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beowulf Essay Examples

1216 total results

Describing Beowulf as a Brave Hero in Shakespeare’s “Beowulf” (336 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf The Brave Hero English literature begins with Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon folk epic written by an unknown author. The epic presents the story of Beowulf, an ideal Anglo-Saxon hero who through his exploits includes Anglo-Saxon values. One value which Beowulf teaches is love of bravery, a value which he demonstrates ... Read More

The Description of the Christianity of the 8th Century in Shakespeare’s Beowulf (522 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf dates back to around the eighth century, during which Christianity was not a prevalent religion. As Magill states, whether the Christian elements are intrinsic or are interpolations by a tenth century monastic scribe is controversial. However, it remains obvious that the poem along with the society is full of ... Read More

Whether Beowulf Has the Qualities of an Epic Hero in the Epic Poem “Beowulf” (621 words, 1 pages)

BEOWULF Did Beowulf truly obtain the qualities of an epic hero? In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf's character traits prove to be the depiction of an epic hero. Beowulf's traits of boastfulness, bravery and amazing strength are the proof of his heroism. Beowulf's boastfulness may not be the most convincing ... Read More

The Evil of Grendel in the Epic Poem “Beowulf” (286 words, 1 pages)

GRENDEL The epic poem Beowulf tells of an evil, mysterious, and ravishing creature named Grendel. Although no precise concrete descriptions or visual references were given to me throughout the story, I was able to formulate my own personal opinion of what this horrifying beast may have looked like. The amoral, ... Read More

An Analysis of the Many Great Battles of Beowulf (458 words, 1 pages)

Through out his many great battles, Beowulf has triumphed over every vile evil imaginable. His strength, compassion and valor make him the perfect hero. With fate along by his side he was the trump card of the Geats. The battle at Herot, a mead hall, and home to Hrothgar was ... Read More

A Comparison of the Epic of Beowulf and the Movie Alien and Aliens (1146 words, 2 pages)

A Comparison of Beowulf, Alien, and Aliens Differences and Similarities. It would never occur to one to compare the great medieval tale Beowulf with the Common Era horror films Alien and Aliens, but in doing so you uncover some very striking similarities. Beowulf is the story of a Geat who ... Read More

An Analysis of the Concept of Beowulf Against the Dragon in an Anglo-Saxon Epic (3587 words, 32 pages)

--Beowulf Fights the Dragon-- He saw by the cave, he who had many virtues, he who had survived many times the battle flashes when troops rush together, a stream running from the stone arch-- a stream of fire. He could not enter for the dragon's flame. Beowulf was angry, the ... Read More

A Discussion on the Role of Women in Beowulf (685 words, 2 pages)

Jennifer Lunsford ENG 220 Barbara Cook 10-14-99 Women in Beowulf In the poem Beowulf the women play the role of peace-keepers at any cost. Among these women I will look closely at Wealhtheow, Grendel's mother and Hygd. Through all the women in Beowulf one can see a female perspective of ... Read More

Theme Analysis in the Epic of Beowulf (1030 words, 2 pages)

Theme Analysis Heroism The main theme of Beowulf is heroism. This involves far more than physical courage. It also means that the warrior must fulfil his obligations to the group of which he is a key member. There is a clear-cut network of social duties depicted in the poem. The ... Read More

A Comparison between the Unique Heroism of Sir Thomas More and the Typical Beowulf-Romeo Style Heroes (459 words, 1 pages)

The worlds battlefields have been in the heart chiefly more heroism has been displayed in the household and the closet, than on the most memorable battlefields in history. Henry Ward Beecher Whether or not the statement by Henry Beecher is true, it is certainly well put when spoken in the ... Read More

An Analysis of the Beowulf and Grendel (1493 words, 5 pages)

In both texts, Beowulf and Grendel, the main purpose of the Queen's are to serve the courts as "weavers of peace". In Grendel however, Queen Wealththeow is described in much greater detail and serves a further purpose. The reader gains insight to a part Grendel that is not present in ... Read More

