Beowulf

The epic poem Beowulf has had a diverse history of scholarship. Originally, Beowulf was appreciated in terms of its value as a study in Old English, as well as for its literary value. Other scholars perceived it to be a relatively childish tale of the supernatural, with an emphasis on its hero Beowulf, and his encounters with the supernatural. However, these early perceptions changed and it was later recognized for its merits as a historical …

…juxtaposition of one “bad” king with two “good” kings within the same poem has been dutifully accomplished through his extensive character development, and detailed story-telling. He has in effect, made a social commentary on what the Germanic peoples at the time sought in their leaders. Finally, after performing this analysis of the poem, it is apparent that the earliest scholarship was shortsighted in that it did not fully consider this historically rich and textured document.