, Research Paper
A culture that evolves and changes through time is a healthy culture indeed. From the early pagan warriors to the artisans of the Renaissance, the European world dramatically reformed. The literature of each era indicates the profound cultural innovations. The Anglo-Saxon?s arguably most important literary piece, Beowulf, is a story of a brave warrior who fights Grendel. Grendel is described as, "A powerful monster, living down/ In the darkness?"(lines 1-2). This affray demonstrates the timeless battle of good versus evil. The universal struggle is maintained in the Medieval plight for an ideal of perfect chivalry. Knights were guarded with utmost respect and sincerity as Chaucer?s "The General Prologue" from The Canterbury Tales mentions, "There was a Knight, a most distinguished man, / Who from the day on which he first began / To ride abroad had followed chivalry," (lines 43-45). Although the fight of good versus evil is consistent, the moral code is held above pure strength in battle. The Renaissance period was more focused on ideals of intelligence and the arts rather than bravery or actions in battle. Sonnets and rhyming verse were very popular and the most famous were often love stories as was "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love." For example, the lines, "And I will make thee beds of roses, / And a thousand fragrant posies" (lines 9-10) express an ideal of romance and nature. The literature of these three time periods proves they are each very unique. However each culture stems from the previous development and are therefore similar. The Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Renaissance eras each possess characteristics of warfare, leadership, and religion that intertwine and reticulate among themselves.
The Anglo-Saxon period paved the way for years to come by forming a basic civilization to be shaped and molded into the world, as we know it today. This era (beginning in 449 A.D. and ending in 1066 A.D.) was an age of fierce battles coupled with equally fierce loyalty to rulers and tribes. The epic poem Beowulf portrays the quintessential literary piece of the time by demonstrating both of these cultural elements. When the anonymous author tells, "?He/ And all his glorious band of Geats/ Thanked God that their leader had come back unharmed" (lines 597-599), he or she is referring to the universal devotion expressed by the public to their gold-lord, king of tribe, earl or other ruling presence. Similar to the importance of Anglo-Saxon leadership, the chivalric loyalty to one?s king is most apparent in the Medieval period. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight express the kinship from a knight to his king when Sir Gawain offers, "My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth; / And for that this folly befits not a king" (lines 131-132). However, the Renaissance time period saw rulers unifying areas of land into nations. Instead of several different feudal lords, each one controlling only his estates (as some did have more than one), there was now a tendency to unite peoples under one ruler or monarch, and thus, a country was born.
The Anglo-Saxon period not only set the stage for widespread jurisdiction, but also the escalating fierce battles and fighting styles that occur throughout the Medieval and Renaissance periods. A look at their most famous epic hero, Beowulf, shows a culture that valued strength, will power and ferocity when the warrior is described as, "?the strongest of the Geats- greater/ And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world-" (110-111). These values carried on into the Middle Ages when we begin to see a new code of conduct coming into play. This high ideal for the heroes of the time, now knights, is perhaps equally brutal on the battle field as those previous, but a new refinement has come to be expected. Consider an excerpt of Chaucer?s "General Prologue" from The Canterbury Tales as he gives a description of perhaps an ideal knight:
There was a Knight, a most distinguished man,
Who from the day on which he first began,
To ride abroad had followed chivalry,
Truth, honor, generousness and courtesy …
And though so much distinguished, he was wise,
And in his bearing modest as a maid,
He never yet a boorish thing had said
In all his life to any, come what might
He was a true, perfect, gentle knight?(lines 43 – 68).
Along with a chivalric code of honor, the lingering sense of bloody violence remains as this excerpt states, "And thus they fought all the long day, and never stinted till the noble knights were laid to the cold earth. "(93, Malory). The two former eras show a people who deeply appreciate battle and the pursuit of heroic deeds, not great knowledge or understanding of the elements around them as seen in the Renaissance and some later periods. The Renaissance was a highly progressive time of advancements in the arts, literature, science, and education. This ?rebirth? was much more modern than that of the English Anglo-Saxon period, although warfare and battles were still prevalent. Military innovations- primary cannons, new infantry tactics, and the royal standing armies combined to reduce the traditional dominance of the mounted feudal Knights. Knights were no longer important, as now there were armies. The Renaissance, Anglo-Saxon period, and Medieval times each contained elements of violence and battle, although each era progressed and changed in their individual respective ways.
