The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

It is undoubtedly obvious how lonely and pessimistic J. Alfred Prufrock is in this poem. He has never been in love nor is it likely that he will ever be in love, which is what makes the title of the poem ironic to most people. However you could look at it saying that not all love songs are happy and some are about loneliness and yearning for love, so his love song may be referring to his life and his search for love. Part of Prufrock’s problem is it’s not just that he is lonely, it’s that he despises and judges women. Twice throughout the poem he repeats the line in the room the women come and go talking of Michelangelo which is his way of saying that these women are trying to act sophisticated and smart when they really have no idea about any of Michelangelo’s work which makes them look stupid to Prufrock. It would probably help him if he didn’t surround himself with young incompetent women. Prufrock appears to only see the negative side of himself and the life around him. This has to do with the complete lack of confidence he has in him self. He states that he is too bald and thin for the women to like him and that women with brown hair are very unattractive. He makes excuses about why he can’t be loved and why he doesn’t love them so he doesn’t have to actually put himself out there.

One of the many allusions in this poem is (line 111-112) No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do. Hamlet and Prufrock are both hesitant and indecisive men. Earlier in the poem Prufrock went back and forth on whether or not to this meeting place with all the women and tried to convince himself he shouldn’t, just as Hamlet had done when plotting to kill his father. Ironically enough however he compares himself to an attendant lord instead, alluding to Polonius. Polonius is an advisor to the king who goes on these big long rants with big important sounding words which ends up being a long way of saying something that could be short and decisive. If anything I think the women who are talking about Michelangelo should be compared to Polonius, since they are talking in a way about something that just makes them sound good.

"Not My Best Side"

In this poem the characters are not what you are expecting them to be in the traditional sense. Dragons are supposed to be fire-breathing ferocious creatures however here, the dragon has no interest in killing the maiden or causing any harm, instead he is more worried about how good he looked in the portrait. Maidens are supposed to wish to be rescued and fall in love with their knight in shinning armor, while in this story the maiden finds her self attracted to this green, scaly dragon and she really wants nothing to do with the knight. The knight who would usually be looking to save the maiden so they could go live happily ever after, instead looks at rescuing her as a job and really doesn’t care to do anything with her.

All of these ideas and character roles tie into the idea that this really isn’t their best sides. They disgrace the idea of a traditional fairytale character. At first when you read the name of the title and the dragon’s point of view you assume it is referring to the dragon who was so worried about them getting his best side for the portriat. But then you read on and if you think about it that really isn’t the case. Every thing we thought we knew about the traditional “fairytale” is completely skewed in this story. All of the characters are not playing the roles that they traditionally should be which is exactly what the title, “Not My Best Side,” suggests.

Lying in a Hammock

1. 1)There is a possible wanderer laying on a farm that isn’t his. He can hear cowbells fading into the distance as he is watching the sunset. It is most likely summer time because of the blazing hot horse droppings. Then a hawk flies over his head and he states that he has wasted his life.

2. 2)We know that it isn’t his farm that he is on. That he is possibly a wanderer because of all the free time he has, because normally on a farm there is no time to relax on a hammock, it is usually pretty busy. And we know that he doesn’t feel like he has accomplished anything in his life or like that last line reads that he has wasted his life.

3. 3)We know it isn’t his farm because the title suggests it. We can kind of figure out he is a wanderer because normally on a farm there is no time to relax in a hammock, it is usually pretty busy.

4. 4)That he has a lot of free time and that he is laying in a hammock on a farm that isn’t his.

5. 5)Everything is really colorful. He uses a lot of his senses in the poem such as sight, sound, possibly smelling the horse droppings and he can feel the breeze.

6. 6)He looks around him and notices all of colorful life around him and he feels like he has wasted his life and that it may not be as colorful and alive as everything else around him.

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(2341-2344) “After many trials he was destined to face the end of his in this mortal world; as was the dragon, for all his long leasehold on the treasure.”

Once again this shows that Beowulf is fated to face the Dragon and die. However here it tells you that the dragon too is fated to die during the battle. Both creatures here are having to give up something they have been protecting for a very long time. (people and the treasure) which reinforces Beowulf’s connection to Jesus and the fact that he is dieing for his people.

