Abstract
The paper looks closely at the heroes in the poems "Beowulf" and "The Iliad" and shows how Beowulf fights and lives on a superior level than Achilles. The paper discusses how Beowulf, through his battles and his image, becomes a kind of mythological figure, while Achilles, despite the charisma he has with the troops and the way he does battle, remains to the end an ordinary human being. The paper shows how even in death he is killed by a mortal, while it takes another mythological being, a dragon, to kill Beowulf.

From the Paper
"Both Achilles and Beowulf are the centre hero-figures of the literary works they are presented in and the poems "Beowulf" and "The Iliad" are centered on their existence and evolution. However, while Beowulf's mythological struggle seems to bear an extraterrestrial projection, his success seemingly determined the outcome of mankind's faith, Achilles is the centre of a battle between individuals on Earth. Despite godly interventions, the Iliad remains a battle between the Greeks and the Trojans over the fate of Helen of Troy rather than a glorious combat of mythological perspective."

Tags:mythology, mortal, dragon, warrior

Abstract
This paper looks at Mary Stewart's novel "The Crystal Cave" which is an accurate portrayal of Merlin's journey on becoming an advisor to King Arthur. Merlin's life is analyzed from the time he is a boy to his old age. The various roles that Merlin takes on are discussed and proved to show a direct correlation to the man he becomes. The diverse roles of Merlin as a prophet, student, and servant, Merlin, the man who pulled England out of the Dark Ages, and the right hand to King Arthur, are discussed in order to emphasize his varying journey.

From the Paper
"Every person has many characteristics and roles within themselves that identify who they are. When a person is striving for a goal, many of these characteristics must come into play in order to aid in accomplishing the achievement. In the novel, "The Crystal Cave" by Mary Stewart, the protagonist, Merlin, exemplifies various roles and representations. He endures through an intense journey filled with magic, prophecies, teachings, and battles. He becomes destined to become the advisor for King Arthur, who will bring Britain out of the Dark Ages. The diverse character portrayals made by Merlin are significant with respect to his evolution as King Arthur's advisor. The diverse roles he depicts are of a prophet, student, and servant. "

Tags:ages, ambrosius, arthur, cave, crystal, dark, england, king, mary, merlin, stewart, transformation

Abstract
This paper examines the theme of boasting in the poem Beowulf. It describes the purposes the boasting served for the warrior, such as encouragement before battle, to impress and intimidate other warriors, and to achieve respect and fame for his heroic deeds. However, it is argued that this same trait led to his eventual downfall.

From the Paper
"Boasting is a key dramatic element in the epic poem Beowulf. Boasting, for warriors like those in this poem, performs a number of purposes: it helps fighters prepare themselves for battle, figuratively arming them with self-confidence. A warrior who boasts sets up an ideal from of himself one that he must then attempt to live up to in battle. Bragging about past victories can also intimidate and impress other warriors. Beowulf's boasting served all those purposes. His boasting also helped to achieve him fame for his abilities as a warrior. Beowulf my have been using boasting as a tool to help him achieve success. However, in the end, his fame and over- confidence that the boasting helped him to achieve led to hid demise."

Tags:battle, fate, monsters, warriors, respect, fame, heroic, downfall, bragging, victories

Abstract
This paper reviews and discusses the Anglo-Saxon epic of 'Beowulf'. According to the paper, 'Beowulf' relies heavily on the use of good vs. evil. The paper goes on to discuss that it is not just the beauty and godliness that are celebrated in this epic, the great mead hall, Heorot, is also strong and sound in the face of adversity.

From the Paper
"However, it is not just the beauty and godliness that are celebrated in this epic. Heorot is also strong and sound in the face of adversity. Grendel has been a powerful enemy and has damaged Heorot at times by ripping off hinges. Yet, he cannot really damage the physical properties of the hall, nor can Grendel completely demolish the humane properties that have been established there. It is the battle for humanity that brings Beowulf to Denmark to fight with Grendel. Their only battle on the night of Beowulf's arrival tests the physical properties of the building"

Tags:Grendel, denmark, Heorot, battle, good, evil, symbolic

Abstract
In this article, the writer provides an analysis of the character of Beowulf. The writer explains that Beowulf focuses on the character quality of hubris. Further the writer shows how this quality often undermines character and even leads to death when untempered by humility.

