Revenge A Theme in Beowulf Essay - 638 Words

Have you ever wanted to avenge a wrong doing done unto you? Well, the characters in Beowulf will stop at nothing to achieve vengeance. Revenge is so immensely practiced that it is a common act to pay of a deed done by an offender. However, a payment or truce does not satisfy the desire for revenge in the Poem. Every time a Character precedes to make peace, it eventually falls apart by a desire to avenge loved ones. This desire is usually upheld until someone is no longer left to be avenged or no one is left to avenge those whom they loved. This, although it may not seem so, happens commonly in this epic. The Danes seem to have disputes with everyone, some ending with them basking in glory and others ending, well, with not so much†¦show more content†¦Both are examples of how alliance did not satisfy the lust for vengeance. Beowulf states (line 1380) â€Å"It is always better to avenge dear ones than indulge in mourning.† I find this interesting because he is saying this to the Danish leader, and the Danes always try to avenge dear ones, but are great at procrastinating others who want vengeance unto them. Beowulf’s statement is also interesting because his own father killed someone and, like they always do, the Danes payed his Wergild. I can see why Beowulf says this though. He is involved in every cycle of revenge, which is important, in the book: Grendel and the hall, The Swedes and the Geats, and the shortest cycle, the dragon. In the cycle with Grendel, Beowulf killed him and his mother so no one was left to avenge him. With the Dragon, no one was left for the Geats to avenge. With the Swedes, after Beowulf’s death their is no one left to fight back against the Swedes’ acts of vengeance. The battle between the Geats and the Swedes is probably one of the most notable out of the three, for the topic of revenge. Hrethel passes leading the the Swedes campaigning against the Geats. Then in a battle Hygelac’s brother is killed. After Ongentheow is killed by thanes of Hygelac. Hygelac is killed in a fight against theShow MoreRelatedRevenge Essay : The Theme Of Revenge In Beowulf1202 Words   |  5 Pagesthey all have their own survival skills also have their own revenge plan .Beowulf fight for his people in the country;Grendel’s mother revenge for her son; Wiglaf fight for his King and loyalty; They all did really good revenge for their own people, for their family and for their loyalty.In the epic poem Beowulf, the idea of vengeance is exemplified through the actions of Beowulf, Grendel’s mother and Wiglaf. 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