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Analysis of Beowulf, Dream of the Rood, and Gawain
Analysis of Beowulf, Dream of the Rood, and Gawain
Ashlee N. Aguero
English British Literature 2322
Prof. Woods
10/27/22
Analysis of Beowulf, Dream of the Rood, and Gawain
Introduction
Europe’s cultures experienced cultural diffusion in the eleventh century. The rapidly growing Christian faith was replacing the previously predominant Pagan values. Even if this change was taking place, pagan values were still prevalent in the literature. Literature in the past was centered on the well-known warrior culture. The writers referred to parts of Pagan values and the warrior’s code while also incorporating more Christian values as a result of cultural diffusion. Three literary works: Dream of the Rood, Beowulf, and Gawain, were influenced by this cultural shift. The Old English poetry The Dream of the Rood was composed by an unknown author to describe Christ’s death on the crucifixion from the cross’s point of view (Gray). The poem is divided into three sections, with the first section presenting the image of the cross or rood in which Christ was crucified. The second part, the speech of the cross, narrates how Christ endured the pain of the crucifixion without tormenting the crucifiers. The last section elaborates on how the speaker has come to understand and appreciate the rood’s message. He hopes to spend eternity in heaven with all the other faithful Christians. By depicting the central event in Christian belief—the crucifixion—in a dream, The Dream of the Rood demonstrates Christian culture’s principles while gently incorporating Pagan values. Beowulf is an ancient heroic poem that depicts the life and deeds of Beowulf. Throughout the narrative, he proves to be a courageous legend warrior, vanquishing monsters and rescuing others in need. Beowulf is often regarded as one of the finest works of Old English literature. Although Beowulf is a poem in the Germanic heroic tradition, it portrays a distinct Christian influence. The protagonist in Beowulf is a hero because he defeats monsters and leads his people according to both the Warrior’s code of the Pagan culture and Christian beliefs. On the other hand, Gawain explains how Sir Gawain, a member of King Arthur’s Round Table, conforms to a challenge from the mysterious “Green Knight,” who offers to take a stroke from any knight’s axe provided the other knight agrees to return the blow a year and a day later. Gawain agrees and then beheads him; the Green Knight rises, takes up his severed head, and tells Gawain it is time for their scheduled meeting. Gawain fights to uphold his agreement, displaying chivalry and devotion along the way, but his honor is put to the test when the lord and lady of the castle where he is a guest put him to the test. This poem contains a religious narrative. Three literary works correlate in that they touch on the Christian faith and trust in a higher power.
The Dream of the Rood follows a major theme that there is suffering and that bad things do happen; however, there is God, and one day he might save someone if they trust in him. Firstly, to explain Christian faith and trust in a higher power, Dream of the Rood describes the story of the tree that was used to crucify Jesus (Swanton, 1970). Even in the presence of God, the impulse to murder persists, but it is now renamed a sacrifice. The tree takes pride in the fact that it was selected to take part in the death of Christ because it is God’s will, rather than suffering the fate of the other trees that refused to do God’s will. Also, when the first speaker in The Dream of the Rood experiences the dream or vision, it explains the role of the Christian religion in the story. The speaker’s perspective on Christ shifts as he moves from desiring to spend time with others and regain his friendships to devoting himself entirely to Christ. The speaker’s perspective on Christ shifts as he moves from desiring to spend time with others and regain his friendships to devoting himself entirely to Christ. By saying, “I look forward constantly toward that time the Lord’s rood which I beheld before here on this earth shall fetch me away from this fleeting life and bring me then where bliss is eternal to joy in Paradise” (Swanton, 1970, line 135-140),” the first speaker or dreamer in The Dream of the Rood makes it clear that he prioritizes Christianity above all else. When the dreamer is all alone and has nothing or no one to rely on, the vision serves as a guiding light of faith.
Similar to The Dream of the Rood, Gawain touches on Christian faith and trust in a higher power. Gawain is protected by his faith in God and prayers to Virgin Mary. The narrator states that on Christmas Eve, Gawain “prays with all his might/ That Mary may be his guide/ Till a dwelling comes in sight” (737-739). Until he can locate a place to stay, Gawain begs Mary to look out for him. Over the power of prayer, Gawain is able to float through the dangerous woods, which have intertwined hazel and hawthorn (744-748). Because God is on Gawain’s side, Gawain is able to defeat wolves, bears, serpents, giants, bulls, and wild men of the woods (720-724). Gawain is able to survive potentially fatal encounters with these animals and safely traverse treacherous terrain because of his faith and dedication to Christ. Also, Gawain finds safety and is rewarded for his courage during his journey due to his faith in God. Gawain prays once again to Jesus and Mary for a safe port so he might hear mass (755). With this prayer, a castle that seems as if it has been cut of paper appears, and God, the castle’s ruler, welcomes Gawain with open arms. Gawain is welcomed by servants who clothe him in fine garments, light a fire, and serve him a lavish meal. The residents of the lord’s castle think Gawain was sent there by God because of how wonderfully he is welcomed there. These people say that “great is God’s grace…/That a guest such as Gawain he guides to us here” (920-921). In this story, the hero’s faith in God is rewarded in the end when he receives assistance when he most needs it.
