Beowulf Poem Analysis

On behalf of our kingdom I the queen of Heorot, we are all thankful for your courageous spirit. We’ve been crossing through seas to find someone willing to banish our demon. With your lionhearted leadership, the malignant spirit was blinded by your name. The day you took its flesh away was the day the sun rose out of the dark. We kneel before your victorious name. As you left your home with the elder’s approval, you are honored and would be celebrated for your gratitude and bravery. One million miles from here was not one single soul that was heroic like you. For centuries we the people did not feast with joy, “all were endangered; young and old were hunted down by that dark shadow who lurked and swooped in the long nights on the misty moors; nobody knew where these reavers from hell roamed on their errands.” It was easy to go down to hell; night and day, the gates of dark death stood wide; but to climb back again, to retrace ones steps to the upper

Beowulf is an epic poem being cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. Beowulf is an Old English epic poem. The poem is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Herot has been under attack by a monster named Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is mortally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect a tower on a headland in his memory. Beowulf is clearly a hero because of his brave deeds, he is a strong and responsible leader, and his courage. Beowulf is a hero because of his brave deeds. Throughout Beowulf, Beowulf does many deeds which are considered to be brave during the Anglo-Saxon period.“Grendel is no braver, no stronger/Than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not,Easy as it would be. This fiend is a bold And famous fighter, but his claws and teeth.../ Beating at my sword blade, would be helpless. I will meet him With my hands empty-unless his heart /Fails him, seeing a soldier waiting /Weaponless, unafraid. Let God in His wisdom /Extend His hand where He wills, reward /Whom he chooses!”. In his first battle, Beowulf fights Grendel. He fights without any armor. Also, Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother. He then

Grendel's heritage and setting are two things that attribute to Grendel's evilness.  In the story the author tells us that Grendel was a descendant of Cain(the son of Adam and Eve, who was cursed by God for killing his brother Abel).  The poet writes, "Conceived

    Some popular elements of imagery in Beowulf are the mead-hall, the sea, swords, armor including shields. Let us discuss these items and, where applicable, the archaeological support for them.

This epic poem written by an anonymous writer takes places during the medieval times in Heorot. The town of heorot is being troubled every night by a gruesome appearing creature by the name of Grendel. Grendel raids the mead hall of the Danish warriors and brutally kills them. Beowulf is called upon by the king of heorot, Hrothgar, to fight Grendel and save the Danish people from any more destruction. Beowulf, along with his following warriors, travel overseas to help the town. He ultimately wins however the battle is not yet over. After defeating Grendel Beowulf then has to face his overprotecting mother which he also defats later on in the story in her cave under a nearby lake. After this battle,

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic poem that has shaped and influenced much what modern literature is today. It originated as an oral story, being spoken in communities around the Scandinavian land. The story was written around 700a.d. The setting, characters the relate to historical figures, and plot give clues as to when the action of the story occurs, which is most likely around 500a.d. The author of the original Beowulf is believed to be Christian, despite the fact that several characters in the epic poem acted contrary to how a Christian should act. In the translation of Beowulf, written by Burton Raffel (a Signet Classic), there is the usage of Christian quotes and objects of Christianity. Burton Raffel said about his translation “The translator’s only hope is to re-create something roughly equivalent in the new language, something that is itself good poetry and that at the same time carries the reasonable measure of force and flavor of the original…” Beowulf is well renowned because of it has simple themes, symbols, and motifs.

Beowulf. Beowulf killed Grendel and then he would have to kill Grendel’s mother who was

After a long journey, you find yourself in uncharted territory. As you scout the area, you notice a small village off in the distance. Upon approaching this settlement, you are greeted by some armed townsfolk. They attack you without warning, and take you to a large hall in the center of town. There, you see many men parading around in an intoxicated stupor, showing off their trophies and talking of their success in past battles and wars. They eat with bare hands, ripping at the food and drinking until they can no longer handle themselves, finding a home on the open floor. The hall is dressed with weapons of war, from shields to swords and everything in between. The women are wrapped in chains, fulfilling their only purpose of serving the

“There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil.” – Ayn Rand. To fully understand the complex world and culture of the Anglo-Saxons, one must examine the only form of historical evidence available – texts. One particular great work from this time period is often underrated and overshadowed in modern society by many other ancient works such as Iliad or Oedipus Rex. The epic poem, Beowulf, was sung by multiple unknown Anglo-Saxon poets four centuries before the Norman Conquest. The theme of good versus evil was constantly reappearing throughout the storyline, the portrayal of evil and its downfall initially shaped the poem’s plot, and illustrates an alien presence; something that

The lord “vented his rage” on the men he drank with and went as far as to murder his own friends (1713-14).

The narrator explains that Grendel comes from “…Cain’s clan, whom the creator had outlawed / And condemned as outcasts…” (Beowulf 8). This indicates that Grendel come from a line of tainted blood. The Thanes and Geats describe both Grendel and his mother as “God-cursed” but they also describe them as kin of ogres and evil spirits. Relating the Christian story of the kin killer Cain to the origin of monsters that lurk in the dark mixes two conflicting

Problems are all over the world. Whether at home or out and about, problems occur every day. Hunger, famine, and war are examples of problems within a country or area that people face. It does not matter when it happens. The feeling and pain of hunger for any living species has been the same since the start of creation and will continue to be the same. No matter the time period, the issues still exist. In the poem Beowulf, written by Thomas Foster, the problems he explains and interprets, directly correlates with some issues that can happen in the time period around 2016. But with the times changing, people today face problems such as spiritual, economical, personal and psychological ‘monsters’. This era has come to the point where physical strength no longer will be an issue as it relates Beowulf and his

Beowulf begins with a history of the great Danish King Scyld (whose funeral is described in the Prologue). King Hrothgar, Scyld's great-grandson, is well loved by his people and successful in war. He builds a lavish hall, called Heorot, to house his vast army, and when the hall is finished, the Danish warriors gather under its roof to celebrate.

Beowulf is an epic poem that was written in Old English in between the 8th and 11th century. King Hrothgar who rules the Danes, is being tormented by this beast called, Grendel. For some time now, Grendel has been attacking Heorot Hall, a mead-hall, and has been killing off many of the Danish soldiers and sometimes even devouring some. The king didn’t seem able to protect the people in his village from this great demon. Until, one day, Beowulf shows up and actually offers to help King Hrothgar by volunteering to find and kill this dreaded monster.

“No better king had ever lived, no prince so mild, no man so open to his people, so deserving of praise.” This is an ultimate description of the heroic events of Beowulf, an old Anglo-Saxon poem about a warrior who battles and destroys three horrifying monsters. Although written long ago, the emotions expressed within this work, emotions of bravery, valor, and ethics still speak to us centuries later. The anonymous author of the poem convinces us through the masterful use of various literary elements that emphasize its meaning and message. Conflict, imagery and setting are three literary elements that contribute to the effectiveness of the poem.