Redcrosse Knight

Nurgul Zhanabayeva Alva Robinson Survey of English Literature 9 November, 2012 A parity between Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight At all times both memorial and large number wanted heroes, who would be ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of a nation. As the history channeld for the better or for the worst, there were written a lot of literature works active the heroes of a time, who had devoted their heroic whole kit and boodle to people. Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight atomic number 18 the examples of such perfect heroes in two different power points, The Middle Age and The Early Modern Period.The story of Beowulf shows the circle of Christianity in the early Danish paganistic society that valued heroic deeds and bravery above all else. Beowulfs heroism is shown in ternion separate conflicts, those with Gr destructionel, Grendels m early(a), and the sea monster. The Faerie Queen is written during the period Christianity had been spread among people protagonist Redcrosse knight represents a virtue of Holiness, and he is the unless Christian fighting against evil. Beowulf and Redcrosse ar example heroes, embodying traits typical of heroes cour season, and undecomposed deeds. The Faerie Queen, written during the Early Modern Period, narrates a big change in Christian religious thoughts and practices. Redcrosse Knight offers his benefactor to Gloriana, Queen of Fairyland. Una, representing truth, tells that the potassium hydrogen tartrate of hell has captured her parents and that she needs help in getting them free. Redcrosse decides to get her parents released . This demonstrates a hero, he will undergo many severe trials and fight unsmooth monsters and this in itself is a caliber of a heroic knight. Not only does his armour protect his body and those who were with him, but also being a Christian.He has the protection of Christ. For the Christian in order to be holy, he moldiness soak up a true faith. Much of Beowulf is devoted to expressing a nd demonstrating the hero, in whom strength, courage, obedience to a nation, hospitality, generosity, political skill and good reputation among all people is valued. These are of great importance to such warrior societies as a federal agency of understanding their relationships to the world and the danger waiting outside their borders. Redcrosse Knight, on the other hand, is a chivalrous hero. He must defeat villains who represent the untrue RomanChurch. The qualities of loyalty, humbleness, sacrifice for the good of others, and sympathy for those who are less fortunate are described in the text as well as the detrimental consequences from greed and pride. He meets several evildoers, the dragon from hell, the evil sorcerer Archimago, Sansfoy and Sansloy, who has no faith, the liar and representative of the Roman Church, Duessa/Fidessa, and many others. These evildoers fight Redcrosse Knight through with(predicate) deceit, lust, and untruth. Therefore he must be armed with fait h in Christ to win the evils of the spiritual realm.As we can see, equally Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight have a vast amount of bravery. They both defeat enemies that attack or capture innocent people. They both constantly pray to Christ for help to win evil they meet and to have sympathy for those who suffer. These qualities, idealized by thanes and knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honour, and gallantry toward women are visible in both Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight. One difference is that women in the Old English Period are not as important as those in Middle age period. We see this in both poems. In Beowulf we only hear about Wealhtheow, Hrothgars queen, and Grendels mother.However in The Faerie Queene, we see many women characters, Gloriana, Una, Duessa/Fidessa, Lucifera (Hell), Caelia (Heavenly), Fidelia ( corporate trust), Sperenza (Hope), and Charissa (Charity). In some way or another, Redcrosse and Beowulf have connections to these women, either good or bad. Additionally b oth heroes have a meeting with a character from hell. Beowulf dives into the lake, which is a personification of hell, where Grendels mother is waiting to attack. He cannot burn down her with his sword, so he tosses it away and finds a larger sword cleanup spot Grendels mother by cutting her head off.He sees Grendels pulseless body nearby and cuts off his head as a prize and returns to Denmark . This expresses an important virtue, loyalty. Redcrosse Knight fights Lucifera (Queen of Hell) and other evildoers. He has been weakened by his reckon to the House of Pride. Although he had the instinctive good sense to flee from that castle, his sense of right and wrong is still at work. This failure brings him near to death in the living of Orgoglio, a giant that represents godless pride. Arthur, that represents magnificence, comes along and helps Redcrosse rise up from his utmost state.Redcrosse also defeats the dragon. Here he is compared to Christ descended to hell to win Satan. R edcrosse enters the let the cat out of the bag of the dragon and finally kills it by the help of The Tree of Life and The hygienic of Life, which are the grace of God given to mankind and which helps Christian in danger. No matter how well equipped or prepared the Christian is, he cant win the evil without the help of God. A message is given here, a true Christian with all his humility counts on God. Another similarity of both these warriors is rewards for being heroes, however in very different ways.After Beowulf kills Grendel, he is considered the greatest hero in Danish history. Hrothgar says that Beowulf will never lack for riches, the horses and men of the Geats were all richly adorned, and a party was held to celebrate Beowulfs victory. Redcrosse Knight, on the other hand, will line up his reward in heaven. If he continues to live sinless and fight against evildoers he will receive eternal life. The battle will not end until the end of the world, when Christ will tell which religion is false and which is true. Meanwhile, a Christian believes that honour is gained by good deeds and glory lies in afterlife.In both poems, Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight developed from heroic warriors, who have such qualities as courage, generosity, sacrifice for the good of others, into wise leaders. Beowulf rises from a fearless warrior to a legitimate king and Redcrosse Knight finally becomes St. George, the patron saint of England. Both showed the needed characteristics to become very successful nobles. Though these two outlooks are or so oppositional, each character acts as society dictates. Beowulf acted as a hero-warrior and Redcrosse as a chivalric-warrior. However, their Christian values are somewhat similar.The images of warrior presented in both poems are significant roles that are important to Christian life Faith and Holiness. References Auerbach, Erich, Mimesis Representation of Reality in Western Literature, Translated by Willard Trask, Princeton Princeton University Press, 1971. Hadfield Andrew, The Faerie Queen, Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 2001. Heaney, Seamus, Beowulf A New Verse Translation, New York ed. , 2001. Niles, John. D, Beowulf The Poem and Its Tradition, Cambridge Harvard University Press, 1983.