Beowulf as a Hero Essay -- Seamus Heaney

The poem, Beowulf, by Seamus Heaney, depicts Beowulf as a perfect hero. Beowulf is the mythical son of Edgetho and later becomes the king of the Geats. In the poem, Beowulf's shows heroism in two different phases of his life, youth and old age. Throughout the poem, Beowulf faces three difficult conflicts with Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon. Throughout the novel Beowulf is a noted and respected warrior from Geatland. During Beowulf's youth, he is considered to be a great warrior, portrayed by his strength, courage, and bravery. Beowulf begins his legacy in Denmark with an evil monster, Grendel. Grendel is ruining King Hrothgar's kingdom and is ritually tormenting him. The monster breaks into the castle and eats as many of Hrothgar's men as he can hold each night. King Hrothgar calls Beowulf for help because the king has tried everything else. Beowulf arrives with a ship of his warriors to help King Hrothgar in stopping Grendel. King Hrothgar accepts Beowulf's pledge to kill Grendel. Beowulf pledges to face Grendel with, "no weapons, therefore, for either this night; unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares" (47). When Beowulf meets Grendel he fights barehanded and rips his arm off. Beowulf comes back with Grendel's arm. It is hung in the battle hall as a trophy of Beowulf's bravery, courage, and victory over the monster. Beowulf's defeat of Grendel certifies his reputation for bravery and es tablishes him as a full hero. Even though Grendel is dead, the danger has not passed. Grendel's mother comes to King Hrothgar's battle hall. She retrieves, "their trophy, Grendel's bloodied hand" (91). Hrothgar is very disappointed and calls on the hero, Beowulf, once again. Beowulf travels with his men to the fiery lake whe... ...he only one left of the WaegmundingsÂ…Now I must follow them" (189). Wiglaf is the only warrior who stayed to help Beowulf, the rest fled. Therefore, Beowulf leaves Wiglaf to rule his kingdom. Beowulf should be considered a hero because he gives his life to keep his kingdom safe. Beowulf is a great warrior, portrayed by his strength, courage, and bravery. Beowulf also exemplifies the manner and values dictated by the Germanic heroic code. He is considered to be both a warrior and a king. When Beowulf encounters the dragon, the responsibilities of being king are thrown. He must act for the good of his people, not just for his own glory. Throughout the poem, Beowulf holds a good reputation and is respected by the people. Works Cited Beowulf. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed M H Abrams, et al. Vol. 1. Sixth ed. NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1993.

Reign of Terror was during the French Revolution Essay

The immediate bloody aftermath , was a product of social, economic, and political forces. The spirit of idealism that gripped France during the early phases of the Revolution gave way to mass paranoia and extremism, culminating in Robespierre’s cruel regime. In the beginning of the French Revolution, Enlightenment of the French Revolution, known as the Reign of Terrorphilosophy seemed like a panacea for societal woes. Prominent philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Diderot contributed to a new mentality in France, one which instigated the mass revolt that caused the storming of the Bastille. The causes for the Reign of Terror in the 1790s cannot be isolated without examining first the leading causes of the French Revolution. Under the Reign of King Louis the XIV, France still maintained a basically feudalistic society in which the monarch ruled with divine and absolute authority. This â€Å"ancien regime† had persisted for centuries throughout Europe. A stratified social class structure dominated French culture and politics. The privileged classes, including the clergy and the nobility, were exempt from most of the taxes passed on to the poorest rungs of French society: the farmers, the common laborers, and the peasants. This system obviously benefited the wealthy, upper classes of French society, who were unwilling to sacrifice their economic and political privilege for a more just society. However, the monarchy and the â€Å"ancien regime† came under heavy criticism by Enlightenment thinkers, philosophers, and economists. Voltaire attacked the Church and its absolutism, criticizing the Church’s political and intellectual dominion. Denis Diderot advocated a new social order, while Montesquieu advocated the adaptation of an English-style constitution. Rousseau’s notion of popular sovereignty was perhaps the most influential political philosophies that influenced the beginnings of the French Revolution. Although the Revolution was spurned by these Enlightenment thinkers, the political philosophies they espoused failed to take root, leading to the Reign of Terror. The economic forces that led to the French Revolution also contributed greatly to the Reign of Terror in the 1790s. The Revolution started as a result of financial mismanagement on the part of the French government, who  was contributing to overseas efforts in the New World. Participation in the American Revolution caused national debt, and in an attempt to avoid national bankruptcy, the Assembly of Notables was formed in 1787 to attract donations from the wealthy classes. However, the privileged people were unwilling to offer financial support. King Louis the XVI and his government were forced