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(2743-2746) “Go now quickly…feast your eyes on the hoard.”

Beowulf wanted to see the treasure he gained for his people by killing the dragon before he dies, so he can receive fulfillment as king, in addition to the fulfillment he received as a warrior when he killed the dragon. Unfortunately Beowulf ended up being, in a sense, only a useful warrior in his final battle because he killed the dragon and saved the people from evil, but then to honor him his people buried the treasure with him and didn’t use it. So him dieing for the cause of a noble king, and trying to leave the Geat people well off after he was gone backfired, but he did die a memorable warrior.

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(2369-2379) “There Hygd offered him throne and Authority…as the ruler of Geatland.”

When Beowulf refuses here I think he is really showing the qualities of a good king. He refuses because he knows that he wont be able to pass up the chance to fight the dragon one day and when that day came he knew that that would most likely be his last battle and he didn’t want to leave the Geats king-less. He thought it would be better to have a king and great warrior two person duo, instead of both just being one man. It was a good idea on his part, except that Hygd really didn’t make a good king which is why his father handed Beowulf the sword and asked him to fill his shoes when he passed.

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(3131-3133) “ They pitched the dragon…take the treasure-minder.”

When they pitched the dragon they threw him in the water which most likely ties back into the connection that the water is the gateway to hell or that the depths of the sea is the underworld. And since the monsters represent evil that is probably where they came from to begin with so they are sending their bodies back where they came from, kind of like a slap in the face to the devil. Along with the dragon’s connection to the water, Grendel lived in the swaps which means he was living a mix of below water and on earth which fits in perfectly with his exile terms; far enough away from civilization (life) but not close enough to solitude (hell).

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The idea that a DRAGON kills Beowulf

All monsters represent evil and chaos. So it makes sense that it’s a monster that defeats Beowulf. It’s most likely a dragon because they are huge and feared greatly because of their size. Its fitting that the greatest warrior defeats one of the biggest monsters. Beowulf killed many monsters throughout his life, and kept 50 years of peace and then there is this Dragon that needs to be killed. So in a sense this is Beowulf’s time to die. He was known for being the best warrior so he needed to go out with a bang. And he needed his last act of bravery and courage to be killing an overwhelmingly intimidating beast. And I think he went into the fight against the dragon accepting the fact that he would not come out and counting on dieing.

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(3115-3116) “Now shall flame consume out leader in battle”

There is irony here, after you finish the poem. (or unless fielding tells you before you read it). Because Beowulf is burned for his funeral and he was killed by a fire breathing dragon.

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(3088-3090) “Often when one man follows his own will many are hurt.”

This plays into the idea of Beowulf thinking he was being a good king by going into battle (which he knew he was going to die), when in fact he probably did more harm then good. By not setting up his people for life with out him as a king and the great warrior he was, they had no protection. The only thing they could have gained from this was the treasure that the dragon was hoarding and they could have only be used as bargaining, not really protection. Because they could have paid the invaders off but once they got the treasure they could have invaded and taken over anyway. but none of that even matters because the people buried all the treasure with Beowulf anyway.

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(470-472) “Finally I Healed the Feud by paying: I shipped a treasure to the Wulfings and Ecgtheow acknowledged me with oaths of allegiance.”

This is an example of Wergeld. Which is exactly that, a payment made to the family of a slain man by his killer or the killer’s family as compensation, atonement, and to avoid reprisals. Ironically enough in some instances (not this one) the family doesn’t pay enough and a war happens anyway. So they give up all their treasure and then have to fight anyway. These medieval times definitely had some strange traditions.

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(1529-1530) “Hygelac’s kinsman kept thinking about his name and fame: he never lost heart.”

They are getting you to think about what it is that drives Beowulf to keep fighting, and its his reputation that is on the line. He doesn’t fight for treasure and wealth and reward, he just wants fame and to be looked up to by all, which is a reward all in its own. Which is why in the end of the poem, Wiglaf says that Beowulf kills the dragon because reputation and record was all that mattered to Beowulf and since he died protecting his people, he at least deserved to be remembered from his last battle as the warrior he had been his whole life.

