The poem Beowulf is an Epic Poem that shows defeat, courage, strength, honor, and much more. Beowulf was written at least two hundred years previous to AD 1000 and before that was most likely sang or talked about (Oral Tradition). There may have been excessive amounts of Beowulf, but due to viking raids they were most likely destroyed. The poem started out with talking about Scyld Scefing. The first fifty lines of the poem is all about Scyld Scefing and all of his greatest and extended accomplishments. Scyld Scefing was a founder and became the very first king in the Danish royal line. After the intro of Scyld Scefing, The main story of Beowulf begins in Denmark. King Hrothgar was having troubles and fears of a monster; Grendel. Monster Grendel …show more content…
He is Prince of the Geats, who are people inhabiting the southern part of Sweden. Beowulf and his men leave the southern part of Sweden to rid Denmark of the eerie monster. The mead hall is extremely important to Anglo-Saxons because of everything that goes on there. It is where the king and his men feast and dine, his male followers will slumber there, listen to stories and music, as long as oral traditions and business deals. The significance of the hall in the epic of Beowulf is how the beast had invaded the hall at night. That is where everything goes on. Beowulf and his men needed to protect the hall and King Hrothgar as well. Beowulf had pretended to be sleeping when the Grendel the monster came to attack. Grendel then knew what he was up against when he faced Beowulf. Beowulf and his men had injured Grendel very bad and Grendel went to walk back to where he lived. He soon died of open wounds and blood loss. At first, Hrothgar’s Queen, Wealhtheow had thanked Beowulf and had received gratitude. When Grendel’s mother had found out about his death, she was full of anger and vengeance (which was the way of Anglo-Saxons when a family member had been killed). Grendel’s mother had snuck in to Heorot and carried off a
All seemed well until, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and takes back her son’s arm. Beowulf walks back into the hall after all of this is over and hears Hrothgar lament the death of his counsellor. Hrothgar realizes that Grendel's mother was just trying to avenge her son. This attack brings out the stories of the country people and their monster stories. Off in the distance, Beowulf hears a mere and he bolsters courage from Hrothgar.
Beowulf is an archetypal story known by generations around the world. Beowulf took place during Anglo-Saxon English time period. In this work, Beowulf, a young Geat man, journeys to Denmark to save the Danes from the wrath of the demonic Grendel. During Anglo-Saxon time, Beowulf was a folk song only passed around by word of mouth. Monks eventually transferred it to paper since they were the only ones capable of writing.
He left his land to go help Hrothgar at the mead hall. Beowulf then waited till the monster (Grendel) comes to attack at night again so he could fight and try to kill him, but he fatally wounds Grendel and later he did die. Another trial was when Grendel’s mother and Beowulf fought, and then killed her as well. He came back to Hrothgar’s mead hall with the trophy of Grendel’s head along with the arm that he already previously had. Beowulf got praised for the mighty battle and saving the rest of Hrothgar’s men.
He takes out his loneliness on the prosperous hall of the Danes. The news of Grendel terrorizing the kingdom became a tale overseas, which is how Beowulf hears of Grendel and his acts. The kingdom had not received successful help, and Beowulf believes that he is capable of helping and takes this as his calling. After the call in a Hero Quest, the hero must make a decision.
Grendel had being killing and terrorizing Hrothgar’s people. The news of Grendel had travel to the land of the Geats and Beowulf had come to provide assistance to Hrothgar. One day after Beowulf and Grendel’s fight, where Beowulf tears off the demons’ arm, the monster’s mother came to vengeance her son’s death. She was also defeated and killed by Beowulf, for which he received many gifts and praise by Hrothgar and his wife Wealhtheow.
He carefully strategized his plan to defeat Grendel. He waited for Grendel to come to Heorot, then surprise attacked him. Grendel put up a fight, but Beowulf was stronger and more intelligent. Beowulf ripped the arm off of the beast, sending him away to die. Not only did Beowulf have to defeat Grendel, but Grendel’s mother came back for revenge, so Beowulf set out to the darkness where Grendel and his mother lived.
Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/
The epic poem Beowulf was a story told in the anglo saxon time period. A time when people believed in dragons, monsters, and curses. Many stories told by people of this time talked about the good and evil forces there are in the world and what happens when they collide in battle. The hero in this story has sailed from his home to fight this evil being named Grendel, a monster that has become a nuisance in Herot.
Being an epic hero, Beowulf was very brave and battled many immortal creatures. One monster he came across was Grendel. “Conceived by a pair of the monster born of Cain, murderous creatures banned by God..,”(44), Hrothgar’s men would say. This is a reference from the Bible, showing the evil portrayed in the monster Grendel. This monster went to Herot and killed thirty men just because he was hungry.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, faces three “monsters” at different times in his life. The poem begins with Grendel, a monster who attacks only in the dark of night, tormenting the kingdom of Hrothgar. The last two sections of the epic detail the conquering by Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and the dragon. The battle between the monsters and Beowulf represent the theme of good versus evil in the poem, as well as the fusion of pagan and Christian ideals in the changing Germanic society. Grendel’s mother’s actions directly juxtapose the role of a woman in this time period, and the greediness of the dragon with his treasure contrasts with the virtues of what would be considered a good king.
Grendel’s story is not only from his perspective, but it also starts far before Beowulf enters the picture. Grendel does not even know of man’s existence before he encountered Hrothgar whom he starts to fear when he says “I knew I was dealing with no dull mechanical bull but with thinking creatures, pattern makers. The most dangerous things I’d ever met” (pg 27). His first encounter with these men left him wanting more. He spent most nights watching them in the shadows, trying to make sense of their actions.
The monster in Beowulf, known as Grendel, is a representation of human fear, hatred, and impulse. On page 44, the narrator states, " He found them sprawled in sleep, suspecting nothing, their dreams undisturbed... He slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them..." Because the Anglo Saxons mainly lived on the coast of England, they feared that vikings or some other enemy will come attack them in the middle of the night. Grendel, this excerpt is a reflection of that fear,where Grendel is the enemy.
Beowulf is the main hero in the poem, and he travels to the land of the Danes to help King Hrothgar get rid of the monster Grendel. After having slain Grendel, there is still a huge crisis present. Grendel’s mother comes to the Hall of Heorot to avenge the death of her kinsmen by killing Aeschere. Aeschere is one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisors, and his loss bear’s heavy on Hrothgar’s heart. In the culture displayed in Beowulf, the bonds of friendship and kinsmanship are very important to the characters.
The epic poem, Beowulf was influenced by Anglo-Saxon cultural beliefs. Beowulf is the longest, and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem. The setting of the epic is the sixth century in what is now known as Denmark and southwestern Sweden. This poem strengthens the Heroic Code. This code was derived from the Anglos-Saxons’ Germanic roots and was a basis for Anglo-Saxon honor.
In the halls of Heorot, an evil presence terrorizes its people. An evil presence known as Grendel. Grendel is assumed to be a descendent of Cain, who is destined to be evil. Even though he is full of corruption, he is a lonely creature who seeks companionship by killing the people of Heorot. Every one in the castle is terrified of Grendel as well as the King’s warriors.