Recent orders
Beowulf is a unique character who shows positive sides like selflessness and strong spit when faced with any challenge
Name
Professor
Course
Date
Question 1
Beowulf is a unique character who shows positive sides like selflessness and strong spit when faced with any challenge. Character flaw in Beowulf is seen in many instances where his missions distracted by external forces that obscures his focus. First, Beowulf appears to have his eyes set on what he perceives as a journey that takes him to adopt feelings of passion and empathy in his actions. He fails to confront real issues and is easily drawn into many paths that only wears him out and makes him lose focus of his mission. Beowulf like many hero characters has a character flaw that is drawn from the way he portrays many sies that worsens when confronted with a dilemma. He has few character flaws, but his biggest and fatal flaw is his hubris. The extreme self-pride and arrogance led him to fight monsters with his bare hands and even take on a dragon in his old age, when he was no longer able to win such battles. This flaw doesn’t diminish Beowulf’s status as an epic hero.
First, Beowulf is seen as a selfless person who is ready to sacrifice his own life and pleasures to see others live peacefully. On the other hand, he is seen to overdo his mission where he declines to take one task at a time. This is in itself a weakness that his enemies capitalize on to show opposition and even defeat him that only portrays Beowulf’s character flaw. “Do not grieve, wise warrior! It is better for each man That he avenge his friend than to mourn him much. Each of us must accept the end of life here in this world.” Beowulf is considered an epic hero because his bravery has won many battles. This bravery also makes him a tragic hero because he is a great man with the tragic flaw of pride, which leads to his death.
Question 2
Hamlet as a double-sided character is perceived as hard to understand person by his friends and enemies. In his capacity, he seems as calm but he is also hard to predict in the way he acts and reasons. Many who lived close to him regard him as a man who is slow to anger but sometimes acts with no warning when he senses betrayal. These traits became evident when confronted with a hard choice of his father’s ghosts and even in sending Gildenstern to death. First Hamlet, delays seeking the revenge his father’s ghost demands in killing Claudius; on the other hand, he shows no hesitation when accidentally killing Polonius or sending Rosencrantz and Gildenstern to their deaths. Being a man of two sides, Hamlet portrays a very unique trait that makes many of his peers refer him as a volatile and calm character.
Hamlet is man of radical contradictions as he is hard to understand in the way he acts and reasons. He is sometimes calm but can also be violent particularly when he has an issue that threatens him or his close relatives. “Frailty, thy name is woman”; incest, commenting that his mother moved “with such dexterity to incestuous sheets” Hamlet believes that to solve a problem, two sides of thinking must come at play and this is seen in the way he addresses the threats from Rosencrantz and Gildenstern. Being hard to predict Hamlet’s actions makes it hard for those who relate to him even offer advice to him and this even pours down to the way he solves his challenges. Hamlet emerged as an epoch-making figure, an enigma through whom Shakespeare dramatized the struggle of the modern subject to find a path through the suffocating thickets of moral, personal, and political existence.
Question 3
Oroonoko as a fictional man of action takes many forms and sides that makes his traits hard to crack. He perceives life in a different direction where he perceives that inclusive ideologies override the people’s ability to reason and think critically. On the ither hand, Fredrick Douglass as a man of intellect appears to be very orderly and perceives life as a serious journey that deserves all the effort. Both characters have their own perception and traits that defines them inwardly and outwardly. Looking at Oroonoko, it is clear that he represents a figure of authority, one that despite his race will have power over others. On the other hand, Douglass approaches and prefers solving conflicts through a sober manner that seeks all sides to agree on a common goal. Both characters show different sides both in trait and their approach to issues. Oroonoko has little sympathy and appear to be very authoritative than Douglass. The major difference between Oroonoko and Douglass is that the two characters portray a divided notion about problems with Oroonoko being more rigid than Douglass.
Another compelling outlook of Dougalss is that he portrays wisdom in his choices and actions. First, Douglass observes the divisions and hatred that exists in the society as the main cause of the problems that face the people. In his capacity, Douglass offers wise choices and does not force his way to get whatever he wants. This is very contrary in Oroonoko’s case as his approach to life is full of authority and lacks the real capacity to offer solutions. In Oroonoko’s case, there is deep betrayal and lack of coherent approach to issues that face the society.
