Beowulf: A Literary Analysis

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The heroic story of Beowulf as written by an unknown author, has been read for nearly a thousand years. This story has been read in an unfathomable number of classrooms to a seemingly infinite number of students. This literary work has drawn parallels between the Iliad by Homer, due to the epic nature of it, and possible oral beginnings. Beowulf has been deemed as the “Great English Epic.” Beyond the story itself, this text provides insight into the beliefs and ideas of the Anglo-Saxons, before the Norman Invasion of 1066, is a miracle of the manuscripts existence, and has influenced literature. The story of Beowulf has a brave young man (Beowulf), travel to another kingdom (Scandinavia) and fight the fights the locals could not (Grendel and mother). This story promotes a man of action, and is a subtle attempt to promote action and …show more content…
As the National Endowment of the Humanities declared, “its influence persists today in many contemporary fantasy works of which J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and J. K. Rowling’s wildly popular Harry Potter series” (Hussein). The literary license given in Beowulf, with outlandish statements, and an undiscovered world through time, has become a reoccurring storyline. Even on TV it is seen quickly through shows like “Game of Thrones.” The nearly exponential boom of this area, and the When it comes to early British Literature, nothing is more popular than Beowulf. It seems as though a combination of its story, and age makes it an intriguing subject. It continues to marvel the world in the twenty first century, and is the origin of some of our entertainment. It’s survival through time is a miracle as well. The manuscript also gives a unique perspective into the Anglo-Saxon life. Beowulf may just be ink on paper about a hero saving the day, but the story behind it is fascinating, and invaluable to civilization and

Literary Analysis Beowulf

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