Beowulf: A Timeless Epic
Shaping Anglo-Saxon and Christian Influences
Beowulf
is considered one of the most influential literal work in the English language.
It is based on events that took place in
the Anglo Saxon community. This was a
time during which the Saxons were moving towards Britain and wanted to seize
it. It is a literal work that many believed was
written at around &00 AD. But before, being written, it was told as stories orally to children and the rest of
the people in the society. It is a poem,
and the composer is unknown. During the time Anglo Saxons and Scandinavian
nations had invaded Britain. The invasion brought with them some Germanic languages that have become very influential
in the development of the English language. However, the events of Beowulf, as well as its characters, date far
back before the invasion took place. It has
both aspects of reality as well as fiction. For example,
some of the charterers are linked with
Swedish as well as Danish royal family and they were actual figures in the
Scandinavian and Anglo Saxon communities. The
Anglo Saxons, as well as the Scandinavian
people, were mostly pagans, and
they invaded Britain which was a Christian nation. Their entry into this nation
led to their widespread conversion to Christianity. It is for this reason that Beowulf
is mostly told by a poet who is
Christian. However, there exists a lot of conflict between the society from which the poem was tools and the characters
within the poem. The characters were mostly pagans and acted in a non-Christian manner. It is highly likely that
the attributes and characters of the poem were changed to fit with Christian
aspects. This shows that there exists a great difference between the Beowulf
of the past and that of today (PARKER, 2017).
There
exists a lot of religious tensions between, pagan’s way of life and
Christianity and having a pagan story which is the Beowulf being told by a
Christian makes it look weird. However, despite such conflicts the
contributions that this piece of writing has had on both the pagans and the
Christians is immense. More so it has been very influential for English
literature and the English language itself. It is one of the oldest and the best
poem surviving from the Anglo Saxon poetry. It setting was in the sixth century
in what is now the nations of Sweden and Denmark. The poem describes the lives
of the Anglo Saxons that make up the Danes and the Geats in the 5th
century. This was period characterized by
high levels of brutality. There was
always constant warfare in the land. There were raids, attacks, and fights between neighboring tribes. Blood rivalries, as well as killings for revenge,
were very common among different tribes.one of the biggest aspect was heroism
and was based on triumph in times of chaos and disaster. Heroism was a great
aspect of the society. People would tell one another of their conquest and
victories during conflicts with others. The life was characterized by feasts, bloody wars,
and drinking. It was a society with little regard for life. People killed each
other as they wished. It was a society filled with chaos and discord and was a bloody
and very messy (PARKER, 2017).
Beowulf
is a heroic narrative. It is a piece of work that belonged to an old way of
life but possesses an imaginative vitality
that gives it an aspect of continuous present and helps enrich the knowledge of
our reality. It is a story about the
actions of a Scandinavian prince who also goes by the name Beowulf; same as the poem’s title. The poem provides
actual historical facts of the Scandinavian society. Beowulf stood as the
greatest hero of the people of Geats which is currently southeastern Sweden. Beowulf engages himself and his warriors on a
quest where he crosses the sea and goes to Dane to offer them his assistance by
getting rid of a monster that is terrorizing them. Grendel is the name of the man-eating monster that is terrorizing the
Danish people and keeping them without a piece.
He encounters the monster and fights it until he kills it. During the encounter, he also meets the monster’s mother.
He is involved in a second contest with the monster’s
mother, and he also prevails. His victory
puts him in very high regard with the
Danish people as well as his people. This victory wins him leadership of his homeland, and for fifty years he rules them as
their beloved king. Soon after, a dragon appears
in the countryside. Like the king, he takes
it upon himself to encounter the beast and fight it. He does so and [prevails
whereby he slays the dragon. However, the battle costs him his own life. His
heroics is considered with high regards
by the Scandinavian people, and he is honored by becoming a legend of his people.
His efforts show great levels of heroism and leadership in the society (York,
2001).
The
people, therefore, describes three
important events. The first involving Beowulf and Grendel, the second is
between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother and the last is the dragon that claims his
life. The poem is associated with the depiction
of a great code of conduct seen in the Anglo Saxon way of life associated with heroics
and war. The story is told of a time
before the Anglo Saxons migrated to Britain and it is for this reason that there
is a great difference between the Anglo Saxons whose story is being told in the poem and those who reached
Britain. There is also great differences in culture of the poet and those of
the Anglo Saxons, and this shows the conflict
between the story of the Anglo Saxon being told
by the poem and the poets who have a Christian background. The heroic code is a
great factor within the poem. During the time of the poem’s setting the society
was characterized by having small tribes that lived around strong kings and
leaders who would offer them protection. This
is depicted by Beowulf’s heroics in Dane earning him kingship in his homeland. There is also a great aspect of the
warrior culture seen in the poem, and
this is representative of the Anglo Saxon culture and their way of life. The
society demanded form their warriors and leaders great levels of courage and bravery, and they were rewarded with gifts and treasures. The story also describes the social gathering
through the depiction of mead halls where warriors would centrally gather, tell
stores, drink and eat. The society was also
characterized by great levels of paranoia as a result of great fear of
invasion from other tribes (York, 2001).
The
story of Beowulf has been regarded for
many years as a historical piece of work. It offered descriptions of the Anglo Saxon
society. However, it was until the year 1936 through J.R.R Tolkien that the
story of Beowulf began to create more influences in English poetry and other
forms of literature. It was a poem written using old English which is characterized by its use of Germanic
influences. It has, however, been translated and modified and many scholars
encounter it as an English r\translated piece of literal work (York, 2001).
Beowulf
is, therefore, a great form of literature
that explores a combination of cultures between the Anglo Saxons before they
migrated to Britain and influences of the Christian society which was very influential
in Britain. The poem is set back in the Scandinavian regions that are currently
the regions of Denmark and southeastern Sweden. It is a poem that was first
expressed orally by the before it was adopted
in written form in England. It tells a story of a hero by the name Beowulf who
encounters various threats. He uses his bravery and courage to face the threats
and destroy them. However, he, later on,
dies in the hands of the dragon which was his final encounter. His actions are greatly respected by the society
that he is offered the position of king.
The story explores the heroic code of the Anglo Saxon society. The people value
heroic aspects of the people and is demanded by the society. The literature was
written down in Britain by a Christian and has since been very influential in
the English literature as well as the English language (Jordan, 2002).
References
Jordan,
M. (2002). Marxism, Not Manhood: Accommodation and Impasse in Seamus Heaney's Beowulf
and Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club. Men & Masculinities, 4(4), 368.
PARKER,
J. (2017). Beowulf Is Back!. Atlantic, 319(3), 30-32.
York,
J. A. (2001). Opened Ground/Seamus Heaney/Beowulf (Book). Southern Humanities
Review, 35(4), 416.
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