself with great pride even in the face of a battle as fierce as that of the dragon spitting fire. It can be said that Beowulf was faced with a struggle between choosing his safety against the pride. However, he chose pride over security and faced the dragon fearlessly and won the battle always to be remembered for his pride and fame.
On the one hand, the internal conflict between Beowulf and his greed for fame and power led him to fight for his community ("Beowulf (Modern English Translation) By Anonymous"). On the contrary, the dragon can be seen as a symbol of greed, and Beowulf took the challenge for his greed. Over the cause of the poem, we see many fighting battles which at the end of the day fails to satisfy the need for the combat. In other words, one may be tempted to ask if the fights were worth it or people were just fighting for their heart desires.
On the other hand, cowardice can be depicted in the last battle when Beowulf men refuse to get involved in the fierce fight against the dragon. These meant flee the battlefield leaving only Beowulf and his successor in the battlefield. Lastly, throughout the poem, our hero, Beowulf puts his self-concerns away from the actions he undertakes, such as fighting for the greater good of his people (Norris 435-438). In this case, the men in the battlefield can be said to have betrayed Beowulf for their own fears and self-concerns.
From the discussion and evidence provided in this study, we can conclude that Beowulf is not just an epic poem about superheroes who fight for their communities; but it is a tier of the dual ordeal. Beowulf not only battles the evil spirits and fierce enemies in the society, but he also confronts other fights internally. Of the many issues that he faces n his internal being, pride, greed, self-concern, and betrayal.
"Beowulf (Modern English Translation) By Anonymous." Poetry Foundation. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 Oct. 2017.
Norris, Robin. "Resistance To Genocide In The Postmodern Beowulf." Literature Compass8.7 (2011): 435-438. Web.
Request Removal
If you are the original author of this essay and no longer wish to have it published on the collegeessaywriter.net website, please click below to request its removal:
- Literary Esay Example: Comparison of Idylls of the King and In Memoriam Poems
- Essay on the Novels Insurgent and Divergent
- The Anactoria Poem and Humanity - Essay Example
- Reflection on the Tiny Smiling Daddy by Mary Gaitskill. Coursework Example.
- Literary Essay Example: Analyzing Part of the Poem The Gaiour by Lord Bayron
- Macbeth Analysis Essay Sample
- Essay on To New York Written by Leopold Sedar Senghor
Submit your request
Sorry, but it's not possible to copy the text due to security reasons.
Would you like to get this essay by email?
Sorry, you can’t copy this text :(
Enter your email to get this essay sample.
Don’t print this from here
Enter your email and we'll send you a properly formatted printable version of this essay right away.
How about making it original at only $7.00/page
Let us edit it for you at only $7.00 to make it 100% original!
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Beowulf Taking A Stand Analysis. Taking a Stand In the epic, "From Beowulf" translated by Burton Raffel, a warrior from the Geats comes to rescue Hrothgar, the king of the Danes whose land is being attacked by a monster, Grendel. Beowulf succeeds and defeats Grendel. Sometimes, it isn't the winning, but it's the taking a stand that counts.
Taking a stand and learning something from it is way important than just winning. Because we all learn lessons when something doesn't go well or when we don't win. Winning feels great but it doesn't count more than taking a stand. Winning isn't everything. Because the problem with winning is that we never have to face our demons.
Trying, conquering yourself, learning through experience, gaining knowledge, these are the definitions for winning. So taking a stand is what really matters. Like in Beowulf, he was recognised for surviving through battles, but what makes him admirable is his consistency and the path he had to take to reach
12 Lit Honors, 2. 25 January 2012. A Terrible Fault. Beowulf travels far and wide to help those in need. He helps the Danes when he hears they are being terrorized by Grendel, and later, Grendel's mother. Beowulf believes he is the strongest man around, and he takes on any challenge. Beowulf's pride gives him the courage to take on the tasks.
Winning is something that you haft to work hard to do.its also something you can brag about. Winning is also something you can choose to do. Winning is something everyone can do but standing up is something most want do. …show more content…. I believe that going the easier way is not always the way to go. Winning is cinch if you want it to ...
