Epic of Beowulf Essays -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf’s Three Fights In the epic poem Beowulf, the character Beowulf is seen to have three battles. The first battle is against Grendel, the second is against Grendel’s mum, and the final battle is against the dragon. In each of these battles Beowulf is portrayed as a great hero (well he should be since it’s a characteristic of an epic poem to glorify the hero) and is always seen to be brave and fearless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first battle he fights is versus Grendel. It takes place in Hrothgar’s Hall of the Hart where Grendel has been plaguing them for twelve years. Beowulf comes because he is told by people from Geatland to help the Scyldings. To get ready for the battle the hero takes off all his armor and sets aside all of his weapons. He plans to beat the demon grim in a fair fight. The coil of sin doesn’t use any weapons besides those that are of his body and wears no armor but the enchantment, which repels attacks from weapons. So the hero is all ready for Grendel and everyone goes to sleep, though Beowulf does not. Grendel bursts into the hall and savagely kills a thane while Beowulf watches and sees how the monster works. The evil spirit then comes to kill the great thane but Beowulf grabs the fiendish demon’s wrist with the strength of thirty men. Grendel tries to flee but Beowulf holds on and continues to apply pressure to Grendel’s arm. Beowul f then tears the stealthy demon’s arm off and Grendel runs away. He flees to his cave where he is later fou...

A Summer with My Aunt Essay

I, of course, was not used to spending any amount of money because my parents were doing well enough to keep my sister and me in school, so the idea of having leisurely money was a new concept which I craved. As a child I admired this woman for many reasons and wanted to be like her. I wanted to live in a nice neighborhood with a big house, I wanted to drive a beautiful white shiny car and wear new clothes, I wanted to be strong and healthy , but most of all I wanted to be successful like she was. So I spent my days in school preparing for college so that someday I would be able to be like her. Things changed, though, when I moved down to Texas for two months to take care of her nine month old son, Luke; as it turns out Gretchen Decker was and is not as happy with her life as I thought she was. At the beginning of the summer I had agreed to fly out to California to take my grandma’s place as a helping hand for my aunt. Gretchen had just married her third husband, Chris, two years prior and had recently become pregnant. My whole family was rather concerned with this matter because my aunt was now in her forties; when complications started arising my grandmother put her own life on hold to focus her attention on her daughter. When the time came, though, it was my turn to help my aunt. I left my job, friends, summer activities, and leisurely time to fly out to California and take care of my cousin. Plans were interrupted by my aunt’s job, though, when she received recent news of a promotion that would land her in the Dallas metropolis. I, of course, did not mind because either way I would be able to finally get to know this woman I so aspired to be like, and at the same time I would be able to visit with my aunt Trudy. So at the end of the summer I packed up my bags and my dad, sister, and I drove down to Texas. The house was gorgeous with a huge entry way and vaulted ceilings and a large open-concept kitchen and living room. The rooms were not very large but they were a decent size, close to a large bathroom. There was no furniture yet because it was still being moved from California and sadly we’d have to live without it for a couple more weeks. It was a great neighborhood, though, quiet and clean but most importantly, safe; this was the house my mother and father were working so hard for. The city was also very established with great schools and big malls, another thing I, myself, had always wanted. The next day I met Luke and was shocked by his appearance. He was a gorgeous baby but his weight brought up a bit of a concern for me. Luke was only nine months old and weighed 30 pounds; the first though in my mind was, â€Å"why is she feeding him so much? † but I held my tongue and asked, â€Å"So, what does he eat? † My aunt replied saying, â€Å"well he has five bottles a day and two to three solid meals a day. † Another thought, â€Å"holy crap,† then I said, â€Å"Wow, he’s big. † She laughed and said, â€Å"Yeah he’s definitely not starving. She may have found it funny