The Purpose of Lines 1 through 18 of Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

The Purpose of Lines 1 – 18 of â€Å"Beowulf†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  August 31, 2005 â€Å"Beowulf† begins the British literature. As a classic heroic epic, it outlines the tribal history of the Jutes, providing a great insight into the Anglo-Saxons’ epoch. In the poem â€Å"Beowulf,† we meet the most heroic man in the time of the Anglo-Saxons; a man with all the extraordinary characteristics necessitated to being a true hero. Beowulf was his name. He slaughters the monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, Grendel’s mother and a dragon. By including the mere first eighteen lines of the section The Coming of Grendel in the poem â€Å"Beowulf,† the anonymous author successfully reflects the various customs of the Anglo-Saxons, the magnanimity of King Hrothgar and the values of the Anglo-Saxons. It is perhaps the most suitable opening for a work of admirable heroism; revealing grandiose, powerful and gloriousness of the Anglo-Saxons’ period. Anglo-Saxons lived in times when people believed war was essential for survival whether it was against man, or a ferocious creature. Through such conditions developed the battle customs of the Anglo-Saxons. The battle customs of the Anglo-Saxons, taking into account that Jutes are always victorious, seems to be the division the spoils among everyone, â€Å"old and young.†(9) With King Hrothgar taking the throne, it was impossible for the Jutes to face defeat. Drinking a cup of mead, they celebrate their victory in the mead-hall. For his comrades and kinsmen King Hrothgar opens a banquet for every victory, and the Jutes eat, drink and speak in Herot, a place considered peaceful and of community. They again verify their loyalty to the king and promise for continual dedication. As the King of the Danes, King Hrothgar is portrayed as a wise and generous leader of his people. Not only does he equally distribute the spoils amongst everyone, but also he grants mercy by â€Å"leaving the common pastures untouched, and taking no lives.†(10-11) By displaying compassion for those who do not fight in battles, King Hrothgar earns more respect from his followers. Such generosity is rarely found in the man of war. King Hrothgar’s grandeur temperament also pulls attention. When he is for something he truly desires, he has to make it grand and appealing. He built the â€Å"most beautiful of dwellings†(14) named Herot, a mead-hall where he can commemorate his victories and share the spoils from battle. When time comes to congratulate his victories in battle, he was glad to â€Å"[open] out his treasure-full hands†(18) for a banquet.

