Examples Of Literary Devices In Beowulf

Literary devices are utilized by authors to further enhance their story and add a layer of depth. In Beowulf, there are many examples of literary devices that help shape this epic into the classic it is. Many of the literary devices found in the epic are used to convey a hidden meaning or shine a light on a very important topic in the story that applies today and back then. These literary devices are not only there to entertain the reader, but to work towards the stories goals in a more creative way. Three very important literary devices found in the epic are imagery, characterization and conflict.

First of all, the imagery found in Beowulf allows the reader to visualize the events happening and contributes an important level of drama. In

the epic, the narrator details Beowulf and his men’s march towards Herot: “…Glittering at the top / Of their golden helmets wild boar heads gleamed, / Shining decorations, swinging as they marched, / Erect like guards, like sentinels, as though ready / To fight” (lines 214-218). The reader is able to imagine these helmets worn back then by warriors, but what is equally as important was how the Vikings are described as they march. This imagery about how they look allows the scene to come to life and helps the reader delve more and more into the story by giving them a way to imagine and feel the importance of these characters. In Beowulf the narrator also describes the voyage and the ship in which Beowulf and his men use to cross the sea: “The seas beating at the sand, and were borne / In the lap of their shining ship, lined / With gleaming armor, going safely / In that oak-hard boat to where their hearts took them” (lines 128-131). The image of the ship is not only effectively conveyed to the reader, but so is the strength of the ship and the faith of the men on it. The ship can be seen shining and sailing across the sea, the imagery gets the reader to connect to the story even more deeply as they are able to actually see the image in their heads instead of being told that a ship was sailing across the sea. This is the added level of drama that imagery contributes to the story that lets the reader view the story almost as a performance. The imagery in the story is not only consistently spread out and effective, but is also essential to the epic in making it as great as it is.
Moreover, the author’s characterization in Beowulf does a very good job on allowing the reader to be able to distinguish which characters represent good and evil.

In the epic, Beowulf explains how he chooses to fight Grendel: “…that the monster’s scorn of men / Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none / Nor will I. My lord Higlac / Might think less of me if I let my sword / Go where my feet were afraid to, if I hid / Behind some broad linden shield: my hands / Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life” (lines 262-268). Beowulf actions reveal to reader that he is a man of great honor and believes that fair is fair no matter who he duels. These actions easily establish Beowulf as a hero who believes in justice and represent the good and is a great way to begin to create the character of Beowulf. The narrator also describes in the epic Grendel’s actions towards the warriors in Herot: “Grendel came again, so set / On murder that no crime could ever be enough, / No savage assault quench his lust / For evil. Then each warrior tried / To escape him, searched for rest in different / Beds, as far from Herot as they could find” (lines 50-55). The way Grendel kills just to kill and has no qualms about it shows the reader that Grendel is supposed to be viewed as the epitome of evil in the epic. Not only do Grendel’s actions speak volumes about him to the reader, but the warrior’s response to Grendel also reveals a lot about the character as well. The way Grendel is able to

invoke fear in people who are meant to be the bravest men in Herot solidifies just what kind of character he is. His actions and the way people respond to him is a great way to construct the villain in the story. Foster explains, “…Grendel is a representative of the physical evil that was so present in the lives and imaginations of the Anglo-Saxons.” The majority of Anglo-Saxon’s are said to have been Christians, Grendel was a manifestation of all they believe was truly evil in the world with him being a monster that hated the joyous things in life and shun the light. In Beowulf the characterization of all the main characters is very effective in allowing the reader to infer what kind of person a character is and what they are meant to represent to the reader.
Lastly, the internal and external conflicts found in Beowulf tend to be influenced by the need for Beowulf to be seen and remembered as a hero. The narrator of the epic describes Beowulf’s attitude as he walks towards the tower the dragon was in: “Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong, / And with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast, / Strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, under / The rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there” (lines 650-653). Beowulf puts on almost a performance for the people in his kingdom, to show them how brave and heroic he was to go where other men did not dare and kill the dragon. The reasoning for him to go into another battle was mostly influenced by his constant need to be a great warrior instead of it being mainly influenced by wanting to protect his people. The narrator also describes Beowulf’s thought process as he fights Grendel’s mother: “And that too failed him; for the first time in years / Of being worn to war it would earn no glory; / It was the last time anyone would wear it. But Beowulf / Longed only for fame, leaped back / Into battle…” (lines 500-504). While Beowulf is fighting Grendel and comes to the conclusion that all the things he brought with him into battle was not helping him, his motivation to keep going was to achieve and maintain that notoriety of being a hero. He struggles internally with being killed by Grendel’ mother and being seen by his warriors as less than the hero he wants everyone to know he is and have this be his ending. Beowulf has an internal struggle of wanting to fight against his own fate and strives for a glorious, heroic win. According to Diana M. Casey, “A man’s only insurance that his name will outlast him is through his demonstration of unfailing heroic valor.” Beowulf lives during a time and in a society that places great pressure on men to prove how manly they and to makes sure that their lineage is a strong one. While Beowulf does get into many conflicts throughout the epic they serve the purpose of showing the reader what truly makes Beowulf run into battle and what he is capable of.
Overall, the epic of Beowulf stands true as a classic example of original characteristics of what being a hero are.

In today’s society the label “hero” tends to be said quite a lot, while that is not a bad thing in most instances it also does not truly represent the definition of hero as people used to see it. For example, in Beowulf a hero is someone who battles against every villain, rides into battle with no fear in their heart and strives for everlasting glory in the end. Remnants of that ideology still hold true today as many times people such as soldiers and firemen are called heroes because they actually do run into dangerous situations very often and people associate them with heroism. Yet there are many other people who others recognize as heroes that do not fit that classic definition. People who inspire others are seen as heroes today. Sometimes a hero is someone who speaks up about something or reveals something about themselves that many people wish that they could say. While Beowulf is a great fighter and a physically a strong man, today strength is not only measured by the size of your muscles or the glory that your name holds. Strength is measured by one’s perseverance in the face of adversity. While like Beowulf a hero must be courageous and an inspiration to others, they do not have to be fearless. A hero today can feel their fear sitting at the pit of their stomach and still decide to push through despite it. Today being fearless does not make you a hero,

but being willing to go up against that fear does. While the definition of hero has been through some changes, the common and timeless enemy of any hero will always be injustice.