Literary Analysis "Beowulf"

Author: Unknown, allegedly a Christian.


Biography: Unknown.


Background: The poem shapes and interprets materials connected with the tribes from northem Europe, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes who invaded England after the Romans left in the fifth century.


Theme: Battle, monster, honor, kingdom.


Mood: It is a history of festering pride, loud talk, and drunken violence, of spies, bloody borders, and raids.


Style: Epic poem.


Setting: Herot


Characters: Beowulf, Grendel (demon), the murders, Hrothgar.


Figurative Language: We can find some metaphors and similes like...


The monster’s thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws. (Simile)
That shadow of death hunted in the darkness, Stalked Hrothgar’s warrior, old. (metaphor)
Twelve winters of grief for Hrothgar, king of the Danes, sorrow heaped at his door. (metaphor)


Imagery:

The monster’s mom look like a demon that seems like a snake / Grendel was crappy and stinky.

- A powerful monster, living down/ in the darkness, growled in pain, impatient/ as day after day the music rang (lines 23-25).

-…The monster’s/ thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws:/ He slipped through the door and there in the silence/ snatched up thirty men, smashed them (lines 56-58).

-…Standing on that prince’s own hearth,/ helmeted, the silvery metal on his mail shirt/ gleaming with a smith’s high art, he greeted/ the Dane’s great lord (lines 160-163).

-The frozen sea surged around me,/ it grew dark, the wind turned bitter, blowing (lines 265-266).

-He murders as he likes, with no mercy, gorges/ and feasts on your flesh, and expects no trouble/ no quarrel from the quiet Danes (lines 319-321).

Plot:
In which eating and drinking and speaking, and gift-giving are natural ceremonies uniting young and old, in which heroic strength is wise and generous.
-A stranger comes to help some people of another country to kill the beast. It is a poem that tells the story of a brave man willing to support his fellows to kill a strange creature.


Suspense.- Beowulf hangs out on the side of the dragon’s barrow, seeking his past glories and wondering if he is going to die fighting the dragons.


Conflict.- Beowulf tears Grendel’s arm from its socket, and the mortally wounded monster crawls to his lair.


Resolution.- Beowulf die thinking for his protection, the people make a splendid funeral.


Point of view: Beowulf is a vivid story of humankind. The author (or authors) created a whole scenario where they developed characters to represent real persons looking for honor and fighting against evil, unknown forces. Beowulf is, then, a leader, an example of a honorable man who helps others and defeats.

 Narrator.- Unknown.


Rhythm: So the livings sorrow of Healfdane’s son, Simmered, bitter and fresh, and no wisdom.
 Symbolism:

-The woman (like evil “snake”)

-Grendel represents the sin.

-King represents the authority, powerfulness and guide.




ACTIVITY
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