''Beowulf'' and ''Hamlet'' are probably two of the best-known works in British literature. Both deal with themes that are in many aspects interesting and fascinating to us modern human-beings. They are stories about royalty, heroism, honor, love, glory, hate and revenge. Ingredients that are even today essentially for every movie which is supposed to bring in money. But during the bygone ages ''Beowulf“ and ''Hamlet“ take place in, making money was not the only goal. The authors wanted to deliver certain messages to the audience.
In this work I will concentrate on the concepts of honor and revenge in both texts. What is considered as honorable? Which behaviour is typical for a coward? How important is revenge and how can it be achieved? And, most important, how does these concepts differ if you take a closer look on ''Beowulf'' and ''Hamlet''? What are the differences between the ages?
To answer this questions it will be important to compare the main characters, as there are Beowulf and Hamlet. Both of them are confronted with situations in which decisions have to be made. Decisions on how to act, on how to react to different events and threats in their lives. By watching the characters, it should be possible to point out differences and similarities between them.
I suspect that there are quite a lot of differences, because ''Hamlet'' several hundred years younger than ''Beowulf''. Therefore some concepts (e.g. that of revenge) may have changed during the time.
At first I will do a critical assessment on the sources I used for this paper. I think this is very important, because over the years a lot of different varieties of both texts were published. The second step will be to analyse them in order to gather information about the plot as well as the characters and their behaviour. At that point I used also some secondary literature and essays which you can find in the bibliography at the end. By doing so it should be possible to draw a sufficient conclusion and to answer the questions stated above.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Sources
- Beowulf- The Theme
- Beowulf- The Hero
- Hamlet- The Theme
- Hamlet- The Hero?
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work examines the concepts of honor and revenge in both "Beowulf" and "Hamlet." It seeks to understand how these concepts differ between the two works and how they reflect the historical and cultural context of their respective eras. The main objectives are to compare the main characters, Beowulf and Hamlet, and to analyze their actions and decisions in the face of conflict and adversity. By analyzing the characters' behavior, the paper aims to identify differences and similarities between the two works and explore how the concepts of honor and revenge may have changed over time.
- The role of honor and revenge in Anglo-Saxon and Renaissance literature
- The contrasting approaches to honor and revenge in "Beowulf" and "Hamlet"
- The impact of historical and cultural context on the themes of honor and revenge
- The portrayal of heroism and its relationship to honor and revenge
- The development of the concepts of honor and revenge throughout literary history
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the main themes of honor and revenge in "Beowulf" and "Hamlet," outlining the objectives and methodology of the paper.
- The Sources: This chapter provides a brief overview of the sources used for the paper, including the different versions of "Beowulf" and "Hamlet" and their historical context.
- Beowulf- The Theme: This chapter explores the theme of revenge in "Beowulf," focusing on the various feuds and conflicts depicted in the poem. It analyzes how the characters respond to violence and aggression and whether they prioritize revenge or other values.
- Beowulf- The Hero: This chapter examines the character of Beowulf, highlighting his heroic qualities and his motivations for engaging in acts of revenge. It discusses his understanding of honor and how his actions are driven by a desire for glory and a sense of duty.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords of this work include honor, revenge, heroism, Anglo-Saxon literature, Renaissance literature, "Beowulf," "Hamlet," cultural context, historical context, and comparative literary analysis.
- Citar trabajo
- Daniel Ossenkop (Autor), 2011, The Concepts of Honour and Revenge in Beowulf and Hamlet, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/172830
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