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

Beowulf is an epic poesy. Why? Because (1) it is a long narrative motion 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 riming style narrates, through the course of about 3200 verses, the bold killing of cardinal monsters, Grendel and his Mother, and a fire- cream of tartar, as well as numerous other unfearing deeds in lesser detail, by Beowulf, the strongest of men alive in that day, mighty and noble, the good Geat. Roberta Frank in The Beowulf Poets Sense of tale sees the hero as the synthesis of religious and heroic idealism (Frank 59). professor Tolkien in Beowulf The Monsters and the Critics states But in the centre we have an heroic count of enlarged proportions (Tolkien 38). That crafty sailor led his warriors on the waves to Hrothgars Danish kingdom where the first two adventures took place (Herot, the bright 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 cubic decimetre winters later the third great feat occurred in the Geat homeland where Beowulf was reign as king. This adventure of armed combat against a fire dragon resulted not only in the dragons death scarce also in that of the Scandinavian hero. Numerous other adventures of the hero be presented in lesser detail With my sword I slew nightclub 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 obvious that abundant tell apart amply demonstrates that Beowulf truly reflects the first millenial Anglo-Saxon culture in t he poems lengthy narration of the adventures of a great hero. BIBLIOGRAPHY Clark, George. Beowulf. Boston 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 life-sustaining 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.