Within British literature, it should come as no surprise that the themes and motifs that appear in written works evolve in nature. Times, cultures and people change, so it is natural that the things they write change too. An example of this development can be seen by analyzing the role of a redeemer as evident in three works: Beowulf, Titus Andronicus and The Vicar of Wakefield. Beowulf, an Old English epic produced between the 8th and 10th centuries, tells the story of a hero who defeats numerous enemies to preserve the Danish people. At least six hundred years later, in the late 16th century, William Shakespeare wrote Titus Andronicus, a tragic play that tells the story of a Roman general and the revenge he seeks. A final work, The Vicar of Wakefield, is a novel composed by Oliver Goldsmith during the 18th century and tells the story of a country clergyman who, together with his family, experiences many misfortunes but whose story ends with a resolution . In each of these works there is a person who clearly acts as a savior; over time, however, the role of this savior transforms from a position of physical liberator to that of moral redeemer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In Beowulf, Titus Andronicus, and The Vicar of Wakefield, the saviors are Beowulf, Titus Andronicus, and Dr. Primrose, respectively. The story of Beowulf is full of acts of liberation. He comes to the aid of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, and defeats a monster called Grendel (Beowulf 57-58). He then defeats Grendel's mother and a dragon (75-77, 98-100). Each of these murders relieves a people of pain and violent attacks. In this respect, Beowulf is a true hero since he is able to preserve people from their enemies; in fact, Judith Garde, analyzing the poem from a Christian perspective in an article titled “Christian And Folkloric Tradition in Beowulf: Death and the Dragon Episode,” states that Beowulf was “blessed with an incredible gift of strength to destroy God's infamous enemies ” (332). Garde emphasizes Beowulf's ability to be a physical savior to both the Danish people and his native people, the Geats. Compared to Beowulf's, Titus' acts of heroism may seem fruitless. He cuts his hand in an attempt to save his children's lives, but they are killed anyway. His daughter is raped and killed. As will be shown later in this article, however, Tito's acts are redemptive, and Caroline Lamb agrees, noting that “by overcoming physical barriers to communication and action, Tito and Lavinia allow themselves to act and take revenge ” (42). The final redeemer is the Vicar of Wakefield's Doctor Primrose who experiences a life full of opportunities to save his family from heartache. They lose all their money, their house is burned down, a daughter is thought dead, a daughter is kidnapped, and two family members end up in prison. While Dr. Primrose is not the one actively repairing all of this damage, it is his virtuous behavior during all of the misfortunes that is central to the resolution of the entire conflict. Dr. Primrose believes that “divine justice guarantees that virtue is due, if not in this world, at least in the next” and for this reason “the Vicar [Dr. Primrose]…is comforted by the prospect of divine justice” (Anderson 429-430). Dr. Primrose ends up becoming an indirect redeemer because his virtuous behavior results in the restoration of all his family's comforts and joys. The acts of redemption in the Beowulf story are entirely of the same nature: each of the three acts consists of Beowulfdefeats a monster. Beowulf's first saving act, his fight with Grendel, culminates this way: “Beowulf was granted the glory of victory; Grendel was carried beneath the banks of the swamp, mortally wounded, to his desolate lair. His days were numbered, the end of his life was coming upon him, he knew it for certain: and a bloody battle had granted the Danes' dearest wishes” (Beowulf 58). Next, he defeats Grendel's mother by cutting off “the head of the corpse” (76). And finally he kills the dragon and the text tells us that «no sign of the dragon remained: the sword had killed him» (100). Each of these situations exemplifies the physical nature of Beowulf's acts of redemption: Beowulf defeats three monsters who threatened the physical well-being of the Danes and Geats. Although Beowulf “literally suffers ultimate defeat, he triumphs symbolically” because his death means life to the people who had previously been threatened by the dragon (Helterman 3). He triumphs because he protects from physical harm those who had been in danger from Grendel, Grendel's mother, or the dragon. Beowulf as a type of savior is nothing more than a physical protector. In Shakespeare's play, Titus performs a similar act of physical rescue. His efforts, however, are unsuccessful. When the emperor requests that a hand be sent to save the lives of Titus' sons, Titus says “with all my heart I will send my hand to the emperor. Good Aaron, will you help me cut it off?" (Shakespeare 3.1.162-3). Later, a messenger enters with “two heads and one hand” because the emperor had not kept his promise: he had killed Titus' sons also whether Titus had complied with his requests (107) Caroline Lamb's point of view on the loss of Titus' hand is interesting: “In Titus Andronicus Shakespeare endows the body – be it political or personal – with a remarkable persistence and adaptability, allowing it to undergo loss, fragmentation and trauma and yet generate its own recovery. Within