Beowulf Group

Question:

rabs09
rabs09
Student
High School - 12th Grade

I am doing an essay on heroes with Beowulf and I am comparing Beowulf and a doctor. But I don't really fully understand Beowulf's motives.

i have been on sparknotes but i am still very confused. I need help with coming up with comparisons on how they are similar.

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Posted by rabs09 on Sunday May 31, 2009 at 6:21 PM and tagged with beowulf, motives.

Answers:

  1. herappleness
    herappleness Teacher
    Graduate School

    OK: If I were you, I would compare Beowulf to a Special Operations US Army Soldier. If your teacher asked you to compare him to a doctor, question why? Beowulf was not out there to help ailing people: He was a natural-born leader whose comrade and right died and this caused a crisis in him, just like soldiers feel guilty about their comrades dying at war.

    Beowulf came from an elite line- he understood the concepts of leadership, delegation, honor, duty- just like our soldiers are indoctrinated to understand. Beowulf fought evil, fell from grace for a while, accepted death, but kept on going. That brings him way aside from a doctor-though doctors are also heroes- and places him right along the lines of an American soldier.

    Beowulf has plenty motives that are similar to those of a soldier: Avenging a dead comrade's fall, defending the country, respecting the King, settling the people, accepting the duty...those are great attributes that put him in line with the military-not to mention his leadership.

    In all, if I were you, I would bring up the soldier comparison and argue the comparison to the doctor. The soldier comparison makes a whole lot more sense.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/beowulf

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    Posted by herappleness on Sunday May 31, 2009 at 7:08 PM