The Cruelty Of The Epic And What Cruelty Reveals About The...

Beowulf Essay Topic: how cruelty functions in the epic/what cruelty reveals about the perpetrator/victim Thesis: Anglo-Saxons prize cruelty. They fight, they celebrate the victory. That’s the basic cycle. Beowulf is cruel and that makes him a hero- Grendel is cruel but it’s a result of his alienation with society and jealousy of society Beowulf’s cruelty is never seen as such (except by Grendel’s mother), and that leads him to become an undefeated hero in the eyes of the people The dragon is cruel- cruelty used as a motivator and a symbol of power. Cruelty and intent- the intent behind Outline: Intro: Hook: Cruelty is often used a defining factor, it can turn someone into either a hero or a villain Thesis: In Beowulf, cruelty is used as a motivator, but also as a symbol of humanity, or the lack thereof. Cruelty, and the intent behind it, is what makes the heroes and the villains one and the same in Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf. So What? Factor the big idea: cruelty leads to dehumanization (either by idolizing someone as a hero: ‘the undefeatable’, ‘god-like’, or villainizing someone: ‘tyrannus villain’, ‘hell-creature’, ‘earth-razer’) Perpetrators of cruelty have warped world-views, which leads the victims to be viewed as weak or inhuman, and the perpetrators to be either raised a hero, or detested as a villain. 1st Body Paragraph: Topic sentence: Grendel’s alienation from society motivates his cruel behavior, but Beowulf’s idolization leads him to beShow MoreRelatedCatch 22 By Joseph Heller1149 Words   |  5 Pages Olivia DeNoto Title: Catch 22 Author: Joseph Heller Date of Publication: 1961 Genre: satire Biographical information about the author Created the term â€Å"Catch 22† Flew 60 combat mission in world war II Born in Brooklyn, new York Born May 1 1923 Historical information about period of publication Kennedy is inaugurated US breaks diplomatic relations with Britain Berlin wall is built by east Germany Vietnam war is taking place Characteristics