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(244-251) “Nor have I seen a mightier man-at arms on this earth than the one standing here: unless I am mistaken, he is truly noble. This is no mere hanger-on in a hero’s armour.”

This is saying that Beowulf is a true warrior and hero all the way down to his core. You can kind of just tell by looking at him. There are warriors and “heroes” that are just fake but they know he is the real deal. This could connect to the idea of purity and that he is pure all the way through, like Jesus. And, like Jesus, people just know and can sense that he is good and there to give you what you need.

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Theme of Fate

Every one is going to die eventually and that’s the way it is. In Beowulf it is suggested throughout the poem that God decides peoples fate. Whether they be exiled for life, king, a great warrior, a coward, it doesn’t matter. The point is no matter what you think your life is going to turn out like you have no control, God does. Beowulf that if God hasn’t decided your fate for you you can decide it for yourself. But the only problem with that is you are born with your fate, from the moment you take your first breath your fate is set, and there is no changing it.

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(2464) “He was helplessly placed to set to rights the wrong committed…”

Here the narrator injects the idea of Beowulf being a Jesus like figure again. Which is a very perfect and believable reference. Jesus died for people sins even though he really didn’t really have a choice, it was just what needed to be done. Just as Beowulf for some reason didn’t have the greatest desire to fight the dragon but he knew he needed to in order to protect the people. Both men dieing for the greater good for the people.

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(3006) “He worked for the people, but as well as that he behaved like a hero.”

This is in a sense pointing out whether or not Beowulf made a good king. Yes, he was a great warrior and he was able to make things better for the Geats, but his pride and inability to back down from a fight ended up costing him his life at the end of this epic. Which in the long run cost the Geats warriors because the younger warriors in training never got a chance to prepare and “practice,” or learn the ways of battle. So even though he was ale to protect the people for a little while because he was a great warrior, he wasn’t able to protect them for a long time because he was a very selfish fighter.

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(2497) “I marched ahead of him, always there at the front of the line; and I shall fight like that for as long as I live…”

Beowulf knows he isn’t going to come back from this battle. Just as Jesus knew he was going to die. (again Beowulf a Jesus figure). But this also ties into the fact that Beowulf is a great warrior, and a warrior before a king. He decides to put his duties as a warrior ahead of his kingly duties. He figures that if he is going to die it might as well be dieing for his people so he can receive endless praise and glory because he will be remembered so highly. But more then his desire for glory, for a moment anyway I think he did it for his people, to protect them. I say for a moment because by him, their main line of defense as king and the best warrior, going into battle knowing he was going to die was not well thoughtout. He didn’t take the time to prepare other warriors and make them great or make sure the people would be protected after he was gone. This was an attempt at being a noble king but was shadowed by his needs as a warrior to fight.

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Theme of Religion

This theme can very confusing and intermixed at times. The story is told in early medieval times which is pegan as well as late medieval times which was Christian. There are clear differences throughout the story but in a way it makes for a more versatile epic. The interesting thing that the narrator does though, is makes Beowulf pagan, and at the same time makes him have major trust in and connection to God (Christian context.)

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(2345) “Yet the prince of rings was too proud to line up with the large army.”

Beowulf’s pride is his tragic flaw. He takes too much, for lack of a better word, pride in his pride. He constantly needs to fight for it. And because his pride is such a big part of him it tends to cloud his judgment sometimes and makes him do irrational things. Although since it is his pride and need for fame and glory that drives him to fight the monsters it may be argued that those “flaws” are what made Beowulf so popular today. Having an epic hero die in a battle against a dragon makes for a pretty exciting poem.

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(2209) “…grew old and wise as warden of the land…”

This is once again slightly hinting toward the fact the Beowulf really wasn’t the best “King” necessarily but rather a good warden. He was there as a ruler of the land but he didn’t fall under the expectations of a regular king. Being a Warden meant fighting off evil and taking things into his own hands instead of having warriors do it for him, because after all, Beowulf is a warrior, not a king. He is torn when he becomes king because it isn’t the king’s place to fight battles, but it is warriors’ duties. And since he truly enjoys being a warrior then he feels obligated to fight. He probably also thinks he is protecting his people by fighting because he is supposedly one of he best warriors so he is their best line of defense.

