Beowulf: Of these three characters, Beowulf is probably the one who conforms to the relevant stereotype the most. Beowulf is a typical epic hero. An epic hero is a character who is larger-than-life (but not immortal), so he is stronger, braver, and usually nobler than others. He is not necessarily flawless, but in epics like Beowulf, the line between good and evil is clearly drawn, and Beowulf is definitely "the good guy." In the epic poem, we hear that Beowulf has a pedigree -- his father was also a brave leader -- and we first see him in action when he decides to go to Hrothgar's kingdom to battle the violent monster Grendel. This monster has terrorized the kingdom for years and has taken the lives of many of Hrothgar's men. Although Beowulf has no specific allegiance to Hrothgar and Grendel is the most threatening and ruthless beast anyone has heard of, Beowulf volunteers to travel across the sea with his men to defeat this monster. When he arrives at Hrothgar's kingdom, he asks permission to fight Grendel, which shows the proper respect toward the king and his territory. Beowulf then says he will fight Grendel with his bare hands because he expects Grendel will use no weapons. Beowulf's superhuman strength is on display in the fight with Grendel, as he not only defeats the beast, but rips his arm from his body. Later, after Grendel's mother comes back to wreak havoc on Hrothgar's mead hall in revenge for her son's death, Beowulf volunteers to go to Grendel's mother's lair to fight her. He has some help from a magic sword, but Beowulf is successful. Before he goes into battle, he asks Hrothgar to take care of his men if he should be killed in the battle. This shows that he is loyal to his men and a good leader. Many years later, Beowulf's own kingdom is threatened by a dragon. Although he is older, Beowulf again volunteers to battle a monster one-on-one. Beowulf is mortally wounded, but one of his men steps up and kills the dragon in his honor because Beowulf has always provided for the men and has been a just king. After his death, he is honored with a funeral pyre and a tower built in his name.
Sir Gawain: In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is still heroic, but he is more human and flawed than Beowulf. In the poem, the Green Knight boldly rides into King Arthur's hall and challenges the king. Sir Gawain volunteers to take the king's place and accepts the Knight's challenge. This is significant because the Knight is huge and is carrying a gigantic ax (not to mention that he is green); in other words, he is an intimidating figure and Gawain is brave to take him on. Gawain, even though he is a young and lesser-known knight at the time, becomes responsible for upholding the Knights of the Round Table's reputation as the bravest and noblest knights in the land. At the banquet hall during the Green Knight's first appearance, Gawain comes to an agreement with the Knight and then beheads the Green Knight. To everyone's surprise and dismay, the Green Knight picks his head up and rides out, reminding Gawain that he is supposed to seek him out the next year to fulfill the rest of the bargain. This is enough to strike fear into any human, Gawain included, but he feels that it is his duty to fulfill his promises and complete the tasks. He eventually does so, but he eventually is able to defeat the Green Knight because he is wearing a magical green girdle. Although Gawain is brave and dutiful, some readers might think it's unfair that he uses the girdle; on the other hand, the Green Knight himself uses magic, so the girdle may just put the two on an even playing field. Ultimately, Gawain shows that he is chivalrous, brave, loyal, and strong, like a typical knight.
The Wife of Bath: In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath (Alison) is an unconventional character who defies many stereotypes of women in the Middle Ages. First, she is traveling on this pilgrimage alone, not accompanied by a man (husband or father). Chaucer's "General Prologue" tells us that she has been married five times, which is certainly not typical. The Wife of Bath is social and some may say even has a bawdy sense of humor; this would not conform to the stereotype that women should be meek and proper. The Prologue also reveals that Alison has been on many pilgrimages and is an expert weaver. Her religious devotion and domestic craft are a little more stereotypical, but when combined with some of her other traits, we see that Chaucer has created a complex and ambiguous character. The Wife of Bath's tale has been read as a feminist text by some because the Wife suggests in her Prologue and Tale that she feels she should have power in her relationships with men instead of being subordinate to her husband.
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