The Amalgamation of Literature and History in the Story of Beowulf - Essay Example

The amalgamation of literature and history is apparent in the story of Beowulf. Written anonymously, it is considered as an invaluable text from the Old English tradition as being the lone surviving poem from the first millennium of the country. Historicism is an important factor in the literature of that time as the characters and stories are molded from actual people and events exaggerated and embellished for purpose of entertainment. This anonymous poem has become a classical piece of literature containing the main element of a hero and his journey towards achieving the most elusive immortality. Heroes are heroes for they are not common. The variation between mediocrity and nobility separates the mortal from the immortal. A hero does not hesitate to die if it is for glory and for the salvation of the great many people he means to represent. This courage which is oftentimes regarded as pride becomes of the hero we know from old literature. The missing pieces in the epic was because the manuscript was damaged by fire causing it to be incomplete but the length of it still makes for a compelling story that had been told for generations and had been subjected to a number of interpretations. The Making of a Hero Even a name reverberates in a reader a sense of a magnanimity which can only be yielded by a hero. A man not like any other, he possesses the qualities that make him different from other common human beings. ‘Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings,/leader beloved, and long he ruled/ in fame with all folk, since his father had gone/ away from the world, till awoke an heir,/ haughty Healfdene, who held through life,/ sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad.’ (Beowulf, p. 9). The first lines commence the ordering of events of the poem. It starts with the introduction of the hero, well into his life as a king of the people. Indicating a prosperous reign from when he inherited it rightfully from his father. Early on the reader is conditioned to think of Beowulf as the protagonist of the story and above all the other characters which would be introduced in the epic. But a hero is not complete without setbacks. Obstacles in his odyssey give him a more human sense which better involves the reader to empathize with him. Because there is nothing that connects us more than suffering, and above all else, to rise above these sufferings and be able to conquer them. When he arrived at Scylding, introducing himself as the liberator of the people from the terrorism of Grendel, Unferth questioned him of his capabilities as tells the story of him losing a swimming match definitely makes him an uncountable hero. He spoke of the battle between Breca and himself risking their lives in the open sea. Beowulf retold it in detail and what actually happened that fateful day. Beowulf greatest claim to fame was defeating Grendel. Eager to prove himself in the audience of the king and the people, he was able to defeat the monster out for revenge. ‘To Beowulf now/ the glory was given, and Grendel thence/ death-sick his den in the dark moor sought,/ noisome abode: he knew too well/ that here was the last of life, an end/ of his days on earth’ (Beowulf, p.59). Beowulf was finally given a badge of courage for successfully defeating the monster which had brought the kingdom to his knees. The actual text referring to Beowulf as the ‘one,’ when he was able to prevail against Grendel, he had sealed his fate and his name in history. There are others who would have wanted nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of Beowulf. Wiglaf was courageous enough to face the dragon with Beowulf when everyone else cowered. He had the pedigree to stand by his words and be brave for his quest. Although he did not see actual combat Wiglaf stood as an epitome of what Beowulf stood for and a proper successor as king rather than all the other warriors who cower in the midst of the danger of fighting a dragon. Ecgtheow was also among the minor heroes within the story. Though he was dead during the length of the poem Beowulf ennobles him as a great warrior of the Geats and stands to carry on the good name of his father and of his country. Beowulf was not only a hero of a single strike. In the course of the poem, he had conquered three opponents who are not of this world. Starting off his fame with his victory against Grendel, to his mother and the dragon towards the end of his life. The story of Grendel’s mother is then told together with his creation. Here the text contains much of its fictional element as it tells of Cain and the connection with Grendel. His mother describes as much less of a human than Grendel actually is, looms in the waters as a mythical sea creature tainted with murder. The lines that refer to the pleasures of men commensurate the idea of revenge which the antagonists create. The elements of religion are perceptible as it is present in the entire text. Often with Beowulf showing his religious inclinations during his bouts against the monsters that threaten their sovereignty. He then slay the dragon by giving his own, while his name lives on forever, a hero’s perfect ending. Beowulf in Rhyme and Meter A treasure in itself of the longstanding culture of English literature, Beowulf is seen as a primary text which encompasses