Beowulf : Pagan or Christian Hero?
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A 5 page paper examining whether Beowulf is as much a Christian as he claims. There are numerous pagan references throughout the epic, including among them monsters, sorcery and drinking of blood. Had Beowulf been truly Christian in his convictions, he would have understood that he would have no need of treasure after leaving this earth. Rather than allow the captured treasure to be used for the benefit of others after his death, he insisted that it be buried with him. Beowulf was a pagan hero. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: KSbeowuf.rtf

Beowulf, Sundiata, and Heroism in the Epic Tradition
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A 5 page paper comparing Beowulf, the oldest work in English literature, with an African epic, Sundiata. The paper concludes that the two works define heroism differently; while Beowulf is interested primarily in promoting himself as a valiant warrior, with Sundiata the emphasis is always on his people. Bibliography lists four sources.
Filename: Epictrad.wps

Beowulf
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A 4 page (detailed) analytical discussion of the classic English epic poem - 'Beowulf.' No Bibliography.
Filename: Beowulf2.wps

Beowulf & Gawain / The Role of Women
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A 5 page paper examining the way the anonymous authors of these two early works deal with the presence of women in their tales. The paper notes that in both cases, women function as forces of primal but somehow irrational passion that need to be 'smoothed over' and subjugated by men in order for the world to function in top form. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: Beogaw.wps

Beowulf / An Overview
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A 5 page paper about the Old English epic. The writer provides an overview of the story and then analyzes its importance to contemporary readers today. No additional sources cited.
Filename: Beowulf3.wps

Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
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A 5 page paper that discusses the difference between the two heroes in these works. Beowulf and Gawain both represent the characteristics of heroes, but both demonstrate them in different ways. While Beowulf fights his battles to achieve fame and glory, Gawain battles the Green Knight in service to Arthur. There personal characteristics determine the outcomes of the works. Bibliography lists 3 source.
Filename: Gawain.rtf

Beowulf and The Poem of the Cid: Epic Legends
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A legend is a story that has probable historical roots but has been told and retold, embellished and personalized to the individual and their culture. The hero in a legend is generally larger than life. Legends are often narrative and present a theme or problem that was central to the development of the time period. Heroic tradition is, simply stated, the ages old pattern of story that begins with a hero in unusual circumstances, the search or quest, the transformation of the Hero and a resolution. Beowulf, an epic poem of Old English origins, and The Poem of the Cid, an eleventh-century epic poem from Spain, are both considered legends from the oral tradition that mirror the developmental stages of their culture. This 5 page paper explores the tale of Beowulf and the Poem of the Cid with an emphasis on their status as legend based on the shared concepts of a hero on a quest and the theme as reflective of the stage of development of feudalism. No additional sources are listed.
Filename: KTbeocid.wps

Family Ties in Beowulf
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A 5 page paper analyzing the way the author of this anonymous early-medieval poem views the ties of family and kinship. The paper concludes that the poem's author considered valor and nobility to have a genetic component, and felt that a person of noble blood bore an extra measure of responsibility for his people. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Filename: Famwulf.wps

Kingship And Downfall In Beowulf And Lear
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A 5 page paper comparing Beowulf and Shakespeare's King Lear in terms of the protagonists' deaths at the end of their respective works of literature. The paper observes that Beowulf's overconfidence caused him to die precisely as he wanted -- a hero -- while Lear's vanity caused him to die a tragic and humbled death. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: Learbeo.wps

Leadership in 'Beowulf' and 'Gilgamesh'
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A five page paper looking at the way these two very ancient stories develop the concept of leadership. The paper concludes that both epics place equal emphasis on the dual requirements of valor and service as basic components of leadership. No additional sources.
Filename: KBbeo2.wps

Presentation of Kingships in Medieval Literature
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A 7 page paper presenting the role taken by the medieval king in such works as Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The writer depicts the father-son relationship that existed between a king and his warriors. Bibliography lists three sources.
Filename: Kingship.wps

The Character of Hrothgar in Beowulf
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A 3 page essay in which the writer analytically presents Hrothgar as the most 'human' character in the epic 'Beowulf.' It is posited that while Hrothgar does indeed have all of the qualities necessary for greatness, he is the one character with whom we can most identify. Also examined is Hrothgar's relationship with Beowulf and the fact that while he has wisdom, Hrothgar lacks courage. No Bibliography.
Filename: Hrothgar.wps

The Characterization of Grendel in “Beowulf”
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A five page paper looking at the degree to which Grendel can be attributed human motivations and personal characteristics. The paper asserts that he cannot; he simply represents that which is dark and bestial in us all. No other sources.
Filename: KBbeo.wps

Monkey's Spiritual Journey
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This 4 page paper examines Monkey, a novel by Ch'eng-en and the protagonist's spiritual journey. The concept of the encounter is discussed as it relates to this work. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: SA730Mky.rtf

Reality versus Appearance in the Middle Ages
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This 5 page paper looks at Machiavelli's and Boccaccio's ideas in examining the differences between reality and appearance. The two works discussed are The Prince and The Decameron. No additional sources cited.
Filename: SA143rea.rtf

Status of Women/Fifth Century Athens
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A 5 page research paper that examines the status of women in ancient Athens. The writer access this topic by examining Agamemnon by Aeschylus and argues that the character of Clytemnestra is the antithesis of ideal Athenian womanhood. The status of women is examined as suggested by the play. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: khstacly.rtf

"Death of a Salesman" and Oedipus: Stories of Two Tragic Heroes
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A 10 page overview of these two classic plays. Makes the contention that each is just as representative of the literary genre of classic tragedy as is the other. Observes that each is a different twist on one man's perception of the concepts of hope, fate, and destiny. Emphasizes that Oedipus believed that he could escape the hand of fate and create his own destiny. Willy on the other hand thought that he would ride the tide of fate to his ultimate destiny. The problems which resulted in each instance, however, was that the final outcome was very different than that which was envisioned by the hero of each tale. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Filename: PPslsmn2.wps