How Did Beowulf Change Over Time

Poems have been within the world for thousands of years and written in different verses: free verse, blank verse, alliteration verse, etc. Poetry changes throughout time and carries on different meanings. Many are fictional, while others are non-fictional and fall under various genres. The poem Beowulf falls under the Epic genre, “a poem derived from oral tradition, narrating the deeds of heroic figures” (Oxford Dictionaries). Beowulf, a well-known fictional character, was created in the “first half of the eighth century” (Heaney 36) by an unknown author. However, as the years went by, the story was translated into many versions gaining its title along with authors’ but also losing its originality. Although there have been some variations on

They foresee their ideal person to have: strength, pride, and confidence. A hero is to be the strongest amongst all men, with stunning skills; gaining their name due to “a particular incident, which means that he or she had intervened in some critical situation in an extraordinary fashion… especially in putting his or her life at risk” (Miller 1). Heroes are remembered for doing favorable deeds. They are brave and looked up upon by the people. Beowulf, as the principle individual, is described as “valiant and venturesome” (Beowulf 299) by the coast-guard on his arrival to Denmark. Throughout his stay at Heorot, Beowulf’s mission is to defeat a behemoth that is frightening the Danes. He discusses some of his courageous adventures, when he “battled and bound five beasts [or when his] sword had killed nine-sea monsters” (Beowulf 49, 53). In Beowulf, before the protagonist’s arrival to Heorot, he “was poorly regarded for a long time, taken by the Geats for less than he was worth,” (Beowulf 86-87) meaning no one cared for him. He was also neglected by the lord, making him sit in the back of the hall. Beowulf got his fame until he killed Grendel and his mother, therefore, making him well-known in Geatland, including far