The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of OldEnglish literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. Beowulf is anepic poem which was composed orally and recorded in written form aroundthe 8th century. Beowulf tells the story of Beowulf, a hero who savesthe Danish people from the creature Grendel and his revengeful mother … Read more
Gilgamesh is the main character of Sumerian mythology. Gilgamesh was prince of Uruk, a city in ancient Mesopotamia. Gilgamesh became king after his father’s death and Gilgamesh’s best friend was Enkidu. Gilamgesh and Enkidu are introduced in the tablet when Gilgamesh is king of Uruk and people are complaining about Gilgamesh’s rought behavior. Gilgamesh orders … Read more
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an epic poem of 14th century England. It tells of Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur’s court, who must accept a challenge to behead the Green Knight and return three days later to meet his head on the green hill. Sir Gawain accepts this challenge and beheads … Read more
Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” begins with a simple observation, yet ends in intense emotion. The tone of the poem starts off fairly light with an emphasis on words that describe happy memories. He refers to his father as being “not lanky,” and describes him in similar terms when he says, “He held me … Read more
Audre Lorde was born on February 18, 1934 in New York City Coal is one of her greatest poems Coal deals with themes such as discrimination, oppression and racism Coal deals with life and death Coal deals with hatred Coal deals with anger Coal deals with the black community Coal tells us about Audre Lorde’s … Read more
Beowulf, a heroic poem written around 1000 A. D. , tells of Beowulf’s epic battles, his quest to kill monsters and beasts, his friendships with the Geats, and ultimately his descent into death at the hands of a dragon [1]. Beowulf was believed to have been passed down orally for over 300 years before finally … Read more
Fate is a recurrent theme in Beowulf. Fate has many faces and affects nearly every character in some way. Fate cannot be altered, it can only be accepted or denied. Fate is both self-fulfilling and inevitable. The characters in the poem who seem to master fate are those that come closest to fate’s true nature: … Read more