Though win or lose what really matters is taking a stand. In the epic story about a hero, Beowulf, there are examples that show taking a stand counts more than winning. Beowulf, the strongest of the Geats, ventures to Hrothgar to defeat Grendel, an evil whose thirst for bloodlust cannot be satisfied. But not only does he defeat Grendel, he ...
And only one of them remained" (Beowulf line 710). While winning might me the most tempting route, it is taking a stand that would remain with us …show more content… To go further in depth, a much known figure, Malala, fought for female education, because she was successful with her matter she was targeted by brutal people. The fact that ...
Zofnas 1 Aliyah Zofnas Honors English IV- 4 Mrs. Jones February 22, 2023 Taking a Stand Everyone has to make choices in their lives, and sometimes those choices involve deciding between taking a stand or winning. In the epic poem Beowulf t ranslated by Burton Raffel, the hero Beowulf faces a similar dilemma.The hero Beowulf takes part in 3 epic battles surrounded by the idea of good vs. evil.
Persuasive Essay In Beowulf. If you see something wrong the logical thing would be to make it right. Unfortunately the reality it is that a lot of people are unwilling to do the right thing, due to lack of responsibility or fear of failure. I believe, that when people are willing to take a stand they have to come to the realization that they ...
View Arugumentative Essay (Beowulf) from ENGLISH 12 at Cass Technical High School. Myers 1 Aniya Myers Instructor Jill Thomas English 12 29 October 2019 Winning vs. Taking a Stand There is an old ... Myers 1 Aniya Myers Instructor Jill Thomas English 12 29 October 2019 Winning vs. Taking a Stand There is an old saying " It doesn't matter if ...
demonstrating his honor through his journeys and battles. Beowulf took a stand up against Grendel, a monster who has been terrorizing a village. Beowulf knowing Grendel is very powerful, took a stand and battled against him. Beowulf took the risk and put in the effort and determination to fight many battles such as Grendel, Grendel's Mother, and the Dragon, which ultimately led him to ...
1 / 4. Find step-by-step Literature solutions and your answer to the following textbook question: Write a brief argumentative essay in which you address this question: Which counts more-taking a stand or winning? In your essay, take a clear position on the question. Incorporate your analysis of the Beowulf texts to support your ideas.
Answered by ChancellorEchidnaMaster586. Taking a Stand In Burton Raffel's translation of the epic "From Beowulf," a Geats warrior comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes whose land is being attacked by Grendel, a monster. Grendel is defeated by Beowulf. Sometimes, what matters more than winning is taking a stand.
Beowulf is one the oldest and popular Anglo-Saxon poetry it involves a hero who fights extraordinary powers and evil spirits in his lifespan to keep his people safe. It is an example of dual ordeal where the hero deals with evils in the society as that attacks not only his physical being but also his mind. The dual trial in the story occurs ...
Taking Beowulf as an example, he swore he would defeat Grendel even if it... In conclusion, I believe taking a stand counts more than winning. Taking a stand impacts future generations by the actions people take even if they didn't win.... A person willing enough to take a stand cannot have the mindset of winning, that person has to really care ...
205 Words. 1 Page. Open Document. Taking a stand or winning? When we talk about taking stands or winning, we could have a discussion with lots of arguments defending both postures, but the most important posture to have is taking a stand and we´ll see why. Only winning in your life will not make you more interesting than others; for example ...
Some would argue that taking a stand is more important, while others would argue winning is more important. Winning can affect people as one, as a city, and as a nation, while taking a stand is more to one person or small group of people who stand for something, but can have a larger effect if a win or major victory towards fully winning ...
Another reason taking a stand counts more than winning is because it shows loyalty. To stay beside Simone at the hardest times shows loyalty. Loyalty is displayed in the poem "Beowulf" by how Beowulf's men supported him in many of his battles and confrontations shown in lines 227-231, "Beowulf arose, with his men around him, ordering a few to remain with their weapons, leading the ...
Taking a stand means more to our society today instead of winning simply because of all the determination, courage, effort and time they put into trying to make a difference. If the person were to try their absolute best and fail it is still extremely admirable for them to make the sacrifices they have made. Taking a stand shows that they will ...