Student Question
Why is Beowulf important in literature?
Quick answer:
Beowulf is important as a work of literature because of its age and archaic language, its characteristics as an Old English poem, the glimpse it provides into ancient Germanic culture, and its ability both to entertain and to make its readers think.
Beowulf's literary value derives from a number of factors. First off, it is one of the oldest poems we have in the English language. Scholars debate its date, but following linguistic evidence, the poem could have been composed as early as the 700s. Its language is certainly archaic and gives us a delightful glimpse into earlier forms of Old English.
Further, Beowulf exhibits all the traits of classic Old English poetry. It is composed in long lines, each of which is split into two half-lines or verses that are separated by a caesura, or pause. Beowulf follows the patterns of meter and alliteration typical of Old English poetry and offers plenty of examples of prime Old English style. Its words, too, are delightful, for it is filled with kennings (metaphoric compound words and phrases) and images, dialogue and vivid description.
Beowulf is valuable also because it provides us a...
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glimpse of ancient Germanic warrior culture. The poem paints a broad landscape of the mead hall, Germanic leaders and thanes, weaponry and armor, entertainment, and war. Some of its characters are historical, and it alludes to incidents, events, and people that can no longer be fully explained. That said, though, the poem provides details about ancient Germanic life that would otherwise have been lost to history.
Finally, Beowulf tells a great story. It presents heroes, monsters, battles, and even a dragon. We simply enjoy reading about the conflicts between Beowulf and Grendel and Grendel's mother. Our imaginations are stimulated by the scenes in the Danish mead hall, Heorot. We enter into the minds and actions of the characters, assessing their motivations and responses. We think about the larger questions of human nature and humanity's purpose. We reflect on good and evil, light and darkness, community and isolation. Beowulf entertains us, but it also makes us think, and that is one of the marks of truly great literature.
Why is the story of Beowulf important?
For many years, scholars thought of Beowulf as important chiefly as a historical document offering insights into Anglo-Saxon culture. However, in 1936, J. R. R. Tolkien, then known primarily as an Oxford professor of Old English, gave a lecture called "Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics." This defended the poem as a valuable work of literature and permanently changed the way scholars have approached it.
While previous scholars had dismissed the story as a grandiose saga with a crude, unrealistic hero, Tolkien focused on the universal themes embodied in the poem, such as good versus evil and loyalty versus self-interest. Since the publication of his essay, critics have focused on the beauty of the language, especially the use of kennings and alliteration. Critics have also noted the melding of pagan and Christian elements in the poem.
Although Beowulf was first told in the oral tradition dating to a time before Christianity arrived, Christian scribes were the first to record the story, weaving in biblical elements in the process. The poem reflects a tension between the pagan value of revenge, which often led to destructive feuding between clans, and a Christian ethic that calls revenge into question by showing different clans helping each other. The poem clearly exhibits the pagan belief that one achieves immortality through being remembered for great deeds, but it also makes repeated reference to a monotheistic God.
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