but I found it odd that this child was the size of a two year old and was barely able to move. I walked over to the refrigerator next and poured myself a glass of water. As I drank, I stared at a picture of my aunt and Chris. They were running side by side concentrating on the goal ahead, when suddenly Luke laughed and my attention was turned to the other side o f the room. My sister, Darian, was playing with Luke and showing him how to use his toys. My aunt smiled at the sight and said, † Darian, I love this little guy so much. It’s amazing. I’ve never loved anyone or anything this much. † My sister immediately asked, â€Å"Don’t you love Chris? † The pause in-between the question surprised me, but finally she answered, â€Å"well†¦ yes but I just love Luke so much. † She continued to answer the question by saying that Chris was a good companion and that’s why she married him. Later I would learn my aunt â€Å" just liked to be married† and that is what led me to believe my aunt didn’t care about love as much as she did her job, because she went into a marriage thinking like a business woman rather that a girl in love. To me this also meant she just didn’t want to be alone. A week went by and the moving was done and I was left alone with my aunt. She was struggling to get used to things at her new job and ii could tell she was under much stress. So I did everything I could think of to take a load off her back like doing the laundry, cooking, cleaning and making sure Luke was in a good mood for her when she came home. No matter what I did though my aunt began to become increasingly frustrated with her job. She would leave the house around six-thirty every day and come back around six and continue to do work after Luke went to bed. She would always tell me she wished she could spent more time with Luke but that wouldn’t be able to happen because Chris was playing â€Å" peter pan† in Afghanistan. Every day it was the same thing: â€Å"Chris is peter pan,† â€Å"I wish I didn’t have to be the main provider† but the fact of the matter is that my aunt makes around 104 thousand dollars a year and Chris makes around 84 thousand. I was becoming very frustrated with my aunt’s complaints because my family of four had loved off 30 thousand for quite some time and managed to survive, so why couldn’t she live off 84? The answer to my question was very upsetting. She said, â€Å"Well that’s Missouri and Missouri isn’t the real world. † How dare she belittle my parents’ hard work! They both worked day and night trying to provide a better life for my sister and I and this is how she sees their work? I didn’t even get to see my parents a lot of the time because one of them was always at work, and here my aunt sat in a huge house with a nice neighborhood, with a beautiful baby and a handsome husband and money so much that she didn’t even know what to do with it, trying to tell me how terrible her life was. I kept my mouth closed because it was not my place to tell her these thoughts but more and more I became disappointed in my aunt. Why could she not be thankful and content with what she had? Her favorite subject of complaint was her husband; mostly, because he didn’t make enough money for her to stay at home but she also accused him of trying to avoid her and Luke because he didn’t wasn’t to take any responsibility. She thought this because he was going to stay in a deployable unit but at the same time the reason he was doing that was for an education opportunity. There was no pleasing her, though; even the fact that Chris wanted to be the provider did not appease her. She had made a comment to me about how she would â€Å"Find Luke a new daddy† if she had to. This made me sick to my stomach that she would say such a thing but I guess that is what happens when you marry someone just because you â€Å" like to be married. † Marriage is not like playing house it is a gift God has given us to become one with another person you love. Everything I admired my aunt for pretty much washed away because of my experience this summer and I will not go back to live with her again. She will sit in her big house in a nice neighborhood, with a husband she dislikes, a job that makes good money, and rot because she does not know how to be content. That’s what I really want is to marry a man I love, give him beautiful children, and work at a job that I absolutely love; not a bunch of money with nothing to do with it. I can thank my aunt, though, for showing me how unhappy a person can be in their life because they focus their mind on only the negative and never any positive aspects of their lives.