Along with the roles leadership and combat play in the cultures and societies of the individual time periods, religion and its interpretations change shape, yet cling to fundamental Christianity. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the great change of Christianity remolding the pagan cultures, although a belief in an impersonal and indifferent fate hung over their lives every day. The influx of Christianity began in the fourth century as the Romans began to accept it and introduce it into Britain. The impact of Christianity was clearly felt in the literature of the time. For instance "The Seafarer" reads:
`But there isn?t a man on earth so proud,
So born to greatness, so bold with his youth,
Grown so brave, or so graced by God,
That he feels no fear as the sails unfurl,
Wondering what Fate has willed and will do.`(lines 39 – 43).
These lines disclose several insights. We see the grim and overpowering `fate` and the fear that was instilled into their culture. Yet close by we read an almost contradictory passage, " … death / Can only bring you earthly praise/And a song to celebrate a place/With angels, life eternally blessed/In the hosts of Heaven." (lines 76 – 80). Similarly, in Beowulf once again we read a description of Grendel, the evil monster, intrinsically woven with Christian elements as shown in the passage, "Conceived by a pair of those monsters born / Of Cain, murderous creatures banished / By God, punished forever for the crime / Of Abel`s death." (20 – 23). Throughout the Medieval age Christianity establishes a firm hold. As Christianity begins uniting much of Europe in thought, the overwhelming presence of an impersonal fate is absent from the period?s literature. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight emphasizes the importance of Christianity by saying, " ?No, by God /,? said Sir Gawain, ?that granted me life,?" (line 346). The impact of Christianity develops into two churches during the Renaissance- the Protestants and the Roman Catholics. Protestants and Catholics both suffered persecution and crimes of intolerance. The Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, and Renaissance periods each contained Christian elements, yet differed in terms of beliefs in fate, and united Christianity.
The Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Renaissance eras each possess characteristics of warfare, leadership, and religion that intertwine and reticulate among themselves. Each time period shows evidence of Christianity, although the religion played a different role to each. Battles were prevalent in each era as they are today: Albeit, the true meaning of a hero varies through history. The Anglo-Saxon culture forms a basis of leadership among a small group of people called a tribe. By the Renaissance period, the small tribe has become a nation united under a monarchy. Throughout the evolution of early Europe from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present, the only true constant has remained literature.
36a
Другие работы по теме:
My Life As A Poet Essay Research
Paper Are the philosophical, educational, and sociological theories of childhood reflected in literature for children? If so, how? To what extent does Aesop contribute to our understanding of many early children’s books?
What Is Literature Essay Research Paper Midyear
What Is Literature? Essay, Research Paper Midyear Exam-Essay Literature is an interpretation and an analysis of experience that allows people to get a sense of the way life can be without having to brave anything in reality. They are able to learn the lessons from a certain circumstance without having to deal with the real-life outcomes.
Unnecessary Sacrifice Essay Research Paper Just as
Unnecessary Sacrifice Essay, Research Paper Just as we wonder how past civilizations could be so barbaric as to practice sacrifice, future generations may wonder how our society could be so barbaric as to sacrifice even the unborn. Thus abortion should not be made legal.
Hate Literature Essay Research Paper Hate literaturematerialism
Hate Literature Essay, Research Paper Hate literature/materialism currently exists on the internet, and is expanding at a high rate, causing disturbance to society. Although the internet is known to be a free base to express opinions, thoughts, and general information, exploiting that particular use can be rather dangerous, especially when offending one’s culture.
Cheers A Semiotic Analysis By Berger Essay
, Research Paper Cheers : A Semiotic Analysis by Berger In Arthur Asa Berger s essay, he conducts a semiotic analysis of the comedy television show Cheers. In his analysis of the show he points out many characteristics that refer to semiotics. Even though one could not agree with all of his findings, many of them are reasonable.