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(3074) “Yet Beowulf’s gaze at the treasure when he first saw it had not been selfish.”

Beowulf doesn’t care about treasure, money and wealth, all the cares bout is fame and glory (and his honor and pride.) Unfortunately for him, had he lived through the defeat of the dragon, he would have most likely distributed the treasure throughout the people which, in their eyes, would have finally made him a good king.

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(2141) “…my time had not come yet.”

The reconnects with the idea of Beowulf being a Jesus like figure and the idea that God choosing peoples’ fate. God supposedly choose Beowulf to be king and an amazing warrior and so God gets to decide when Beowulf’s time is done.

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Beowulf ripping Grendel’s arm off

Beowulf loves fighting and killing monsters because of all the fame and glory he gets from his people. But I feel when he tears off Grendel’s arm, well for one he knows he is going to die, and on some level he probably gets praise from Grendel. After a life of being an exile and being an outcast death is probably a happy ending for Grendel because there will never be happiness on earth for him. Maybe in the after life he might finally be accepted.

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(2890) “A warrior will sooner die than live a life of shame.”

Yet again this connects into the idea of the fact that warriors are warriors to seek honor and glory and defend their pride. It is disgraceful for a warrior to run from a battle, like the warriors did at the end (which they were then punished). Which once again ties even further into the idea that God chooses people’s fate. So it was probably their fate to run away from the battle in the first place. Basically whatever actions people do they say is what God intended them to do, and it was God’s fate for them (which I think is bogus.)

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(2626) “…enter the line of battle with his lord, his first time to be tested as a fighter. His spirit did not break…”

This statement correlates with the fact that Wiglaf and Beowulf are fearless. The two warriors would never flee from battle, not only because it was there job to stay and fight, but because they found enjoyment fighting and protecting their king. It was all about the fame and glory for these two men. They were both meant to be warriors, not king. So they always feared that if the king would die they would have to take his place and they wouldn’t be able to be careless warriors anymore (even though Beowulf continued to be careless).

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(2096) “And although he got away to enjoy life’s sweetness a while longer…”

This is insanely ironic because there is nothing that even comes close to sweet at the end of Grendel’s life. Not only does he have to live through the embarrassment of getting his arm ripped off by a man but mix that will a whole life of torture from God because of being exiled and you have got a terrible ending. However because of being de-limbed Beowulf may know that Grendel is going to die soon which may be sweet through Beowulf’s eyes.”

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(3100) “His worth and due as a warrior were the greatest.”

Once again here they are reinforcing the fact that Beowulf was worth more as a warrior then he was as a king. He did influence his people in a good way as a warrior though. He inspired them to be great and fearless warriors and since others were afraid of him, he brought peace to his people since they knew they were safe.

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(2139) “…a gem-studded sword in the Geat treasury. This laid on Beowulf’s lap and then rewarded him…”

The sword here represents something bigger; Hygelac’s trust. The reason it is given to Beowulf is because Hygelac is “giving his trust to Beowulf,” or putting his trust in him. Which means Hygelac knows that Beowulf is going to be king very soon and that he will need it to get him through many battles, as it has done for him. It’s the King’s way of telling Beowulf that he trusts him to take over his people when he passes. Which really means something, since he gives the sword to Beowulf and not his own son.

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(3012) “…it was bought at a heavy cost…”

This line plays into the controversy over who actually defeated the dragon. Wiglaf isn’t actually referring to the death of Beowulf, but the cost of his record. Beowulf was a legend and hero and if the record shows that he not only received help from Wiglaf, but Wiglaf was the one who actually caused the fatal blow toward the dragon making it a super easy kill. Not only is Beowulf’s record ruined, it also means that he died an easy battle making him not the best warrior.

