The epic Beowulf is one of the earliest known works in the English vernacular. The protagonist, Beowulf, is a hero with superhuman powers who fears nothing and no one. The poem follows his journey through life and specifically his defeat of the three antagonists: Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon, who brings about Beowulf’s downfall. The chosen passage details the horrors of Grendel’s attack on Heorot, the domain of Hrothgar, King of the Danes and comes before Beowulf is introduced.
There are some problems in studying a text such as Beowulf. It must be read in translation to be easily accessible for the reader. This means the subtle nuances of the original language will be lost. The other major problem is that Beowulf had a long oral tradition before being written down by monks or clerics after the Norman conquest of England, resulting in an added layer of Christian thought on top of the original pagan ideologies in the poem.
The affixed Christian ideologies are evident in the passage. There are two main sections which demonstrate them. The first passage, lines 93-98, is an auxiliary in the narrative but it nevertheless demonstrates a belief in “the Almighty.” However, there is a slight discrepancy between the creation story presented in Beowulf and the original Genesis one. “He set the sun and the moon to be earth’s lamplight, lanterns for men” (11.94-95) implies that men existed before the sun and the moon which contradicts the Genesis story in which the sun was created first. This would suggest that the scribe has merely used the original ideologies in the poem and placed God in their midst.
The second passage, lines 106-114, is further evidence of intertextuality which, like the first section, appears as an ov...
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...del makes Beowulf seem even greater in comparison. Hrothgar, too, is a foil to Beowulf. When first introduced he is a mighty warrior who commanded a large army but he is diminished to “stricken and helpless, humiliated” (1. 130-131). That Beowulf manages to defeat Grendel and not be overcome like the king purports that he is, indeed, “the mightiest man on earth” (1.197).
The language of Beowulf, although in translation, nevertheless manages to convey, in this particular passage, the horror that is Grendel and the atrocities he commits at Heorot. It is easy to appreciate that Grendel is enormously evil, but less easy to perceive there is also method behind the madness. Beowulf will always be important in our understanding of, not only, Anglo-Saxon English language, culture and life but it also makes relevant points about our society and the idea of ostracization.
In Beowulf the Christian influence is revealed through approximately 70 passages in which the form of expression or the thought suggests Christian usage or doctrine (Blackburn 3); The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki is in its own way infused with Christian values even though it preserves remnants of the cult of Odin.
In Tolkien’s lecture, “Beowulf: The monsters and the Critics,” he argues that Beowulf has been over analyzed for its historical content, and it is not being studied as a piece of art as it should be. He discusses what he perceives the poet of Beowulf intended to do, and why he wrote the poem the way he did. Tolkien’s main proposition, “it was plainly only in the consideration of Beowulf as a poem, with an inherent poetic significance, that any view or conviction can be reached or steadily held” (Tolkien). He evaluates why the author centers the monsters throughout the entire poem, why the poem has a non-harmonic structure, why and how the author fusses together Christianity and Paganism, and how the author uses time to make his fictional poem seem real. He also discusses the overall theme of Beowulf and other assumptions of the text. To support his viewpoints, Tolkien uses quotations and examples from the poem, quotations from other critics, and compares Beowulf to other works of art. Tolkien discusses several statements in interpreting Beowulf as a poem.
Beowulf is an epic poem that was written in the late tenth-century, at the kingdom of the West Saxons. The two main characters are Beowulf, a young man; and Grendel, a furious dragon. Beowulf's world is a very violent society with wars as a dominant part of daily life. Dragons and monsters are a constant threat to the Danes and the Geats. Warriors are a necessity to this war-like society. Beowulf is a hero as well as a great, and honorable, warrior.
In times before printed books were common, stories and poems were passed from generation to generation by word of mouth. From such oral traditions come great epics such as England’s heroic epic, Beowulf. In Beowulf, the monster Grendel serves as the evil character acting against the poem’s hero, as shown by his unnatural strength, beast-like qualities, and alienation from society.
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.
While the classic battle between good and evil forces is a major theme of the medieval epic Beowulf, one may question whether these good and evil forces are as black and white as they appear. Scholars such as Herbert G. Wright claim that “the dragon, like the giant Grendel, is an enemy of mankind, and the audience of Beowulf can have entertained no sympathy for either the one or the other” (Wright, 4). However, other scholars such as Andy Orchard disagree with this claim, and believe that there is “something deeply human about the ‘monsters’” (Orchard, 29). While Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are indeed portrayed as evil and violent foes, there are parts within Beowulf that can also lead a reader to believe that the “monsters” may not be so monstrous after all. In fact, the author of Beowulf represents the “monsters” within the poem with a degree of moral ambivalence. This ambivalence ultimately evokes traces of sympathy in the reader for the plight of these “monster” figures, and blurs the fine line between good and evil within the poem.
The main character, and protagonist, Beowulf is first introduced in the novel by means of ancestral lineage. Born into greatness, Beowulf makes his reputation indisputable through action. With the King Hrothgar as witness, Beowulf declares his intentions to aid the Danes by way of slaying the awesome beast Grendel who has caused havoc among the lands. "Now I mean to be a match for Grendel, settle the outcome in single combat." As every great hero fulfils his boast, Beowulf did not fall short. Though the destruction of Grendel brought relief and rejoicings- a mother's wrath would cause it to fall short. Again, the mighty Beowulf takes on this mighty beast, descendant of Cain. As Hrothgar desperately states: "Now help depends again on you and you alone./ Seek it if you dare."
