Beowulf And The Anglo Saxon Period - 1740 Words

Beowulf The original poem, Beowulf, goes back to the Anglo-Saxon period in c. 650 and c.1100. Authors translated Beowulf many times in the Anglo-Saxon period to present day. It displays how a hero should be in the real world. He helps the people in the village and slays monsters. Everyone in the village looks up to him as he acts as if he were a role model. Beowulf, the protagonist in the translated Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, is a hero of his village, stands for bravery, strong will, and nobleness. In addition, the poem relates to Christianity and God in many ways. The original poet of Beowulf is anonymous in 1000 A.D and Seamus Heaney translated the poem. Most scholars have placed the anonymous poet north of the Thames in Anglian kingdoms in the early or middle 8th century (Alexander 1488). Beowulf is the first major poem in English Literature (Gardner 14). Seamus Heaney was born on a farm, April 13, 1939 in Mossbawn, Ireland (Heaney 1122-3). Heaney crossed the border to Southern Ir eland to concentrate on writing (Heaney 1122-3). He died on August 30th, 2013 because he had complications with a stroke. Beowulf was written in a time called Anglo-Saxon, or Old English. At one time, the country we now call England, was under Roman Rule (â€Å"Anglo-Saxon†). After withdrawal of Roman forces in the 5th century, Germanic tribes called Angles, Saxons, and Jutes claimed areas and established competing kingdoms (â€Å"Anglo-Saxon†). Bishop Gregory of Tours records King Hygelac as dyingShow MoreRelatedComparing Beowulf And The Anglo Saxon Period1292 Words   |  6 PagesRealism in Beowulf In the old English Anglo-Saxon writings, many heroes were given fanciful characteristics. For example, Beowulf was depicted with an immense amount of strength that people today could not achieve. Nowadays, the recreation of old fiction is very common. However, when fiction from the eighth century is recreated to fit our modern time, the characters are seen to resemble our human features, skills, and ways of thinking. Eighth-century writing is not as rational as our entertainmentRead MoreComparing Beowulf And The Anglo Saxon Period1300 Words   |  6 PagesRealism in Beowulf In the old English Anglo Saxon writings, many heroes were given fancil characteristics. For example, Beowulf was depicted with an immense amount of strength that people today could not achieve. Nowadays, the recreation of old fiction is very common. However, when fiction from the eighth century is recreated to fit our modern time, the characters are seen to resemble our human features, skills, and ways of thinking. Eighth century writing is not as rational as our entertainmentRead MoreBeowulf : The Epic Poem From The Anglo Saxon Period950 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf, the longest epic poem from the Anglo-Saxon period, has a protagonist named Beowulf. A hero of the Geats and forthcoming king, the title character comes to the aid of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, whose kingdom was under attack by a monster known as Grendel. Both are great kings, wise and noble, but what truly makes a king great? Is it the accolades or honors that one receives or does it go beyond that? Two different cultures, two different men, but two great kings; Beowulf was describedRead MoreComparing Beowulf, The Wanderer, And The 13th Warrior1731 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is an epic hero? Or better yet an epic hero in Anglo Saxon culture. I believe there is more to being a hero than just being strong or intelligent. An epic hero in my eyes is oneself who comes to portray the beliefs of the society in which the tale/story is depicted. A few great examples of the Anglo Saxon epic hero are the literary characters in Beowulf, The Wanderer, and The 13th Warrior. These are all outstanding examples of Anglo-Saxon epic heroes because they all came to show the evidentRead MoreBeliefs In Beowulf : The Values Of Old English Literature904 Words   |  4 PagesAnglo-Saxon Values The characters and events in Anglo-Saxon literature go far beyond their original purposes, sharing the groups values and beliefs with the world. Values help form the constructs that create a rigid society. Traits like these can be found in a number of instances across time, but none greater than the Anglo-Saxon period. Beowulf is just one example of how Anglo-Saxon literature contains many of their values and beliefs. This folk epic is known as one of the most important worksRead MoreAngloSaxon Literature Essay632 Words   |  3 Pagesthroughout the Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066), we see that many of their narratives, stories were simply passed down orally due to the lack of education prior to the era of Christianity. During the Anglo- Saxon Era literature initially began to be written down by the monks of the Christian Monasteries. The Anglo-Saxons contributed many details to human nature. The Anglo-Saxons named our modern day weekdays after Greek Gods. Heroism within an epic p oem was often present during this period. Epic poetryRead MoreAnglo Saxon Culture as Reflected in Beowulf Essay943 Words   |  4 PagesAnglo Saxon Culture as reflected in Beowulf Every culture has its own set of beliefs values and customs. Cultural beliefs, values, and assumptions are directly and indirectly acquired throughout a lifetime. A culture is the sum of a group’s way of life and this is no different with the ancient Anglo Saxon culture. Cultures usually have distinct figures that reflect their culture as a whole. The importance of religion, values, and heroes are reflected a great deal in the epic poem of BeowulfRead MoreThe Anglo Saxon Era Of Rich History And Reflected Literature1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe Anglo Saxon Era of Rich History and Reflected Literature The Anglo Saxon Period began in 449 and ended in 1066 AD. This was a time of Viking conquering other nations, patriotism, and Pagan to Christian religious conversion. There are only few recorded authors of this era as a result of literary works such as Beowulf, Wife’s Lament, and The Seafarer being passed down orally through generations of time. The literature serves as a reflection of this ancient time rather than having an impact on thisRead MoreEssay about Epic of Beowulf1017 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf The Anglo-Saxon Culture as Illustrated in Beowulf Beowulf is an epic poem, which takes place in ancient Denmark and Geatland and describes the adventures of Beowulf, a Geat hero. Through their heroes, epic poems usually describe the traditions and beliefs of a certain culture. An Anglo-Saxon author wrote Beowulf about the Danes and Geats. The Anglo-Saxon’s had similar beliefs to that of the Dane and Geat’s, so the poem gives us some idea of what the Anglo-Saxon culture was like.Read MoreEpic Poetry and Beowulf Pg1086 Words   |  5 Pages In the epic poem, Beowulf, the reader can see distinct Anglo-Saxon political, economic, and religious values in the actions of the characters and the things happening around them. Wealth in the Anglo-Saxon society, as seen in Beowulf, was used as a means of reparations, rewards, and political standings. One can also tell that the Anglo-Saxons where in a state of limbo between Christian and Pagan beliefs because of the ideas expressed by the hero and his colleagues in Beowulf. The po litical standings