Themes and Dreams
Themes found throughout Job and Beowulf
Loyalty found throughout Job
The Book of Job exemplifies the word loyalty. Job remains loyal to his God. After the first test that Job went through he proved his loyalty to God by saying, "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord." He also shows his loyalty when his friends confront him. He tells them, "See, God will not reject a blameless person." Lastly, Job shows his loyalty to God by saying, "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept his way and not turned aside."
Loyalty found throughout Beowulf
Beowulf is a very loyal man and warrior. At the beginning of the story Beowulf explains his past by saying, I had a fixed purpose when I put to sea. As I sat in the boat with my band of men, I meant to perform the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the field's clutches. And I shall fulfil that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the mead-hall." After Beowulf fights Grendal's mother he tells the king, "If I ever hear from across the ocean that people on your borders are threatening battle as attackers have done from time to time, I shall land with a thousand thanes at my back to help your cause." At the end of the story, in Beowulf's last fight, he shows his loyalty to his cause as well as some pride. He says, "I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning, if the evil one will only abandon his earth-fort and face me in the open."