Similar to The Dream of the Rood and Gawain, Beowulf also touches on Christian faith and trust in a higher power. Many core tenets of Christian philosophy may be found in Beowulf, including the idea that man can only live under God’s care and that all good things in this world come from God. Throughout the story, Beowulf prays to God and thanks him for protecting him. “The fight would have ended straightaway if God had not guarded me” (Hall, 1892, 1.4). Beowulf says as he relates his struggles with those of Grendel’s mother. Also, this is illustrated when Beowulf claims that God has most often guided man without friends. Overall, God’s protection is prevalent throughout Beowulf’s actions, and this is facilitated by Beowulf’s faith in God. Also, from Beowulf, it is evident that earthly goods, including wealth and success, are from God. For instance, when Beowulf is about to fight Grendel’s mother in her cave and sees a weapon hanging on the wall, he does not take credit for his perception but acknowledges God as the provider ((Hall, 1892). This depicts trust in a higher power.
Conclusion
Overall, the three literary works, Dream of the Rood, Beowulf, and Gawain, correlate in that they touch on Christian faith and trust in a higher power. The Dream of the Rood demonstrates Christian culture’s principles while gently incorporating Pagan values through by depicting the central event in Christian belief—the crucifixion—in a dream. On the other hand, the hero in Beowulf defeats monsters and leads his people according to both the Warrior’s code of the Pagan culture and Christian beliefs. Furthermore, Gawain explains how Sir Gawain conforms to a challenge from the mysterious and contains religious aspects. In Dream of the Rood, this is evident through the first speaker, whose perspective on Christ shifts as he moves from desiring to spend time with others and regain his friendships to devoting himself entirely to Christ. On the other hand, in Gawain, the protagonist’s faith in God is rewarded in the end when he receives assistance when he most needs it. Lastly, in Beowulf, we see Beowulf praying to God to protect him and thank him for protecting him. This is made possible by his trust in God.
References
Gawain and the Grene Knight, & Tolkien, J. R. R. (1975). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Pearl, and Sir Orfeo. Tr. by JRR Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin.
Hall, J. L. (1892). Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon epic poem: transl. from the Heyne-Socin text (Doctoral dissertation, Heath).
Swanton, M. (Ed.). (1970). The dream of the rood (Vol. 4). Manchester University Press.
Healthy and Unhealthy people
Student name
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Healthy and Unhealthy people
Unhealthy people are among the most current growing concern in America today as compared to the small number of healthy people in the country. Facing other major issue tackling the country such as the deficit issue and the current pandemic have ensured that the problem of obesity has taken a major back seat when it comes to the major challenges of this country. Although a few years back there was an overwhelming concern to tackle this issue support has gradually slowed down to continue it further. Obesity is it of itself is a major killer to most Americans but the lack of any kind of support will ensure that this issue and problem may never be overcome. It has been the accepted norm that exercise is the only thing required to ensure obesity becomes a thing of the past but research into how this issue has become a worldwide problem proves the contrary to this belief. A study done as to the main reason why obesity has been on the rise in America shows that the ever increase of unhealthy food has led to the current rise of this situation. High fructose corn syrup has been the major culprit behind this ever-growing obesity crisis (Lobstein and Stephen, 331). Its ever increase in production has forced manufacturing companies to be ever creative in finding means to profit off of it. This has in turn led to the manufacturing of ever-increasing unhealthy foods such as soft drinks with an obscene amount of sugar in them.
Healthy people are in most cases individuals who have been in a lucky enough position to avoid the need to take processed or manufactured food. A key thing to note is that said healthy people are individuals who have been lucky enough not to be in poor conditions since they have the opportunity and chance to buy as much healthy food as they would need. The easy availability of junk food at low prices has led to this further increase in obesity. Putting America aside for a moment we see that obesity and unhealthiness become a major world problem especially in poor countries that are unable to acquire healthy food. Take the case of a country like Mexica. There has been a sudden rise in unhealthiness in the country especially when the introduction of soft drinks like Coca-Cola took effect. The oversupply of such an unhealthy soft drink accompanied by the lack of other proper and healthy choices has led to the increase of obesity in the country and thus the eventual current state within the country (Barquera et Mariel 1530). Another example of such a country that has seen the rise of obesity would be India. The endless means of acquiring soft drinks and unhealthy foods has led to a never before seen increase in obesity within the country with the numbers ever more increasing due to the ever-present ease of acquiring such unhealthy foods (Barquera et Mariel 1530). Even small island nations such as Samoa have been affected by the issue of obesity and unhealthy foods due to the ever-emerging problem of American commercialism. Although a majority of their food was considered to be of healthy quality the introduction of turkey butts as an American food that was being sold to them created a spike in obesity within the country. This strange phenomenon of selling an unwanted American good created an unhealthy state within a country that was traditionally healthy and thus lead to a spike in obesity that was previously not an issue within this country. Regardless of how healthy people see the issue the problem of unhealthiness is still the same.
