Beowulf – the classic hero.

Having just finished the prose version of the classic poem, Beowulf, it leads me to wonder about the implications and effects of the poem itself.

Originating in an era of rich oral tradition and in consideration of the limitations of literacy amongst members of that society, it is easy to see why the text comes across as difficult to understand today. It also raises a discussion of the poem’s significance both at the time of creation and the modern day.

Beowulf is the tale of the classic hero, following the archetype of a daring, strong, adventuring prince in search of glory. The oral tradition of the poem allows it to be either recited or sung, most likely performed for a crowd in a town square in a village in medieval England. As a result of this, the poem lends itself to be as dramatic as the orator wishes it to be.

Poem execution:

The orator is left with an alliterative verse that can be manipulated through recitation to invoke certain emotions in the audience, perhaps a greater and grander emphasis can be placed on the notion of battling for glory when presenting to audiences such as a war band or military group. Similarly, the themes of honour and respect for the liege-lord can be utilised in areas where loyalty is paramount. Perhaps, even lighter themes such as competition and the incredible self-confidence of the titular character can be used to install vigour and hope into children, particularly in times of strife, much like superheroes today.

Alternatively, the fear of Grendel and his mother can be used to caution children of the dangers of lakes and swamps and act as a deterrent. The effects can only be executed if the orator or performer is adaptive and responsive, not only to the audience but also to the cultural and social environment in which the poem is exhibited. Perhaps the focus on religion was a means to preach to the public? “Hey, remember Cain and Abel? Take heed, murder is bad. Look at what happened to Grendel!”

As the poem is likely to be composed after the events that are mentioned in the poem itself have become common knowledge, it can be assumed the author of the poem took a number of creative liberties to make history engaging to the layman. Even today, stories of fantastical monsters and dragons are appealing to many and Beowulf could’ve been the medieval action hero that masses craved.

Additionally, the conversion of the spoken form to the written word could have caused an unexpected limitation on the poem, incurring a solidification of the poem and therefore stunting the creative aspects of the bards. It can be assumed that prior to the poem being written down, there were a number of variations of the poem itself in accordance with the demography of the orators.

The most notable observation that can be made is the religious aspect of the poem. The written version that I read, translated into prose by Kirtlan, appears to regularly reference the Christian faith, and seems to be a Christian author’s retelling of a Pagan hero. Perhaps the ancient orators viewed the Pagans differently, particularly if the poem was composed not long after the introduction of Christianity into Europe, and over time, the poem was altered to accommodate the changing religious views. Another thought could be that the poem was created after the introduction of Christianity to Europe and the design of the poem was to present a fantastical retelling of a Pagan prince, similar to the way ancient Egypt is viewed today, regardless of its historical accuracy, to entice the audience with mystical landscapes and wonderous stories of glory and courage.