Discuss the significance of the major symbols used in Beowulf.

A literary symbol is something, often an object, that stands for a significant concept or series of ideas.
Often a symbol is emblematic of the values of the characters. In Beowulf, some of the most important
symbols are Hrothgar’s mead-hall, Grendel’s cave, Grendel’s arm and head, and the dragon’s treasure-
trove.

Hrothgar's great mead-hall, Heorot ("Hall of the Hart"), functions as both setting and symbol in the epic.
It is much more than a place to drink. Symbolically, Heorot represents the achievements of the
Scyldings, specifically Hrothgar, and their level of civilization. The hall is a home for the warriors who
sleep there and functions as a seat of government. It is a place of light, warmth, and joy, contrasting
with Grendel's morbid swamp as well as the dark and cold of winters in Scandinavia. In Heorot, Hrothgar
celebrates his victories and rewards his thanes (warriors) with various treasures. The building is like a
palace. It towers high and is compared to a cliff. The gables are shaped like horns of the hart. People
from neighboring tribes have respectfully contributed to the rich decorations and intricate designs. The
hall is also symbolic in that it is the setting of Beowulf's first great battle, the defeat of Grendel. When
Grendel invades the hall, he knows that he strikes at the very heart of the Scyldings that lends special
meaning to his victories.

The cave where Grendel and his mother hide from the world is symbolic of their lives as outcasts.
Hidden beneath a treacherous mere in the middle of a dark, forbidding swamp, the cave allows them a
degree of safety and privacy in a world that they view as hostile. They certainly are not welcome at
Heorot, and they know it.The cave also represents their heritage. As descendants of Cain, they are
associated with sorcery, black magic, demons, ancient runes, and hell itself. When Grendel's mother is
able to fight Beowulf in the cave, she has a distinct advantage; his victory is all the more significant. It is
not clear whether he wins because of his own ability, the influence of magic (the giant sword), or God's
intervention. All are mentioned, probably because the poet borrowed from various influences in
creating the poem. The cave itself represents a world alien to Heorot. One is high and bright and full of
song and joy, towering as the Scyldings' greatest achievement. The other is dark and dank and full of
evil, beneath a mere in the middle of a fen and the symbolic home of resentful outcasts.

Beowulf had hoped to have an entire Grendel body to present to King Hrothgar after his battle with the
ogre in Heorot. He has to settle for the right arm or claw, ripped from its shoulder socket, when the
mortally wounded adversary flees to the swamp. The claw is hung high beneath Heorot's roof (most
likely on the outside beneath the gables) as a symbol of Beowulf's victory.Grendel's mother also sees it
as a symbol, representing her personal loss and mankind's macabre sense of what might be an
appropriate trophy. Filled with grief and rage, she retrieves the arm from Heorot and kills another
Scylding in the process. When Beowulf tracks her to the mere and ends up in her underwater cave, he
has no more interest in the claw. Grendel's head, which he is able to find after a strange, perhaps holy
brilliance illuminates the dimly lighted cave, is much more impressive. He ignores the vast treasure in
the cave, instead choosing to carry the magnificent, huge head as symbolic of his victory over both
ogres. The dragon’s treasure-trove poignantly represents the vanity of human wishes as well as the
mutability of time. Just as the dead warriors cannot use the treasure, neither can the dragon. He
devotes his life to guarding a treasure that he frankly has no use for.

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Comment on the ending of Beowulf.
At the end of the poem, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon, anticipating that it will be his last battle. He
succeeds in killing his opponent, but he is mortally wounded. His people give him a glorious funeral, but
they have been left unprotected, and they foresee “enemies on the rampage, bodies in piles, / slavery
and abasement”. This ending crystallizes the poem’s argument that the ancient Northern warrior code
was ultimately misguided. Even a truly great warrior-king, like Beowulf, can do nothing to protect his
people in the end. In fact, the Geats are left especially vulnerable because their king killed so many
enemies, the friends and relatives of whom can now be expected to seek revenge. Nevertheless,
Beowulf’s death is presented as heroic. The dragon is a fabulous opponent, whose power and beauty is
conveyed in elaborate poetic language, and the reader cannot help but be stirred by Beowulf’s courage
in going to battle knowing that he is unlikely to survive. Beowulf’s final note is complex: its hero was a
great man, yet his greatness has added up to little more than suffering for his people.

If Beowulf considered himself successful, this still leaves the question of why the ending is so dark. In
many ways, Beowulf did not fail, he achieved his goals in life, and his people are not in as dire a position
as has often been assumed. In spite of this, Beowulf’s death is a sad event, it is a disappointment that
the dragon managed to mortally wound him. Beowulf was a great hero, but the dragon still defeated
him. The tragic ending of Beowulf does not imply that Beowulf was not an ideal hero and a perfect king.
He did everything he could for his people, who will remember him always. Their grief at his passing is
deepened by the poet into a general grief at the transience of things, and permeates the last third of the
poem. The dark predictions for the future of the Geats are the poetic illustrations of this grief. Burying
Beowulf with the treasure which he died for was the ultimate way to honour him, and would not have
seemed useless or ironic to the Geats. Beowulf leaves his kingdom in the hands of an inexperienced but
promising kinsman, who lives, and will probably die, by the same ideals as Beowulf did. The deep
understanding the poet shows of these ideals and the explicit approval of the characters’ actions show
that the ideals of courage, honour did not die out at the conversion to Christianity. Like the ancient
principles of vengeance, they were alive and practiced at whatever time Beowulf was composed.

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The character of the Green Knight in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain is skillfully brought to life by the
unknown author. Through the eyes of numerous characters in the poem, we see Gawain as a noble
knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. As the story
progresses, Gawain is subjected to a number of tests of character, some known and some unknown.
These tests tell us a great deal about Gawain’s character and the struggles he faces internally. I will
explore the various places in the poem where we learn about Gawain, either through others or through
the tests he faces. By the end of the poem, we sense that we have come to know Gawain and have
ventured a peek at his human side. However, we also realize that nothing short of perfection is
acceptable to him.

We are able to draw further clues about Gawain's character from the description of his armoring when
he sets out a year later to meet the Green Knight. In this passage, we learn that Gawain's shield has gold
pentangle on it. The author tells us the pentangle "is proper to that peerless prince" because it is a
"token of truth," and he is most true to his word and a "most courteous knight." Our next chance to
understand Gawain occurs at Bercilak's castle where the household is overjoyed that the holiday guest is
Gawain of King Arthur's court. They whisper to each other that Gawain has "courage ever-constant, and
customs pure," he is "the father of fine manners," and his "displays of deportment" will dazzle their
eyes. Bercilak's wife tries to seduce Gawain, but he is able to dodge her advances with clever defenses.
On the first day after being told she would marry him if she could he says, "You are bound to a better
man, yet I prize the praise you have proffered me here." In conclusion, through the Green Knight's tests,
we see that Gawain is not the perfect knight he strives to be. Neither we, nor the Green Knight, nor his
fellow knights of the Round Table hold him to this standard of perfection. We read about the turmoil
Gawain experiences thinking about his impending death at the hands of the Green Knight, and we
understand why he accepts the girdle. We know he remains true until his fear of death overcomes him.
All this proves he is only human. Yet Gawain only sees that he has been inconsistent in upholding the
chivalric code, and this means failure to him. This is an indication of the standard Gawain has set for
himself, and we see why he has the reputation he has. Despite all that has happened, Gawain is still a
loyal, noble, honest and courteous knight.

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