Essay on Comparing the Heroes in The Dream of the Rood...

The Heroes in The Dream of the Rood and Beowulf In The Dream of the Rood, the poet has added elements of the idealized heroic death (as exemplified in Beowulf and The Battle of Maldon) to the crucifixion. He has also eliminated details of the story that tend to render Christ as a figure of pathos, in order to further Christs identification with the other glorious warriors Anglo-Saxon poems. When a hero meets his death, for example, he is usually surrounded by faithful retainers (as is Byrhtnoth) or at least one steadfast companion, such as Beowulfs Wiglaf. The gospel clearly states that Jesus died ignobly, in the most humiliating fashion possible, and that his disciples kept themselves from Golgotha†¦show more content†¦How can a man die honorably without treasure? The poet does not mention that Christ dies to fulfill a prophecy, one that is unavoidable and that he therefore calmly accepts. The notion of letting fate do its work doesnt seem to be on any of the other heroes agendas, either. Beowulf, for example, suspects that the dragons laying waste to his kingdom may indeed be divine punishment -- but that doesnt stop him from going to its barrow and stabbing the creature in the belly. In fact, Beowulf clearly states It is a mystery where a courageous man will meet his fated end. . . [ll. 3063-4] . Interestingly, in Maldon, the ones on the battlefield who are described as fated to die are always the Vikings, the barbarians. On page 57, a Viking warriors death is recounted thus: The fated warrior fell to earth. Whereas Byrhtnoths sisters son chose death in battle, on the same page. The delineation is clear: a hero dies in battle, by choice; others let fate roll over them. The designation fated is never applied to the valorous. A medieval hero always seeks his own death, if by his sacrifice his kinsmen will benefit. This is why Beowulf willingly enters the den of his third and final monster: Now the edge of the sword, hand and hard blade, must fight for treasure. [ll. 2508-9] Treasure means security for his people; therefore he goes, refusing all help, because it is his duty to do well by his kingdom. The Rood poet points outShow MoreRelatedThe Heroic Significance of Christ in The Dream of the Rood Essay978 Words   |  4 PagesThe Heroic Significance of Christ in The Dream of the Rood Incorporating traditional Anglo Saxon beliefs of heroism with the image of Christ on the cross allows the poet of The Dream of the Rood to effectively communicate the benefits of Christianity to pagan warriors. By comparing characteristics, duties, and treatment of heroes in Beowulf and the Battle of Maldon to the depiction of Christ in The Dream of the Rood, it becomes evident that the image of Christ is altered to mirror that ofRead MorePeriods of English Literature1515 Words   |  7 Pagesmonks also tried to infuse the Anglo-Saxons with a love for Christianity, where the heroes were Christ and his Apostles, by writing poetry such as â€Å"Cinewulf†, â€Å"The Dream of the Rood† and â€Å"Elene†. It was a monk, in fact, who wrote down the tale of â€Å"Beowulf†, the most celebrated tale of the period. â€Å"Beowulf† is a folk epic that is representative of the Old English period, in both life and character. â€Å"Beowulf† can be summarized as the tale of a brave and heroic warrior, who has superhuman strength