FREE ESSAY ON COMPARISON OF BEOWULF AND STREET GANGS

COMPARISON OF BEOWULF AND STREET GANGS

Comparison of Beowulf and Street Gangs 
We often think of the Old English time as an era filled with mighty pagan warriors
gathered in a dark wooden room, drinking ale to celebrate their victory in a brutish
bloody battle. Or maybe we picture brawny Vikings with dirty faces wearing animal skins
while sailing in large wooden ships. You may even imagine the crude but lovable Hagar the
Horrible from the popular comic strip. Regardless to which of these views you take, we
always think of the Old English as a time far in the past. Even though we may not notice,
the strong brutal men of this past era infiltrate our everyday lives. These barbaric
warriors are found in our society as street gangs. Although they have different
appearances, weapons, and transportation, these two civilizations conduct their lives in
the same way. Street gangs are so prevalent that they are all over the media, appearing
in films, music, and television. Although street gangsters and pagan warriors lived at
very different times, both groups embody the same ideals: strength, violence, and loyalty
to their group. In the Old English epic, Beowulf, the pagan warriors were proud of their
physical strength and abilities. Beowulf himself was well-known for his great strength
and prowess. These warriors were large men with great muscular power who won many battles
with brute force. Many battles were fought with manual weapons, such as clubs or swords,
that required great power from the arms. The strongest men, such as Beowulf, were the
ones that were the subject of stories told in many lands. Similar to this, street
gangsters are also quite proud of their strength and abilities. But their strength does
not primarily come from physical attributes. Their strength is measured by the amount of
weapons, money, and power they hold. The strongest man is not the one with the biggest
muscles. He is the one with the most guns and the most influence over other gang members.
Whereas Beowulf has remained a legend for years now, gang leaders come and go in a matter
of months. Just as Beowulf longed to be a legend, street gangs also strive for that same
notoriety, wanting to be well-known in many places. In Beowulf's time, most warriors were
quite violent. They often engaged in battles with enemies until death, or with opponents
until the end of the match. The pagan warriors are remembered as brutal, killing those
necessary to protect their village or steal another's. They were also known to use
violence to obtain riches or ships from other warriors. Similar to pirates, they used
brute force to take what they wanted. Street gangs also use such violence. Whether it be
to protect their property or members, or to steal from others, gangsters use various
weapons to obtain what they want. Just as pagan warriors fought battles with rival
villages, street gangs also engage in battles with rival gangs or sometimes with police.
Gang violence can vary from street fights to drive-by shootings, often involving innocent
victims. This horrible violence is evident in the media. It varies from gansta rap such
as 2Pac or Dr. Dre, to movies such as New Jack City or Juice, and can even be seen in
such TV shows as New York Undercover and NYPD Blue. A less obvious example of gangs is in
the new version of Romeo and Juliet. In this rendition of the old Shakespeare classic,
the Capulets and Montagues are no longer just rival families, but now rival gangs who
engage in tremendous violence against each other to keep the two lovers apart. But gang
violence is also felt quite close to home. The guard for NC State's basketball team,
Anthony Grundy, experienced gang- related violence, causing him to carry a gun to his
high school in Louisville. Both gangs and pagan warriors found violence necessary to
maintain individual and group status. A third similarity between these two societies is
their loyalty to their groups. Beowulf fought for his kingdom and his fellow warriors.
They were a group, a family of sorts, that stuck together for support, enjoyment, and
love. Gangs also stick together for these reasons. Beowulf's loyalty ran so deep that he
put his life on the line for his king many times, and eventually died for his kingdom.
Similarly, gangsters are extremely loyal to their