Beowulf: Analysis of Major Characters | Learning The Easy Way
- Beowulf
- King Hrothgar
- Grendel
- Unferth
- Wiglaf
Analysis of Major Characters:
Beowulf:
Beowulf is the protagonist of this epic. He is a Geatish hero. The poem explores his heroism in two separate phases. One is youth and another is old age. He fights the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. In his youth, he personifies all of the best values of the heroic culture. In his old age, he proves a wise and effective ruler. Beowulf’s pride and encounters reveal him to be the strongest, ablest warrior around.
The second part of the story, set in Geatland, skips over the middle of Beowulf's career and focuses on the very end to his life. Through series of retrospectives, however, we recover much of what happens during this gap and therefore are able to see how Beowulf comports himself as both a warrior and a king.
He is a strong, fearless, valiant and loyal warrior. He always helps the king Hrothgar. Because he likes to help his great king. In the final battle, He fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away. He always take risk in his life. He always conforms perfectly to the heroic code. He is a bravery warrior. He always proves himself worthy of kingship.
King Hrothgar
King Hrothgar is one of the major character in this poem. He was the king of the Danes in this epic. He is a relatively static character. He was a wise and aged ruler. He enjoys military success and prosperity. Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that exhibited by the youthful warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the kind of king that Beowulf becomes. He accepts Beowulf's help in the first part of the story. He is very helpful king. He helps Beowulf s development into maturity. He is a force of stability in the social realm. He is solidly rooted in the heroic codes like Beowulf. He is a aware king. He is always aware of both the privileges and the dangers of power. His meditations on heroism and leadership. His character expresses the contrast between youth and old age that forms the turning pint in Beowulf's own development.
Grendel
There are so many memorable creation in this poem. Grendel is one of them. Grendel is one of the three monsters that Beowulf battles. He is a demon descended from Cain. His nature is ambiguous. Grendel hunts Hrothgar’s warriors from the king’s mead-hall in Heorot. He has many animal attributes and a grotesque
monstrous appearance. He seems to be guided by vaguely human emotions and impulses. He is exiled to the swamplands outside the boundaries of human society. Grendel is an outcast. In the whole poem we find that he wants to be reinstated.
He is thus descended from a figure who epitomizes resentment and malice. The poet hints that behind Grendel's aggression against the Danes lies loneliness and jealousy. So we can say that he is an evil major character in this poem.
Unferth
In this poem, Unferth is an another major character. He plays an importance rule in this poem. He is a Danish warrior. He is jealous of Beowulf. He is unable or unwilling to fight Grendel. Because of this, he proves himself inferior to Beowulf. In this poem, Unferth is presented as a lesser man. He is clearly not the sort of great warrior. He is clearly afraid to fight the monster himself.
Wiglaf
In this poem, Wiglaf is one of the importance major character. He is a Great warrior and one of Beowulf chosen band. He is a strong, fearless, valiant and loyal warrior. He always helps Beowulf. Because he likes to help his great king. In the final battle, He helps Beowulf in the fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away. He always take risk in his life for Beowulf. He always conforms perfectly to the heroic code. He is a bravery warrior. He appears as a reflection of the young Beowulf in the first part of the story. He represents the next generation of heroism and the future of the kingdom.
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