Beowulf, Element of Epics

The Great Epic

According to most dictionaries, an epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero. While this is true, the epic Beowulf contains more than those two requirements. This story contains five elements which make it an epic. There is an epic hero, action of an immense scale, an elevated writing style, long speeches meant to inspire or instruct, and also the descent into the underworld.

An epic hero is a main character who embodies the ideals of a certain culture. The character is named Beowulf and he represents the ideals of the Anglo-Saxon culture which were bravery, skillfulness, and generosity. Beowulf showed his braveness multiple times throughout the story. After he heard of a monster named Grendel who, for twelve years had been attacking King Hrothgar’s mead hall Heorot, Beowulf traveled to the Danish islands to defeat him. Even though Beowulf didn’t know anything about Grendel he went on a long voyage to reach the islands so that the Hrothgar’s people need not live in fear. Then, after Beowulf Grendel, Grendel’s mother came after the people of Heorot to avenge her son’s death. To reach her, Beowulf had to dive into dark dangerous waters, facing unknown peril. He swam down through the shadowy lake by himself fighting off monsters the whole way. Once he did arrive at her lair a vicious fight ensued, but the courageous Beowulf came out victorious once again. Later in Beowulf’s life, a dragon destroys his village and the large mead hall he had built for his men. Even though he knew he was no longer as agile and strong, Beowulf went straight to the dragon and gave a defiant shout of challenge.

The epic hero Beowulf was also very skillful when it came to battles. When he first fought Grendel, Beowulf had no idea what he was up against. Instead of just attacked Grendel, he waited until the monster had killed one of the other men in the hallway while Beowulf watched under the guise of sleep. Then when Grendel came to claim Beowulf’s life, he knew that hand to hand combat was the only way to defeat this foe. The monster latched onto Beowulf’s arms, but Beowulf did the same to Grendel. Grendel only escaped when Beowulf ripped the monster’s arm from its socket, but even then he died shortly after. While Beowulf was fighting the dragon he ended up sustaining a fatal wound. Yet he never wavered and grasping his dagger, slit the dragon’s throat while another warrior, Wiglaf, stabbed the dragon’s diaphragm.

Beowulf was also a very generous hero. After he defeated Grendel, Hrothgar gave Beowulf many rewards. He received horses with plated head stalls, a golden banner, a costly sword, a helmet, chain mail, a jeweled saddle, and gold. Instead of keeping all of the rewards for himself, he took them back to his king, Hygelac, to distribute among his thanes. While he was leaving the Danish islands, he gave Hrothgar’s boat warden a battle-sword hilted in gold to hang in Heorot. His final act of generosity came after the dragon was slain and Beowulf lay dying. Beowulf told Wiglaf to give all of the dragon’s gold to his people and then he gave his gold collar, gold helmet, ring, and byrny to Wiglaf.

Another element of an epic is that action occurs at an immense scale. The best example of this is Beowulf’s fight with Grendel’s mother. Just to get to her he had to dive into bloody, boiling water of a lake in the middle of a swampy forest. During the swim downward (which lasted for almost a day), he fought vicious serpents and sea dragons. Once he reached the bottom of the murky lake, Grendel’s mother grabbed him and dragged him into an air-filled hall. The only thing that saved him from her deadly sharp claws was his tempered chain mail and when he tried to slash at her neck with his sword Hrunting, it was ineffective. Beowulf then tried to beat her in hand-to-hand combat, but she countered his every move.