Beowulf

All through high school I dreaded the year we would have to read Beowulf. Looking back on my senior year, when we did finally read the epic, I can understand why all upperclassmen had warned me about this long and uneventful poem. Maybe it was the way in which we read it, my own maturity level, or my insane hate for literature as a whole - I could not stand Beowulf. Upon the first day of class, when I noticed we were reading Beowulf, I was mortified. It was bad enough that I had already been forced to read the incredibly long and boring epic poem, but I was going to have to read it again. When I began reading Beowulf for the second time around I found myself intrigued and not annoyed with the slow plot. Beowulf turned out to be an amazing adventure (and crazy as it is) that I could not put down. I had to finish Beowulf in one sitting. Not only did I read the assigned sections, but I read the entire poem. I enjoyed every second of it.

Beowulf is an excellent historical account (not necessarily all true accounts) that kept my attention throughout its entirety. The author uses excellent descriptions not often thought of to describe every day things: for example, whale-road. This is also another story that battles with Pagan thoughts and Christian views. The author has many references to the scripture but also contradicts scripture in many ways. Lines 180-195 describe the perils anyone faces when they do not turn to the Lord for help. Lines 665-670 is also another reference to scripture. Beowulf relies on the Lord to help him while using his own strength to defeat Grendel. At first it seems as though the author is acknowledging the fact that Beowulf could have never defeated Grendel without the aid of the Lord, but at a closer reading the author is saying that it was the Lord that allowed Beowulf the strength to get up after which he defeated Grendel. Many of these scripture references are made and yet it is very easy to tell that Christianity is still so new and not all have given their full trust to Christ.

Beowulf also shows an awesome account of the way of life at the time. The importance of community and the importance of trusting that community. If individuals did not have a community to which they belonged they were doomed to be extinguished. At this time there were wars and many tribes over taking each other all battling to have the most land. Going along with community, the act of loyalty was also an important factor in the lives during The Old Ages. Individuals were loyal to the family and also to the community as a whole to which they belonged. Loyalty was addressed during the fight with the dragon. While Beowulf was fighting the dragon and slowly giving in, many men ran for their own safety while one man, Wiglaf, shows his true loyalty to both Beowulf and his community. Wiglaf stepped up to the challenge of fighting the dragon and helping in the possibility of survival for Beowulf. Wiglaf showed true loyalty. Also, another important element shown in Beowulf is heroism. Beowulf was a hero that stepped in to intervene and save a community from not one monster, but three! Beowulf is an amazing story that I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely read again. The upperclassmen that warned me about this long, slow-moving epic did not truly capture the excitement and strong plot that it exhibits.

This also fits very well into the time period. Beowulf is all about heros and heroic scenes. There is definite focus on the pas and on ancestors. Each person exists because of the ancestors and is introduced into the story by who their family is. Definitely no playfullness in this epic, it is all about battle and courage.