Beowulf Cheat Sheet Essays -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

1. Weapons serve as the tools that the soldiers must subprogram to do their job killing beasts or men without get killed. As a artist may be fond of his paintbrush, the soldiers greatly cherish their weapons. Often a weapon is valued for its pedigree. The author often interrupts litigate to delve into a weapons previous owners and its history. In the introduction, Burton Raffel states, The important tools, in this meter, are weapons proven swords and helmets are handed down from father to son, give care the vital treasures they were. Swords have personalities, and names ? (xi) Beowulf uses Hrothgars helmet and armor to protect him from serpents claws while he descends into the lake to meet Grendels mother. The helmet is said to block all battle swords, ascertain all blades from cutting at him?(1451-53) However, the monster bites holes in it. Grendels mother is frustrated by the almost impenetrable armor. She tried to work her fingers through the tight ring-woven light on his breast, precisely tore and scratched in vain.? (1503-05) Hrunting is the sword that Unferth lends Beowulf for the battle against Grendels mother. Hrunting is a lucky sword, No one whod worn it into battle, swung it in dodgy tooshies, daring and brave, had ever been deserted-?(1459-1461) However, Hrunting is useless against Grendels mother, although no swords made by mortals would have pierced the monsters skin. It takes a sword hammered by giants, strong and blessed with their magic? (1557-1559) that Beowulf finds hanging on the wall to cut through the monsters neck. The monsters blood melts the sword but Beowulf brings the sword hilt to Hrothgar as a gift. In the battle against the dragon Beowulf uses a sword named Nagling. It first cracks against the tough dragon skin and then breaks to pieces against the dragons head. Once again, his weapon had failed him, deserted him, now when he needed it most?. Although the iron shield is somewhat effective against the dragons scalding b reath, throughout the poem Beowulf is little aided in battle by a weapon. The author suggests that his hands were too strong, the hardest blade could not help him, th... ...m hilde-deor hearpan wynne?. In the translated edition Burton Raffel uses a more subtle style, although alliteration can still be easily found on every page. An example is the description of Hrothgar playing a ingeminate and how he stroked its silvery strings? (2108) Kenning is the use of figurative phrases instead of a simple noun. Instead of just saying ship the author might use the ringed prow?, the sea-farer?, or the bent-necked wood?. The dragon is refered to as a twilight-spoiler? and whale-road? is an ocean. A king or important noble is called a ring-giver? many propagation throughout the poem. There are several similes is the poem. One example is the description of Grendels claws as nails as hard as bright steel? (985) other simile poetically depicts the Geats journey stating, The ship foamed through the sea like a bird? (218). An Epithet is an identifying repeating adjective used to take the place of a persons name. The kenning term ring-giver is an epithet. Patronymics, a specific type of Epithet, is the naming of people in terms