“Beowulf”, an Old English Epic Poem in the Tradition of Germanic Heroic Legend

Topic: Beowulf Words: 315 Pages: 1

“Beowulf” is one of the perfect examples of a heroic epic. The poem describes the ancient Germanic legends dating back to pagan times. The action of the poem takes place on the shores of the Baltic Sea, and its plot is borrowed from Germanic mythology. Apart from having a great cultural worth, “Beowulf” also raises important questions and describes the main values of the Anglo-Saxon time.

The poem “Beowulf” describes an energetic and young warrior named from the Scandinavian Gaut tribe who learns about the grief that overtook the king of the Danes, Higelak (Globan 86). For twelve years, the swamp monster Grendel has been attacking the capital of the kingdom of Heorot and exterminating the king’s subjects just because they are feasting and singing songs. Beowulf and his squad defeat the monster and deprive him of his arm.

The most interesting part of the poem “Beowulf” is the death of the main character. Initially, the image of Beowulf was idealized, as it corresponds to the image of a noble knight who is ready for self-sacrifice. Beowulf’s death was caused by the dragon’s venomous wound. However, he did die because his past and his pride prevented him from seeing the reality that he was an aging king who could no longer perform the same feats of strength and bravery that made him a tragic hero (Davies 137). Therefore, he was blinded by his past and buried by his pride.

In conclusion, in this poem, one can see the ideal warrior in the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The struggle for glory and jewels, loyalty to the leader, bloody revenge, a courageous encounter with fate– all these are the defining themes not only of “Beowulf,” but also of other monuments of the German epic. The passage of the death of Beowulf teaches readers not to be arrogant and to make sure that pride does not blind them.

Works Cited

Davies, Joshua. The Middle Ages as Aroperty: Beowulf, Translation and the Ghosts of Nationalism. Postmedieval, vol. 10., no. 2, 2019, pp. 137-150.

Globan, Petru. English Literature Advancing Through History. Transnational Press London, 2020.

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StudyCorgi. (2022) '“Beowulf”, an Old English Epic Poem in the Tradition of Germanic Heroic Legend'. 8 December.

1. StudyCorgi. "“Beowulf”, an Old English Epic Poem in the Tradition of Germanic Heroic Legend." December 8, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/beowulf-an-old-english-epic-poem-in-the-tradition-of-germanic-heroic-legend/.

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StudyCorgi. "“Beowulf”, an Old English Epic Poem in the Tradition of Germanic Heroic Legend." December 8, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/beowulf-an-old-english-epic-poem-in-the-tradition-of-germanic-heroic-legend/.

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StudyCorgi. 2022. "“Beowulf”, an Old English Epic Poem in the Tradition of Germanic Heroic Legend." December 8, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/beowulf-an-old-english-epic-poem-in-the-tradition-of-germanic-heroic-legend/.

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