Skip to main content

Hard Question - Jamie Peters

Okay, I know that we talked a little bit about the treasure gained by Beowulf in the barrow, but now I am really getting into the discussion. It seems that there are contradictory ideas concerning the weapons and treasures of the past in Beowulf. On one hand, a common theme that runs throughout the story is the tried and true ideal, the belief that since something worked so well in the past, it must still work today. There are many places where this idea is prevalent, like the armor bestowed upon Wiglaf or Beowulf's sword Naegling, which, "...infallible before that day, / failed when he unsheathed it, as it never should have" (2620-2625, 2585-2586). Like many items we in the present hold dear, like the Bible, the sword and armor featured above have gone through the test of time and succeeded; therefore, they will last forever in their owners' minds.

In contrast, all the items that had been proven true before Beowulf's time suddenly fell to pieces, disproving their theory. Furthermore, when these items failed, death was inevitable. That inevitability applied to both Beowulf and Beowulf's people because, although their hero had endured much, as soon as he died, their world was soon to follow. The reason for me pointing these things out is to try and answer the question "Did the people in this work really trust these relics of the past, or were they just objects that pointed to the inevitability of downfall?" 


I commented on Haylee Lynd's and Logan's posts.

Comments

  1. Caroline TuckerMarch 1, 2021 at 3:48 PM

    This idea is still prevalent in today’s culture and time. We, as Christians, need to remember that in the end all will fail or melt away. The only thing that will stay constant and will outlast time is God. This is something I have to remind myself constantly. I need to remind myself that all but God will fail me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. IsabelleMarch 2, 2021 at 9:19 AM

    The continuous theme of worldly things failing at the worst possible moment is prevalent in the works we are reading. Augustine's reliance on worldly pleasures and knowledge led him to misery until he converted. Everyman expected his "goods" to go with him in death. Beowulf's old and new swords break in a fights against monsters. I believe the answer to this question is worldly things will always fail. It is important to trust in the Holy Spirit instead of a trusty sword.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Aristotle Might Not Like Me...Or Jesus//Haylee Lynd

      Aristotle says that the man who does not get angry at the things he should be angry at "is thought unlikely to defend himself; and to endure being insulted and put up with insult to one's friends is slavish" (Aristotle 41). While he states that passivity is preferred to excessive anger, he still gives great criticism to it.  In contrast to Aristotle, the man who Christians believe to be the most just is Jesus who states in Matthew 5:39-40, "...do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well." Essentially, arguing that one is not to respond in anger when insulted or hurt, to not defend one's self. Most individual's are unable to achieve this. Our natural instinct is to defend ourselves, especially in physical cases. However, Christians strive to be like Jesus in this way. I would also argue that it is a very admirable wa...
2 comments
Read more

Oedipus’ Children/Siblings—Lily Caswell

Ok, so Oedipus is a bit of a train wreck to say the least. I love the fact that even after Oedipus found out about his less-than-appealing relationship with his mother, he still tried to look after his children/siblings. After he gouged his eyes out, his children came to him at which point Oedipus talked about how that when they were old enough to marry, no one would want them due to them being products of incest. He said for the people not to condemn them based on what their father had done. Even after he knew what he had done and what his children were, he still wanted the best for them. I commented on Logan’s and Ian’s posts.
3 comments
Read more

A Man with Self-Control? - Clabo

Throughout all of the ancient epics, the Aeneid has always been my favorite. I have always found Aeneas to be a virtuous warrior, and I was even reminded of this fact within the first three books. The main point that stands out to me is when Aeneas sees Helen hiding during the fall of Troy. He is overcome with anger and wants to kill her because she is one of the main reasons that the war started in the first place. However, he is patient and listens to his mother, Venus, and just decides to leave. I feel that if Achilles was placed in that same position, a goddess would not have even had the time to approach him before he had already killed her. Another thing that find impressive in Aeneas's character is the fact that is always slow to act whether it be in listening to the gods advice or even letting a Greek straggler on to his ship. Aeneas, to me, is the perfect example of a man who pursues virtue instead of glory.   This is just my opinion. What are your thoughts? P.S. I co...
6 comments
Read more