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  • Essay / England's oldest epic poem: Beowulf - 741

    In "Beowulf", England's oldest epic poem, we find many parallel terms for the things most commonly described. The world that created Beowulf is one of simple, straightforward morals and standards. . Trust is the basis of his characters' trials and it is the heroes who take this action without hesitation or ulterior motive. The way Beowulf and those around him deal with difficulties is nothing short of an urgent call to action. It's very rare in "Beowulf" that a discussion of the dilemmas at play doesn't end in some sort of action. The emotion and passion are there, the words used abound, but these characters have no way of finding an intellectual solution to their difficulties. The correlation between these two types of interaction is expressed very early by Hrothgar's rider, scanning the coastline. He says: “A warrior with a sharpened shield must be a judge of things, of words and deeds, if he wants to think well” (288-290). This assertion is essential to discuss the importance of discourse in war. Generally speaking, and beyond its disastrous consequences, war embodies a variety of strategies and virtues such as courage, faith and a sense of duty. Because it is an armed conflict between two or more parties in which only one wins, the connection and synchronization between warriors, the understanding of combat strategies, being one for all and all for one are fundamental. In order to achieve a common denominator, an army needs a leader who best symbolizes all of this. The way the leader transmits his knowledge to the warriors is language. Thus, it is the “treasure of words” which will encourage, stimulate and give confidence to the warriors. Here we understand the importance of Beowulf's speeches. The speeches delivered by Beo...... middle of paper ...... develop strongly in the epic, and here Beowulf comments that revenge comes before mourning for the loss of loved ones. . It also puts forward the idea of ​​continuing to take revenge on Grendel's corpse, as justified by the author by "to reward Grendel for the many storms of battle" (1577-1578). Beowulf pursues his revenge by cutting off Grendel's head, seeing the mutilation of his body as a trophy of his victory, his wish for revenge being more than necessary at this point. The epic of "Beowulf" is one of adventures and pursuit of a hero, determined to fearlessly fight against powerful enemies, save people from terrible monsters, and bring glory to himself and his lord . Such an orator, with such a "nothing can stand in my way" attitude, can only succeed in leading his people and warriors, making the epic of the same name an unforgettable read.