Question 4
Character flaw is one of the common elements that define many fictional characters who are mostly perceived as heroes. The issue of character flaw appears to override the mission focus of many fictional characters that defines the mission’s success of these heroes. In most instances, character flaw is regarded as a weakness that many heroes fail to notice that ends up becoming their downfall. Most of heroes possess a character flaw that denies them the success they seek in the journey and this even leads to their fall. To add on this, the character flaw is sometimes overlooked that leads to the decline of the hero’s push for a diverse and inclusive focus to his mission. For example, Beowulf as one of the key heroes is seen to be possessed with pride that overrides his focus in the mission.
One thing that stands clear is that character flaws among many heroes like Beowulf is always a force that many ignore but greatly impedes their success. The case of Beowulf is a clear example of character flaw in a hero that makes most heroes downplay the advice they get that in turns leads to their downfall. The statement by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Show me a hero, and I’ll show you a tragedy” holds weight and appears true as this issue is replicated in most heroes like Beowulf. Beowulf is full of pride and hardly takes time to reconsider his mistakes that in turn leads to the difficulties he faces in his journey.
.
Beowulf represents an Old English heroic poem with an anonymous writer that dates back between 8th and 11th century
HEROISM
by Student’s Name
Course
Professor’s Name
Institution
City, State
Date
Heroism
Type of text
Poem
Title of the text and its Source
Beowulf poem dates back to 8th century
Composer of Text
Anonymous
Medium of production
Oral tradition
Summary
Beowulf represents an Old English heroic poem with an anonymous writer that dates back between 8th and 11th century. Gummere (2007) recounts the poem citing the rein of King Hrothgar who had successfully flourished the kingdom, but suffered casualties of his people each night through a demon-like monster. The Dane (Danish) kingdom had suffered for more than 12 years the terror of Grendel a gigantic man-like demon that resides in swamplands within Hrothgar’s kingdom. Beowulf a young Geatish warrior hears of Hrothgar plight and sails with fourteen finest men to fight Grendel. On arrival, the king prepared a feast for Beowulf and his men for coming to their rescue. In the middle of the night, Grendel angered by the celebratory mood of the party emerges and kills a man before reaching Beowulf. Beowulf fights Grendel unarmed and proves to be stronger than the monster, which becomes terrified. While Grendel tries to escape, Beowulf tears his arm off and mortally injures him as he slinks to the swamp to die. Grendel’s mother who lives in an isolated lake hears about the death of his son and vows revenge. She kills Aeschere who is one of the trusted advisers of the king and Beowulf plans to revenge. He and his men travel to the foggy swamp where Beowulf dives in, fights with Grendel’s mother and kills her with a sword meant for a giant. He also finds Grendel corpse and cuts its head and brings it to the Danish people who celebrate the end of their terror. Beowulf returns to Geatland to his king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd respectively. Over time, Hygelac and his son get killed in the war and Beowulf becomes king. He rules with strength and harmony bringing peace to Geatland for many years. When he becomes an old man, one day a robber disturbs a barrow that had been hiding a dragon. The dragon comes out and in a few days he destroys and unleashes destruction in Geats. Even though Beowulf knows he is old and about to die, he goes after the dragon and succeeds in killing it. However, the dragon bites him on the neck before dying and the venom kills Beowulf who is celebrated by his people and given a king’s burial. The purpose of Beowulf poem was to emphasize the Anglo-Saxons culture and their values. The traditional Saxon society promoted the values of heroism and strength of warriors to support the king in protecting the people. The audience of the poem is the traditional Anglo-Saxon as well as the Scandinavian people to recognize heroic deeds (Gummere 2007).
Relation to Heroism
Legendary heroes refer to individuals that exceed ordinary people in terms of skill, strength and courage. However, courage or strength is not the only terms that refer to heroism. The people who possess moral bravery such as those who risk their lives or reputations to do a good deed, as opposed to what is normally popular are known as heroes. Heroism in Beowulf is depicted by Beowulf who shows great strength and courage to face monsters. He puts his life at stake to defend the people of Dana and even his own people. He has moral courage that involves risking his own life to protect is people from the dragon. Even when he knows he is too old and almost near his death, Beowulf rushes to fight the dragon that is unleashing destruction in Geatland (Gummere 2007, p. 34).
