I read an article today in the Huffington Post about “Pintrest
Depression.” Yes, it’s a thing – Google it. Basically, the piece summarized the
growing sense of inadequacy faced by mothers raising children while constantly
comparing themselves to the perfectly photographed, polished and idealized
lives that other women present as their own on the web. It’s similar to “Facebook
envy” the term coined to describe depression caused by comparing one’s own true
reality with the shiny edited version that others reveal on the social network.
Why did this remind me of Beowulf? Well, Beowulf, and the
epic poem in which his lives, portray only the best side of him. He’s the stranger
who swoops in to solve other people’s problems, because he’s just that awesome.
His boasts are large and, what’s more, he delivers on his promises. He is so
special and loved that every elder from his home supported his journey to help King
Hrothgar because“all knew my awesome strength.”
He is so darn perfect
he fights in the nude without as much as weapon to protect himself. Brute,
manly, perfect, cool under the scope of criticism… What else could flawed
creatures such as Unferth do but view their own inadequacies under the
brilliant light reflecting off Beowulf’s perfection?
“Beowulf’s coming his
sea-braving, made him sick with envy…”
Prideful, his veneer
remains in place even at the moment of death, despite the desperate situation
in which his death leaves his kingdom and he is still celebrated as a wonderful
king…some guys!
What an interesting comparison. I always thought that pintrest just had pictures of food and crafty things, certainly nothing that could cause full-scale depression!
ReplyDeleteI too found it rather odd that Beowulf waver never really help accountable for leaving his kingdom in such disarray, let alone being aware that he was actually doing it. He never fathered a son and never even bat an eyelash at the all-too realistic possibility of being invaded. That he was still honored upon death is just odd to me.
Fast forward some hundreds of years, and you have British kings being scorned and losing face for not being able to produce an heir to the throne. Maybe by then people had just learned their lesson? Probably not, as the jealousy and 'facebook envy' just kept getting all the more gossipy and dangerous as time went on.