A Discussion of the Traits of a Hero in Beowulf (312 words, 1 pages)

To be a hero, one must be admired for courage, strength, and integrity. Beowulf reveals these values throughout his feat. Beowulf, being the mightiest of all in this world, ideally portrays the innate qualities of a hero, and surpasses them with great length. Courage is not the absence of fear, ... Read More

The Pagan and Christian Ideas and Values in the Epic of Beowulf (364 words, 1 pages)

The epic poem of Beowulf includes both pagan and Christian ideas and values. The author is unknown, but the writer probably was an eighth-century Anglo-Saxon monk. While Beowulf possesses a number of characteristics, three main traits stand out. He is courageous, strong, and loyal. First, Beowulf shows great courage throughout ... Read More

The Values in the Poem, Beowulf (726 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf reflects the Anglo-Saxon and Germanic values present up to the eleventh century. Even though it was written in the eleventh century, because it was an oral tradition, many of the beliefs and values could have been present at the time of writing along with in centuries past. Beowulf emphasizes ... Read More

An Analysis of Anglo Saxon Epic Beowulf (622 words, 2 pages)

BEOWOLF SCRIPT- IN 30min Beowulf and fellow Danes gather to see comrades off -Boat leaving shore- -Beow is left to guard the horse -Beow In a land of monsters and magic there was a hero by the name of Beowulf. He was known through out the lands as being the ... Read More

A Comparison of Grendal and Beowulf from the Epic Poem (607 words, 1 pages)

Grendal VS. Beowolf (told by Grendal) Let's see how many men did I kill the last time? I think it was about 30. Man, here we go again. These people are having so much fun and it's making me very angry. I think I'm going to go up there to ... Read More

An Introduction to Paternal Injuction in Beowulf and the Iliad (964 words, 2 pages)

Beth Lewis English 288 022800 Geat vs. Greek Paternal Injunction in Beowulf and The Iliad Picture this. Inside the hall, mighty shields and glistening swords await the visitors arrival. Skillfully crafted armor decorations proclaim great battles and fierce hunts. The prevailing warrior ethos and his manly power are evident throughout. ... Read More

An Analysis of the Topic of the Epic Beowulf (620 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf is an epic tale that has been changed over time to try and express a christian moral. While this transformation over time has added a new variable to the plot, it is still impossible to try and erase the original pagan plot completely. It has become evident that the ... Read More

Christianity and Danish Paganism in the Story of Beowulf (1763 words, 2 pages)

Christianity and Danish Paganism The story of Beowulf shows the effect of the spread of Christianity in the early Danish paganistic society that values heroic deeds and bravery above all else. The mythical creatures that Beowulf kills with his supernatural strength make the story into an epic celebrating the life ... Read More

An Analysis of the Heroic Qualities of Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon Hero (348 words, 1 pages)

To be a hero in the eyes of someone today you have to have a special quality about you. Beowulf had characteristics about him that were very unique, but very different from a hero of today. The characteristics that Beowulf had were things such as chivalry, brute strength, mental toughness, ... Read More

A Comparison of Football and the Anglo-Saxon Warfare in Beowulf (740 words, 1 pages)

"The claim that men like seriously to battle one another to some sort of finish is a myth." Or is it? Let's examine the facts Football is a sport. "It is a sport in which body wreckage is one of the leading conventions." Football is the number one contact sport. ... Read More

A Literary Analysis of Beowulf (1123 words, 2 pages)

BEOWULF AS EPIC Not for aught would the refuge of earls leave alive the deadly guest. Since the dawn of time the eternal conflict between good and evil has formed the basis literature. This can be particularly seen in the ancient Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf in which the Geat warrior, Beowulf, ... Read More

A Literary Analysis of the Epic Poem Beowulf (1002 words, 2 pages)

The Great Ones Reveled Numerous stories about numerous heroes have been told and then retold. All of these heroes do different things and all of them have a different set of qualities which make them heroes. Due to the fact that there are only so many heroic adventures and qualities, ... Read More

