The History Behind Beowulf

The History Behind Beowulf

Main Beowulf and Warfare Scop;Bede characters links bibliography

Out of the 30,000 lines of literature left from the Anglo-Saxon period, almost 4,000 lines are preserved in the text of Beowulf, the epic poem of the hero with the strength of 30 men in each arm. It is a story of the supernatural as well as a record of Anglo-Saxon history. Because there was little literacy and few books in Medieval England, scops were the key to recording history. They upheld the history of England since the very beginning, along with the ancestry of her first settlers.

Beowulf takes place in 6th century Denmark and Sweden. The Geats (Beowulf's tribe) inhabited the southern part of Sweden) and Hrothgar and his glorious mead-hall Heorot were from the Danish island, Sjaelland. Some historical digressions in the epic poem take place in other parts of Sweden, but also Denmark, Germany, Poland and "the Low Countries."

The first part of Beowulf takes place in Heorot, King Hrothgar's glorious mead hall. At the time this poem took place, research proves that the Danes held their throne on Sjaelland Island at Lejre. Archeologists who have worked there have discovered a number of magnificent halls that were built around the 500s and onward, any of which could have been Heorot.

Although there is no knowledge that Beowulf was a true man, there is certainly a great deal of Germanic history incorporated in the poem. Whether Beowulf was real or not, his character fit seamlessly into the context of his society and family tree.

Many of the characters were real: The Geat king, Hygelac, Hrothgar, Ongentheow, Haethcyn, Onela and Heardred. Also, the Ravenswood battle which took place in 510AD is true.

The Composition of the Poem

Although, much that is written about the creation of the story of Beowulf is speculation, it is known that the only manuscript that remains is from circa 1000AD. Although this work is venerated today, in Medieval England, it was viewed in much different light. Monster stories were quite common at that time; along with Beowulf, several prose works with supernatural characters were compiled in the manuscript. Also a poem "Judith" was found.

The author of Beowulf is a mystery, as most poets of the Anglo-Saxon period are. He might have been a court poet, or a monastic poet. Depending on the Christian interpretation of the poem, it could be either.