Beowulf, a Poem of Old English Literature 

Introduction of the poem

One early epic poem in the history of English Literature is Beowulf. It is considered to be one of the earliest extant poems which were discovered in the nineteenth century. Its author is not known yet. 

Beowulf consists of 3183 lines. The poem is the finest example of a fantastic accumulation of myths and legends from various sources on historical personages and events.

Summary and Analysis of Beowulf 

Beowulf’s storyline is not about England but of Hrothgar King of the Danes and a brave young warrior who goes to help him. Hrothgar was in trouble because his great hall, called Heorot, was visited at night by a terrible creature called Grendel. It lived in a lake and came to kill and eat Hrothgar’s men.  One night, Beowulf waits secretly for this thing, attacks it and in a fierce fight pulls its arm off. It manages to reach the lake but dies there. Then, its mother comes to the hall to take revenge and attacks begin again. Beowulf follows her to the bottom of the lake and kills her there.

In later days, Beowulf who has become King of his people has to defend his country against a fire-breathing creature. He kills the animal but is badly wounded in the fight, and dies. The poem ends with a sorrowful description of Beowulf’s funeral fire. Here are a few lines of it, put into modern letters.

The sorrowing soldiers then laid the glorious prince, their dead lord,

In the middle. Then on the hill the war-men began to light the

Greatest of funeral fires. The wood-smoke rose black above the

Flames, the noisy fire, mixed with sorrowful cries.