“Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, spoke: “Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning.  For every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end.  Let whoever can win glory before death.  When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark.  So arise, my lord, and let us immediately set forth on the trail of this troll- dam.   I guarantee you: she will not get away, not to dens under ground nor upland groves nor the ocean floor.  She’ll have nowhere to flee to.  Endure your troubles to- day.  Bear up and be the man I expect you to be.”  With that the old sprang to his feet and praised God for Boewulf’s pledge” (1382- 1398).

Beowulf always has a deep sense of pride, and of masculinity.  He feels that he must let everyone else know what he thinks and how he feels about a certain situation or situations.  He has a value system, and a sense of what is a good and bad way to live your life, and what a good and bad way to die.  The lines 1382 -1398 are very important to the story of Grendel’s Mother and what he thinks of the king Hrothgar.  Beowulf doesn’t show any sign of pity or grief when he sees that Hrothgar has broken down and is depressed, but instead tells him to become a man that he knows he is.

            Beowulf shows what kind of man he is in these lines he says, “’It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning’”(1383-1384).  This shows that Beowulf has a sense of pride in what he does and that he does not grieve but instead takes revenge on those who hurt him.  He is also not pitiful on what others are feeling or if they are going through sorrow.   Characterization is a large literary device in this passage because it shows how Beowulf values certain aspects.  This plays a large role in the way that Beowulf acts toward others such as Hrothgar.  The Language is affected because we see how Beowulf speaks and how the people at the time of the author spoke. 

            Dialogue is also a large part of the story because Beowulf is speaking directly to Hrothgar and sharing his opinion, “’ Bear up and be the man I expect you to be’”(1396). Beowulf is directly speaking to Hrothgar in this quote, and in most of the passage.  This affects the story because it makes the dialogue more realistic; Beowulf is explaining himself and his values instead of the narrator doing it for him.  “’When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark’”(1388-1389).   This is also dialogue and it really enforces what Beowulf is thinking.  He shows his values in this passage, and it relates to the rest of the story because it gives a background to why he fights monsters. The way the language of the story is affected is that Beowulf speaks the way he needs to and it makes the story easier to relate to and understand because it seems more realistic.

            This passage is relatively important to the story because it gives you a sense or morality, which Beowulf has grown up with.  It seems interesting because it is dialogue, and he shows what gives him reason to do what he does.  He also gets mad at Hrothgar and shows not pity, which shows a weaker side of Beowulf.  He is vengeful, but yet he is a great hero, and a good king.  He can be rash but at the same time praised by all, that is why this passage is so needed for the story.  It directly connects the story of Beowulf together by showing his values of how to live.

            Works Cited

The Adventure of Beowulf.” Culture Café at Lonestar Internet. 3 Aug. 2007 13 Dec. 2008.

            

Beowulf LRJ #3

Beowulf was a proud man, pride was a big part of society he lived in, and he thrived in showing how courageous he was.  He would battle monsters single handed and he would always come out victorious.  "Yet the prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky plague"(2345-2347).  Beowulf would with his army, but instead he wanted to show his own skill and bravery.  Boasting is a part of Beowulf's society.  "No king of any neighbouring clan would dare face me with troops, none had the power to intimidate" (2733-2736).  He knew that nobody would bother him, and Beowulf made sure that his kingdom knew that.  He was proud but a boastful king.

There are many similarities and differences with the story of the Fire- Breathing Dragon and Grendel and his mother.  In The Fire- Breathing Dragon it is a dragon specifically, and Beowulf doesn't fight alone but he also is accompanied with his men.  Beowulf dies at the end.  "Beowulf dealt it a deadly wound"(2706).  The demon is at his own kingdom not someone else it was affecting his own life.  "His own home, the best of buildings, had been burnt to a cinder the throne- room of the Geats"(2325- 2327).  Beowulf delivers the final blow, and he is very prideful.  He proves his courage and bravery once again. 

Beowulf in his time men were supposed to die in battle that was the honorable way to die.  Every man wanted to come back victorious or die fighting for their country.  A man was supposed to die this was and he was honored for it.  Beowulf was a good king and he died fighting for his kingdom.

LRJ #2 Beowulfd

"It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning"(1383-1384).  That a value which Beowulf has is that he is the kind of person that does not morn but looks for a way to get revenge.  He is vengeful and that is what he worries about that for him the saying an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth, is what he goes by.  Beowulf is unsympathetic to others who are in pain or suffering.  "When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark"(1387-1388).  Beowulf is telling the king that the best way for a man to die is in battle, and that is the honorable way to die.  That a man ends his journey on his death and that is their best work they have ever done in their life.  That in their society that is the best way for a man to die in battle or die fighting.

