Beowulf

First great work of English literature.

Anonymous.

OVERVIEW Written in Old English.

An epic heroic poem that consists of

The events are set in the 6th century.
3,182 lines.

It recounts the legends of two

The manuscript dates from the 10th or
Scandinavian tribes: the Danes, who
11th century but composed at least
lived in modern‑day Denmark, and the
two centuries earlier and transmitted
Geats from today’s Sweden.
orally.

It is about the exploits of a heroic

warrior, Beowulf, who fights against
supernatural creatures.

Beowulf represents good while

the forces that threaten his people
represent evil.
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In Denmark, King Hrothgar of the Danes has built a great mead ‑hall called Heorot for his
PLOT people to celebrate their power. The noisy banquets in the hall disturb Grendel, a monster in
human shape, who comes at night and kills many of Hrothgar’s men.

The Geats hear about Grendel. Their greatest warrior, Beowulf, decides to go to help Hrothgar
along with 14 warriors.

They are welcomed with a great celebration until night descends. When Grendel comes,
Beowulf and his warriors are waiting for him. Beowulf manages to tear Grendel’s arm off and
the monster is fatally wounded. The Geats celebrate the victory.

Grendel’s mother comes to avenge on her son’s death: she kills Hrothgar’s adviser and takes
her son’s arm. Beowulf goes to the lake where she lives and a fight follows. Eventually
Beowulf kills her. The Danes reward Beowulf again and he is finally able to return home.

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When King Hygelac dies, Beowulf becomes King of the Geats. After 50 years he has to
combat
PLOT
a fiery dragon that is terrorising his country. He manages to kill the dragon but is mortally
wounded.

The Geats organise a great funeral for Beowulf. They praise his great feats but they are afraid
of old enemies because they have lost their leader and defender.

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Beowulf is the perfect

embodiment of these
Celebration of the heroic
ideals: in his youth he fights
ideals of the Germanic world:
according to the warrior’s
• strength, bravery and
THEMES code of honour, then, in his
loyalty in warriors;
AND STYLE maturity, he develops into
• hospitality, generosity,
a wise king who secures
and political wisdom in
peace and prosperity, and
kings.
continues to defend his
people.

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Heorot represents home

and security, full of In order to restore
light, warmth and loyal order in the
friends. It is set against community,
THEMES Home vs outside the outside world which Beowulf
AND STYLE world is dark and threatening. has to fight the
All the monsters that disorder and the
Beowulf and live beyond chaos the monsters
the boundaries of human bring.
society.

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The epic tone

The poem includes Nordic is softened by
pagan mythology, but the presence of
combines it with a Christian Christian values.
viewpoint (the characters The religious
THEMES Cultural heritage and are given Christian thoughts references were
AND STYLE ancestry and motives). Beowulf probably added
often refers to God as his when the poem
protector and Grendel is was written down,
presented as a monster at a time when the
descended from Cain. Anglo‑Saxons had
become Christian.

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Lines divided into two
halves, separated by a
caesura or pause, with two
stresses in each half line.

Regular line structure to

create strong rhythms.
LANGUAGE Typical features
Listeners/readers
AND of Old English
have to use their
IMAGERY poetry.
Alliteration, to link the imagination to
phrases together and create decode them. They
a pleasing musical effect. are also used for
characters’ names:
Beowulf, for example,
probably comes from
Kennings, short
‘bee‑wolf’ (i.e. bear, to
metaphorical descriptions
emphasise the hero’s
of a thing or person
strength).
through a compound noun.

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