GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Powered by Genesis

What Obama Could Learn From Beowulf

May 21, 2009 by GayPatriotWest

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.

Filed Under: Great Men, Literature & Ideas, National Politics, Obama Watch

Comments

  1. ILoveCapitalism says

    May 21, 2009 at 5:02 pm - May 21, 2009

    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.

  2. ILoveCapitalism says

    May 21, 2009 at 5:07 pm - May 21, 2009

    (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)

  3. Peter Hughes says

    May 21, 2009 at 5:37 pm - May 21, 2009

    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.

  4. Ashpenaz says

    May 21, 2009 at 5:41 pm - May 21, 2009

    Hwaet qwoth.

  5. The_Livewire says

    May 21, 2009 at 5:43 pm - May 21, 2009

    I was thinking he could learn no matter how ugly the monster, the mom can be really hot 😛

  6. Kevin says

    May 21, 2009 at 11:02 pm - May 21, 2009

    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…

  7. GayPatriotWest says

    May 22, 2009 at 2:23 am - May 22, 2009

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

  8. Kevin says

    June 11, 2009 at 11:12 pm - June 11, 2009

    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?

Categories

Archives