Why is it that so many of these heroes we have read about make their lives so much harder than they need to be? Plenty of the heroes we have covered in class could go through their lives with very few challenges. They are all so incredibly awesome that the only strife they get comes from what they make themselves. Now I know in today's competitive world that many people like a challenge. Perhaps that is what draws so many Americans to different sporting events. Back in the fifth or sixth century, people couldn't go watch two teams settle their differences on the field. Even though they went to their version of a sports bar, there were no televisions to watch.
Beowulf kind of represents the heavyweight champion of the times. Even though he was coming off of a loss, he still considered himself the greatest. In truth, he probably was the greatest. At least he didn't suffer from the false modesty of some of our other heroes this semester. It really appears that there is very little that Beowulf couldn't do. Perhaps that it why Beowulf embarked on a "world tour." After his adventures at sea he headed to Denmark to take on the local champion Grendel. Grendel was no slouch, since he could devour Hrothgar's men with little trouble. Plus he was certainly irritable enough to bring his A game to the fight. To the average observer, this fight might have been rated a pick em'. But, Beowulf knew better.
Beowulf knew why he lost his last battle and he knew it was time to regain his reputation. Grendel seemed like a perfect foe to help Beowulf regain his previous status. In fact, a big victory in this battle was bound to take his reputation to previously unseen heights. But Beowulf was pretty crafty. He knew that no one can get a big reputation by a quick win. He knew that everybody needs for their opponents to be perceived as being good so that the win looks even better. So Beowulf did his best to even the fight up a little bit. Beowulf removed his armour so that he could make the battle a little more even.
Beowulf's men think that maybe he has met his match since they try and assist him. However, since their weapons can't pierce Grendel's skin, Beowulf is really forced to win this one on his own. Eventually, after a fierce battle where it looks like the whole hall will be destroyed, Beowulf rips Grendel's arm off and the beast retreats to the marshes to die. Beowulf is once again the champion and his reputation has reached new heights. But, in a little bit of foreshadowing of the future to come with WWE, Beowulf then has to defeat Grendel's mother. I can almost see this event on television. Just like the wrestlers of today, some woman comes out of the crowd and hits our champion with a chair. Despite the woman getting the quick advantage, we have all seen it happen enough to know how it is going to end. This same story has played out hundreds or even thousands of times since Beowulf's days. Despite that, Beowulf is still clearly awesome because the Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, or even Hulk Hogan never ripped off one of their opponent's arms.
In my mind, so many of our sporting events (and for the time being, I'm including WWE) are about reclaiming our propensity toward violence. I once went to a UFC bout and I couldn't help but think that the energy in the room wasn't that far removed from what it must have felt like in the coliseum. There was even one fight where a guy's scalp got split early on and the bout went all three rounds. It was both energizing and disturbing at the same time.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf was very much a character that fit in to this mode of masculinity through violence and the fight.