The Epic Poem - Beowulf Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essay

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 closely 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 dot, by Beowulf, the strongest of custody alive in that day, mighty and noble, the good Geat. Roberta Frank in The Beowulf Poets Sense of History sees the hero as the synthesis of religious and heroic high-mindedness (Frank 59). Professor Tolkien in Beowulf The Monsters and the Critics states But in the centre we have an heroic figure of enlarged proportions (Tolkien 38). That crafty sailor led his warriors on the waves to Hrothgars danish pastry kingdom where the first two adventures took place (Herot, the glistening ring-hall , is purged.), earning the hero the greatest respect of the king (You have by your deeds, achieved fame forever.) and queen and people. More than fifty winters later(prenominal) the third great feat occurred in the Geat homeland where Beowulf was reigning as king. This adventure of armed combat against a fire dragon resulted not except in the dragons death but also in that of the Scandinavian hero. Numerous other adventures of the hero are presented in lesser detail With my sword I slew nine sea monsters, he had survived many battles, he avenged Heardreds death, He deprived King Onela of life, I repaid Hygelac with my bright sword, I was the killer of Daghrefin, etc. The poem rightfully claims that Beowulf performed the most famous de... ...the ten who deserted their chief, said, At the ale-bench he often gave you helmets and armor. From the above its unambiguous that abundant evidence amply demonstrates that Beowulf truly reflects the first millenial Anglo-Saxon culture i n the poems lengthy narration of the adventures of a great hero. BIBLIOGRAPHY Clark, George. Beowulf. capital of Massachusetts Twayne Publishers, 1990. Cramp, Rosemary. Beowulf and Archaeology. In TheBeowulf Poet, edited byDonald K. fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Frank, Roberta. The Beowulf Poets Sense of History. In Beowulf Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Tolkien, J.R.R.. Beowulf The Monsters and the Critics. In TheBeowulf Poet, edited byDonald K. fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.