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Theme of Courage

Courage is what separates great warriors of bad ones. In order to go into battle you have to go in willing to accept the fact that you may not come out. But at the same time you have to be in defiance to death and not let it be an option. So basically you need to think you were invincible, which was exactly what Beowulf’s attitude was. He knew someday he would be defeated, and when that day come (day of the dragon) he knew before it happened and he just accepted it and made peace with it thinking he was dieing for the greater good. It takes immense courage to be able to go into battle knowing you are going to die.

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(1191-1196) “The cup was carried to him…a wealth of wrought gold graciously bestowed arm bangles…the most resplendent torque of gold I ever heard tell of anywhere on earth or under heaven.”

The exchanges of wealth and treasures between warriors help strengthen their alliances and relationships. Here, Beowulf is given treasures form King Hrothgar. After sailing home to Geatland, Beowulf gives his rewards to his own king, Hygelac. Who then gives Beowulf treasures from his own stockpile.

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(2921) “Nor do I expect peace or pact-keeping of any sort from the Swedes.”

Note here that Wiglaf actually used to be a Swede before he joined Beowulf, which means that he knows the battle tactics of the Swedes and he would be able to have an idea of how they might go about taking over another country. Unfortunately when the Swedes invade they end up taking over the Geats anyway. Him being a former Swede might also play into the fact that he hasn’t won the respect from the Geat Warriors yet which means they probably wont listen to him in battle, which is a recipe for disaster. The warriors not respecting or listening to him may also have to do with their dedication to Beowulf.

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(2860-2861) “Then a stern rebuke was bound to come from the young warrior to the ones who had been cowards.”

Here, after Beowulf’s death, Wiglaf scolds and lectures the other Geat lords for their lack of courage. Not only did it look bad that Beowulf was the only one brave enough to fight the dragon then he died and there was no other lords or warriors there except Wiglaf. This shows the lack of strength and courage in the other lords and shows weakness.

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(2948) “No one could miss their murderous feuding.”

Fueds are not uncommon during this tim period, in fact they are part of the culture. There are really only two examples in this epic where there isn’t any feuding is when the people are to afraid of someone (Grendel and Beowulf). They were afraid they would attack their country/people. Ironically enough when Grendel takes over Heorot, it is actually peaceful between the warriors (while Grendel is ruling not killing people).

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(2677-2680) “Inspired again by the thought of glory, the war-king threw his whole strength behind a sword-stroke and connected with the skull.”

Beowulf loves feeling glory and it is what drives him to continuously achieve succees in his killings. He enjoys the feeling of glory and fame so much that he must keep killing so he keeps receiving it.

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(1279-1287) “She came to Heorot…Her onslaught was less only by as much as an Amazon warriors strength is less than an armed man’s…its hammered edge and gleaming blade slathered in blood, razes the sturdy boar-ridge off a helmet.”

Beowulf’s 2^nd battle is supposed to be more difficult then his first (grendel). However it turns out that Grendel’s mother is weaker then Grendel. Even so, in this passage, the narrator is reminding us just how vicious and still unbelievabley strong she is. In the passage she is compared to an Amazon, which relates to female warriors (in greek mythology). So there is an idea here that it was harder to fight Grendel because he was like fighting a male warrior whereas fighting Grendel’s mom was obviously like fighting a female warrior. Even though she is a girl, I don’t think her gender plays a part in her slaughtering at the end of this passage.

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(572-573) “Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked.”

The narrator reminds us that God chooses our fate. However in this passage Beowulf argues that if your fate hasn’t been decided for you yet, that it is possible to succeed through pure nerve and courageous behavior. This is Beowulf’s hope at least, considering it doesn’t really work out for him at the end.

Alas!!! internet!!

Got a hotel with internet finally!! sorry they are soooo late! (i understand if i dont get full credit, i should have had them done by last friday before i left so i could post them. the 7 hours on the ferry just seemed so perfect, and it was! i got them all done!)

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(938) “But now a man, with the Lord’s assistance…”

This reinforces the idea that Beowulf was chosen by God. It, once again, shows that Beowulf is a Jesus or priest like figure. Him being more Priest like is more believable because he kills Grendel and other monsters but Jesus was not a man of violence and would never murder anyone. In addition to this, Beowulf has the assistance from God, which ultimately makes him invincible and undefeatable.

