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Kaylin Thompson
11 April 2018
3rd Per.
Literary Analysis

Literary analysis of Beowulf

Sometime between the eighth and sixth century, an unknown author wrote, the epic

poem, Beowulf. The poem is considered by many to be the oldest surviving long poem in Old

English and remains relevant today as a vital work of Old English Literature. It is assumed that

most of the events in the poem take place within sixth-century Scandinavia, and its unknown

author is thought to be an Anglo-Saxton Poet that was known to many scholars of this era as the

“Beowulf poet.” Beowulf was a warrior that was summoned by, King of the Geats, Hrothgar in

his time of need. Beowulf slew many monsters in the name of the Geats before becoming King

himself and was well respected for his victories. Each battle Beowulf faced was constructed in a

way that heavily dramatized scene in an attempt by the author to communicate the abundance of

strength and courage that he possessed. Beowulf’s strength was so great that it could not be

challenged by any man in the Geats, yet he only acted in a noble manner. This conveyed the

presence of morality in Beowulf that could be critically evaluated through his choices as both a

warrior and king. From an analytical perspective, Beowulf fits within the literary theory of Moral

criticism and Dramatic construction due to dramatized scenes of battle, the maturity of

Beowulf’s aspirations and morals that frequently depend upon the best interest of his people and

his legacy.

Dramatic Construction is evident when reading about Beowulf’s numerous battles, and it

clear that power was of great importance in this era. Each battle was described in such a way that

allowed readers of the poem to visualize them and completely comprehend the degree of power

that Beowulf controlled. In his prime, Beowulf could defeat a monster from the depths of hell
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with ease. The dramatic construction of such senses as the battle with Grendel, Grendel’s

Mother, and the Dragon added depth to Beowulf’s heroic tale. Each battle was only fought to

maintain his heroic code and to remain noble to his people while also receiving respect from his

followers.

“And a young prince must be prudent like that, giving freely while his father lives so that

afterward in the age when the fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by him and hold the

line. Behavior that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere.” This quote from,

the Old English epic poem, Beowulf displays how deeply Beowulf’s moral compass can be

affected by his need for admiration from his companions. This perspective of the medieval era

portrays a distinct relationship between ruler and the ruled. Each member of this society that held

power relied immensely on retaining the respect of others, and members who didn’t would

dedicate their lives to remaining loyal to heroes such as Beowulf. Throughout the poem, Beowulf

acted only in ways that would earn him validation from the people that he consistently yearned to

protect. Admiration, respect, and grace were all identifiable symbols of success. These symbols

were of great importance not only to the hero himself, but also the next generation of his family.

If a man’s ancestors were well known and respected for their deeds, then the man would often be

expected to live up to the legacy of his ancestors and adopt their heroic code as his own.

Throughout the poem, Beowulf’s main goal to be a hero to the Geats remained

unchanged. Though the goal itself did not change, Beowulf’s definition of a hero matured along

with his age. During Beowulf’s youth, he desired not much other than personal glory and respect,

but Hrothgar did not. Being that he was the King of the Geats, Hrothgar aspired for the

protection of his people over all else. Hrothgar and Beowulf seemed to have opposing values, but

the men acted in the ways that this medieval society had ordained them too. Beowulf’s
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elementary approach to life modified and altered his desires. By the end of his life, Beowulf had

become a great king along with his already amazing abilities as a warrior.

The epic poem portrayed Beowulf as both a warrior and hero. The author successfully

created a protagonist that was seen as a symbol of heroism and extreme power but was also

morally guided. The critical literary theory is best described as both moral criticism and dramatic

construction, but there are many other critical interpretations that could have been stated.

Beowulf’s actions were consistently guided by his desire to gain respect and protect the Geats.

His morals were secured by not only himself but also by his followers lives. The people of the

Geats were loyal to Beowulf, and this loyalty pushed Beowulf forward in each encounter with an

entity that threatened his home. Fortunately for the Geats, Beowulf was an all-powerful

individual that adapted to dedicated all of his strength to preserving the peace.