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What Obama Could Learn From Beowulf

Posted by GayPatriotWest at 4:26 pm - May 21, 2009.
Filed under: Great Men,Literature & Ideas,National Politics,Obama Watch

We might all better appreciate the most stirring epic in the English language were it not for the tragic events of 1066 which led to the corruption of our language.  Beowulf celebrated the heroic deeds of one of the greatest men of all time, the eponymous Geatish hero, who did not need a weapon to slay the monster Grendel.  That brave warrior was reputed to have the strength of thirty men in his right hand.

Unlike some warriors, many with lesser accomplishments than he, Beowulf did not readily boast of his deeds.  He only related the story of how he slew nine sea monsters to answer Unferth’s challenge that he lost a swimming competition to his friend Breca.  Perhaps that challenge strengthened the hero’s resolve to defeat Grendel — which he did later that night.

Beowulf knew that he would be measured not by his words, but by his deeds.  No wonder the harbor guard reminded him as much in welcoming him to Denmark:  “Each sharp shield-warrior/shall understand the difference (between) words and deeds.”  It wouldn’t be enough for Beowulf to tout his accomplishments as monster-slayer, he would have to slay the actual monster ravaging Hrothgar’s hall.

Now Obama’s supporters are beginning to grouse that there’s a huge gap between the Democrat’s rhetoric and his deeds.  We see this in so many areas, but, notably in the Administration’s decision not to move forward on repealing the Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell (DADT) policy banning gays from serving openly in the nation’s armed forces.

Words will only get you so far.  If Obama truly wishes to be a great leader, he needs to emulate one whose very actions defined courage and very manner defined leadership.  The Beowulf-poet left it to someone other that his hero to say what that man knew in his heart; it is the doing which matters.

Years from now, people will only remember the president’s words if he ties them to actual accomplishments.

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9 Comments

  1. Now Obama’s supporters are beginning to grouse that there’s a huge gap between the Democrat’s rhetoric and his deeds.

    Attention lefties: Some of us knew it all along. I knew it simply by paying attention to the text of Obama’s speeches, realizing that in each of the speeches you-all oohed and aahed over, he said essentially nothing… except that he wanted to be President, apologize for the U.S., and increase the size of its government.

    Comment by ILoveCapitalism — May 21, 2009 @ 5:02 pm - May 21, 2009

  2. (so, in a certain sense, there isn’t a gap between Obama’s words and deeds; since his words were usually fairly vague enough to let the listener to project her own hopes and desires into them)

    Comment by ILoveCapitalism — May 21, 2009 @ 5:07 pm - May 21, 2009

  3. Geez, Dan, did you have to bring up Beowulf? I thought I had finally gotten rid of that brain-exploder back in college.

    Between that chanson and the Canterbury Tales, I almost swore of English Lit during my matriculation. Thank God for Shakespeare.

    Regards,
    Peter H.

    Comment by Peter Hughes — May 21, 2009 @ 5:37 pm - May 21, 2009

  4. Hwaet qwoth.

    Comment by Ashpenaz — May 21, 2009 @ 5:41 pm - May 21, 2009

  5. I was thinking he could learn no matter how ugly the monster, the mom can be really hot :P

    Comment by The_Livewire — May 21, 2009 @ 5:43 pm - May 21, 2009

  6. Actually I want to know whose translations he’s using but I won’t disagree, that like the fall of Quebec, the fall of Harold was one of those things history would be better without. A more democratic, Orthodox England, a possibly free Ireland, and who knows what else…

    Comment by Kevin — May 21, 2009 @ 11:02 pm - May 21, 2009

  7. Kevin, the Beowulf quote above is from my own translation. I can read Old English, albeit with a dictionary.

    Comment by GayPatriotWest — May 22, 2009 @ 2:23 am - May 22, 2009

  8. [...] Given their record so far and the policies they have put forward, don’t you think that great Geatish hero could teach them a thing or two? [...]

    Pingback by GayPatriot » The Mismatch Between Democrat’s Words & Their Deeds — June 11, 2009 @ 5:07 pm - June 11, 2009

  9. GPW

    Count me impressed then. I learned years ago but lost the knack from lack of practice. Languages just don’t stick with me. That’s just dang cool.

    As to the question, doesn’t the Edda say: that if a fool keeps silent, men will take him as wise but he betrays himself by speaking?

    Comment by Kevin — June 11, 2009 @ 11:12 pm - June 11, 2009

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