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Beowulf: Themes


The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old English
literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the story
of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of the
monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, and of his exploits fighting Grendel's
mother and a Dragon. Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon story teller uses
many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the
important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth & Honor, Biblical &
Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes.
Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by
their status. But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon culture also adds an
element of honor. To the Anglo-Saxons, a character's importance, as well as
their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, but it was
also measured in terms of honor, fame, and accomplishments. Hrothgar, king of
the Danes, is one example of......

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Approximate Word Count: 1023
Approximate Pages: 5 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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