Parent Relationships Essay Research Paper In many
Parent Relationships Essay, Research Paper In many of the works of literature I have read in this particular class, I noticed that many of the characters are parents. Which leads me to ask the following questions? How are parent/child relationships represented in early literature and how do these representations compare with representations, either real or literary, in our society?
The Values Of Mesopotamia And Essay Research
Paper The Values of Mesopotamia and Egypt Mesopotamia and Egypt both were civilizations that came into existence near rivers. These rivers caused floods and destruction, yet they deposited fertile soil that allowed these early civilizations to grow crops and survive without traveling great distances to gather food.
Renaissance Art Essay Research Paper Architecture of
Renaissance Art Essay, Research Paper Architecture of the Renaissance reflects the earlier works of the Roman, Byzantines, Moslems, and many other civilizations. The S. Pietro No. 1 was begun in 1564 and was designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Carlo Maderna. Many components of this structure reflect their foreign influences.
Greece And Rome Essay Research Paper Early
Greece And Rome Essay, Research Paper Early man s life was based on survival; he spent much of his time in search of food, water, and safety for his family. In the early times of Greece, and Rome however, food and water were both readily available. There was permanent shelter, and little threat from animals or other people.
Literature And Life Essay Research Paper Evan
Literature And Life Essay, Research Paper Evan Banks Reading Literature Henricson Literature: The Window to the Fallacies of my World I have never been a person totally content with life. I have always sought more and thirsted for some kind of meaning to the seemingly meaningless things that society forces me to do.
Victorian Literature Essay Research Paper Victorian literatureThe
Victorian Literature Essay, Research Paper Victorian literature The first decades (1830s to 1860s) of Queen Victoria’s reign produced a vigorous and varied body of literature that attempted to come to terms with the current transformations of English society, but writers in the latter decades (1870s to 1900) withdrew into AESTHETICISM, a preoccupation with sensation as an end in itself.
Greek And Roman Arches And Architecture Essay
, Research Paper Architectural designs changed greatly since the ancient times. Most famous architectures and sculptures today originated from the Greek and Roman civilizations. Moreover,
Comparison Of Rome And Greece Essay Research
Paper Legacies: In the ancient days, when culture, as well as civilizations were developing, many things came to be known as options for later cultures. Civilizations had different ways of doing things and therefore each of their cultures differed considerably. The Romans, the Greeks and the Hebrews all presented different legacies to the world.
Archeology Glorified Grave Robing Essay Research Paper
Archeologists have toiled for years trying to piece together the puzzle of past civilizations. Archeology, however, can be classified as a form of glorified grave robbing, rather than a way to recreate and understand the ways of past societies. While the artifacts uncovered can be helpful in painting a picture of what the lives of past civilizations were like, the act of digging up such artifacts can be considered immoral.
Why Students Study History Essay Research Paper
Why Should Students Study Ancient History? Ancient history is an extremely important aspect of our everyday lives. Everything we do today has a relation to ancient history. From the languages that we speak, to the decisions we
Literature Values Essay Research Paper The Value
Literature Values Essay, Research Paper The Value of Literature Literature can have many and different values on a person. It is all depending on the story and the value or moral issue the author wants, you, the reader to get out of it. The value literature had on me was actually hard to put into words. But to understand the value of literature you must know the definition of value and literature.
European Colonization On Africa Essay Research Paper
Back in early African history, Europeans colonized and infiltrated African civilizations in order to make a profit and to be known as a superior nation. By doing this, European colonists ?messed up? the traditional African lifestyle. African?s were willing to let the colonists join them, but the Europeans went too far when they took over governments and tried to rule over the Africans.
Four Reasons Why The Renaissance Started In
Italy Essay, Research Paper Four Reasons Why the Renaissance started in Italy Italy stood across the route of the Crusades and Italian ships carried the Crusaders to the Holy Land-at a profit. Later, the merchants of Venice and Genoa transported a rich commerce to and from the Middle East (Moslem and Byzantine Civilizations) and nothern Europe.
