The Epic Poem - Beowulf Essay - 2255 Words

Beowulf is an epic poem. Why? Because (1) it is a long narrative work that relates the adventures of a great hero and (2) it reflects the values of the Anglo-Saxon society in which it was written prior to 1000AD. This Old English poem in unrhymed, four-beat alliterative style narrates, through the course of about 3200 verses, the bold killing of two monsters, Grendel and his Mother, and a fire-dragon, as well as numerous other brave deeds in lesser detail, by Beowulf, â€Å"the strongest of men alive in that day, mighty and noble,† â€Å"the good Geat.† Roberta Frank in â€Å"The Beowulf Poet’s Sense of History† sees the hero as â€Å"the synthesis of religious and heroic idealism† (Frank 59). Professor Tolkien in Beowulf: The Monsters and†¦show more content†¦George Clark in Beowulf says: â€Å"As far as one can tell from the evidence of archaeology and the poem’s sometimes ambiguous details, the material culture of the poem’s actors and audience can hardly be distinguished† (Clark 49). This culture manifested strong ties of loyalty between members of one’s family. The family formed a circle of protection and loyalty, a nd was duty-bound to avenge a member’s death. Feuds between families, clans, tribes and nations were passed down from generation to generation until revenge was effected. Consider Beowulf’s revenge of the murder of Heardred, son of Hygelac, by the sons of Othere. And the awaited revenge on the Geats by the Swedes in retaliation for Wulf and Eofor’s killing of Ongentheow. Hygelac, going â€Å"to the land of the Frisians, attacked the Hetware,† provoking a feud between the Geats on one side and the Franks, Frisians and Mereovingians on the other side. It caused considerable personal discomfort/grief when an unnatural death could not be avenged: When Hygelac’s sibling, Herebeald, was killed accidentally by a brother, Haethcyn, it sickened the family: â€Å"Weary it is to the heart: that prince lost his life – unavenged.† Not only was one’s â€Å"kin† bound to avenge past wrongs, but the family/nation was obliged to repay o utstanding debts of members or former members. In Beowulf after the hero with fourteen Geat warriors arrive at Herot, Hrothgar publicly recognizes Beowulf’sShow MoreRelatedBeowulf As An Epic Poem1940 Words   |  8 PagesBeowulf as an Epic Poem Beowulf is a legendary Old English poem believed to have been written in the eighth or ninth century. Though its origin is unclear and its author is unknown this poem has continued through time. Portions of the original transcript have been lost with the passing of time and many translations of the work have been made. Each version of the work one aspect has remained the same, its hero. In all versions of the poem the hero is characterized by his impressive strength, braveryRead MoreEpic Poem Beowulf 805 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf is Ð °n Ð °mÐ °zing, epic poem with greÐ °t quests Ð °nd epic fight scenes throughout the story. It Ð °lso hÐ °d mÐ °ny depressing Ð °nd sÐ °d moment plÐ °ced in the poem. In this poem it hÐ °s mÐ °ny recurring themes plÐ °ced by the Ð °uthor. One of the centrÐ °l themes of Beowulf, embodied by its title chÐ °rÐ °cter, is feÐ °lty. Ð °t every step of his cÐ °reer, feÐ °lty is Beowulf s guiding virtue. FeÐ °lthy meÐ °ns Ð ° feu dÐ °l tenÐ °nts or vÐ °ssÐ °ls sworn loyÐ °lty to Ð ° lord. 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Eventhough it is considered as a kind of folk tale, many are those who believe it happened towards the early Vendel era. As a rebuttal to this point, it might be?convincingly argued?that this period is also referred to as the Germanic Iron Age. Moreover, this era saw the rise of Norse mythology, whichRead More Epic of Beowulf Essay - An Epic Poem1656 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf:   An Epic Poem   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To qualify as an epic poem, Beowulf reflects the values of the culture in which it was created. The Anglo-Saxon culture and the poem share many of the same values. They shared a heroic ideal that included loyalty, strength, courage, courtesy, and generosity. Like all epic poems Beowulf is a long narrative work that tells the adventures of a great hero and also reflects the values of the society in which it was written. Both Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxons believedRead MoreBeowulf Is The Longest Epic Poem1316 Words   |  6 PagesBeowulf is the longest epic poem written in Old English. 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Beowulf is a significant piece of literature art work not only because it is one of the earliest known works, but also because it reflects and represents the authors, the Anglo-Saxons’ culture and values. At first, this story was passed around orally, from one person to another. Then, later on, the Anglo-Saxons wrote the entire story down into a manuscriptRead MoreBeowulf And The Anglo Saxon Epic Poem, Beowulf1637 Words   |  7 Pages In the Anglo-Saxon epic poem, Beowulf, a myriad of virtues define the warrior Beowulf. Coming from his homeland, Geatland, he arrives in the land of the Danes resolute in helping King Hrothgar defeat an evil monster, Grendel. Beowulf is an impressive, strong warrior who will triumphantly defeat Grendel; moreover, he will demonstrate how one must seek glory before death, a legacy. A man’s reputation and his lineage i s exceedingly important in the patriarchal society Beowulf lives in. Consequently