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The Tales Of Beowulf And The Descriptions Of His Battles

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When reading the tales of Beowulf and the descriptions of his battles, you tend to think that this is about a god-like or super-powered creator - anything but human. The truth surrounding Beowulf, if there truly is a truth to these tales, is something that remains unclear, because almost nothing other than Beowulf, as far as writings and literature, has survived from this time in history. Beowulf, however, has been written and rewritten, again and again, because these tales were so popular with the people of that time period. These tales had everything going for them, particularly the trials and making of a good, godly man or god-like man. Heroic, epic battles, strength, blood and grit, all things that good story tellers needed for an interesting story. Yet, this is not to say that Beowulf is like any other human being walking around; no, Beowulf is a Geat, and the last one of his kind. Beowulf has the strength of 30 men in each arm and a grasp strong enough to kill. Beowulf feels that he “owes his self to the king of Hrothgar because of his fathers ties”.(260-264) Hrothgar took in Ecgtheow in a time of need, and Ecgtheow, being Beowulf 's father, pledged himself to the King of Danes. Beowulf lives across the sea from the Danes, so it takes some time before the stories about what is going on in the land of the Danes to make it across the water. Beowulf learns of these tales and loads a ship with 14 warriors, setting sail for the land of the Danes. When Beowulf and his

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