BEOWULF ESSAY

Compare Beowulf with a modern hero, both as characters and as symbols of the times in which both were created.  Support your thesis with at least three (3) literary techniques and three (3) textual examples that strengthen and illustrate your ideas for your readers.

The poem of Beowulf is know for the knowledge that it gives the reader about the world that it was written on. During the times that Beowulf was written, bravery, loyalty, and physical strength were highly valued. In the series of Dragon Ball, bravery, loyalty, and physical strength are also valuable. Even though these three traits are valued in both works, some difference exist between them. For example, Beowulf is in some extent arrogant while Goku  is humble. Another difference is that Beowulf is ready for a fight while Goku tries to talk things through and uses his martial arts skills as a last resource.Another difference is that Beowulf tells everyone his accomplishments to show his bravery while Goku never tells anyone he got second place in the first Budokai Tenkaichi Martial Arts Tournament when he was 12 years old.



Through the use of the theme of good versus evil, one can see the hero being described in both works. An example of this is when Beowulf fought the "monster(Grendel)wrenched and wrestled with him but  Beowulf was mindful of his mighty strength .."(1269-1270) When Beowulf goes and fight the evil beast that has been terrorizing the kingdom, he proves himself a hero to the people there. This theme can also be seen in Dragon Ball when the second Budokai Tenkaichi Martial Arts Tournament took and Piccolo was introduced. Even though Goku was only 15 years old, he did was not afraid of the cruelty of Piccolo and still fought him. In defeating him, Goku managed to save planet earth from the evil Namekian.


Through the use of symbolism, both works show that the heroes are loyal. For example, when Beowulf first met the Danishes, he symbolized hope for the people in distress. When he got there, he told the people there where he was coming from and that way, everyone knew his loyalty to his native place. In Dragon Ball, when the Crane Hermit wanted to get Goku into his academy, Goku stayed loyal to the Turtle Hermit.