Power of Women in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green...

As the poems of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight show, women have always had power, yet not as overt a power as wielded by their masculine counterparts. The only dynamic of women’s power that has changed in the later centuries is that the confines and conditions in which women have wielded their power has become more lax, thus yielding to women more freedom in the expression of their power. The structure, imagery, and theme in the excerpts from Beowulf (lines 744-71) and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 2309-30) support the concept of more power in the later centuries, by contrasting the restriction of Wealhtheow and the power she practices in Beowulf with the Lady’s more direct assertion of power in Sir Gawain†¦show more content†¦The poet’s conclusion of Wealhtheow’s speech further encourages the idea that she holds no real command to begin with, and even the words that are supposed to be hers in the poem, have derived from th e poet’s skill at writing, and not her ability to address the company. In contrast to Wealhtheow’s speech, the passage of the Lady’s speech in SGGK starts with the Lady talking, and ends correspondingly. This shows an apparent shift in the five centuries separating the two poems. Though the poet introduces the Lady â€Å" ‘I should like by your leave’ said the lovely lady† (SGGK l 1508), this is mainly to verify that the speaker is the Lady and not Gawain, and draws no power or attention from the Lady, because the lines come after the Lady has spoken. Here the Lady’s power has become more assertive, and does not require the crutches of an introduction and conclusion to her speech, and her influence can be felt through her words alone, without an outside influence to reinforce her authority. This influence can be seen in how she uses her words as a weapon to manipulate Gawain and eventually convince him to accept the Green Sash and break his loyalty to the host. Complementary to the structure of the poems, the imagery evoked by the passages further exemplifies Wealhtheow’s more restrictive power in comparison with that of the Lady. The image induced ofShow MoreRelatedEssay about A Comparison of Beowulf and Sir Gawain794 Words   |  4 Pagesof Beowulf and Sir Gawain A hero is someone who is idealized for his courage and noble qualities. Beowulf and Sir Gawain can certainly be called heroes. They both have many qualities that are expected of heroic knights and warriors. They are both brave, gallant, and skilled men, but are they the perfect heroes their people believe them to be? While they are portrayed as perfect heroes and they possess many heroic qualities, Beowulf and Sir Gawain are far from perfect. Beowulf and Gawain areRead MorePropaganda In Beowulf1007 Words   |  5 PagesIs Beowulf a work of Christian propaganda? Yes and no! Propaganda is defined as â€Å"any systematic, widespread dissemination or promotion of particular ideas, doctrines, practices, etc. to further ones cause or to damage an opposing one.† An unethical attempt to persuade people to advance their own goals, motives, and perception towards others so that they can alter the Journey of Beowulf and the positive light he brings upon society against evil. Beowulf contains many Christian references throughoutRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1338 Words   |  6 Pageslove it called â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.† Both of this story illustrated between these women s always try to overcome with all the mission in life and show their responsibility to achieve successfully in life. Thus, the poet shows that the women s role in British literature is a very good central point, they always face with all these conflicts about the protagonist male throughout th e poem. Besides that, Beowulf and Sir Gawain always challenge with all the women in the storyRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagesdefined as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character. This character is often seen in a variety of modern and ancient literary works and is commonly painted to be an optimal version of what that particular society values. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are examples of two different types of literature which were written at different times during ages where certain ideals were upheld. These ideals, which were popular in their corresponding eras, in some ways contrast and in other ways resembleRead MoreThe Role Of Women In Literature1587 Words   |  7 Pagesgroup, which maintained the women. Women were the lowest of the low because they were considered to be evil because of what happened with Adam and Eve in the Bible. It is said that since â€Å"†¦Eve was created from Adam s rib and, having eaten the forbidden fruit, was responsible for man s expulsion from paradise† (Bovey 2) so men held women responsible for bringing sin into the world. However, women played a key part for heroes in the literature of the Middle Ages. Women were used as a tool. They wereRead MoreBeowulf And Sir Gawin And The Green Knight860 Words   |  4 Pagesprovides context for the plot and characterizes the society that the characters interact within. The societies of Beowulf and Sir Gawin and the Green Knight, both written by anonymous authors, are drastically different but their courts, Heorot, the mead hall, and Sir Bertilak’s magical court do share similarities within the class structure but differ within gender roles. The story of Beowulf is one of warfare with supernatural creatures, Grendel and his mother, and a great dragon. It all begins withRead More Women in Beowulf and Arthurian Legend Essay examples1279 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in Beowulf and Arthurian Legend A common theme in the stories we have read is that glory, happiness, and success come in cycles (this theme is commonly represented as the wheel of fortune). This theme is present in the Arthurian tales, as well as in Beowulf. Each story tells a tale (or part of a tale) of a rise to glory, and the proceeding fall to disarray. The men always were the kings and warriors, but the women played different roles in the different stories. The women of BeowulfRead MoreThe Roles Of Women And The Green Knight2290 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract The roles of women in medieval writing is explored by examining three different works written by different authors, Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney, The Wife’s Lament translated by Alfred David and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Simon Armitage. In the earliest poem, Beowulf, women’s sole roles are defined by men and they were mostly used as peace-makers. In The Wife’s Lament, a poem written later than Beowulf, women are still ruled by men but are starting to exhibit theirRead MoreGilgamesh, Beowulf As A Literary Hero1343 Words   |  6 Pagesor her goals, decisions, and, ultimately, fate. Such figures, though imperfect, are celebrated because they are attainable, for perfection is too far beyond the inspirational grip of imagination for many. Each of these heroes, be they Gilgamesh, Beowulf, or Achilles, are motivated toward different goals and take a varied and unique path in order to achieve these goals, which are shaped by the social and p olitical climates in which they are formed. However diverse these character arcs may be, theyRead MoreHeroes : The Green Knight And Oedipus1156 Words   |  5 Pagesmust also go through the twelve stages which include: call to adventure, assistance/departure, trials, approach, crisis, treasure, result, returning to their ordinary world, new life, resolution and returning to status quo. Heroes such as Beowulf, The Green Knight and Oedipus, are all seen as heroes for different reasons. However, these heroes are portrayed as archetypal heroes, meaning that they are models of the first type of heroes. The definition of a modern day hero is â€Å"a person who, in the opinion