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BEOWULF PROJECT ALEX WINSLOW
SYMBOLS OF BEOWULF
Hrothgards Hall Vs. Grendels Cave: Hrothgards mead hall was much more than a place to have a beer. It represented the accomplishments of Hrothgard and his kingdom. It was also a place for soldiers to celebrate victory. The hall directly contrast the cave of Grendel and his mother. The cave was very likely used to portray things related to hell, demons, sorcery, black magic and ancient ruines. Anglo Saxons were converted to Christianty and thats why they portrayed these ideas as evil by using Grendel and his mother.
The treasure that was guarded by the dragon most likely represented the vanity of human wishes and that money can only be used momentarily in time. The treasure was sought by Beowulf for the good of his people. He slayed the dragon and yet the treasure was still not obtained because it was buried with Beowulfs ashes.
Grendel being the descendant of cain was used to represent the evil and wrongdoing of anglo- saxon society. He also represents the punishment that killing can bring.
The dragon represents that every hero has his downfall, and that death is inevitable.
Water was used extensively in this story. Examples of this is the sea that Beowulf and his warriors cross to get to Denmark, the swimming match between Beowulf and Breca, the lake where Grendels mother lives, and the sea in over cliff during the fight with the dragon. Water was obviously highly regarded by Anglo-Saxon ancestors and themselves. The sea monsters represented the dangers that lie at sea such as falling overboard, getting lost and drowning.
There were many swords used in this epic. It seems that the swords would represent battle and greatness but the story doesn’t seem to suggest this. They are often depicted as breaking and being useless in battle. This could be because the author wanted to show the futility of war. It also shows that a hero is above weapons and they are almost considered cheating.