World Literature: Touch in Pedro Paramo and Dom Casmurro

In novels as sensual as Pedro Paramo and Dom Casmurro, it is not surprising that the authors employ a variety of literary techniques and imagery. Amongst them, not as prominent as the sense of hearing but still salient, is the sense of touch. I will examine how narrators in Dom Casmurro and Pedro Paramo use the sense of touch to reveal their inner motivations and feelings about a situation or character. Touch can symbolize relationships. When two characters touch shoulders in Pedro Paramo, for example, this seems to show siblinghood.Juan and Abundio walk â€Å"side by side, so close [their] shoulders [are] nearly touching† (5). Juan and Abundio turn out to be half brothers. They share a father and are nearly brothers, just as their shoulders nearly touch, but their different mothers create both a genetic and physical gap between them. Later in the story, Donis’s sister â€Å"[goes] to stand beside him, leaning against his shoulder† (53). Their shoulders do not me rely touch, which would confirm that they are siblings; she leans against Donis, suggesting their relationship extends beyond a familial one.Although this has already been strongly implied, Donis’s sister leans against Donis before asking Juan whether he truly understands the relationship between her and Donis. Rulfo has already revealed that they are incestuous, but the action coupled with her question shows that neither the reader nor Juan realizes fully the nature of this relationship. Like Rulfo, Machado de Assis uses one way of touching, in his case, men brushing against Capitu’s arms, in different situations. This results in different repercussions. Capitu’s shapely arms draw attention whenever she and Bento attend balls.However, during the first night they are merely admired and when other men touch her it seems incidental, innocuous: â€Å"however much they might touch other frock coats† (183). Bento mentions this touch fleetingly. His focus is on Capitu’s arms, not male attention. On the second night, the men are crasser, going from admiring to staring, â€Å"almost begging for them, and brushed their black sleeves against them† (183). Bento lingers more on the males’ touching and less on Capitu’s arms, like he is more concerned about the attention his wife is garnering than the object of the attention.The details he notes also speak of his uneasiness. Whereas during the first night, the men wear gentlemanly frock coats, the second night they are dressed in black, which can symbolize evilness. As a matter of fact, detail is used in both Dom Casmurro and Pedro Paramo by the narrators to reveal their feelings about other characters. When either narrator describes the touching at length, or notices even the smallest aspects of it, he shows how important this touch is to him. As young Pedro Paramo and Susana San Juan fly kites together, Pedro urges, â€Å"‘Help me, Susana. ’ And soft ha nds would tighten on [his]† (12).The fact that Pedro notes Susana’s hands are soft suggests that he harbours a liking for her, for to notice her soft hands, he would need to pay more attention to her hands than the string he is letting out or the kite he is flying. This action is also indicative of their relationship. Susana is Pedro’s lifelong love, and though she enjoys his company and likes him, it is only as a friend. Thus, while she is simply happy to fly kites with him and tightens her hands around his only to help him let out more string, Pedro takes note of how she acts around him and treasures her harmless actions.They appear much more meaningful to him than to her. Machado de Assis uses details in very similar circumstances. As Bento combs Capitu’s hair, â€Å"[his] fingers [brush] her neck, or her back with its cotton dress: it [is] a delicious sensation† (64). He does not simply concentrate on the task at hand, he takes pleasure in accid ental touches, no matter how minor, just like Pedro. While this can show the reader his sexual inexperience, as he has not seemed to have had a romantic encounter previously and thus enjoys a seemingly chaste activity, it also shows his affection for Capitu.If Bento was combing the hair of another girl, he may not notice such minor details. The contact may also not feel as delicious. He also touches Capitu although it is not necessary to do so. Even if this is accidental, he does not make a move to shy away from it, suggesting that he wants to touch Capitu and likes her in a more-than-platonic fashion. The fact that he brushes her hair is also significant. Hair is considered a symbol of femininity, especially long hair. Combing her hair could put Bento in a position of power.In fact, in the chapter after he combs her hair, Bento â€Å"[utters] these proud words: ‘I am a man! ’† (67). Hair is important when looking at their history, as well. When Bento thinks abou t his and Capitu’s past, he remembers how she â€Å"ran her hand through [his] hair, saying she thought it was very beautiful† (24). However, he never reciprocated. By touching him so, and through other gestures such as counting his fingers, Capitu demonstrates her affection for him and shows that she is aware of her fondness.Bento remains oblivious, though, as shown by his lack of response. After he realizes that he too feels warmly about Capitu, he asks to brush her hair, proving both to himself and Capitu that he is finally aware of his feelings. In Dom Casmurro, touch can reveal character traits. Ezequiel is shown to be a warm and affectionate boy: â€Å"Ezequiel hugged [Bento’s] knees, stood up on the tips of his toes, as if to climb up and give [Bento] his usual kiss† (229). He is comfortable with touching his father, and does so regularly to illustrate his love.This can be contrasted with Jose Dias who, even when everyone else is hugging and kissin g Bento farewell, remains â€Å"composed and grave† (98) and does not touch Bento at all. Jose Dias is not cold, but occasionally his respect and charm seem debatably genuine. Moments such as when he does not hug Bento farewell add on to this idea. In Pedro Paramo, Juan Preciado does not touch the residents of Comala when he arrives. He cannot; they are ghosts while he is still alive. Donis’s sister touching his shoulder is the first time touch occurs in Juan’s Comala. She is also the first living person he encounters.Although there is some disagreement over whether Juan actually died when â€Å"[his] soul turned to ice† (59), the fact that Dorotea is dead and lying in his arms, touching him, suggests that if he can touch the dead, then he is dead also. Moments of change are expressed through touch as well. After Bento sees that Capitu carved ‘Bento and ‘Capitolina’ into the wall, their hands â€Å"[took] hold of each other, clasping e ach other, melting into one another† (28). Whereas previously mutual touching was done in childish jest, and Bento was oblivious to Capitu’s attraction to him, now they touch each other with the ntention of holding hands like lovers. â€Å"Melting into one another† (28) can also show how they are thinking as one – they both feel the same way toward each other. When Donis leaves, Juan wakes up beside Donis’s sister. The majority of the tactile imagery thus far has been brief and subtle, but here Juan can â€Å"feel the woman’s naked legs against [his] knee, and her breath upon [his] face† (55). After being unable to touch the ghosts, Juan is all of a sudden pressed against a woman, a gesture that stands out from previous paragraphs due to its straight-forwardness.For Juan, it appears that the physical contact is like having to take care of the woman; neither pleasant nor unpleasant, simply thrust-upon and unexpected. Unlike in Dom Casmu rro, even feelings about environment can be revealed through touch in Pedro Paramo. As Juan approaches Comala, he observes that he and Abundio â€Å"[have] left the hot wind behind and [are] sinking into pure, airless heat. The stillness [seems] to be waiting for something† (5). While this airless heat adds on to the atmosphere, it also shows Juan’s state of mind.The surroundings in this scene mirror Juan’s mood, showing that he is waiting for something too. He may not expect to find his father, but he is coming with Comala with expectations, and the closer he gets to the town, the closer he is to finding out the truth. The sense of touch is an important tool in both Pedro Paramo and Dom Casmurro. It can reveal aspects of character personality, relationships and inner thoughts and motivations. This symbolism, coupled with the other literary techniques Machado de Assis and Rulfo employ, helps create the vivid alternate reality of the novels. Word count: 1470 word s

