Beowulf is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. 3182 is a number big enough to deter even big literary worms, so there is a high probability that even if you've read & heard about the name of this remarkable piece, you wouldn't have had the courage to read through it & uncover the jewels of the past , to live a life that has ended a long time ago. But, before we proceed further, let's begin with a little history lesson.
Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (450–1066)
The English Literature is dealt as English-language literature rather than the literature of England. It has been branched into ten periods & the first period is The Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (450–1066). It's obviously the oldest literary period which was characterised by long narrative poems. These poems are difficult to read & understand by modern day readers because the poets in those times made more use of alliteration instead of rhyme. Not much documentation has been there about literary works because much of the first half of this period had oral literature. Beowulf & Cynewulf are the two works from this period that are quite remarkable. However, what made this period strange was not only the fact that there wasn't any physical documentation but also the fact that the names of the poets and writers are unknown. Beowulf is an epic work from this exact period.
SUMMARY
The plot of this poem goes like this: Once upon time, there lived a king named Hrothgar who constructed a Mead Hall- Heorot as a means to flex his power & stature. But soon this mead hall which was once symbolic of Hrothgar's stature turned into a terror ground because of a monster named Grender. Every night, Grender would come & eat people in the hall. This continued for twelve years until a young & brave warrior Beowulf found about this. The hero gathered his fellow warriors & went to defeat the monster. He not only successfully killed Grender, but also beheaded Grender's mother who came to avenge her son's death. Soon he returned to Geatland, where he and his men were reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd. After the death of the king & queen, Beowulf looked after the kingdom for fifty years. Then he ventured into his last fight with a dragon to protect his kingdom in which he ultimately died.
SIGNIFICANCE
Beowulf presents several common story motifs and literary elements that have influenced how story is shaped today. Few literary critics might find it lacking in overall sophistication but still no valid reasons have been ever provided for dismissing it as a piece of serious, literary work. That is why it is still taught in British highschools.
THE B IN BEOWULF STANDS FOR BAAHUBALI
Beowulf shares a lot of similarities in character with the modern day highly celebrated fictional character of Amarendra Baahubali from the Indian blockbuster movie series Baahubali. This makes this epic poem relatable & thus a little easier to understand for Indian readers. Obviously the heroic way of being, the physique and being the messiah for people are what comes to the mind first on reading this but as you dig deeper you see how there are hardly any differences between them other than the contrasts in the place & time these both are based on. Their loyalty towards their land is another such similarity. The act of Beowulf dying a warrior's death fighting a dinosaur from wreaking havoc in his ruling land and Baahubali fighting the malicious Kalakeya tribe for the sake of his motherland Maheshmati, sit on the table.
CLOSING
Beowulf, an epic poem, portrays a hero with extraordinary powers, with selfless intentions is bound by loyalty. This is a plot that we can find in our Indian mythology as well. It takes time to get accustomed to Beowulf's unfamiliar language though, sometimes you may feel that the original emotions & rhythm of the poem has been lost in translation, but it's worth this discomfort of adjusting. So if you love mythology as a genre, you might consider giving Beowulf a read & the 3182 lines won't sound intimidating.
Janvi Joshi, Editor
The Redstockings Chronicle
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