An Analysis of the Pagan Elements in Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon Poem (1500 words, 2 pages)

The author of Beowulf writes in order to provide a link between the Christians of 8th century England and their pagan ancestors. Throughout the poem he allays to the reader the mystical war-laden world of the Anglo-Saxons, where a great hero fights for his people against several terrible foes. However, ... Read More

An Analysis of Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem (912 words, 2 pages)

Beowulf an Epic Hero Beowulf was written in the eighth century by an unknown author. The story is centered on Beowulf, the main character, who goes to Denmark to offer his assistance in fighting off, Grendel, the monster who has been haunting them. Beowulf most definitely proves to be a ... Read More

A Description of Beowulf as an Amazing Tale of One Man’s Courageous Deeds and Adventurous Tales (1417 words, 2 pages)

On my count men, Charge! That is what you might have heard from your commander, or King, right before you charged into battle. Throughout history every culture has experienced one form of battle or another. Battle's bring out the best in men, and the worst in men. They bring out ... Read More

A Literary Analysis of the Epic Poem Beowulf And Comparison to Superman (623 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf and Superman A hero is defined in classical mythology as a man, especially the son of a god and a mortal, who is famous for possessing some extraordinary gift. Beowulf, the title character of an epic poem and Superman, a more modern day hero are both prime examples. Beowulf ... Read More

A Summary of Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem (871 words, 1 pages)

The ancient Germanic race had a strict code of honor. Strength, courage and loyalty were sought after in knights hospitality, generosity and political skills were looked for in a potential king. The title character in the great, epic poem Beowulf, exemplifies all of these traits and more over the course ... Read More

A Literary Analysis of the Epic Poem Beowulf And Comparison of the Iliad by Homer (515 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf and Iliad Comparison Paper In the epic poems The Iliad by Homer and Beowulf, there are two heroes one in each epic. Achilles in The Iliad and Beowulf in the self titled epic. These poems meet certain requirements to be called epics. In both these poems, the heroic actions ... Read More

An Analysis of Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem (659 words, 1 pages)

Beowulf In all of my travels northward I had never come across a more amazing experience than the time I encountered the great Geat king, Beowulf. It all started when Caesar Marcus Aurelius asked me to scout out the lands to the far north in an attempt to expand the ... Read More

Published: Friday 25th of January 2013

Tips for Writing Your Beowulf Essay

Who doesn’t love watching a great monster movie? There’s nothing more exciting than watching the climatic and gruesome battle between the story’s hero and the evil enemy. The majority of all the Hollywood blockbusters in theaters today are based on this good vs. evil dynamic. But this isn’t something new. There have been stories written in this genre for thousands of years, and one of the most famous of those is Beowulf. There is a chance that sometime during your educational journey you will be assigned to read and write an essay on this topic. If you're used to experiencing the battles on screen, then reading an epic poem translated from Old English may require some patience. Once you’ve mustered up enough enthusiasm to actually sit down and read the epic poem, you’ll be glad you did. Beowulf is actually a very interesting and fun story. It may not pack the same punch an action movie has, but you will enjoy it. If you've read the story but still have a hard time writing an essay about it, no need to worry. We will go over some tips and examples that will make writing your paper easier. Now let's get started!

Ideas to Help You Get Started

Anytime you want to earn a passing grade for literary analysis, you will need a plan. This may sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many students start an essay with no focus or clear thesis in mind and just wing it. This very rarely works, and you'll end up spending extra time rewriting it. To help you get focused on your paper, we've come up with a few fresh ideas:

1. Analyze Beowulf as an Epic Poem

An epic poem is a long poem in which the hero of the story goes on a great adventure or journey and usually battles other forces including nature, man or beast. In the story of Beowulf, the hero battles a supernatural monster. Your Beowulf essay can be about the key components in the story that makes it an epic poem:

