Beowulf
...n during the Roman occupation, but centuries passed before it became the dominant religion of the country (“Political” 5). “Despite the influence of Christianity, the old Anglo-Saxon religion, with its warrior gods, persisted” (Leeming 14). During Roman rule, Christianity, which would later become a unifying force, gradually took hold under the leadership of European missionaries (8). Christian monasteries and Anglo-Saxon culture coexisted for many years (“Political” 6). “Christianity provided a common faith and common system of morality and right conduct; it also linked England to Europe (Leeming 11). The background of Beowulf sets up the story to be an excellent epic. An epic is “an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating feats of a legendary or traditional hero” (American 461). “The Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf is a primary epic, as is the oldest surviving epic poem” (Baldick 82). The hero of and epic, usually protected by or even descended from gods, performs superhuman exploits in battle or in marvelous voyages, often saving or founding a nation or the human race itself (81). An epic hero is “the central figure in a long narrative that reflects the values and heroic ideals of a particular society.” Beowulf is ancient England’s hero, but he is also an archetype, or perfect example, of an epic hero. Beowulf embodies the highest ideals of Anglo-Saxon culture; in his quest he must defeat monsters that embody dark; destructive powers. “Beowulf, like all epic heroes, possesses superior physical strength and supremely ethical standards.” At the end of Beowulf’s adventure, he is glorified by the people he has saved (“Before” 20). “Most epics include elements of myth, legend, folklore, and history.” But all epics share characteristics and formulas that are called epic conventions, which oral tellers of the story used to help them remember while they were telling the story to add quality (“Handbook” 1188). The epic conventions include: invocation, in medias res, flash back, epic similes, metrical structure, and stock epithets(1189). These conventions are used in all excellent epis throughout history. Beowulf contains all of these conventions in convincing detail. Invocation is a formal pleas for aid to a deity or some other spiritual power (“Handbook” 1189). “But fate, that night, intended Grendel to gnaw the broken bones of his last human supper” (22). The Anglo-Saxon religion did not have gods but relied on fate to make the decisions in their lives. “…And Holy God, who sent him victory, gave judgment for truth and right, Ruler of the Heavens…” (“from” Part One 27). Beowulf also have a Christian God that helps him, which was introduced into the story by the Christian monks, who wrote it down in the eighth century. In medias res, “in the middle of things,” means that the story starts in the middle (“Handbook” 1189). Beowulf does not start in the beginning of Beowulf’s life but right when Grendel attacks Herot. “He had visited Hrothgar’s home before, knew the way – but never, before nor after that night, found Herot defended so firmly, his reception so harsh” (“from” 22). This shows that Grendel has been to Herot before but was not written before in the poem. “Then he addressed each dear companion one final time, those fighter in their helmets” (33). Again this shows that Beowulf has addressed his soldiers previously, but not in the poem previously. Flash back is a convention that “flashes back” to events that take place before the narrative’s current time setting (“Handbook” 1189). “…For final revenge against grendel’s vicious attacks, his nighttime raid, over and over, coming to Herot when Hrothgar’s men slept, killing them in their beds, eating some on the spot, fifteen or more…” (“from” Part One 28). This flashes back before the story when Grendel first started attacking Herot. “He picked us out from the army deliberately, honoured us and judges us fit for this action, made me these lavish gifts – and all because he considered us the best of his arms-bearing thanes” (“from” Part Two 36). Here Wiglaf tells of Beowulf picking him and other soldiers to accompany him and his journeys. Epic similes are elaborately extended comparisons relating heroic event to simple, everyday events (“Handbook” 1189). “Herot trembled, wonderfully built to withstand the blows, the struggling great bodies beating at its beautiful walls…” (“from” Part One 23). This show Herot being perceived like a person able to withstand blows. “Let his shield defended the renowned leader’s lift and limbe…” (23). It makes it seem as though the shield is wanting to protect Beowulf but in reality, he is actually just protecting himself. Metrical structure is the way in which the ballad is structured (“Handbook” 1189). Beowulf contains caesuras throughout the poem, which are pauses or breaks within lines of poetry, usually indicated by the natural rhythm of the language (1183). “A midline, or medial caesura, is a characteristic of Anglo-Saxon poetry; it divides the four-beat line in half” (1183). “Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty hills an bogs, bearing God’s hatred…” (“from” Part One 21). The caesuras in the previous line are between marsh and from and also between bogs and bearing. Beowulf also has allusions inside of the poetry. The story tells of the Bible and other such religious stories. Stock epithets are descriptive adjectives or phrases used repeatedly with – or in place of – a noun or proper name (“Handbook” 1189). “That shephard of evil, guardian of crime…” (“from” Part One 22). “Shephard of evil” and “guardian of crime” are phrases u...