Comparison Between Beowulf And King Lear Essay - 2229 Words

Both Beowulf and King Lear give viewpoints of varying types of kingship at drastically different eras of Britain’s life. In the case of the former, the anonymous author portrays a war-oriented culture focused on ideals of bravery and heroism. In the second, Shakespeare presents a view of a much more aristocratic society, deeply rooted in ideals of nobility and politics. Throughout both texts, however, there is a focus laid out on the idea of what makes a good king – or, in the case of Edmund, nobleman and leader. By examining four characters from within the two texts with this theme in mind, it becomes possible to discern the style of kingship each represents as well as the opinions that the author of each text is trying to encourage based on their portrayal of said character. The ideal discussed in the case of King Lear takes two different forms: Lear and Edmund. While both discuss the idea of kingship as an inherited right, Lear exists in a set of conditions which are much less critical of this particular view. In his case, the focus is on entitlement and respect, as well as the idea that authority is a positive-sum system. In other words, one person’s gain of power does not require a definite loss on another’s behalf. The result of this is that every nobleman inherits a portion of kingship and respect depending on his position, and, by virtue of this very position, the owner of this power is granted an immediate authority which cannot be questioned. This can be seen, forShow MoreRelatedThe Sonnet Form: William Shakespeare6305 Words   |  26 Pagesenrich Shakespeare’s use of a traditional form enrich Shakespeare’s use of a traditional form? Literary Terms Elements of Poetry Poetry is a literary form characterized by a strong sense of rhythm and meter and an emphasis on the interaction between sound and sense. The study of the elements of poetry is called prosody. For an in-depth explanation of poetry and poetic forms, see the Poetry Spark Chart.    Rhythm and Meter Rhythm and meter are the building blocks of poetry. Rhythm is the patternRead MoreChildrens Literature13219 Words   |  53 Pagescentury when the concept of â€Å"childhood† was philosophically created. Childrens literature comprises those texts that have been written specifically for children and those texts that children have selected to read on their own, and the boundaries between childrens literature and adult literature are surprisingly fluid. John Rowe Townsend once argued that the only practical definition of a childrens book is one that appears on the childrens list by a publisher. Contemporary publishers are not making