Beowulf Poem Review

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Beowulf is a Germanic poem that described the journey of the great warrior Beowulf. Throughout the poem, Beowulf performs epic feats from defeating the monster Grendel, and then his mother, to facing a fire breathing dragon. Beowulf had characteristics that made him a great warrior, and later a great king. Beowulf’s character was an example of what the Germanic people expected from their warriors and kings. Beowulf was the ideal example of what a great king should be according to the Germanic people. Throughout the poem, Beowulf exhibited qualities of courage, generosity, and loyalty all of which were important to the Germanic people for their warriors and kings to possess.

The Germanic people expected their kings to show exceptional courage, and Beowulf met this expectation by the great feats he accomplished throughout the poem. At the beginning of the poem Beowulf traveled across the ocean to defeat the monster Grendel. Grendel was a monster who wreaked havoc on king of the Danes, Hrothgar’s kingdom, and his great mead hall. Grendel “ruled in defiance of right, one against all, until the greatest house in the world stood empty, a deserted wallstead.” Grendel continued to attack Hrothgar’s people and the mead hall for twelve years. Upon hearing about the damage Grendel had caused to Hrothgar’s kingdom, Beowulf made the decision to travel to the land of the Danes to defeat him. Grendel was not an easy enemy to face, and Beowulf had heard stories from sailors about the death and destruction Hrothgar’s people had experienced. Beowulf exhibited great courage by making the decision to face Grendel given the information he had concerning the great strength of this beast. Beowulf also showed exceptional courage when he declared ...

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...is fellow comrades did not exhibit the same loyalty he had for Beowulf. Wiglaf was loyal to Beowulf, and went to help him defeat the dragon.

The Germanic people had a code they expected their kings and warriors to adhere to. Firstly, a great Germanic king must have courage. Beowulf exhibited his courage throughout the poem when he faced a variety of foes. Secondly, a great Germanic king must show generosity. Beowulf showed his generosity with his interactions with his king as well as his men. Finally, a king must have loyalty. Beowulf showed his loyalty to his king Hygelac, and later the loyalty was given to Beowulf by Wiglaf. Beowulf possessed all these qualities that the Germanic people found important; he was an example for the average Germanic king to live up to.

Works Cited

Beowulf. Seamus Heaney, trans. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000.

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