Beowulf

Beowulf

Having been written somewhere between the 8th and 11th centuries and being one of the best known heroic epic poems, Beowulf certainly makes more recent stories appear less important. The legend deals with the main character as he has to undergo a series of tasks battling the story's three antagonists: Grendel, its mother, and a mysterious dragon that the male protagonist battles during the last moments of his life. It is very probable that the story circulated in a fragmentary version for several years until a particularly experienced poet altered it and brought it in its current state. There is much controversy about the epic because it is very complex and it does not present the public with clear details that they can later identify as belonging to a certain genre. Given that it is a long poem, it celebrates events that are culturally significant, and it presents the main character as he goes through great efforts to respect a code of honor, it is only safe to assume that Beowulf is an epic.

The first audiences to be presented with the epic of Beowulf are likely to have been familiar with the characters and with the general context present in the story. This is obvious from the very first verses: "LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped, we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!" (Beowulf, 1-193). This makes it more difficult for someone today to understand the chain of events surrounding the epic of Beowulf.

Beowulf is a classic hero, as he does not hesitate to perform great efforts in order to prove his character and in order to rid the world of imminent threats. Even when he acknowledges the fact that the challenges that he takes on be quite demanding, he does not pull back and instead gets actively involved in completing his missions. "I am firm to do an earl's brave deed, or end the days of this life of mine in the mead-hall here" (Beowulf, 194-709). His strength of mind is typically heroic and actually supports the belief that the account is actually an epic.

While the first passages of the epic deal with describing Beowulf's character and the overall situation involving Grendel and Hrothgar, the story's later sections develop into a complex narrative presenting the main character as he willingly accepts assisting Horthgar in his struggle to remove the creature threatening his kingdom. The story initially tells the story of Hrothgar, Beowulf, and Grendel, with the purpose of acquainting the public with the general context. Beowulf mentions his father to the Danes with the first chance that he gets, most probably with the purpose of motivating his interest in slaying Grendel. "To folk afar was my father known, noble atheling, Ecgtheow named" (Beowulf, 194-709). This shows how Beowulf was perfectly aware of his mission in the land of the Danes and wanted to emphasis the fact that he was willing to fight Grendel because of the code of honor he had to respect as a result of his father's relationship with the Danes.