The Ancient City of Rome Has Many Nicknames

Italys capital city of Rome is known by many names—and not just translations into other languages. Rome has recorded history going back more than two millennia, and legends go back even further, to about 753 BCE, when the Romans traditionally date the founding of their city. Etymology of Rome The city is called Roma in Latin, which has an uncertain origin. Some scholars believe the word refers to the citys founder and first king, Romulus, and roughly translates to oar or swift.  There are also additional theories that Rome derives from the Umbrian language, where the word might mean flowing waters.  Ancestors of the Umbri were likely in Etruria prior to the Etruscans.   Centuries of Names for Rome Rome is often called the Eternal City, a reference to its longevity and used first by the Roman poet Tibullus (c. 54–19 BCE) (ii.5.23) and a bit later, by Ovid (8 CE). Rome is the Caput Mundi (Capital of the world), or so said the Roman poet Marco Anneo Lucano in 61 CE. The Roman emperor Septimius Severus (145–211 CE) first called Rome the Urbs Sacra (the Sacred City)—he was speaking of Rome as the sacred city of the Roman religion, not that of the Christian religion, which it would become later. The Romans were shocked when the city fell to a sack by the Goths in 410 CE, and many said that the reason the city had fallen was that they had forsaken the old Roman religion for Christianity. In response, St. Augustine wrote his City of God in which he censured the Goths for their attack. The perfect society could be a City of God, said Augustine, or an Earthly City, depending on whether Rome could embrace Christianity and be cleaned of its moral turpitude. Rome is the City of Seven Hills: Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Vimina. The Italian painter Giotto di Bondone (1267–1377) perhaps said it best when he described Rome as the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning. A Handful of Quotes â€Å"I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.† Augustus (Roman Emperor 27 BCE–14 CE)†How is it possible to say an unkind or irreverential word of Rome? The city of all time, and of all the world!† Nathaniel Hawthorne (American novelist. 1804–1864)â€Å"Everyone soon or late comes round by Rome.† Robert Browning (English Poet 1812–1889)Irish playwright Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) called Rome the Scarlet Woman, and the the one city of the soul.â€Å"Italy has changed. But Rome is Rome.† Robert De Niro (American actor, born 1943) The Secret Name of Rome Several writers from antiquity—including the historians Pliny and Plutarch—reported that Rome had a sacred name that was secret and that revealing that name would allow the enemies of Rome to ruin the city. The secret name of Rome, the ancients said, was kept by the cult of the goddess Angerona or Angeronia, who was, depending on which source you read, the goddess of silence, of anguish and fear, or of the new year. There was said to be a statue of her at Volupia which showed her with her mouth bound and sealed up. The name was so secret, that no one was allowed to say it, not even in rituals for Angerona. According to reports, one man, the poet and grammarian Quintus Valerius Soranus (~145 BCE–82 BCE), revealed the name. He was seized by the Senate and either crucified on the spot or fled in fear of punishment to Sicily, where he was captured by the governor and executed there.  Modern historians are not so sure any of that is true: although Valerius was executed, it may have been for political reasons. Plenty of names have been suggested for the secret name of Rome: Hirpa, Evouia, Valentia, Amor are just a few. A secret name has the power of a talisman, even if it didnt actually exist, powerful enough to make it into the anecdotes of antiquarians. If Rome has a secret name, there is knowledge of the ancient world that is unknowable. Popular Phrases All roads lead to Rome.  This idiom means that there are many different methods or ways to reach the same goal or conclusion, and likely refers to the extensive Roman Empires road system throughout its hinterlands.When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  Adapt to your decisions and actions to that of the present circumstances.Rome wasnt built in a day.  Great projects take time.Do not sit in Rome and strive with the Pope. It is best not to criticize or oppose someone in his or her own territory. Sources Cairns, Francis. Roma and Her Tutelary Deity: Names and Ancient Evidence. Ancient Historiography and Its Contexts: Studies in Honour of A. J. Woodman. Eds. Kraus, Christina S., John Marincola and Christoper Pelling. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. 245–66.Moore, F. G. On Urbs Aeterna and Urbs Sacra. Transactions of the American Philological Association (1869-1896) 25 (1894): 34–60.Murphy, Trevor. Privileged Knowledge: Valerius Soranus and the Secret Name of Rome. Rituals in Ink. A Conference on Religion and Literary Production in Ancient Rome. Eds. Barchiesi, Alessandro, Jà ¶rg Rà ¼pke and Susan Stephens: Franz Steiner Verlag, 2004.Rome. Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online, Oxford University Press, June 2019Van Nuffelen, Peter. Varros Divine Antiquities: Roman Religion as an Image of Truth. Classical Philology 105.2 (2010): 162–88.