A literary symbol is something often an object that stands for a significant concept or series of ideas often a symbol is emblematic of the values of the characters. In the narrative Beowulf and the movie Star Wars, many aspects of symbolism are paralleled. In the movie Star Wars the most important examples are the Death Star, light sabers and the force. In Beowulf, some of the most important examples of symbolism are Grendel's arm and head, the dragon's treasure-trove Hrothgar's mead-hall and Grendel's cave.
The mead-hall is both symbolism and a setting in the epic. The building is like a palace that towers high just as a cliff with horn shaped at the ends of the walls. It’s more than a home for the warriors to sleep or a place to drink and share goo
...d times. Symbolically, the mead-hall represents the achievements of Hrothgar and their level of civilization. People from neighboring tribes have respectfully contributed to the rich decorations and intricate designs. The hall is also symbolic in that it is the setting of Beowulf's first great battle, the defeat of Grendel.
When Grendel invades the hall, he knows that he strikes at the very heart of the people this makes the defeat all the more special to Beowulf. While in Star Wars, Luke has first epic battle with Darth Vader in the Death star. Obi Wan Konbi has trained Darth Vader thus he is very powerful. The Death Star symbolizes Luke going into the heart of darkness and his heroism in defeating a powerful foe (Darth Vader) in his first great battle. Just as Beowulf has gone into
the heart of darkness the mead hall is where the warriors fear Grendel and he defeats him just as Luke defeats Darth Vader.
Darth Vader is an outcast to the Jedi because he is no longer apart of Obi Wan Konbi and what good things he stands for Darth Vader’s mask is a symbol of him being an outcast. In Beowulf, the cave where Grendel and his mother hide from the world is symbolic of their lives as outcasts. Hidden underneath the swamp, their cave gives them privacy, safety and shelter in a world that they feel is hostile. The cave represents Grendel and his mother’s characteristics associated with sorcery, black magic, demons, ancient runes, and hell itself. The light sabers represent characteristics of Luke, Obi Wan Konbi and Darth Vader.
Luke and Obi Wan Konbi have green light sabers represent the Jedi, which are the good guys. Green light sabers symbolizes peace, uniformity and solidarity just as Luke and Obi Wan Konbi are trying to do the right thing and save the princess and stop Darth Vader. Darth Vader has a red light saber which represents the evil, Darth Vader uses the force to try to kill people and works with the sith or the bad guys. The cave itself represents a world distant world to Heorot. Luke’s training with Obi Wan Konbi represents a distant world for Luke because he knows nothing of the about the life of the Jedi.
He figures out that his surrounds are false he must use the force to tune into the real reality as the movie moves along further his understand of this distant
world of the Jedi becomes more familiar. The dragon's treasure-trove represents what people want the most. The dragon's barrow holds riches beyond the people’s imagination however, the vast fortune is of no use to anyone. Beowulf gives his life defeating the dragon and gaining this impressive treasure for his people. The treasure is buried with the great warrior in his funeral barrow and, a mighty horde of riches that is of absolutely no use to anybody.
This symbolizes that the simplistic life is the best to have and not to let the eye candy of life control your life. The Jedi strive to live in simplicity and in harmony with nature. They aren’t opposed to technology, however they do not rely on it alone, at the expense of their own senses and feelings. When Luke encounters Obi Wan Konbi and Yoda in their homes these Jedi masters live simple lives close to the land. When Luke has to destroy the Death Star with, Obi Wan Konbi voice tells him to rely only on his own senses, his intuition, and his connection to the Force.
A contrast to the way of the Jedi is the behavior of their dark-side counterparts, the Sith. Darth Vader is more machine than man with robotic limbs and built-in life support. Significantly, Darth Vader’s last request is for Luke to remove his mask, so that Vader may see Luke directly, without the technological filter. Proving that the simplistic life is the best to have and not to let the eye candy of life control your life because the technology is the eye candy and the simple life is the
nature. These two stories are great parallels of each other symbolically.