Conflict Analysis Essay

‘When conflict arises, it is impossible not to take a side. Everyone has a role’ Expository Essay: One of the great myths of conflict is that is can always be contained. Whether it is encountered in the personal or political sphere, conflict will often spread beyond the main combatants. History demonstrates that wars escalate in a world where connections between individuals and states are so complex and it is so difficult to come to a definite conclusion. An argument between friends will generally force those on the perimeter to choose sides. Conflict by its very nature creates polarities. Even when conflict is internal, it rarely remains so. When a dispute begins, the world is viewed in black and white terms with no middle ground. Attempts to reconcile differences are often misinterpreted as tacit support for one side or the other. Conflict is defined by incompatible positions that force individuals to take sides. War constructs an environment in which on a political level, everyone is on a side. However, in another sense, everyone is doing what they can or must to survive in their particular situation. Throughout their time as prisoners of war, the women in the camp always disregard the Japanese as their enemy. For some, this is because of nationalistic allegiances, but for other it is because of the way they are treated. Their battle is not against Japan, but against humiliation and the use of brutality to degrade and harm others. The Japanese impose many acts of humiliation upon the women in the camp, such as forcing them to bow and scramble for food, to haul water for Japanese baths, to rise upon order and to assert the supremacy of the Japanese Empire over the British. This humiliation is explained as a reversal of the humiliation to which the Japanese felt the Europeans were subjected colonised Asian people. Hence, why divisions in individuals are experienced during war and consequently force oneself to choose a side. Conflict can rarely be contained and it inevitably spreads beyond the original dispute. Class prejudices often causes disputes between individuals  demonstrating how support and unity is essential in times of conflict. Sometimes the women in the camp are surprised to discover themselves degrading attitudes that they despise in their captors. Prejudices based on class and race must be confronted if conflict is not to destroy all hope and dignity. However, the women do not last long living under the pressures of camp life and soon they are all equal in scrambling for food and bowing to the Japanese flag. Cultural and educational backgrounds have a more profound impact on the relationships formed within the group and arguments raised between individuals. When a racially motivated fight breaks out over a lost bar of soap, it threatens to undermine the unity and strength of the women. This demonstrates the immense importance to disregard social class for these women. The middle ground can be the most dangerous place in a conflict because both sides may regard this position with suspicion. Margaret (Daisy Drummond) frequently seeks to mediate between the Japanese and their victims. Her bravery and compassion and her unshakeable belief in the basic goodness of individuals, puts her life at great risk. Her bravery is evident when she marches out with water for Susan who is weakening from her torture. This action may have led to similar punishment for herself. Sometimes conflict is like a bushfire it spreads and spreads until everyone is forced to take some kind of action. It does not respect those who wish to stay out of its way, anymore than it does those who try to encounter it head on. Arguments, disputes and battles of all sorts are an undeniable part of the fabric of human existence. The goal is always to look for a way to end the fighting and heal the wounds. It is thus crucial not to underestimate the momentum that develops so quickly when conflict arises. Persuasive Essay: We sang wonderfully today. The concert was a huge success! Even Captain Tanaka clapped at the end. This would have been unthinkable a few months ago. Maybe the Japs are beginning to think we are humans after all. Well I don’t think I could ever think of them that way. Adrienne and Daisy were talking about that after the concert. The interpreter asked them to perform a traditional Japanese song. Daisy looked like she was about to agree, but Adrienne said â€Å"NO!† straight away. Adrienne admitted she hates the Japs, but Daisy said the worse they acted the most sorry she felt for them. I’ve been thinking about that a lot. It seems Daisy doesn’t see things like most of us do. She doesn’t see us as innocent and the Japs as evil. She just doesn’t take sides like that. It is easer to wonder if Daisy is like this because she is just too soft-a pushover who will help anyone-maybe just to be liked. I knew some girls like that back at school, they’d get bullied all the time but still hang around with the bullies. But that’s not Daisy. She is the bravest of us all. She marched straight out in front of the soldiers with water for Susan that horrible day and she bargained for Susan’s release too. But that’s it, she wanted to help Susan, but she never wanted to hurt the Japs. For her