Voltaire On God Essay Research Paper Voltaire
Voltaire On God Essay, Research Paper Voltaire said that “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him” and I concur. Voltaire was trying to say that civilizations need a “higher power” to successfully work. Throughout history, every civilization (with the exception of those developed in the twentieth century) has had a god, or gods to explain the wonders of the natural world and provide guidance.
The Old Man And The Sea An
Analysis Essay, Research Paper The Old Man and The Sea: An Analysis I read this book for the first time in high school and I remembered it just as well as if I had read it yesterday. As I read it again I remembered some of the
Comparison Of Chinese And Isl Essay Research
Paper During the first millennium CE, two great civilizations, China and Islam, arose. Both of these civilizations had cultural advantages over other peoples and had a great deal of influence on all who they came in contact with. These civilizations were similar in the way they interacted with other civilizations.
Ancient Roman Art Essay Research Paper Early
Ancient Roman Art Essay, Research Paper Early Roman art reflected previous civilizations, but astime passed, the Romans developed an artistic style completelytheir own. One very unique aspect of the Roman civilization, which setup art, was the use of public baths. At first these public bathsconsisted only of dressing room suites and bathing chambers.
Christianity Essay Research Paper During the early
Christianity Essay, Research Paper During the early middle age the civilizations in Briton did not have a religion. They were between pagan and Christianity. In the epic Beowulf the culture is predominately Christian.
Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay Research Paper We
Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper We learn about ancient civilizations through literature, artifacts, and stories passed down from generation to generation. The Mesopotamian civilization is one of earth’s earliest civilizations, and it’s also one we know very little about. We can gather information about these people’s way life, beliefs, and geographical location.
Early American Literature Essay Research Paper Early
Early American Literature Essay, Research Paper Early American literature consisted mainly of diaries, journals, short stories, and Indian creation stories. Since some of the language used was of older English and other languages, early American literature was difficult to read.The first story I read was Spanish Explorers in the New World.
Early American Lit Essay Research Paper American
Early American Lit Essay, Research Paper American Literature consisted of many well known writers. These writers wrote excellent pieces of literature which are widely read today. These writers wrote about some aspect of American life, and they depicted America very well. Some of these writers are Stephen Crane and Robert E.
Early Civilizations Essay Research Paper Native American
Early Civilizations Essay, Research Paper Native American civilizations thrived in the Western Hemisphere before Europeans discovered the New World. These civilizations had many similarities and contributed much to the development of the Latin American culture today. Each civilization was a part from each other, however they had accomplished almost the something and had ideas that were alike but they were so far apart its a astounding of what they came up with.
Roman V Greek Civilization Essay Research Paper
Roman vs. Greek Civilization Although both Roman and Greek civilizations shared similarities in the areas of art and literature, their differences were many and prominent. Their contrasting aspects rest mainly upon political systems and engineering progress, but there are also several small discrepancies that distinguish between these two societies.
NonClassical Civilizations Are Our Greatest Influence Essay
, Research Paper We are influenced by civilizations of the past. Our whole way of life revolves around their developments. They have shaped the current state of our economy, society, and technology. Many think the Greeks and Romans were the civilizations that had the greatest impact. Another view, one I agree with, is that the non-classical civilizations were the ones who paved the way for the future.
Early Civilization Essay Research Paper Early CivilizationTravis
Early Civilization Essay, Research Paper Early Civilization Travis Beal History has shown us that no two civilizations are the same. The Hebrew society and the Mesopotamian society were two completely different societies. They did have some common ground between them though. If you take the book of Job from the Hebrews and the Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature you can find some common points between them.
Attributes That Have Influences Society Essay Research
Paper Attributes That Have Influenced Western Civilization There have been major influences from ancient civilizations that have helped the development of our Western Civilization today. Two major civilizations that have maybe contributed the most to our civilization are ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
What Is Literature Essay Research Paper Literature
What Is Literature Essay, Research Paper Literature is an interpretation of experience and an analysis of the findings made into a perfect unity. Literature allows people to experience without having to brave it in real life. They are able to learn the lesson from a certain circumstance without having to deal with the real-life outcomes.