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(144) “Grendel ruled in defiance of right, one against all…”

Grendel ruling on defiance of right, quite possibly means that because God exiled him he has the right to be mad and rebel and take over. Basically this quote could be saying that he is trying to get back at God, either by destroying what he had worked to create or making it harder for God’s “chosen one,” aka the king, to rule when Grendel has control.

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When Beowulf kills Grendel he may have actually been doing him a favor. The life of an exile and yearning for God’s forgiveness and not getting it is was caused Grendel to rebel and take over the city. In death Beowulf saves Grendel from the life as an exile because he doesn’t have to live through it anymore.

The Wanderer VS. Beowulf

The Wanderer is a poem about the loneliness of life as an exile in an ageing world and reminiscence for a past time. This used to be a pagan poem but has now been reworked into a Christian text and there is a lot of proverbial wisdom in it. The poem cycles insistently through traditional themes: exile and abandoned mead-halls.

Everything I have described about The Wanderer almost exactly parallels with the poem Beowulf. In this essay I will discuss where it is this wanderer has come from, then compare the two poems’ correlating themes and finally, the symbols and motifs connecting them.

In The Wanderer he is exiled and prays for compassion and mercy from his lord, but doesn’t receive it. They don’t directly tell us why he is exiled but they keep mentioning fate and saying that he can’t escape fate. They say that he was a warrior before he became exiled and there is a possible intertwining connection to Beowulf here. At the end of Beowulf when he fought the dragon there was only one warrior by his side, the rest ran away. A warrior who runs away from a battle deserves punishment for not doing his job and letting people down. So it is possible that they were all exiled and force to “continue to run” or “wander” for the rest of their lives. Therefore, there is a possibility that the wanderer in this poem is one of the warriors who was exiled from Beowulf. And considering both these stories where saved from the same fire and written at the same time, it is immensely possible that this character exists in both stories.

The themes of these two poems are so closely woven that it would make sense that the authors could have known each other’s stories and were writing them to have similar structure and purpose. As I stated before, the two major themes that I picked out that relate the two poems are exile and abandoned mead-halls. The wanderer is an exiled warrior, and all the descendants of Cain in Beowulf are exiled as well. In both stories they describe how hard it is to be exiled from everyone and how they just want God’s mercy, again with the Christianity. However, Beowulf isn’t strictly Christian like The Wanderer was reworked to be, contains multiple parts that are Pagan as well. This adds one more connection between the two poems.

One of the major symbols or motifs that occur often in these two poems is the reference to winter. Generally the winter months are desolate, cold and most of the nature is dead. In literary context winter means death, and even though Jesus didn’t actually die on Christmas, a lot of death occurs in texts around Christmas.

From all the evidence I have shown there is no doubt in my mind that the similarities between these two poems is no coincidence, in fact they were put together this way purposely to show connections, and to make them stronger and more complex writings.

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(1219-1220)“Be acclaimed for strength, for kindly guidance to these two boys, and your bounty will be sure.”

Here, Queen Wealtheow praises Beowulf for defeating Grendel and requests that he remembers the rights of her sons in the Danish kingdom. It’s interesting that she associates “strength” and “kindly guidance.” Comparing the two means being a strong man and being a wise one are very much the same in this culture. Which from as much praises that all the strong men get, such as Beowulf, you would think that this would be untrue and the strong men would be more highly praised.

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Theme of Tradition

The tradition and customs that were in place during Beowulf are much different then the traditions and customs we share today. To us, the principals from the medieval times (where Beowulf was set) sound ridiculous and silly. Such as always paying money to the family of anyone you kill to prevent a blood feud. And always having to avenge any lost family member. Even boasting, liked I talked about in my last entry, is a principal as well. Other warriors judge each other based on how well they can talk themselves up.

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(639-641) “This formal boast by Beowulf the Geat pleased the lady well and she went to sit by Hrothgar, regal and arrayed with gold.”

