Sunday, January 13, 2019

Beowulf by ???

Beowulf
Beowulf, written possibly around 700 A.D., is the story of the title character, Beowulf. He is a hero from the land of the Geats who hears rumors of a terrifying monster wreaking havoc in Denmark at the castle Heorot, ruled by Hrothgar. Feeling an obligation to help, Beowulf sets off for the land of the Danes.

From there, the audience follows Beowulf through three main battles in the story. Beowulf's battle with Grendel, his battle with Grendel's Mother, and his battle with a dragon at the end. The story was originally written in Old English, and there are multiple translations into modern English.

I see Beowulf as a Christian allegory of the age old battle of good against evil. There are references to Christianity throughout, woven through with old Pagan beliefs that would have held over from before the coming of Christianity to Europe. I personally enjoy the story, and recommend it to people who enjoy mythology, and stories of heroes who fight against difficult odds despite the danger and pain to themselves.

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