to quickly adopt a plan of financial reform. The three class divisions in French society, the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners, held specific grievances toward the state. This generalized discontent and unrest led to the Revolution. The commoners, who were known collectively as the Third Estate, formed their own National Assembly amidst the political and economic turmoil in 1789. Some members of the other two estates, the clergy and the nobles, joined the efforts of the National Assembly, which called for a constitution. Their determination was solidified by the Oath of the Tennis Court, named after the meeting place they adopted after the King originally disbanded them. So influential was the National Assembly that the King relented to legalize the National Assembly, thus recognizing the grievances of the French common people. This small victory led to a mass outbreak of fervent idealism among not only the Third Estate of French culture but also among the clergy and the nobility, who were now willing to make the financi al sacrifices they needed to bond ideologically with the common people. The nobility abolished feudalism and linked hands with the commoners in their overthrow of the monarchy. The National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and in 1791 drafted a constitution that permitted a limited monarchy. The Church was hit hard by this early phase of the Revolution, as the National Assembly passed several measures opposing religious authority. Large numbers of nobles and princes, including the King himself, fled France in fear. The origins of the Reign of Terror can already be witnessed in this phase of the Revolution, in which a mob mentality took control of Paris and France in general. Although the political and social ideologies that underpinned the Revolution were admirable, the Revolution was fragmented and chaotic. Mobs, inspired by their victories, by their idealism, and their radicalism, turned revolutionary ideology on its back. In the early 1790s, several political clubs and groups formed in Paris to contend in the newly formed Legislative Assembly. Two of the more famous clubs, which would become influential during the Reign of Terror, were the Girondists and the Jacobins, who spread their ideology of â€Å"liberty, equality, and fraternity.† However, this spirit of liberty, equality, and fraternity would soon fall apart. First, the exiled nobility garnered international support for their cause and wanted to fight for their rights to regain control of France. Many revolutionaries and French Republicans also hoped that war would embolden the revolutionary cause and inspire other nations to their own popular revolutions. In 1792, the country engaged Austria in war, setting off a string of events that would eventually lead toward the Reign of Terror. Generally, an atmosphere of suspicion and paranoia fueled the Reign of Terror. The King, accused of treasonous actions against the Republic, became a focal point of anger. While it was understandable that the mass revolt against the old regime rested on the high ideals and aspirations of Enlightenment thinkers, the new regime that replaced King Louis XVI was no better. The National Convention scrapped their earlier constitution in favor of a new one in 1792, after the mass storming of the Tuileries. A massacre of thousands of prisoners, called the September Massacres, was an example of mob rule that gave rise to the Reign of Terror. The National Convention held a meeting in 1792, with the goal of completely abolishing the monarchy. As a result, King Louis the XVI was convicted of treason and executed. The execution of the King fueled royalist sentiments, which were supported by international support against the new Republic. France was still fighting Revolutionary wars abroad. The Republic became severely divided politically, as the Girondists and the Mountain party fought to gain power. The Girondists were basically centrists, while the Mountains were a far left leaning group who were affiliated with the Jacobins. The Mountains succeeded and summarily arrested and killed any persons who disagreed with their policies. The rise to power by the Jacobins in Paris marked the beginning of the Reign of Terror. Leaving aside the democratic ideals to which the original revolution ascribed, and which were summarized by the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Jacobins instituted a militaristic dictatorship in Paris. Their aims were to destroy their opposition both at home and abroad. Abandoning their philosophical ideals, the Jacobins overtook all social and political institutions in the name of restoring order to their country. The Committee of Public Safety, the Committee of General Security, and the Revolutionary Tribunal were examples of the Jacobin organizations that were formed when they first rose to power. Still holding to the illusion that true democracy was possible, the Jacobin government believed that the Reign of Terror was necessary to first induce a sense of calm and order in France. Moreover, international opposition and war made the Reign of Terror seem like a wartime necessity. The terror tactics used were employed in the name of self-preservation. The Jacobins filled the j ails to capacity and ordered thousands of executions in order to assure the elimination of opposition forces. The leadership of Georges Danton and Maximilien Robespierre solidified the forces that enabled the