. (Henry IV, Part 1, I.i.77-80) King Henry IV is stating that Hotspur represents honor; when honor speaks, it speaks of Hotspur. It makes him commit the sin of jealousy, because Hotspur is more honorable than his own son. This quote sets up Hotspur’s character, and foreshadows the contrast of him amongst the other characters in the play. Even though Hotspur gets a lot of glory from being a strong military leader [a trait that is valued very highly during his time], his attitude towards life is unbalanced because he identifies himself solely with his reputation of determination and honor.
Fate and free will shows how his parent’s choice sets his destiny and pathways without Oedipus having a say in the matter. This also highlights the irony of blindness. This is explored by Sophocles in Oedipus the King through dramatic techniques and manipulation of events and consequences which will be evaluated throughout this speech. Firstly, pride is a major concept in Oedipus the King and also self-determination to seek and pursue is portrayed as the equivalent of self-injury. Oedipus’s pride that drives him to be determined to seek out the truth of his identity and Laius’s murder is seen as a courageous action by the people of Thebes but ends up being Oedipus’s downfall.
Could his journey be to find himself? He could stray away from his self-conscious ways and become the ultimate ‘man’. Bragging aside, Beowulf is undoubtedly brave. When Beowulf sets out to kill Grendel’s mother he states that if his sword fails, his physical strength will protect him instead. Beowulf is in search of fame; he gains it truthfully by battling with menaces to society and does not lie or manipulate to achieve this fame.
He does not lie or manipulate to achieve fame; he uses what is rightfully his, his bravery. Beowulf's bravery carries the story. In all those regards, I believe Beowulf represents the epic heroism. On the other hand, the honor of Sir Gawain is his best value, though he suffered a setback. His honor is the catalyst for what happens
AP Literature 18 September 2012 Beowulf Throughout the epic poem, Beowulf, the distribution of wealth is an essential part of the social structure. Wealth is Beowulf is not important to him; his fighting skills make him who he is, not his wealth or the wealth he receives. He also relates to Germanic tribes as well because they value the same aspects as him. First, Beowulf displays an immense amount of courage and sincerity towards protecting his people. Throughout the epic poem, he is faced with the challenge of Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon.
These names show that he is a respected man. His downfall begins with his unsettling desire to become king. His desire
Furthermore, it will attempt to explain what makes one hero more heroic than another, and why some heroic qualities are liable to change – while the foundation of the journey stays the same. Beowulf’s motivation to sacrifice himself on behalf of the Danes comes from two places. It starts with his father’s unpaid debt to the ruler of the Danes, Hrothgar, which was left behind after his father passed away; also from his intrigue with the monster that cannot be defeated, Grendel. They have seen my strength for themselves, / Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, / Dripping with my enemies'
His swift action is also seen as an admirable trait as he sends Creon off to the Delphic oracle to find out the cause of the plague immediately. As a result the audience are automatically inclined to grow a liking towards Oedipus, as he shows the quality of a pious/dutiful man. However Oedipus’ strengths, unwillingly becomes his weaknesses when his hamartia becomes evident; his lack of information about his identity. Oedipus’ intelligence and assertiveness holds no match against the paramount nature of fate. His insults of Tiresias’ and his blindness, accusation of both Creon and Tiresias plotting against him, and the vicious handling of the old shepherd to extort information from him show his complete frustration in his determination to find the truth.
As a Knight of the medieval time period you had to live by the Chivalric Code. This code was a code of conduct and stated that knights or nobles must be brave warriors, virtuous Christians, and must fight selflessly for justice. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain attempts to live up to the Chivalric Code but falls short at moments not only for fear of losing his life but also because of his individuality. In the beginning of the legend Gawain is nothing more than the nephew of King Arthur and his life is not greatly valued. A mysterious Green Knight rides into Arthur’s hall and challenges anyone who is willing to a simple contest.
self respect and personal worth. Pride is generally thought of as a positive quality, but when it dominates one’s life, people end up sacrificing what is truly important. “In general pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” This quote by the English author, John Ruskin, suggests that behind every immense error one will find a person blinded by his own ego. The short story, “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, proves that this quote is valid. In the story both the characterization and conflict help to show how “pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” The characterization of the narrator allows the reader to see the problem brought about by having too much pride.