Beowulf
A presentation by Victoria Ioana Chilian
A fragment of the
original
manuscript
General facts
An epic poem composed of 3182 lines
It is written in an alliterative verse style in Old
English
The author is unknown (he is referred to as the
“Beowulf poet”)
It was supposedly written between the 7th and
11th century C.E.
Its exact place of origin is also unknown
=>Its origin is shrouded in mystery
Characters (1):
Beowulf
He is a Geatish hero
who fights Grendel,
Grendel’s mother and
the dragon.
In his youth he is known
by all to be the most
skilled warrior of his
time.
Once he starts aging
and assumes his new
role of king, he
becomes wise and
driven by the thought of
preserving peace.
Characters (2):
King Hrothgar
The king of the Danes
He values military
success and prosperity
within his kingdom.
He the person Beowulf
aspires to be like not
only as a king, but as a
person too. (his father
figure)
Characters (3):
Grendel and his
mother
a) Grendel:
A demon descended from Cain. (his
ruthless and miserable existence is
part of the retribution exacted by
God for Cain’s murder of Abel).
He was killed by Beowulf because
he was terrorizing King Hrothgar’s
kingdom.
b) Grendel’s mother:
An unnamed swamp-hag who
seems to possess fewer human
qualities than Grendel.
She tries to avenge her son’s
death but ends up also dying by
Beowulf’s hand.
Characters (4):
Wiglaf
He is part of Beowulf’s
family but also his retainer
He helps Beowulf fight the
dragon even after all of his
other men run away
Because of his loyalty he
proves to be a worthy
successor for Beowulf
Characters (4):
The Dragon
An ancient powerful,
serpent who guards an
immense treasure.
He is what brings
Beowulf to his death.
Plot
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD1-TAnth94&aut
huser=0
The gist: It is an epic poem about Beowulf, a
hero who gains fame and power by killing
monsters.
Themes
Good and Evil it is illustrated by Beowulf’s
battles against the monsters.
Mortality it is shown through the fading
strength of Beowulf as he ages.
The difference between a hero and a king
it makes itself known trough Beowulf’s character
development: the transition from a young hero
seeking only glory and riches to a wise king who
would do anything to preserve the peace in his
kingdom even if it meant losing his life.
Favorite quote (1)
O flower of warriors, beware of that trap.
Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part,
eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride.
For a brief while your strength is in bloom
but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow
illness or the sword to lay you low,
or a sudden fire or surge of water
or jabbing blade or javelin from the air
or repellent age. Your piercing eye
will dim and darken; and death will arrive,
dear warrior, to sweep you away.
(1758–1768)
*this was expressed by King Hrothgar to Beowulf after he had killed Grendel's mother.
Explanation (2)
It is my favorite quote because it conveys that
one should not let pride overtake them after a
singular victory. It emphasizes that one should
always look for long term success instead of
constantly working towards a temporary sense
of pride through small achievements.
In other words one should always focus on the
war, not just the battles that lie ahead.
Conclusion
After having read and dissected this epic
poem one can clearly see that its plot and
characters are not only particularly
interesting, but have also helped shape the
plots of countless novels like “The Lord of the
Rings” saga by J.R.R Tolkien and will
undoubtedly continue to inspire the modern
fantasy writers of today.
Sources
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DD1-TAnth94
https://www.worldhistory.org/Beowulf/
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/charac
ters/#:~:text=The%20protagonist%20of%20t
he%20epic,values%20of%20the%20heroic%2
0culture
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/theme
s/
https://
www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-h/1632
8-h.htm
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/quotes
