Beowulf is arguably one of the most riveting, and influential epic poems in Anglo-Saxon history. The author of this epic is still unknown as is the exact date that it was written though historians predict that it was written somewhere in between the 8th and 11th Centuries. The story is set in Scandinavia and is about a Geatish hero named Beowulf and his epics and heroics. It is a poem that follows Beowulf through his life as he comes to the aid of the king of Danes and at a relatively young age slays a couple of dragons. Later on in his life he becomes the king himself but finds that there is still a mythical beast out that begins to terrorize his kingdom. Hinds, G. (2011)
The Beowulf poem expertly chronicles this hero’s noble actions up until his death at the end of the epic poem. Beowulf goes great lengths to prove that he is worthy of honor and because of his many accomplishments, he was able to win over the kingdom. In my paper,one can summarize the epic poem by going into each battle and each funeral that separates the story and later attempt to bring out some of the deeper meanings within each part.
The story of Beowulf starts off with a funeral of one of the most highly thought of people in the region. Shield Sheafson was one of the greatest rulers in the Scandinavian region. He was the king of the Danes and was most remembered for how he scourged from many tribes and conquered many cities. He is of the same lineage of the current king, Hroogar, and was greatly respected and loved by his people. This was made evident during his funeral which took place at sea. During this funeral, the people gave him much gold and many weapons to signify his importance. The first funeral was also used to help introduce Beowulf; the m...
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...ieved from http://www.wise.k12.va.us/dlp/English/beowolf.htm
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Beowulf is an epic poem that explores many themes and motifs within the Anglo-Saxon society. The Author, who remains anonymous, composed the epic around 1000 A.D. The literature focuses mainly on a Scandinavian warrior named Beowulf, who comes to the aid of Herot, a small town ran by King Hrothgar. Beowulf arises to rid the town of evil forces, such as the demon monster Grendel, and his savage mother who seeks revenge for the death of her son. As he ages, Beowulf presumes his title as king of Geatland, still eager to protect his loyal followers from danger. Though he is viewed as a godly force, the situations and the behaviors that Beowulf expressed, sometimes deviate how the Anglo-Saxons viewed his character. From this, the theme of "Good vs. Evil", which can be easily depicted in the literature piece, was constantly contradicted throughout the entire poem.
Beowulf both begins and ends on the sorrowful occasion of a death, Danish king Scyld Scefing’s in the opening lines, and our hero’s in the closing lines. This fact is important in some critics’ classification of the poem as an elegy rather than an epic: “It is an heroic-elegaic poem; and in a sense all its first 3136 lines are the prelude to a dirge: [Then the Geatish people made ready no mean pyre on the earth]: one of the most moving ever written” (Tolkien 38).
Beowulf is an epic poem from nineteenth century Europe. In the poem, Beowulf is a fierce viking warrior that fights for his people no matter how tough the battle may be. He fights in countless battles and does not back down. Beowulf possesses
Poetry is the oldest literary genre written in verse. It has the purpose of producing an illusion on the imagination of the reader, it uses different figures of speech and takes different poems forms. An epic is one of this poem forms and it is “an extended narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes where the action, often in battle, reveals the more-than-human strength of the heroes as they engage in acts of courage” and they embody the set of values of their nations. In this paper I am going to show that Beowul, the oldest English poem whose author is unknown, is an exceptional example of an epic since it displays three of the typical features of this genre: it is long, there is an embodiment of nation´s values, the main character is a superhuman hero.
Beowulf, the main character, exemplifies the traits of, what is believed to be, the perfect hero. Beowulf’s warrior style of heroism is depicted throughout his youth and age, describing three triumphant clashes with monstrous creatures. The wisdom and reliability required as king are later represented through the aging of Beowulf. The two different forms of heroism correspond to different models of virtue, and much of the moral reflection in the story centers on the differentiating these two models, and showing the transfer Beowulf makes. The traits that are most evident throughout the poem are the strength and courage Beowulf consistently displays in order to defend the defenseless. He also perfectly embodies the manners and values as dictated by the Germanic heroic code, such as loyalty, courtesy, and pride. Beowulf matures through the teachings of Hrothgar, who becomes a mentor and father-like figure to the young warrior. Though Beowulf possesses an abundance of leadership qualities from beginning, the advice received from Hro...
An epic is a long narrative poem on a serious subject. It usually is about
In Beowulf’s younger years, he personified all of the best values of the heroic culture when saving another kingdom from their demons. Beowulf’s willingness to sacrifice his life in order to save strangers his father owed a debt to is quite selfless. His bravery comes into play when he remains unchanged in his resolve even after hearing of all the King’s men and subjects slain by the beast.
Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The poem illustrates the Anglo-Saxon’s strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code. Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and forgiveness into the hero archetype.
Throughout the poem we acknowledge the idealisation of Beowulf both as a warrior and a king. The main features which contribute to Beowulf’s greatness are courage, martial skills, honour, responsibility, generosity and pursuit of fame.
Beowulf is an epic poem telling the story of Beowulf, a legendary Geatish hero who later becomes king in the aforementioned epic poem. While the story in and of itself is quite interesting, for the purpose of this paper it is important to look at the character more so then his deeds, or rather why he did what he did.
Beowulf is brimming with a variety of symbols, motifs, and themes. When examined through a through an analytical lens, it is obvious that the poem uses simplicity to reveal much deeper meaning. Beowulf’s slaying of monsters is not transparent, on the contrary, the majority of the text’s substance is found within the encounters that Beowulf has with these creatures. The hero’s encounter with the dragon is an allusion to the sin of greed, while his battles against the monsters in general show his heroic nature. In addition, the events in the story show Beowulf’s internal struggle of simultaneously being a hero and a king and the importance of self-reliance.
Beowulf begins with a history of the Danish kings. Hrothgar is the present king of the Danes. He builds a hall, called Heorot, to house his army. The Danish soldiers gather under its roof to celebrate and have fellowship with each other. Grendel, who lives at the bottom of a nearby swamp, is awakened and disgusted by the singing of Hrothgar's men. He comes to the hall late one night and kills thirty of the warriors in their sleep. For the next twelve years Grendel stalks the mead hall known as Heorot.
Beowulf is an epic poem that, above all, gives the reader an idea of a time long past; a time when the most important values were courage and integrity. The only factors that could bestow shower fame upon a person were heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the paradigm of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to amass fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is ever present throughout the poem seems to color the identities of its characters.
A consideration of the stylistic features in the classic poem Beowulf involves a study of the poetic verse, the vocabulary, alliteration, litotes, simile, kennings, variation and double-meaning or ambiguity.