Beowulf
Lecture 9
From the Teaching Company
Overview
Gilgamesh proclaims a heroic ideal: We
are fated to die, but in the meantime, let us
strive to be as great as possible. This
same message is the theme of the first
great work of English literature, the 8thcentury Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf.
Overview Continued . . .
The story of Beowulf, like that of Gilgamesh, is
the tale of a mighty warrior who goes in search
of adventure and fame. In the guise of monsters,
Beowulf encounters the eternal struggle of good
against evil. All humans must die. That is fate.
But Beowulf accepts this challenge, and in war
and sacrifice, he finds the reward of enduring
fame and glory. Beowulf takes his place
alongside Achilles and Gilgamesh as the
paradigm of the epic hero.
Beowulf, the first great work of English
literature, is one of the greatest epics ever
composed. This heroic epic summarizes
the heroic values of the Anglo-Saxon
world. Beowulf tells of an age in which the
chief values were bravery in war, courage,
and honor--the reputation for bravery and
courage.
I. The Beowulf story was created by
a warrior society
A. Seagoing pirates from what is now
northern Germany, Denmark, and Sweden
attacked Roman Britain as early as the 3rd
century A.D.
B. By the end of the 5th century, these
raids were no longer plundering attacks
but actual conquests.
I. The Beowulf story was created by
a warrior society (cont.)
C. By the 7th century, the leading tribes—the Angles, the
Saxons, and the Jutes—had conquered Roman Britain
and driven the inhabitants to the west, where they
became the Welsh.
1. Roman Britannia became England, or “the land of the
Angles.”
2. The conquerors brought their Germanic language,
Anglo-Saxon, which eventually developed into the
English language.
3. England was divided into warring kingdoms, including
North Umbria and Mercia, but these kingdoms
gradually adopted Christianity. By the 8th century,
the fierce war code of the Anglo-Saxons had been
somewhat softened by Christianity.
II. Beowulf brings readers back to the
values of the pagan world, tempered
only slightly by references to God.
A. The kings of the Anglo-Saxons were chosen mostly
for their abilities in war. The king was the first among
equals.
B. The Anglo-Saxons believed that dying with a sword in
hand was the best way to die. Such an end would
transport an individual to heaven.
C. For entertainment, the king would gather with his wife
and retainers to listen to a minstrel. The songs of these
minstrels used elaborate poetic language, which was
filled with alliteration and metaphors. These songs
celebrated the old days and the lineage and exploits of
the king and mighty warriors.
III. Beowulf was one of these epic
poems. It has come down to us
possibly because it was the best
A. Composed around 800, Beowulf rests on
historical fact.
B. A Latin chronicle indicates that Beowulf
participated in a raid on the coast of northern
Germany in 521. Beowulf was a warrior at the
court of Higelac, who had led a raid into the land
of the Frisians. He was returning with his plunder
when he was attacked by Franks. Higelac was
killed in battle, and Beowulf swam to safety
carrying his standard (flag).
C. The poem begins and ends with
the deaths and funerals of mighty
warriors.
1. The funeral of King Scyld Scefing opens the poem. A
ship burial discovered in 1939 at Sutton Hoo in England
provides additional evidence of the veracity of aspects of
Beowulf.
2. The kingship of Scyld Scefing passes down to
Hrothgar, able and brave, who ruled over the Danes from
his great hall Heorot.
3. Digressions from the main tale deal with themes of
danger, death and trouble. The poet believes that, while
God plays some role in these matters, real control over
trouble rests with the individual and the manner in which
he or she deals with it. Pride leads to trouble, and
Hrothgar is proud.
C. The poem begins and ends with
the deaths and funerals of mighty
warriors (cont.)
4. Like the world of Gilgamesh and the world of the
Odyssey, the world of Beowulf is filled with monsters.
These beings, half-human and half-beast, have
enormous powers and are evil. The world of Beowulf is
filled with evil, which is a tangible force that comes from
nowhere and brings destruction.
5. Hrothgar’s kingdom is invaded by Grendel, an evil
monster who eats 30 men each night in Heorot.
6. In a digression, the poet explains that Grendel, like all
monsters, is a descendent of Cain, who slew Abel.
7. Hrothgar grows older and weaker, and a melancholy
darkness settles over the land.
C. The poem begins and ends with
the deaths and funerals of mighty
warriors (cont.)
8. In a hand-to-hand struggle, Beowulf, a young and
notable warrior of the tribe of the Geats, overcomes and
mortally wounds Grendel.
9. Grendel’s mother then wreaks havoc in Heorot, and
Beowulf pursues her to the dark lake where she resides
and kills her.
10. Beowulf, who has achieved fame and fortune,
returns to the land of the Geats and becomes king. He
rules in peace and prosperity for many years.
11. When Beowulf is an old man, a dragon terrorizes the
kingdom of the Geats. This dragon—another symbol of
evil—has been aroused by the plundering of a treasure
trove that it guards.
C. The poem begins and ends with
the deaths and funerals of mighty
warriors (cont.)
12. Beowulf, with a single faithful retainer,
Wiglaf, confronts and slays the dragon, but
in doing so is mortally wounded.
13. He knows that he will die, but that his
fame will live on.
14. The poem ends with the funeral of
Beowulf, the celebration of his greatness,
and the threat of disaster for his people
now that the mighty warrior is dead.
III. Beowulf was one of these epic
poems. It has come down to us
possibly because it was the best (cont.)
D. While Beowulf lived, he faced evil every
time it appeared; he stood up for what was
good and true and gave his life in defense
of it. These were values of the heroic age
embodied in Beowulf.
E. Sweno’s stone, dating from around 750,
in Scotland, commemorates a mighty
warrior who was similar to Beowulf. These
were real men in a real world, where
honor, courage, and glory mattered.
Questions to Consider:
1. Compare the “heroic” view of life as we
find it in Gilgamesh and Beowulf.
2. What similarities in themes and
treatment do you see between Beowulf
and Lord of the Rings? Do you consider
Lord of the Rings a great book?
Credits:
Teaching Company: Lecture 9 “Beowulf”