this discursive model, the body is enabled, not disabled, by challenges to its structural integrity, as it is ultimately able to re-establish. a functional and effective relationship between the parts and the whole.” (43)Agnello seems to suggest that, although Titus lost both his hand and his children, his efforts as a liberator were not in vain. Instead, he persists, continually exercising an attitude of overcoming difficulties. This is what makes him a savior: he hurts himself to save others. Titus, in a way reminiscent of Beowulf, is a savior who seeks to protect those he is saving from physical harm; in this case, he tries to save his sons from execution by the emperor. The way Titus Andronicus differs from Beowulf, however, is that he performs further acts of deliverance that involve more than physical protection: they involve moral redemption. One such act is the killing of Chiron and Demetrius, Lavinia's rapists. This scene manifests itself in physical action: Titus slits the throats of his daughter's rapists, collects the blood, mixes it with their crushed bones, and serves the prepared cake to Tamora, the mother of Chiron and Demetrius (Shakespeare 5.3.200- 210). His reasoning behind this isn't necessarily physical protection: Lavinia has already been raped and mutilated, and Titus can't offer her physical protection at this point. Rather, he seeks revenge against his daughter's molesters: “Worse than Philomela you have used my daughter,” says Titus, “And worse than Procne will I be avenged” (5.3.198-9). The intentions of Titus Andronicus are clearly indicated here. He wishes to take revenge on Chiron and Demetrius who so brutally raped his daughter. Titus is aware that he cannot protect his daughter from harm: the rape and mutilation have already occurred. He takes on the role insteadof redeemer. Try to correct a wrong situation. He exacts punishment on Chiron and Demetrius for their crimes against his daughter; he makes up for the pain his daughter endured by destroying the lives of her rapists. In this way Titus Andronicus does not necessarily act as a physical protector; Indeed, Lavinia experiences greatphysical pain - rather, she takes on the role of an avenger.Dr. Primrose, from The Vicar of Wakefield, is also a moral redeemer as well as a physical protector. At least three times over the course of the novel, he restores one of his lost children. One such example is the return of George, the eldest son who had not been heard from for three years. Dr. Primrose finds him while he is putting on a play and informs his guests that the actor is his long-lost son and that his host “has sent his coach and an invitation for him; … and soon we had him [George] with us” (Goldsmith 119). Dr. Primrose acts as a rescuer of sorts and returns his son to his family. In addition to physically restoring his son, however, Dr. Primrose also notices that Arabella Wilmot, George's ex-girlfriend, is very affected by George's return. Dr. Primrose is encouraging and ultimately instrumental in George and Arabella Wilmot's future marriage. This is proof that his concern isn't just about his family's physical well-being; furthermore, he goes out of his way to be concerned about their moral, emotional and spiritual well-being. Anderson, arguing that Dr. Primrose is one who advocates a “stoic construction of virtue,” believes that Primrose “constitutes a rigorous and, above all, practical and sustainable social ideal” (420). He sees Doctor Primrose as much more than a physical protector, he has qualities of virtue that make him an ideal moral redeemer. In contrast, Beowulf's acts contain no morally redeeming qualities; instead they focus exclusively on the physical protection and liberation of a people. Each of his acts - the killing of Grendel, the killing of Grendel's mother, and the killing of the dragon - is the defeat of an enemy, a physical enemy who had threatened the lives of the Danes or the Geats. Beowulf's role as a hero is manifested through physical protection, strength, and superiority. Indeed, Garde notes that "the Geats thank God for their safe arrival, and the guardian of the coast implores the Almighty Father to keep them safe in grace" (334). Garde implies, here, that people's only concern is physical well-being. This is what Beowulf, as a savior, provides. Defeats their enemies and keeps them safe. Ultimately, the difference between Beowulf and Titus Andronicus is that Titus Andronicus is not known as a physical protector. His attempt to be a physical protector, to save his children's lives, is unsuccessful. Rather, Titus' redemptive act is the killing of his daughter Lavinia, which is the exact opposite of physical protection. The following conversation between Titus and Saturninus expresses why Titus kills his daughter:[Titus] And if your highness knew my heart, you would be. My lord the emperor, solve this for me: was it well done by reckless Virginiusto kill his daughter with his own right handWhy was she forced, stained and deflowered?[Saturninus] It was, Andronicus.[Titus] Thy reason, mighty lord ?[Saturnine] Why should not the girl survive her shame,And with his presence renew her sorrows again.[Titus] A powerful reason, strong and effective; a model, a precedent and a valid guarantee for me, miserable, to do such a thing. Die, die, Lavinia, and with you your shame, and with your shame that of your father the pain dies. (5.3.34-47)The reason Titus kills Lavinia is not to protect her, but to redeem her. She was shamed and., 1995.