I just wanted to add a quick comment on one of the questions that was asked towards the end of class on Friday; does the adding of Christian "coloring" make the story of "Beowulf" better or worse? I think that it takes away from the story, because although it has been passed down from generation to generation, and altered very much throughout the years, this adding of Christian influences alters it even more, and at times makes the story very conflicting because sometimes Beowulf will sound or act like a Christian, and sometimes he won't. Their religion was not like that back then, and I think it would have been better just to have the original (or as close as they could get) rather than alter it just to throw in some of their own personal views.
I finished Beowulf on Sunday, and after reading it, I found myself trying to understand why the role of women played such a small role in the tale if in actuality the women of that time were vital citizens with as many rights? I believe it may be in part due to the changes made to it throughout its telling and recording, but I'm still not completely convinced.
But I think the reason the character Beowulf never married or had children was because it was not necessary to achieve fame or glory, which seem to me to be the main goals of Beowulf's adventures, to be great. A love affair would have simply gotten in the way. It's too bad, because I think that a romantic involvement would have been a nice addition to the poem, and made for a more realistic character.
To respond to Katie's comment referring to an unwanted Christian "coloring" of the poem, I must disagree. Beowulf is one of the very few legends that has been passed down through generations and later put into text. The fact that this monk put pieces of Beowulf into his personal thinking, and the thinking of many others in that point of history, cloaks the story with time. There are several contradicions within the poem. Beowulf should be a worshiper of Pagan gods, not a Christian. The reader also finds a mix of the idea of fate and God's will, two things that do not go hand in hand. This is what makes this poem so unique from any other compossition of English litterature and makes the "colorings" historical and interesting.
I think that it is very fitting that Beowulf does not have a wife or children, due to the fact that people in this society have to earn their honor or have it passed down from their fathers. It also seems fitting that Beowulf kind of appoints Wiglaf as his “son.” This man has proved his bravery and now deserves to be an heir of Beowulf. I don’t think that Beowulf wanted to have children for the fear that they would disappoint him.
5 Comments:
I just wanted to add a quick comment on one of the questions that was asked towards the end of class on Friday; does the adding of Christian "coloring" make the story of "Beowulf" better or worse?
I think that it takes away from the story, because although it has been passed down from generation to generation, and altered very much throughout the years, this adding of Christian influences alters it even more, and at times makes the story very conflicting because sometimes Beowulf will sound or act like a Christian, and sometimes he won't. Their religion was not like that back then, and I think it would have been better just to have the original (or as close as they could get) rather than alter it just to throw in some of their own personal views.
By
katie_r, at August 26, 2007 9:55 PM
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By
Anonymous, at August 27, 2007 7:42 PM
I finished Beowulf on Sunday, and after reading it, I found myself trying to understand why the role of women played such a small role in the tale if in actuality the women of that time were vital citizens with as many rights? I believe it may be in part due to the changes made to it throughout its telling and recording, but I'm still not completely convinced.
But I think the reason the character Beowulf never married or had children was because it was not necessary to achieve fame or glory, which seem to me to be the main goals of Beowulf's adventures, to be great. A love affair would have simply gotten in the way. It's too bad, because I think that a romantic involvement would have been a nice addition to the poem, and made for a more realistic character.
By
Anonymous, at August 27, 2007 7:44 PM
To respond to Katie's comment referring to an unwanted Christian "coloring" of the poem, I must disagree. Beowulf is one of the very few legends that has been passed down through generations and later put into text. The fact that this monk put pieces of Beowulf into his personal thinking, and the thinking of many others in that point of history, cloaks the story with time. There are several contradicions within the poem. Beowulf should be a worshiper of Pagan gods, not a Christian. The reader also finds a mix of the idea of fate and God's will, two things that do not go hand in hand. This is what makes this poem so unique from any other compossition of English litterature and makes the "colorings" historical and interesting.
By
Megan, at August 28, 2007 12:50 PM
I think that it is very fitting that Beowulf does not have a wife or children, due to the fact that people in this society have to earn their honor or have it passed down from their fathers. It also seems fitting that Beowulf kind of appoints Wiglaf as his “son.” This man has proved his bravery and now deserves to be an heir of Beowulf. I don’t think that Beowulf wanted to have children for the fear that they would disappoint him.
By
Emilee P, at August 30, 2007 10:30 AM
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