Unhealthy people are not the problem when it comes to obesity and unhealthiness but are rather the victims of an unregulated market that has rampantly increased to a point in which a large number of the global population is seen to be unhealthy. The examples I have detailed and given are just brief examples of how American commercialism has affected a large part of the world in terms of health. High fructose concern syrup as can be seen is just part of a bigger whole of the obesity issue, much more unwanted unhealthy foods and products are the determinants of this ever-growing issue. Proper regulation of producers of such goods needs to be implemented if we are to at all create a healthier enough world and eliminate if not at all remove the problem of over obesity in the world (Niebylski et al, 787). If this issue is not properly resolved the emergence of an unhealthy population is an unavoidable likelihood. Not only will a country like America be in danger of such a crisis but also will a large part of the global population that is a huge consumer of unhealthy foods that are mostly industrial made goods. This essay is not at all meant to scare people or in any way demoralize our country into feeling it has created an unhealthy world but it is however meant to show just how harmful the unhealthy products we manufacture are. If the key agenda of America is to create a good enough world and solve the obesity issue, then whether like it or not things need to change especially in our food manufacturing sector. Healthy food should be a right in that a right to basic food, shelter and clothing is a basic right to all Americans and the implementation of this right will depend on us.
Works Cited
Barquera, Simon, and Mariel White. “Treating obesity seriously in Mexico: realizing, much too late, action must be immediate.” Obesity 26.10 (2018): 1530-1531.
Lobstein, Tim, and Stephen Davies. “Defining and labelling ‘healthy’and ‘unhealthy’food.” Public health nutrition 12.3 (2009): 331-340.
Niebylski, Mark L., et al. “Healthy food subsidies and unhealthy food taxation: A systematic review of the evidence.” Nutrition 31.6 (2015): 787-795.
Healthy and Unhealthy Foods Menu
Healthy and Unhealthy Foods Menu
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Affiliation:
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Instructor’s name:
Date:
HEALTHY MENU
SECTION A
My fast-food chain is Starbucks
My healthy meal menu
Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Egg White Sandwich, and Cheddar
Salted Almond Chocolate Bites
Siggi’s Skyr
My unhealthy meal menu
Sausage & Cheddar Sandwich
Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake
White chocolate mocha
Spreadsheet analysis
Healthy meal
/2000cal /65gm /20gm /300mg /2400mg
Calories Fat Sat. Fat Cholesterol Sodium
Sandwich 230 6 g 2.5 g 20 mg 890 mg
Side 300 20 g 7 g 5 mg 200 mg
Drink 120 0 0 5 mg 65 mg
Total 700 26 g 9.5 g 40 mg 1155 mg
% Total 35% 40% 47.5% 13.3% 48.1%
Unhealthy meal
/2000cal /65gm /20gm /300mg /2400mg
Calories Fat Sat. Fat Cholesterol Sodium
Sandwich 500 28 g 9 g 165 mg 920 mg
Side 490 24 g 13 g 25 mg 190 mg
Drink 580 26 g 11.3 g 42 mg 125 mg
Total 1570 78 g 33.3 g 232 mg 1235 mg
% Total 78.5 120% 166.5% 77.3% 51.5%
Based on the two menu choices, there exists a significant variation between unhealthy and healthy food choices. It is worth noting that the food items do not surpass or reach half the amount of the required calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium in the first category. It implies that in the first category of food choice, the meal is safe for human consumption and does involve any fear of getting food and lifestyle disorders such as obesity, some cancers, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Also, the amount of sugar concentration in each food item in the first category (healthy meal menu) is significantly low. In the second category (unhealthy meal menu), most of their total calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium in the food items go beyond the average required quantities. An unhealthy mean menu category leaves its consumers vulnerable to lifestyle diseases. Fat and calories’ contents in that menu are significantly higher than average and are worth being cautious when consuming such food items.
SECTION B
Meals
Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime
Nutty chicken satay strips
Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime recipe
Ingredients
115g wholemeal linguine
1lime, zested, and juiced
1avocado, stoned, peeled and chopped
2large ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ pack fresh coriander, chopped
1red onion, finely chopped
1red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
Method
STEP 1
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions – about 10 mins. Meanwhile, put the lime juice and zest in a medium bowl with the avocado, tomatoes, coriander, onion, and chili, if using, and mix well.