government to practice its tyranny. Robespierre soon became the dominant force in the Reign of Terror and in 1794, Danton was executed because of his views espousing the abolition of the emergency measures that Robespierre was clinging to. Moreover, Robespierre ordered the execution of Jacques Hebert, whose glorification and deification of Reason became a popular movement. To counteract Hebert’s influence, Robespierre instituted the Cult of the Supreme Being, a perfect example of the fanaticism gripping the time. Interestingly, the government under Robespierre still proclaimed the economic equality of all citizens. Robespierre still believed that a just society in France was possible, but that the Reign of Terror was necessary in order to squelch any opposition. The government abolished slavery and enforced economic equality among the people by imposing wage and price caps and in troducing an artificially inflated paper currency called the assignats. Robespierre was clearly out of control and the National Convention finally arrested and executed him in 1794. The National Convention then drafted a new constitution and established the Directory. The Directory was designed to be a centrist political body that balanced the needs of the leftist  Jacobins and the right-wing royalists. Their initial economic reforms were beneficial in restoring the country after its being ravished by the revolution, but the Directory was wrought with internal and external political strife. Furthermore, international hatred for the Directory grew intense, which forced France to place Napoleon Bonaparte in power. Therefore, the Reign of Terror left a scar on French politics that would lead to the Napoleonic years. The original revolutionary ideals of reason, liberty, equality, and fraternity were now covered in blood. Basically, the Reign of Terror is an example of failed implementation of lofty democratic ideals. The Enlightenment idealism that sparked off the French Revolution was completely transformed into fear and paranoia. The Reign of Terror has some elements of a massive revenge campaign against the oppressive regime of the monarchy. However, the popular revolt that led to the righteous overthrow of the monarchy and feudalism had no clear focus. The ideals of democracy and equality were thwarted by the chaos and fear that gripped the nation once the monarchy was overthrown. The Reign of Terror was in part a response to post-revolutionary chaos, and was a concerted effort to restore social, political, and economic order. However, the Jacobins resorted to means as cruel, if not crueler, than those used by the monarchs they hated. Far from promoting liberty and justice, the Jacobins executed people without regard to their class and without permitting any victim to defend themselves. Instead of implementing a democracy, based on the true and original Jacobin ideals of â€Å"liberty, equality, and fraternity,† the Jacobins stripped French citizens from each of these rights. The Reign of Terror was a panic campaign, an example of what happens when a small group of men take control over a nation in a time of crisis. Ironically, Robespierre spoke out against tyranny and oppression and ascribed to Rousseau’s political philosophy. Robespierre held fast to the abstract vision of democracy, popular and self-rule, and political virtue. However, he resorted to means that were antithetical to his original vision of the Revolution.

Merchant of Venice Essay The Role of Jessica - 500 Words

The Role of Jessica in Merchant of Venicenbsp;nbsp; nbsp; The character of Jessica, in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice serves an important function in respect to her father, Shylock. By deserting him for a Christian husband, Shylock loses the last person with whom he has any kind of tie. Shylock’s isolation becomes a vital part of his character, and drives his merciless actions against Antonio. Throughout the play, everyone who could claim any type of social or familial tie to Shylock leaves him. Launcelot the Clown, moves to a Christian master, who has the,grace of God... (II,ii L.139) His own daughter Jessica forsakes him, and his entire Jewish culture, to marry Lorenzo, and become a Christian. Thus Shylock has no one from†¦show more content†¦He can no longer think of people as separate from money. His bond with Antonio is thrown to such extremes because Antonio does not exist as a person in Shylock’s eyes. Instead, Antonio becomes a symbol for the kind of family Shylock yearns for. This desire comes out by Shylock’s words in the courtroom scene. After his defeat, Shylock tells the group that no matter the judgement, he is still ruined. He says: Nay, take my life and all! Pardon not that! You take my house when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house. You take my life When you do take the means whereby I live. (IV,i L.372-5) By removing from him his wealth, the court sentences Shylock to virtual nothingness. Shylock’s words here are loaded with emotion because he has been reduced to nothing. His selfish ways drive him from his entire house, and now those same feelings cause his money to also disappear. Shylock’s reply to the sentence in the passage above shows his isolation from the world of Christian motives. Money is truly Shylock’s only relative at the end of the play. Jessica’s disappearance becomes doubly-damaging with her theft of the gemstones, and the three thousand ducats. By taking money, Jessica not only removes herself from her father, but also steals the object through which Shylock has attached himself to. Shylock yearns for something to hold on to. HisShow MoreRelated Is The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic Play? Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesIs The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic Play?      Ã‚   The Merchant of Venice features a Jewish character that is abused and slandered by nearly every character in the play. Throughout the play the behavior of these characters seems justified. In this way, The Merchant of Venice appears to be an anti-Semitic play. However, The Merchant of Venice contains several key instances, which can be portrayed in a way that criticizes anti-Semitism. The first instance occurs in Act 1, scene 3 whenRead MoreThroughout A Patriarchal History, Some Bright Women Have1325 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieve that Venice is a male dominated society in William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, if one reads closely he/she will discover that most of the major decisions, that affected the route of the play, were originally made by women. In her essay, Christine Hoff Kraemer writes, with a feminist approach, about women in this play and their role in power. Two main female characters, Portia: a wealthy and witty daughter bound to her de ceased father’s demand of marriage, and Jessica: the JewishRead MoreReligion in The Merchant of Venice Essay1956 Words   |  8 Pages Religion was a major factor in a number of Shakespeare’s plays. Religion motivated action and reasoning. In Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Merchant of Venice,† religion was more than a belief in a higher being; it reflected moral standards and ways of living. In the â€Å"Merchant of Venice,† â€Å"a Christian ethic of generosity, love, and risk-taking friendship is set in pointed contrast with a non-Christian ethic that is seen, from a Christian point of view, as grudging, resentful, and self-calculating.† (BevingtonRead MoreThe Rings of Power: Symbolic Exchange in the Merchant of Venice1595 Words   |  7 PagesThe Rings of Power: Symbolic Exchange in The Merchant of Venice Rings are significant to the narrative of The Merchant of Venice for several reasons. Firstly, as symbols of love, wealth and power. Secondly, as a means through which Portia gives and then regains control of herself, her weath and power and finally, the theft and sale of Leahs turquoise ring acts as a source of sympathy towards Shylock and allows him to parallel the Christian husbands, Bassanio and Graziano. A ring is, in andRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice939 Words   |  4 PagesClaudius Introduction This essay looks into the lives of Shylock and Antonio. These are two of Shakespearean antagonists of all time. They are alike in more ways than one. Shylock in Merchant of Venice is a Jewish moneylender based in Venice. He has been tormented and repressed mainly by the Christian population. One finds it easy to sympathize with him mainly because he has his own reasons to be loathing, greedy, and miserly. This ends up making the entire ‘Merchant of Venice’ bittersweet. This wasRead MoreInfluential Fathers2006 Words   |  9 PagesEssay #3 Research Essay April 23, 2013 The Influential Fathers Many people underestimate the significance of a father in a child’s life. The father has some of the most prevalent influences on a child, especially while the child is young. A child’s happiness while growing up is largely influenced by the type of father he has and the relationship they bare. Some children will end up resenting their father moreRead MoreShylock: Villain or Victim6154 Words   |  25 Pageshe cares only for its sentimental value. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise; / I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: / I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. He wants revenge: Perhaps it is the loss of Jessica as well as all the harsh treatment he has suffered from Antonio - and others - over the years that makes him bitter enough to ask for Antonios pound of flesh. He cleverly argues in Act III, scene 1 that he is as much a man as a Christian is and soRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice Anti-Semite Essay2020 Words   |  9 PagesNowadays, many people consider the play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† is one of the most problematic dramas written by Shakespeare because it promotes the prejudice against Jews or the ideology of anti-Semitism. In fact, the play depicts the villain as a devil, a usurer and a Jew who attempts to murder the good and godlike Christians for they have performed good will and mercy toward other people and ruined the Jew’s business. Whether it is his intention or not, Shakespeare chooses to create the imageRead MoreThe Role of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice2395 Words   |  10 PagesThe Role of Prejudice In The Merchant of Venice This paper discusses the subject of prejudice in the William Shakespeare play, The Merchant of Venice. I. Introduction William Shakespeares satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, believed to have been written in 1596 was an examination of hatred and greed.The premise deals with the antagonistic relationship between Shylock, a Jewish money-lender and Antonio, the Christian merchant, who is as generous as Shylock is greedy, particularly