Normally when people boast or brag around you it’s irritating and obnoxious. However in Beowulf boasts are a common occurrence and a traditional part of their culture. Boasts are basically ways of passing out their resumes and telling people their qualifications. Which is why after Beowulf’s boast the lady was pleased instead of being irritated, boasts are part of their way of life.

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(696-697) “But the Lord was weaving a victory on His war-loom for the Weather-Geats”

Here the poet is uniting the Christian god with the loom of fate, on which men’s lives are woven: Pagan imagery. By taking these pagan images, while putting them in a Christian context the poet tries to compromise between the two religious perspectives and ideas.

Tolkien vs. The Critics

Tolkien argues that the critics who primarily focused on the historical aspects of Beowulf shouldn’t have. To Tolkien it is more important to focus on the details of the writing. Such as focusing on the literary elements and actual structure of the poem. He says that the point of Beowulf isn’t to be historically accurate but instead to give perspective and create an emotional connection with its readers. Beowulf has its original story line but at the same time there are underlying and more meaningful, dark ideas behind the poem which is what Tolkien thinks should be focused on. He doesn’t think that this is the greatest epic story ever written but with the character and detail put into it he says that it is definitely a story/poem worth reading and studying, even though many other critics (who are history centered) don’t agree.

I strongly agree with Tolkien’s arguments and the fact that he thinks that the character and structure of the epic is more important then the history. It shows a great deal of detail and it shows that whoever originally wrote this down didn’t just throw it on a page, they took time and tediously recorded this story. In Beowulf the monsters represent evil and sin (killings) and are crucial in making that actual story. They make Beowulf the “hero” he appears to be, so by adding the monsters they move the story in the direction it needs to be a noteworthy story. The monsters are not only enemies of the men, but of the gods as well. Whereas in other great epics monsters are generally only enemies of men, and sent from or came from the gods. This makes Beowulf literarily unique and as Tolkien said, worth studying.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 16

(976-978) “Like a man outlawed for wickedness, he must await the mighty judgment of god in majesty.”

To me this passage is saying that what ever crime it is you commit. it is up to god to decide what you did is good or evil and what punishment they deserve. Whether or not gods punishments are fair are a whole different story. Grendel is exiled and torture just because he is a descendant of Cain, even though had he been given fair treatment he may not have been evil at all to start with. Where as Beowulf has killed multiple monsters and yet he is praised for his killings and rewarded with fame and isn’t punished by god.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 15

(562-564) “My flesh was not for feasting on, there would be no monsters gnawing and gloating over their banquet at the bottom of the sea.”

This is Beowulf saying that he has defeated monsters before and that he will do it again because they are no match for him. Most likely reffering to his up coming battle with Grendel because he eats his victims. And he wouldn’t let them eat him just so they could gloat and be happy that they beat someone, his death must have a greater meaning then just pure pleasure.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 14

(380-381) “with the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand”

When Grendel first attacked the halls of Heorot he took 30 men back to his lair to kill them. This is foreshadowing the fact that Beowulf will defeat Grendel because it is saying that Beowulf has Grendel’s strength in only one of his hands. This is also significant when Beowulf rips of Grendel’s arm during the battle.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 13

(632-638) "I had a fixed purpose when I put to sea.
As I sat in the boat with my band of men,
I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt,
in the fiend's clutches. And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed
or meet my death here in the mead-hall."

Once again the theme of Good vs. Evil appears here and the theme of a good warrior. Beowulf is saying that he is all in on this one and it will be a fight to the death. It will be the good warrior Beowulf vs. the evil monster that is Grendel.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 12

“Beowulf” or “bee Wolf”

One of many ways to break this down is into two animals: “Bee wolf.” And if you put this together in meaning of creating an animal you have to think of an animal that either hunts wolves like bees or that hunts bees wolfishly. If you go with an animal that hunts bees wolfishly you can draw a conclusion that the narrator is reffering to a bear (bears like honey =) ). Which is why, to my understanding, Beowulf is compared to a cub or a bear on line 13 of the poem and elsewhere through out the book.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 11

(442-455) "If Grendel wins, it will be a gruesome day;... Fate goes ever as fate must."