Language and Features
Beowulf has employed a third person narration and a present tense sequence of events. The use of personification such as “on the breast of the boat, the breaker-of-rings,” creates a dramatic flow of the story. Beowulf includes features of symbols to accentuate the characters of the poem. The Golden Torque is a collar that Wealhtheow wife of Hrothgar offers to Beowulf as a symbol of loyalty and trust between Danish people and Geats. Beowulf gave Hygelac the golden torque and he died in war with it and this signifies the continuity of kinship between the two. The Banquet that is prepared after the defeat of Grendel shows the reinstatement of peace and order among the Danish community (Gummere 2007, p. 67).
Context
The Beowulf poem is recounted at the period when the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian people conquered the island of Britain and settled in the place for many years. They brought with them several related Germanic languages that later evolved to form the Old English. The story of Beowulf was set around 500 A.D. in the time before the migration. The element of the poem features the role of warriors in this ancient community and the amplification of expected behaviors in the society (Gummere 2007).
Comparison
Beowulf and The Old Man and the Sea are similar in that the protagonists portray heroism. Beowulf decided to risk his own life to protect the people of Dana from monsters and even at old age he went after a dragon and died protecting his people. Santiago from The Old Man and the Sea shows heroism as he decides not to give up and ventures into deep waters to fish. The marlin fish he catches tries to escape and even though it was stronger and causing damage to his hands, he persevered until he killed it (Kammer, 1995).
Task 2
The passage occurs deep in the sea as the old man Santiago begins to head home. The sharks had eaten the marlin fish he had caught and after fighting with them for several hours he became tired. The sharks devoured the entire fish and only the skeleton remained and he ignored them as he sailed home through the night. The old man decides that he made a mistake going too deep into the ocean because the sea is dangerous. He makes a vow to sail home to get some sleep and concludes the sailing deep into the ocean is not advisable. The marlin fish he caught is devoured by sharks through the night. Only the fish’s skeleton remains and it is the only thing that he manages to go home with after the adventure (Kammer, 1995, p. 40).
Hemmingway makes use of personification to accentuate and emphasize the points in the story. The personification element in the story allows the reader to get a deeper meaning of the text and become engaged in the story. He cites, “The wind is our friend, anyway, he thought” which is personification that adds tone to the prose. Hemingway is conveying the idea that he understands he has come from a battle and he is glad to be going home. The wind was blowing in a direction that allowing the boat to sail smoothly to the shore. The personification in the passage shows that the old man felt gratitude to have come from a successful battle and desired to get some rest. He uses the words to indicate that he realized that sailing deep into the sea was not a wise decision because of the many dangers, but he was glad to have met the marlin fish (Kammer, 1995).
The passage shows heroism because the old man understood that he had been defeated by the sharks that consumed the marlin. He realized that the safest idea would be to sail home, rest and prepare for another day of fishing. The old man knew that even though he managed to kill the marlin, it was too big to lift in the boat and could not deter the sharks from eating it. He made a wise decision to let the sharks finish the marlin carcass while he heads home safely. The quality of courage is revealed in the passage as the old man manages to catch a marlin fish which was huge in size. The theme of wisdom also appears in the passage when the old man makes the decision that sailing deep into the sea is a dangerous venture. The language of wisdom is portrayed as he says “I went out too far” to insinuate that he knows how to make the right decision in future (Kammer, 1995, p. 48).
Task 3
I agree that a hero represents an ordinary person who is able to find courage to endure even when faced with obstacles. A hero means a person of great character, strength, skills, wisdom and determination. However, a hero is not described by courage and strength because moral bravely also makes a person a champion. In ordinary world, people can be heroes in various spheres of life. This means people who have the ability to go beyond what society expects of them to protect or assist people in need. For example, a woman who finds an abandoned child and makes a home for him/her represents heroism. Despite the obstacles of limited resources, food, and shelter such a woman shows perseverance and compassion for others. In this way, ordinary people represent heroes in many ways such as offering help to a friend in need, reporting crimes, and taking care of the elderly (Kammer, 1995).
