Beowulf+(D+Block)

My name is Dean by the way.

My idea is that everything is planned, existence is meaningful, past is important, and everything matters.

Everything is planned: I planned to kill Grendel. I knew he would come, and I pretended to sleep. When he advanced, I grabbed his wrist. Grendel says it was an accident, but it cannot be simply an accident because I had planned to do this. Grendel also says slipping on the blood is also an accident. Even though I didn't plan it, Grendel would have not slipped if he didnt' kill the man. Because he killed the man, he received a consequence.

Existence is meaningful indeed: Because I existed, I could kill Grendel. Because Shaper existed, people could receive relief. Because Wealtheow existed, the peace could be established.

Past is important: "Time is the mind, the hand that makes (fingers on harpstrings, hero-swords, the acts, the eyes of queens) (pg.170)." Moreover, the fact I beat Breca helped me to kill Grendel. If the Danes didn't know I defeated Breca, I would have not got a chance to face and kill Grendel. Moreover, the pasts help to build my reputations and help people know that I am the strongest thane.

Everything matters: "The world is my bone-cave, I shall not want. As you see it it is, while the seeing lasts, dark nightmare-history, time-as-coffin; but where the water was rigid there will be fish, and men will survive on their flesh till spring. It's coming, my brother. Believe it or not. Though you murder the world, turn plains to stone, trasnmogrify life into I and it, strong searching roots will crack your cave and rain will cleanse it: The world will burn green, sperm build again. (pg. 170)" This illustration of spring approaching thus tells that everything matters because the seasons are natural cycle full of meaning.

"It is always better to avenge dear ones thanto indulge in mourning. For every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark (line 1384-1389)." This quotation tells that reputation exist after the warrior dies, and justifies the killing the beasts.

Existentialism consider life and death as equally meaningless. However, Grendel ran away when his arm was torned off. Why would he run away when he realize his death? Wasn't death equal to living? Why did Grendel make an attempt to survive from me? This falsifies the belief of existentialism.

Statement

I, Beowulf, believe that the world and everything in it is planned incident, existence is meaningful; the past is important and everything matters. I know that everything is planned because of the battle between me and Grendel. I pretended to sleep to make Grendel approach me, and I was able to be in better position during the battle. It was not accident; I did it. Past is also important. Because I beat Breca, people know that “I’m stronger in the ocean than any other man alive. Like foolish boys we agreed on the match and boasted.” Because Danes knew my past, the guards on the coast opened my way to the mead hall. “The world will burn green, sperm build again.” Moreover, “time is the mind, the hand that makes (fingers on harpstrings, hero-swords, the acts, the eyes of queen).” Grendel and the dragon argue that existence is meaningless and nothing matters. Well, how would you define meaningless? Its standard differs from every people. Would I killing the sea monsters meaningful to dragon? No! Would Grendel killing the goat be meaningful to me? No! Everyone thinks meaningful as different values, and it is not correct to state that everything is meaningless. Dragon might think everything is meaningless, perhaps he really knows everything. Well, I think killing Grendel is meaningful. In order to make the statement, everything is meaningless true, there should be no confusion of definition of meaningless. Then, if at least one counterexample is given, the statement cannot be true. Because I have more than one counterexample, this statement cannot be true. In addition, how do you define meaningless? This is same for nothing matters. What do you mean by that nothing matters? I think the queen matters to the people. Done.

Letter Reflection

Reading the letter, I learned that John Gardner was not trying to degrade the hero Beowulf. He says that Beowulf was actually more intelligent that Grendel, and was able to make him see his mistake. Gardner, though, tells that Beowulf is actually functions as the second Dragon who tells the ultimate truth about life. John Gardner also tells Beowulf's theme; "one has two choices, to accept it as it or to transform it, shake it to life by imagination" (Gardner). I now understand that why Beowulf banged Grendel's head to the wall. He was not of a pyscho, but he was trying to teach Grendel in some way. By reading the letter, it was easier for me to prepare for the trial, because I now understand why Beowulf did things in //Grendel//. Beowulf in //Beowulf// and //Grendel// are not very different from each other. Beowulf is a successful hero who could do what he wished by his strength. I realized that Beowulf was telling how imagination can reshape and ultimately improve the world. I can use this statement to support my position too. The letter was able to answer many of my questions concerning of //Grendel//.