Human Heroes in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Faerie Queen (idea) by Metacognizant - Everything2.com
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Human Heroes in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Faerie Queen (idea)
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(idea) | by Metacognizant | Mon Dec 04 2000 at 10:38:06 |
Human Heroes in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Faerie Queen
IT IS 5:35 AM AND I HAVE JUST FINISHED THIS BEAUTIFUL WRITE UP...PLEASE DON'T PLAGARIZE!
Beowulf ruled in Geatland,In this way, the Anglo-Saxon poet reciting Beowulf makes his work one of a protagonist’s evolution, while still primarily focusing on the dramatic high points of Beowulf’s battles with monsters (and so keeping his audiences attention). The evolution of the character (not his strict chronological aging) is subtle- apparently the main goal of this poem was to enthrall its hearers with tales of adventure- but after a close reading it is apparent that Beowulf is a universal story of life’s journey from adolescence to adulthood to old age. The hero grows in wisdom about self and about the world through the pain and triumph of personal experience, that is, his encounters with the Sea Monsters, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Any deeds of his not directly related to those are passed over summarily.
Took the throne he’d refused, once,
And held it long and well. He was old
With years and wisdom, fifty winters
A king, when a dragon awoke from its darkness…(92)
You’re Beowulf, are you- the sameThis is in contrast to Beowulf’s expedition against Grendel. For whatever reason,
Boastful fool who fought a swimming
Match with Brecca, both of you daring
And young and proud, exploring the deepest
Seas, risking your lives for no reason
But the danger? All older and wiser heads warned you
Not to, but no one could check such pride (39).
…NoneApparently, Beowulf had had enough of ‘foolhardy’ adventure. His second exploit was no different from the first- to our eyes perilous and unnecessary- but it was officially sanctioned.
Of the wise ones regretted his going, much
As he was loved by the Geats: the omens were good,
And they urged the adventure on (29).
Many a venture herebeforeThe indication is that one is brought closer to the presence of Jesus Christ by a venture such as Sir Gawain’s, by a temptation such as the one that he underwent at the hands of the Green Knight.
Hath fallen such as this:
May He that bare the crown of thorn
Bring us unto His bliss.
…she pressed the girdle on him and prayed him to take it, and he granted her prayer, and she gave it him with good will, and besought him for her sake never to reveal it but to hide it loyally from her lord; and the knight agreed that never should any man know it, save they two alone.
…thou hast made such free confession of thy misdeeds, and hast so borne the penance of mine axe edge, that I hold thee absolved from that sin, and purged as clean as if thou hadst never sinned since thou wast born.It is the author’s view that virtue is best kept keen through tests both won and failed, as a failed test brings on divine punishment, and divine punishment serves as penance and stirs the sinner to realization and confession of his sins. This is evidenced by the fact that the Green Knight urges Sir Gawain to keep the green girdle through which he had sinned. As a reminder of his failure it will keep him far from sin in the future. Not only that, but upon Sir Gawain’s return to King Arthur’s court, "all made accord that the lords and the ladies who belonged to the Round Table, each hero among them, should wear bound about him a baldric of bright green for the sake of Sir Gawain". In this way the token of shame- of "the cowardice and covetousness in which I was caught"- is transformed into a badge of honor- "and he who ware it was honoured the more thereafter".
In the beginning of the feast, there presented him selfe a tall clownishe younge man, who falling before the Queen of Faries desired a boon (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might not refuse, which was the hee might have the atchievement of any adventure…This is the same rustic young man who by 10:61 is designated Saint George, the patron Saint of England, having achieved total holiness in a radical advancement.
(Una says:) wisdome warnes, whilest foot is in the gate,Ignoring the warnings of both Una and the dwarf (who represents reasonable thought), he plunges headlong into unnecessary danger, and only barely escapes, thanks only to Una’s encouragement. The lines above clearly indicate that this is a result of his youthful boldness. He also possesses a proud illusion of his own righteousness, stating that "vertue giues her selfe light, through darkenesse for to wade" (1:12) before he charges into the wood.
To stay the steppe, ere forced to retrate.
This is the wandring wood, this Errours den,
A monster vile, whom God and man does hate:
Therefore I read beware. Fly fly, quoth then
The fearefull Dwarfe, this is no place for living men.
But full of fire and greedy hardiment,
The youthfull knight could not for ought be staide,
But forth unto the darksome hole he went…(1:13, 14)
Young knight, what ever that dost armes professe,It is Duessa who drags Redcrosse knight down- "To the sinful house of Pride/ Duessa guides the faithfull knight…" (1:0)- bringing him to place where every cardinal vice is prominent, as evidenced by the parade of Lucifera (the Queen of the house of Pride) and her counselors Idleness, Gluttony, Lechery, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, and Sloth in 4:17-37. The chain of events- from brash disregard of Una’s advice, to fickle abandonment of Una herself, to descent into sin- unfolds as a direct result of Redcrosse Knight’s moral youth, of his self-certainty.
And through long labours huntest after fame,
Beware of fraud, beware of ficklenesse,
In choice, and change of thy deare loved Dame,
Least thou of her beleeve too lightly blame,
And rash misweening doe thy hart remove:
For unto knight there is no greater shame,
Then lightnesse and inconstancie in love;
That doth this Redcrosse knights ensample plainly prove(4:1).
Greev'd with remembrance of his wicked wayes, And prickt with anguish of his sinnes so sore (10:21)and he torments himself in the name of penitence. It is after this process that he merits being led before the hermit Contemplation, and is pronounced Saint George (10:46-61). As Saint George, Redcrosse Knight continues on his original mission (Canto 11), and his constancy to that cause and victory within it reflect his new maturity. After the dragon is defeated, he is betrothed to Una (12:0). This, marriage, is the ultimate bond of responsibility, just as assuming the throne was for Beowulf. It binds Redcrosse Knight forever to his savior and the source of his piety.
Bibliography:
- Raffel, Burton, trans. Beowulf. New York: Penguin Books USA, 1963
- "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", Weston, Jessie L, trans. http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/sggk.htm
- Maclean, Hugh and Prescott, Anne Lake, eds. Edmund Spenser’s Poetry. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993
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