Beowolf Essay

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This poem describes the hero Beowulf marching with his fourteen warriors when they arrive at the place of Heorot where Beowulf finds that the king of Heorot, Hrothgar, terrified by a monster called Grendel. Beowulf is able to kill Grendel and his monster-mother at his abode beneath a lake. After that he returns to his country and becomes the king there and rules his kingdom for fifty years. He dies of the wounds he got once during the combat fought with a dragon. An epic in definition is an extended narrative poem that reencounters actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes. Beowulf can be classified as an epic poem because of its larger than life protagonist, Beowulf; also because of its battles that reveals more-than-human strengths of the Beowulf. The opening setting of the poem is placed in Denmark. It’s set around the early medieval times. Early invasions of different lands had taken place prior to the story. The Danes built a mead hall, Herot, where they would celebrate the surviving of the invasions of the early centuries. Grendel lived in a swamp positioned directly under the Herot hall. Beowulf is said to have been a half bear “bea” and half wolf “wulf”. This explains his bravery presented when he hears of the violent crimes committed by the evil demon Grendel. Beowulf hurriedly commands a bout fitted out to sail across the sea to Hrothgar. In lines (109-119), when Beowolf does decide to go to Hrothgar to help the Danes, he is encouraged by the Geats to go with the adventure. “None of the wise ones regretted his going, much as he was loved by the Geats.” I would consider Beowulf to be an arrogant character, because when he battles Grendel he doesn’t use a sword claiming it to be an “unfair advantage” due to Grendel not having a weapon. Throughout the poem, Beowulf is considered an honorable hero. Grendel, a descended from Cain, the oldest son of

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