it isn’t us against them, she feels compassion for everyone. That’s amazing but I don’t know anyone else like Daisy. Most of us are like Adrienne. We have to take sides because the war puts us on a side. I don’t understand how anyone could possibly feel compassion towards the Japs; they have put us through extraordinary challenges, where I personally have had to test my morals. But I have to put aside my morals for the time being, if I want to survive in this corrupt environment. I often relate my thoughts back to Daisy’s, she is so compassionate and highly respected though the camp. Does this mean she accepts the behaviours of the Japs, humiliating us? Daisy was in the missionaries, maybe she feels a sense of understanding towards the Japs? ‘When conflict arises, it is impossible not to take a side. Everyone has a role’ Expository Essay: One of the great myths of conflict is that is can always be contained. Whether it is encountered in the personal or political sphere, conflict will often spread beyond the main combatants. History demonstrates that wars escalate in a world where connections between individuals and states are so complex and it is so difficult to come to a definite conclusion. An argument between friends will generally force those on the perimeter to choose sides. Conflict by its very nature creates polarities. Even when conflict is internal, it rarely remains so. When a dispute begins, the world is viewed in black and white terms with no middle ground. Attempts to reconcile differences are often misinterpreted as tacit support for one side or the other. Conflict is defined by incompatible positions that force individuals to take sides. War constructs an environment in which on a political level, everyone is on a side. However, in another sense, everyone is doing what they can or must to survive in their particular situation. Throughout their time as prisoners of war, the women in the camp always disregard the Japanese as their enemy. For some, this is because of nationalistic allegiances, but for other it is because of the way they are treated. Their battle is not against Japan, but against humiliation and the use of brutality to degrade and harm others. The Japanese impose many acts of humiliation upon the women in the camp, such as forcing them to bow and scramble for food, to haul water for Japanese baths, to rise upon order and to assert the supremacy of the Japanese Empire over the British. This humiliation is explained as a reversal of the humiliation to which the Japanese felt the Europeans were subjected colonised Asian people. Hence, why divisions in individuals are experienced during war and consequently force oneself to choose a side. – Conflict can rarely be contained and it inevitably spreads beyond the original dispute. Class prejudices often causes disputes between individuals demonstrating how support and unity is essential in times of conflict.  Sometimes the women in the camp are surprised to discover themselves degrading attitudes that they despise in their captors. Prejudices based on class and race must be confronted if conflict is not to destroy all hope and dignity. However, the women do not last long living under the pressures of camp life and soon they are all equal in scrambling for food and bowing to the Japanese flag. Cultural and educational backgrounds have a more profound impact on the relationships formed within the group and arguments raised between individuals. When a racially motivated fight breaks out over a lost bar of soap, it threatens to undermine the unity and strength of the women. This demonstrates the immense importance to disregard social class for these women. -indigenous Australians. The middle ground can be the most dangerous place in a conflict because both sides may regard this position with suspicion. Margaret (Daisy Drummond) frequently seeks to mediate between the Japanese and their victims. Her bravery and compassion and her unshakeable belief in the basic goodness of individuals, puts her life at great risk. Her bravery is evident when she marches out with water for Susan who is weakening from her torture. This action may have led to similar punishment for herself. Daisy demonstrates that in times of conflict we can have courage to not comprise our convictions even in the direst circumstances. Her strength comes from her authentic faith. When the observation is made following an incident of nauseating brutality that she doesn’t hate the oppressors, Margaret responds, â€Å"I just can’t bring myself to hate people. The worse they behave, the more sorry I feel for them.† This powerful character illustrates that in times of serve conflict our morals do not have to be compromised if we have the strength to do so. Sometimes conflict is like a bushfire it spreads and spreads until everyone is forced to take some kind of action. It does not respect those who wish to stay out of its way, anymore than it does those who try to encounter it head on. Arguments, disputes and battles of all sorts are an undeniable part of the fabric of human existence. The goal is always to look for a way to end the fighting and heal the wounds. It is thus crucial not to underestimate the momentum that develops so quickly when conflict arises.