A lengthy story told in the form of a poem. Anybody that has read Beowulf can agree that at over 3,000 alliterative lines, it is definitely not a short poem.
The Hero. The majority of epic poems feature a hero that has performed heroic deeds during an adventure or event that is significant to a nation or culture. Beowulf battles and beats the monster Grendel, who has been attacking the king of the Danes.
The nemesis. Epic poems also feature an antagonist that the hero must battle. In Beowulf, the antagonist is Grendel and then Grendel’s mother, both of which are supernatural beings seen as a monster.
Compare to other well-known epic poems. One of the best ways to show why Beowulf should be considered an epic poem is by comparing and contrasting the story to other famous epic poems like Homer’s Odyssey or Virgil’s Aeneid. How are they alike? How are they different? What components do they share that makes them epic poems?

2. Compare Beowulf to other Interpretations

Beowulf is often considered as one of the most important surviving works of Old English literature. It is no surprise that there have been many different interpretations done in several different styles, including graphic novels, films, video games, and plays. If you are planning to write a compare and contrast paper about Beowulf, then you will need to use at least two different interpretations. If the length and depth of your essay are longer or deeper than normal, you may even have to use more interpretations. To make writing a compare and contrast paper, you should first establish a few key points that you can compare to the different formats. Here are a few that might help you out:

How are the main characters of Beowulf and Grendel portrayed in the movie or graphic novel compared to the original poem? How are they alike and how are they different?
What differences in the storylines can be seen in the other interpretations? Why do you think these changes were made and how does it affect the overall story?
What visual interpretations were used for the characters or scenes? How do they add to the story?

3. Why Point of View is Important

The point of view a story is told from can make a big difference on how it is perceived. Beowulf is a poem that is narrated from a third person standpoint. Although you are told how the characters are feeling and what they are thinking, you are still reading it from an objective viewpoint. What if the story was told from a different point of view? Would the story be the same if it were told from Grendel’s perspective or Beowulf’s perspective? How would the story change and what information would be left out if the point of view were changed? These are interesting factors that you can examine and maybe even help you see the story in a different light. You can also write about how important the point of view is for the story-telling and how it can totally change the reader's perception of the characters.

4. Theme

The theme is the recurring idea that pervades a piece of literature or work of art. Most great stories usually feature a number of themes. Beowulf also contains several different themes and trying to write on all of them can lead to a messy essay. The best thing to do if you decide to write about a theme is to choose one that really sticks out for you and dissect it. When writing a literary analysis, it's important that you provide enough evidence to back up your position. You can add specific examples, dialogue, and scenes that support the thesis of your essay. If you're having a problem deciding on which theme to write about, here are some choices:

Loyalty: The story's hero, Beowulf, often puts his life at risk for the king, country and his men. His men also risk their lives fighting for the hero. Later, Beowulf is rewarded for his loyalty by being named king, which shows loyalty from the people he saved.
Good vs. Bad: This is a theme that is very common in epic poems, and this is no exception. Beowulf represents the good in the world as he fights to protect the people of the land. Grendel and its mother represent the bad in the world and want to destroy and cause pain in the world. It's a classic theme that can be explored in many ways.
Identity: Throughout the story, you will find that the one thing that almost all the characters have in common is their desire to prove themselves and create their own identity. Whether it's through fights, bragging or contest, the characters are often trying to best one another.

5. Symbolism

You will often find a lot of symbolism in literature. For example, there are many objects that you’ll find in stories that represent something else. The color black often represents death or evil and fire can represent passion, pain or anger. Beowulf also contains a lot of symbolism in the story, and this may be a good topic to write about. However, you can't pick out every little thing and write about it, so choose a few things that are key to the story. Consider these examples:

The cave: The cave is where the monster Grendel and its mother live. It is dark and away from the rest of the world. The cave can represent the seclusion they must live in because they are different. Could this also be their reason for being evil?
The mead hall: In the story, this is where all the soldiers gathered to eat, drink and brag. It is very much like a club or social gathering. This represents community and togetherness.