Beowulf is among the earliest surviving works of literature. It was written in Old English and dates back sometime before the tenth century A.D. The poem is set in Scandinavia, and tells the story of the heroic warrior, Beowulf. Beowulf was the perfect hero. He fought for his people and defeated evil with his ability to bring on justice. Three of Beowulf’s traits that serve as evidence of this were his remarkable physical strength, his ability to put the well-being of others before his own well-being, and his courage.
In Part I of Beowulf the poet establishes Beowulf as an incomparable superman and celebrates his greatness. The occasion for this was the unfortunate situation which Grendel had created in the court of King Hrothgar, Heorot, where there was considerable sorrow due to the uncontrollable ravaging of the monster:
So many languages, so many cultures. So many people, so many minds. One of the hardest things for humans to interpret is language, especially if the language they are interpreting is one they are not primarily familiar to the language they are interpreting. A result of this is a myriad of interpretations, each with their own individual ‘twist’ depending on the translator. This applies immensely when it comes to the ancient but timeles epic poem Beowulf. Beowulf was written in Old English by an unknown author between the centuries of 800 AD and 1000 AD. Year after year, a new translation is made by an author. Each translation is completely different, yet still the same poem. It is tedious for authors to make their translation literal to the original epic, while simultaneously making it understandable, modern, and readable. Many have tried to accomplish this, but personally I find that Seamus Heaney’s translation of the epic accomplishes these goals notably well, keeping the plotlines intact while putting a vastly interesting twist on the aged epic. Heaney’s use of colorful vocabulary creates and understandable and modern translation while still preserving the texts key values and lessons, far preceding many other translations.
Beowulf was written in the time when the society was in the process of converting from Paganism to Christianity. In this epic poem, these two religions come through the actions of its characters. The acceptance of feuds and the courage of war are just a few examples of the Pagan tradition, while the Christian mortalities refrain from the two.
In history, evil men have reigned supreme across many cultures. Some people say that being evil is inherent in every human. If this is true, then writing may be the ultimate way of releasing hatred of the world without hurting anyone. In Beowulf, all of society's evil men can be personified within the demons of Cain. The main demon presented in Beowulf is Grendel. Grendel personifies the exact opposite of what the Anglo-Saxons held dear. Beowulf, the story's hero, is the embodiment of what every Anglo-Saxon strove to become in their lifetime. Grendel is constantly angry, afraid and unsure of himself; while Beowulf is fearless and loyal to his king.
The story of "Beowulf," the oldest known poem written in English, served as a testament and guide to a life that a typical Anglo-Saxon might wish to achieve. In a time of desperation, a great warrior sweeps in to save a nation from a certain evil, a "monster" by the name of Grendel. This newly proclaimed hero vanquishes his enemies and overcomes adverse circumstances in order to save others (Acocella 70). While his respectable deeds seem rewardable in the eyes of the people around him, Beowulf 's actions toward Grendel serve as a window into the true Anglo-Saxon society and the intricate details and values on which it is based.
However pagan and Christian elements are balanced in the poem’s final pages creating an adequate ending. Before Beowulf leaves to fight the dragon, he gives one last speech, announcing, “[he] shall win the gold / by my courage, or else mortal combat, / doom of battle, will bear your lord away” (2535-2537). Beowulf accepts that he might die battling the dragon, without any bitterness, which is a common pagan element. Pagan beliefs are mostly pessimistic because pagans believe that fame is the only guarantee to immortal life. Another example of this pagan theme is mentioned in the same passage with Christian themes during Beowulf’s last words: “To the everlasting Lord of All, / to the King of Glory, I give thanks / … Order my troop to construct a barrow / … / It will loom on the horizon at Hronesness / and be a reminder among my people" (2794-2805). Beowulf gives thanks to God and asks to be buried in a tomb, a common Christian tradition, rather than the typical pagan funeral which was described in the beginning of the poem during Shield Sheafson 's funeral. In addition to Christian beliefs, this passage also includes pagan ideals. Beowulf wanted his barrow, or burial mound, to be visible to all his people so that they could remember him, which is a pagan element, the belief that fame was the only guarantee to immortality. The balance between Christian and pagan principles at
Beowulf’s first accomplishment as an epic hero was his battle with Grendel. Grendel was a huge beast, a descendent of Cain, who ruthlessly murdered innocent Danes because he felt pity for himself. Upon hearing of the Dane’s problem, Beowulf set off to help the Danish without having been called upon. Even though Beowulf had men backing him, He drew battle with Grendel alone and without armor or weapons. Yet, Beowulf emerged victorious with the arm of Grendel as his trophy. Beowulf then went on to kill Grendel’s vengeful mother and a huge fire-breathing dragon who thought it had been done wrong by the Geats. Alas, the killing of the dragon would be Beowulf’s last great battle for the dragon took Beowulf’s life in the struggle for his own.