STEP 2
Drain the pasta, toss into the bowl and mix well. Serve straight away while still warm or cold.
Nutty chicken satay strips
Ingredients
2 tbsp chunky peanut butter (without palm oil or sugar)
1garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp Madras curry powder
few shakes of soy sauce2 tsp lime juice2skinless chicken breast fillets (about 300g) cut into thick strips
about 10cm cucumber, cut into fingers
sweet chili sauce, to serve
Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas four and line a baking tray with non-stick paper.
STEP 2
Mix 2 tbsp chunky peanut butter with one finely grated garlic clove, 1 tsp Madras curry powder, a few shakes of soy sauce, and 2 tsp lime juice in a bowl. Some nut kinds of butter are thicker than others, so add a boiling water dash to get a coating consistency if necessary.
STEP 3
Add two skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into strips, and mix well. Arrange on the baking sheet, spaced apart, and bake in the oven for 8-10 mins until cooked but still juicy.
STEP 4
Eat warm with roughly 10cm cucumber, cut into fingers, and sweet chili sauce.
In the first food recipe (linguine with avocado, tomato & lime), cooking does not involve too much fat as the only is fried is pasta. Ingredients like chili, tomatoes, avocado, onion slices, and coriander are eaten raw; thus, no nutrients are lost. Also, the method of food preparation and cooking is saving time. Most nutrients are lost during the cooking process, where heat is involved. It is a healthy diet that also takes care of the flavor. It has 450 calories, 20 g fat, 4 g saturates, 49 g carbohydrates, 13 g fibre, 11 g protein, and 0.4 g salt. The second recipe (Nutty Chicken Satay Strips) is a healthy meal choice and can be served with cucumber and sweet chili sauce. The cooking method involves oven heat, and just like the first food item, the process does not include too much fat. Most of the ingredients are mixed and eaten raw, thus preserving their nutritious value. The meal takes less than 25 minutes to prepare and cook. The calorie quantities are 276, fat 10 g, saturate 2 g, carbs 3 g, sugars 2 g, fibre 2 g, Protein 41 g, and salt 0.7 g.
SECTION C
Unhealthy recipe
Honey-Sesame Chicken
Original unhealthy recipe
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup olive oil
2tablespoons sesame seeds
2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1tablespoon Sriracha sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Revised unhealthy recipe
100g honey
¼ cup ketchup
70 g olive oil
1tablespoon sesame seeds
2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
½ tablespoon Sriracha sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground ginger
0.5pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Method
Step 1.
Mix honey, ketchup, olive oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, lemon juice, Sriracha sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ginger in a bowl until well combined. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.
Step 2.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 3.
Transfer chicken and sauce into an oven-proof dish.
Step 4.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and turn chicken pieces over. Bake until chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear 5 to 8 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
List of changes in the recipe
Used 100g honey instead of 1/3 of a cup
It helps to reduce the amounts of sugar content in the food item. Too much sugar consumption can lead to diabetes.
70 g olive oil instead of ¼ cup olive oil
Our bodies require fats but in small quantities; reducing oil helps to decrease cholesterol, fat, and calories’ contents in the food item that may harm the body.
1tablespoon sesame seeds
Sesame seeds have high contents of fibre. Excessive consumption of sesame seeds lowers blood sugar and may not be the best diet for diabetic people.
½ tablespoon Sriracha sauce
Sriracha sauce contains a significant amount of sodium, garlic, and chilis that may trigger heartburn. It also contains too much acidity.
0.5pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Chicken contains a substantial amount of fat, cholesterol, calories, saturates, proteins, etc. Such excessive quantities may affect individual health.
Calories Fat Sat. Fat Sodium
Original Recipe 507 24.7 g 11 g 1255 mg
Revised Recipe 350 18 g 8 g 720 mg
Difference 157 6.7 g 3 g 535 mg
% Change 30% 27.1% 27.3% 42.6%
My revised recipe will pretty much use the same preparation method and served less like the original recipe. I did not change the ingredients; instead, I reduced the quantities of things with too many calories, saturates, fat, cholesterol, sugars, carbohydrates, and sodium. It will display the same look but will taste differently.
References
Buenfeld, S. (2020). Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime recipe – BBC Good Food. Bbcgoodfood.com. Retrieved 31 October 2020, from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/linguine-avocado-tomato-lime.
Corbishley, N. (2020). Crispy Sesame Chicken with a Sticky Asian Sauce. Nicky’s Kitchen Sanctuary. Retrieved 31 October 2020, from https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/crispy-sesame-chicken-sticky-asian-sauce/.
Julia, K. (2020). Nutty chicken satay strips recipe – Starbucks Good Food. Starbucks.com. Retrieved 31 October 2020, from https://www.starbucksgoodfood.com/recipes/nutty-chicken-sate-strips.