From the Paper
"The purpose of the anonymous author of Beowulf appears to have been crafting an epic that demonstrates the values and ideals of the warrior society portrayed. Within the work, we see that Beowulf represents the virtues and ideals considered supreme by the king of the Danes Hrothgar. The savage nature of warrior society often causes its members however to exhibit hubris. This overbearing pride and arrogance often needs tempered with humility in order to keep from acting as a degrading force of character and at its worse ... "

Tags:nobility, God, warriors, Danes, Geats, Hrothgar, Wiglaf, Grendel, battle, loyalty, bravery, courage, pride

Abstract
This paper explains that "Beowul" tells, amongst other things, the story of three monsters and their battles. Grendel, Grendel's Mother, and the Dragon are the monsters who give Beowulf the opportunity to become the legendary hero he is, and they also came at important socio-political times. The paper tells us the monsters of "Beowulf" can, and should, be read as metaphors for greater meaning, not simply static characters who serve as punching bags for the hero. In addition, the authors of "Beowulf" constructed its monsters in such a way that the text could be used as a teaching tool, a piece of Anglo-Saxon propaganda to teach morals and explain defeat.

From the Paper
"By abstaining from the use of conventional weaponry in his battle with Grendel, and only using a magical sword in his fight with Grendel's mother, Beowulf symbolically rejects the domestication of civilization that Hrothgar proffers and revels in his violent heritage. The intimate struggle with Grendel in Heorot where "hand met claw" exemplifies the meeting of two forms of violence: the repressed, tabooed and latent violence of Grendel, and the open, healthy and manifest violence of Beowulf. Because Grendel is presented as the negative manifestation of violence, Beowulf wins the fight and shows the reader how the respectful application of violence is always the strongest. This idea is presented in the gristly image of Beowulf holding "Grendel's claw" "from hand to shoulder" as his war souvenir, the prize of his battle and the death of his enemy (836, 835). That Grendel's arm is Beowulf's souvenir reminds the reader of Grendel's primitive, yet terrible, weapon."

Tags:beowulf, monsters, society, morals, morality

Abstract
The paper relates that Beowulf is based on the classic epic formula involving the confrontation of good versus evil; in fact, the entire plot is based on a series of battles as Beowulf confronts the evil Grendel and his wicked mother. The paper highlights how the intonations and themes interwoven into this work as well as literal language tell of a deeper spiritual meaning to the story. The paper points out that following Beowulf's victory over Grendel, Hrothgar's first words are: "The Almighty makes miracles When He pleases, wonder after wonder, and this world Rests in His hands" (Raffel and Creed xv).

From the Paper
"As one of the great literary classics of all time, Beowulf is both a thought provoking and inspiring work. It follows that the current discussion provides a subjective commentary on this epic tale. Specifically, discussion is provided concerning the elements of this work that struck me most, moved me most deeply, delighted me, and made me think. What in the World have we done to Beowulf? Beowulf is based on the classic epic formula involving the confrontation..."

Tags:beowulf, grendel, hrothgar

Abstract
This paper provides a summary of 8 articles on the topic of story retelling as a learning and diagnostic tool.

From the Paper
"An article in "Reading Today" includes a book review of "Tell Me a Story". The article explains that comprehension is one of the critical elements of reading identified by the National Reading Panel (NRP) and is widely considered the true goal of reading. Retelling incorporates several of the research-based strategies recommended in the NRP report such as using graphic organizers, identifying story structure and summarizing text. If students' retellings are to be assessed effectively, teachers need to instruct retelling in such a way that the students can retell what..."

Tags:story retelling, article summary, scholarly journal

Abstract
The review explores the work of Seamus Heaney (1999) in translating the epic Anglo-Saxon document, "Beowulf." This translation is compared to the digital restoration work being done with the original documents found in the British Library. Both Heaney and the Beowulf restoration group (at the University of Kentucky) are working with identical documents; however, Heamus has translated the text into a more accessible story, and restoration experts such as Keirnan (1984) have worked to preserve the original document for study. This paper evaluates whether Beowulf is a "story" or an artifact of Anglo-Saxon history, and the significance of the difference between translation and restoration.

Tags:beowulf, book, review

Abstract
This paper discusses the various sources on which Sir Thomas Mallory drew to create the version of the legend of King Arthur that is known today. The writer provides an overview of the historical background for the Arthurian legend and the evidence that exists for a historical Arthur. The writer explains the medieval traditions of courtly love and of chivalry that Mallory incorporated into his book and his legacy of the knightly ideal that was detailed by Chaucer in his "Canterbury Tales," and in the fourteenth-century poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."

From the Paper
"The account that did the most to establish Arthur as a prominent historical figure was The History of the Kings of Britain written in 1135 by Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh monk, and the book provides a history of the earliest kings of Britain, some 99 in all, including King Coel, known to us today from the nursery rhyme as Old King Cole. About one-fifth of the book is devoted to Arthur, and Geoffrey provides the first organized version of the story. Many of the elements that would be part of the later tradition were missing, however. Arthur's court is not at Camelot but at a place called Caerlon-on-Usk, or City of Legions. Geoffrey contributed at least three new elements to the existing histories of Arthur--he supplied Arthur with a family tree, told of Arthur's association with Merlin, and described his burial at Avalon."

Tags:Nennius, Dark Ages, Celt Merlin retelling passion Beowulf battle Avalon Camelot