Beowulf and his incredible power of strength is very unrealistic.  Only for one man to have that much power and that no one else has it is unrealistic.  "An ideal weapon, one that any warrior would envy, only Beowulf could wield it in a battle"(1560-1561).  His extraordinary powers just seem unrealistic in the fact that only he has them and he is still mortal.  What this brings to the story is the fact that it makes the story more interesting.  It brings life to the main character and he becomes more of a hero.  When he fights monsters Beowulf becomes more interesting and he gains more credibility to be the hero because only he can fight this monster.

"The wondrous gifts God had showered on him"(21).  This quote is enjoyed because it shows that Beowulf is given these gifts by God.  Then he is a rare few that actually has these god- given powers.  "The bargain was hard, both parties having to pay with the lives of friends"(1304-1305).  That they all had it hard, even though Grendel and his mother were killed a lot of innocent souls were killed.  This passage shows that sacrifices were made and that there were mourning for the friends that were killed for the common good in order for others to be free.  "For every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end"(1385- 1386).  That all of us have an end to our lives that all of us must die no matter how much they don't want to or how powerful he or she thinks they are.  We all have and end and it is fro everyone to enjoy their lives while they are still on this Earth.

LRJ #1 Beowulf

The values in the story of Beowulf are community is a large part of the story of Beowulf.  People are close and they feel that as a whole they are stronger.  They know that is they all work together then they will prosper from it and that in order to survive they must work together.  "It would be his throne- room and there he would dispense his God- given good to young and old but not the common land or people's lives" (Heaney, 72-74).  It showed that the king was in his people's common lives, and that he cared about his people.  It shows a big sign of community.  Pride was also a bbig part of the life of Beowulf.  He wanted to show how powerful he was and that he was great.  He knew that he could be the only one to stop Grendel and he was willing to sacrifice some of his men in order to stop Grendel.  "Mighty and canny, Hygelac's kinsman was keenly watching for the first move the monster would make"(76-78).  Beowulf and the people were willing to sacrifice one or two men for the greater good.

"It harrowed him to hear.." (88-89).  This is an alliteration is the story and it brings life to the story.  It is like a rhyme that brings life and the reader wants to keep on reading more.  The quote is talking about Hrothgar listening for the monster Grendal to come and eat more of his people.  "He was four times a father, this father prince.." (59).  That Hrothgar's father was a father for times, and that he and his wife bared four children.  This just brings life to the story of Hrothgar and his family.  Alliteration is important to a story and is better used when it is said out loud.

"Treasure- seat" (168).  It is just stating that the throne of a king is very valuable, and it belongs to him.  That it is the most important of all seats.  "High- born" (198).  That this person Hygelac, is a very powerful and well known person.  That they are the one that could stop Grendel, and he is the man that is the all mighty man who is the strongest and most powerful.   

 

Antigone Defense Trial

Aaron Fernandez

Ms. Peifer 10 IB English

25 November 2008

Antigone Guilty or Innocent?

People of the court I plead with you to realize that Princess Antigone, is not guilty under any circumstance.  She was merely trying to honor her brother and show a sing of respect toward him by giving him a proper burial.  Any other man or woman would do the same and give a family member the right of a proper funeral.  Creon made this law to try and suppress any rebellion, but does it seem just? Or does it seem unfair that Antigone should get punished for such a noble and loving deed.  Shouldn't she be honored for being so brave and kind?

Eteocles and Polyneices are both brothers of Antigone, she should receive the right to give them both a proper burial.  As she states to Creon, "His own brother, traitor or not, and equal in blood"( Fitzgerald, 824).  She brings a point that both brothers are equal.  They were both prince's and that they should both be honored not just one of them.  Antigone is their sister and she was there for the mourning and the burial of Eteocles, she should also be allowed to be there for the burial of Polyneices.  Ismene being the sister who was afraid of Creon and his law has now seen the truth.  She has come to realize that her sister was right, and that she too wants to take part in her sister's "crime."  Ismene says, "But now I know what you meant; and I am here To join you, to take my share of punishment"(Fitzgerald, 824).  Ismene nor Antigone should be punished because this is a glorious deed.

Creon has made this law to protect his own power.  He wants to reign over everything and believes in no mercy.  "An enemy is an enemy, even dead"(824).  He holds on to old grudges and is now taking it out on Antigone because she committed this act.  He wants to show people his power and his strength.  Creon is afraid of losing his power which concludes in him taking away the right that families have to bury their dead.  Everyone wants to be able to send their loved ones to a better place, and Antigone is just trying to do the best she can.  All of her family has died and she should have the right to bury whoever she wants.

