Beowulf vs. Modern Society :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf vs. Modern Society Are there all similarities between life in modern America and the world of Beowulf? Is it affirmable for such a technology oriented world such as ours to have anything in common with a world which had not tied(p) heard of electricity? Has this technology really separated us from foregoing civilizations? Is our thinking at once any different from the thinking of ancient cultures? Although it may not seem to be true, there are actually some similarities between our world and that of Beowulfs. These similarities are readily seen in all forms of media and entertainment, as well as noted sources of culture such as melody and movies. If the similarity between the two cultures is accepted, it will not be impenetrable to comprehend Beowulf. The first and most notable similarity is drinking. King Hrothgar construct a giant mead-hall, to wit Heorot, to accommodate his celebrations. Throughout Beowulf it can be seen that celebrations of any kind are al ways accompanied by drinking. drunkenness is just present today as it was thousands of years ago. People today always include drinking in their celebrations, whether it be a birthday, anniversary, or marriage. Heorot is nothing more than a tremendous bar. The festivities of the warriors in Beowulfs while can be seen every night in any local anesthetic bar or pub. Another similarity of course is violence. Violence is on the face of it present in Beowulfs world. The determinant of status holds its roots in violence. The only way for a warrior to prove himself is through battle, or violence. specifically this can be seen through the character, Unferth. He was not respected as a warrior overdue to his inability to win battles. He tried to comment faults in Beowulf to raise his own ego. The disrespect given to this man was due to his unsuccessfulness in violent engagements. Modern violence is present all just about us. No matter which way one turns, violence will be there t o greet him. Whether it be on the street, in school, or compensate at home, violence cannot be avoided. The presence of this violence in nightspot leads to stress. This stress is to a large extent the cause of the similarity mentioned earlier, namely drinking. Anyone from the local bully to a armed robber can be representatives of modern violence. Although it is present in everyday life, this violence can be seen easier in any form of media.