Comparison Of Beowulf And Street Gangs Essay, Research Paper

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 gangs and leaders. They remain members for life and are willing to

sacrifice their lives for their fellow members. An example of this bond is a record

company which is infamous for violence and gang-relations, “Death Row Records”.

Although it is a recording company and not a gang, its members including 2Pac, Snoop

Doggy Dog, and its CEO, Marion “Suge” Knight, are a tight-knit group whose loyalty

runs high.

Gangs and pagan warriors share many similarities. Both thrive on strength,

violence, and loyalty to their groups. Today’s street gangs seem to take the “Old

English” warriors’ ideals to a farther, even more violent extent. But all the same, street

gangs exemplify the ideals of the past “Old English” times.