Antigone isn't guilty, who are we to judge who we should bury and who we shouldn't?  Why can't we let her decide if she wants to honor her family.  Do not send this girl to her death because she did something that she believed is right, and that we in our hearts know is right.  The Gods are the ones who decide if we should go to the underworld or not, what we should let everyone do is let them bury their family and friends, and send them to a better place.  Antigone is being accused of burying her brother, and that is just unethical, and it should be honored and not looked down upon.

Works Cited

Sophocles. "Antigone." The Internet Classics Archive.  Trans. R. C. Jebb.  04 Oct. 2000.

Classics.mit.edu. 25 October 2008.

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Antigone LRJ #2

1- An important image in the tale of Antigone is the act of being stubborn, or not open to other thoughts or ideas.  An example, Creon always feels like if he is right no matter what. he feels that because he is the king that he will always be the superior intellectual.  He encases himself in his own ideas, and goes by his own instinct.  In the quote, "Everything else, my son, to your father's will"(Fitzgerald, 829).  Haimon being Creon's son is agreeing with his father, and Creon believes that he is right,  Haimon is trying to tell his father that he is wrong and that his idea or outlook is not correct but Creon doesn't listen.  Another important image is pride.  Creon doesn't want to look weak in front of his people, and he wants to show others that he is tough and a good leader, he expresses this thought when he says, "Do you want me to show myself weak before the people?"(Fitzgerald, 829).  Creon is stating that he is not going to look weak, and soft, but a strong and smart man.

2- "My own blind heart has brought me from darkness to final darkness"(Fitzgerald, 840).  Creon here realizes that he was to stubborn to see the truth.  That he brought the death of his family upon himself, and that he was the cause of all this sadness.  Others tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen.  Ismene in this story also realizes he wrong doing by denying he brother a proper burial.  She says, "But now I Know what you meant: and I am here To join you, to take my share of punishment"(Fitzgerald, 825).  Ismene realizes that she was wrong for not mourning for both of her brothers, and that her life meant nothing if she did not realize that and take the blame with her sister Antigone.

3- Creon has his Anagorisis when he hears that his family are all dead.  That his wife has killed herself which was led by the death of their son Haimon.  He exclaims, "I alone am guilty"(841).  Creon realizes that all along he was wrong, and that by his own hand he has killed what was dearest to his heart.  

4- Creon goes through a lot at the end of the story.  Antigone hangs herself, which leads to Haimon killing himself, then his wife blaming Creon and also killing herself.  Creon doesn't change his way of thinking until the end when all he cares for have died by his own hand.  

5- I believe the audience has a Catharasis at the end of the story when Creon's family dies because he thought he was almighty, but in reality he was always wrong.  The pity comes from the fact that his loved ones have died and he is left alone to live through his own wrong doing.  

6- Creon tells Haimon, "No marriage means more to me than your continuing wisdom"(Fitzgerald, 829).  This means that women were seen of as lesser value, or something to be owned, that love was not as important then that of power.  That women were seen and objects that could be tossed away if the husband was unhappy.  The father would seek his son's love before letting him love his own wife.  

The LRJ About the Play

For my loving sister Antigone,

I am ashamed of the way that I denied to have a proper funeral of Polynethieus.  I was a afraid of the consequences that our uncle Creon would do to us if we were to be caught.  I loved our brothers equally and I wished I would have been there to help give him a funeral to send him to the gods.  Now that I have had time to rationalize I realize that I was very mistaken to not go with you.  I wish our family had not had this awful past that our father and mother that have bethroved on us, but even after all of that I am still grateful to have such a loving sister as yourself.  I want you to know that I too will take the blame for the burying of our brother, I feel that I need to clean my conscious and my spirit because I did not bury him.  I didn't stop you from burying him and I didn't even try to convince you but instead I was a coward and did not go.  If you are not alive then who will I have to talk to, or spend my time with.  You are my only family left, and Creon has gone crazy.  I am not strong enough to stay here on the planet alone.  I hope you understand what I am saying to you.

Your sister,

Ismene 

First Blog

I've never really considered having a blog before, just because of my lack of having anything interesting to write about.  Now a have a reason to start this because it involves my academic life and I find that it is pretty easy to make a blog.  I feel like I will enjoy having this blog because I can put an amazing avatar on it, and it will look pretty good.  I also get to choose what it looks like and I am able to see what other students are writing about, and I myself can have my work edited.  Now I have a reason to go on the computer besides just for games and funny Youtube videos.