For example, from the story of The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago represents an ordinary man who becomes a hero. He knows that going deeper into the ocean offers the chance to catch fish even after going many days without a catch. He does not give up because circumstances have become tough, but instead uses it as a challenge to forge ahead. He ventures into the deep waters and catches a big marlin that proves hard to control. However, even with the obstacle of having less strength compared to the fish, the old man does not give in to defeat. The marlin pulls the boat deeper into the ocean and the old man refuses to let it go. He perseveres even as his hands begin to breed from the pressure caused by the fishing rope he is using to hold on to the marlin. He spends more than three days into the deep ocean waiting for the right moment to overcome the marlin fish. In this way, Santiago shows qualities of strength, courage, honor and bravery even though he is just an old man. He resolves that “man is not made for defeat . . . man can be destroyed but not defeated” which indicates that even though he faces many obstacles, he does not give up. The story of The Old Man and the Sea teaches that a hero is a person who does not give up even in trying times. It shows that ordinary people can be heroes depending on the decisions they choose to take. If a person faces obstacles and cowers instead of finding a solution, he/she does not portray heroism (Kammer, 1995, p. 48).
Additionally, heroes as ordinary men go beyond their normal duties even risking their lives to assist others. In most cases, such a person may be afraid or terrified in doing a task, but finds the strength and courage to persevere. A major difference between a hero and a villain is signified by concern for others. People who are selfish and uncaring cannot be considered heroes. For example, if one meets a person wounded in an accident and does not offer any assistance for fear of using personal resources, this shows cowardice. Individuals that choose to put other people’s needs ahead of their own shows courage, and requires recognition as heroes. In this way, one can only care about others if he/she has compassion in his heart to want to help others. In others words, it is the will to give up personal comfort and desires in order to secure the life of another individual. This compassion goes beyond family members and extended to strangers who may require assistance (Gummere 2007).
For instance, from the story Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf shows heroic attributes when he offers to help the people of Dana kill a monster. Beowulf risks own life because he feels that he has the talents and will to destroy the monster that terrorizes the people. He does not hesitate to contact King Hrothgar and offers his help without expecting anything in return. He faces the monsters Grendel and his mother with courage and determination until he prevails. Beowulf also shows that he can risk his own life to save others. When he becomes a king who is old and about to die, a dragon begins to terrorize his own people at Geatland. He knows that he is about to die and does not have the same strength as before, but he still goes after the dragon. He manages to kill the dragon and also loses his own life to protect his people. Beowulf represents a man who put the needs of others before his own desires and rejoices at the thought of protecting the people. He has love for others even though they are not his family members or his own people, Beowulf cares about their security. The poem cites, “… must be skilled to sever and sunder duly” to indicate that courage means power (Gummere 2007).
Bibliography
Kammer, P 1995, The old man and the sea, Munich, Hueber Verlag.
Gummere, F 2007, Beowulf, Minnesota, Wilder Publications.
Benefits of Facebook
Name:
Instructor:
Subject;
Date:
Social network is a term used to describe a system composed of individuals or organizations with a common interest of friendship, communication, advertisement, sharing knowledge and networking. Some of the present social networks include Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook among others. Facebook forms one of the major social networks in the world with over 800 million subscribers. Facebook’s operations are primarily dependent on the internet, where it offers the platform on which it operates (Cragun et al. 83).
Facebook’s operation is straightforward. One only needs to provide a valid email address for registration in order to create an account. One then fills in personal details such as where one lives, works or attended school. The network uses to notify users of any activities taking place in their accounts such as new messages, friend requests, comments or latest news around the globe. People can share their ideas, feelings or recent happenings in their lives. Other people get to comment and make their views on the person’s status update.
Joining Facebook has various benefits. It connects people by enhancing communication as it offers means of keeping in touch through means such as messages, pictures and chatting. It also gives people a chance to market their businesses, keep in touch with their clients and make new ones (Cragun et al. 83). Facebook is also a form of entertainment where one can upload photos, music and videos. They can also download and listen to music, view their friend’s photos and use different applications such as ‘hug-me’.
One does not always gain by joining Facebook. By joining Facebook, one loses privacy as they share personal information publicly with different people. People may want to intrude one’s life so endangering it. Facebook has an impact on people’s syntax and language since it distorts it. The language used in Facebook is redundant and uses the short-form of words such as ‘c u’ to mean see you, ‘l8er’ to mean later, among other forms of words. This can have a negative impact on one’s verbal and written communication.
Work Cited
Cragun, Ryan, Cragun, Deborah, et al. Introduction to Sociology. Alabama: Blacksleet River (n.d.). Print.