There is no way Beowulf is letting Grendel win with out a fight. Beowulf is saying that no matter what he will fight to the death. He is also willing to fight under the conditions of Grendel and fight with no armor, which he must do in order to defeat Grendel because he can’t be killed with anything made by man. This backs up the theme of a good warrior and honor.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 10

The theme of Good vs. Evil

Beowulf is about the conflict between a courageous, mighty, loyal warrior (Beowulf) and the demons and dragons of hell itself (Grendel, Grendel’s Mother etc). The forces of good battle the forces of evil again and again, knowing that one day they will be defeated, but at least they'll die fighting. Of course, "good" in Beowulf means "strong, generous, and proud," and "evil" means "demonic creatures from the marshes." This particular battle between good and evil isn't as much about morals as it is about fate – and reputation.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 9

(180-188) “The Almighty Judge of good deeds and bad, the Lord God, Head of the Heavens and High King of the World, was unknown to them. Oh, cursed is he who in time of trouble had to thrust his soul into the fire's embrace, forfeiting help; he has nowhere to turn. But blessed is he who after death can approach the Lord and find friendship in the Father's embrace. “

The narrator admits that he feels sorry for the pagan ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons, who didn't have the opportunity to turn to a Christian God for help. He believes that the Danes can’t defeat Grendel because they are not seeking help from god as well. There's some patronizing attitude in this entry, but at the same time there seems to be some genuine sadness.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 8

(175-179) "Sometimes at pagan shrines hey vowed offerings to idols, swore oaths that the killer of souls might come to their aid and save the people. That was their way, their heathenish hope…"

This selection shows altercation between Paganism and Christianity. The narrator hesitantly admits that the Danes engage in pagan religious practices. It's one of the only times when we really notice the disconnect between the Christian Anglo-Saxons who are telling the story and the pagan characters in the story.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 7

(153-156) “…Unrelenting feud, nothing but war; how he would never parley or make peace with any Dane nor stop his death-dealing nor pay the death-price.”

This passage is talking about Grendel and how since he is evil he can’t and wont pay blood-money (wyr-gild). But Grendel doesn’t get off that easy, he has to pay in other ways, such as being exiled. This shows the difference between Grendel and Beowulf because Beowulf actually goes to the Danes to pay off his father’s debt, which in turn is killing Grendel.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 6

147-149) “For twelve winters, seasons of woe, the lord of the Shieldings suffered under his load of sorrow…”

Breaking down the number 12 and winters. In the bible twelve is the last of the four numbers God uses to show his perfection. It's the number that shows God is in control and actively ruling over something as King. When God wants to show us that He is ruling and that there is a perfect plan. Which is ironic in Beowulf because for 12 winters Grendel is the one in control and he is the one ruling the Halls of Heorot. Winter traditionally has come to symbolize age, maturity, and death. Although Christ didn’t actually die on Christmas or even around this time, Death during the winter months, particularly near Christmas, is a reoccurring motif in Beowulf and many other readings. Winter has also, over time, come to symbolize death because it's a time in which everything appears dead or dormant. The correlation between who is in power during this time and what it was like during this time is explained or at least hinted toward in those two words; twelve winters.

Beowulf: Dialectical Journal 5

(43-46) “They decked his body no less bountifully with offerings than those first ones did who cast him away when he was a child and launched him alone out over the waves.”

This selection of Beowulf is suggesting that when Shield Sheafson was exiled, it wasn’t because of ignominy or because he deserved it. There is a suggestion in the text that he was most likely sacrificed for the invaders who came by the sea. (why he was launched out over the waves.) or it is even possible that this sacrifice was an offer to one of the gods, more specifically, Neptune: god of water and sea. Neptune is one of only three Roman gods to whom it was appropriate to offer the sacrifices. The wrong offering would require a piaculum, a sacrificial ritual by which communion is reestablished between a god and worshiper; an expiatory offering, if due to inadvertency or necessity. The type of the offering implies a stricter connection between the deity and the worldly realm. So it is possible that they had wrongly sacrificed another so they made up for it by sacrificing Shield Sheafson.