Beowulf

Beowulf

Beowulf was written by a Anglo-Saxon Scop, or storyteller, and tells a story

about a hero, Beowulf, who comes to help the Danes fight the dreaded Grendal. Beowulf

is a classic epic hero and is honored by being passed down in the story. Beowulf

embodies the ideals of conduct in the Anglo-Saxon culture by being loyal, seeks fame

and glory, and performs brave deeds.

Beowulf is loyal to the Geats (which is his people), the Danes (Hrothgar’s men),

and Anglo-Saxon society. Beowulf is loyal to the Geats by accepting this tremendous

task of helping the Danes and does not question his king. He is loyal to the Danes by

being respectful to his people and treating Hrothgar with the honor that he is due. He

does not act differently because he is not his king. Beowulf is also loyal to the Anglo-

Saxon society by staying true to the definition of a hero of that time. He is a textbook

hero in Anglo-Saxon times.

Beowulf seeks fame and glory throughout the whole poem. That is a characteristic

of an Anglo-Saxon hero. Beowulf first finds fame when he kills Grendal and hangs

Grendal’s arm in the mead hall< or meeting hall. He further seeks fame when he avows

to “ cleanse the land of all evil”. Beowulf is not just saying Grendal but all the troubles in

the land. After killing Grendal it sparks the battle between Grendal’s mother when she

seeks revenge. After a close call Beowulf comes out victorious and is now the greatest

warrior of the land. After these great deeds the Geats award him with the throne of

Geatdom.

Beowulf