the rich culture of the Anglo-Saxon tradition. In an interesting argument presented by J.R.R. Tolkien, the famous writer argues for a re-evaluation of the text as a poem. Tolkien makes a case for the difference in interpretation between it as literature and as a poem. The common criticism for it is that it contains a number of trivial sub-plots which are given too much emphasis which he says is true only of the literature concerning it. “Beowulf has been used as a quarry of fact and fancy far more assiduously than it has been studied as a work of art” (Tolkien, p.1). The paper as the author himself refers, is a criticism of critics. As previously mentioned, the poem has to be taken in some form of historicism as it goes hand in hand with the text. Most of the critics maintain that Beowulf should only be taken lightly as an obscured poem and that interest towards it is mainly due to historical interest. It is more essential for its depiction of Germania during the time it was supposedly created than to the actual impact of the book in the view of literature. It is first and foremost a historical document than anything else. Tolkien reasons out that there are two things which led to this rationalization. First that the actual concern for its reading is not poetry but rather a means to obtain historical details and second, that without euphemism there is no poetry that can be derived from it by the readers. He maintains that the previous is not a problem as any historian would aim to attain information by any means possible. His job in research does not involve criticism and he as anticipated would not provide one consciously as it means nothing to him and would change nothing from the text. But Prof. Biger Nerman doubted the significance of the poem beyond historical document. This is defaulted as the idea that it should be examined by historians immediately denotes that it is not for literary survey (Tolkien, p. 2). The construction of the poem and the story it contains was dismissed by a number of writers who do not adhere that the text should be given much import. “It is not surprising that it should now be felt that a view, a decision, a conviction are imperatively needed. But it is plainly only in the consideration of Beowulf as a poem, with an inherent poetic significance, that any view or conviction can be reached or steadily held. For it is of their nature that the jabberwocks of historical and antiquarian research burble in the tulgy wood of conjecture, flitting from one tum-tum tree to another. Noble animals, whose burbling is on occasion good to hear; but though their eyes of flame may sometimes prove searchlights, their range is short” (Tolkien, p. 3). Beowulf and the Penchant for Digression Adding to its characteristic of insinuating excitement to the story over form which leads it to the criticism as more of a historical text, digression is exemplified throughout the poem. Huffman’s essay gives an alternative to the use of digression in the poem. This aims to prove that the value of the poem is not compromised over these trivial additions which are often complained of as a distraction and destruction to the main plot. The main purpose of which is to create interest and to abruptly thwart a situation much like the reason behind why it contains a plethora of kennings. More than this, it cedes the importance of symbolism and initiates historical interest towards the comprehension of the poem through its own artistic style. Another important use of it is the reception of Beowulf’s life so that the readers would be able to realize his visions and character. “Action after all is action” as the author vehemently points out (Huffman, par. 2). Among the most symbolic in all these are the difference in the funeral rites between Sclyd’s and Beowulf. The vivid depiction of the former’s funeral implies the beginning of something great while the latter’s somewhat insinuates that the future is vague and ominous. The other is concerned with Beowulf and the Geats. The palpable digression of the story of the giants serves according to the author two things. This is to give the hero an air of conceit while still inserting the element that links him to God. As such, it suggests that all reservations regarding the senselessness of the digressions should be dismissed (Huffman, par. 5-8). Digressions in Beowulf were not included for pointless reasons as they serve an artistic purpose which had been achieved through careful evaluation. The length for literary works as it may be now is preferred to be concise without any misleading subplots or digressions that could set the reader off track. Perhaps it is the current fast-paced life that we live in, perhaps our understanding of poetry and its form is different but it still stands that Beowulf cannot easily be dismissed as a poem and a major literary piece. There are a number of issues for concern which can be raised for the understanding of Beowulf but its recurring interpretations made popular even through films such as one by renowned director Robert Zemeckis makes it worthy of its place not only in the history section of libraries but in the literary as well. The character of Beowulf is one for the ages. He stands there, alongside Achilles, Hercules and so many other great heroes. They serve as the prototypical heroes for they display courage, pride and bravery. These are relentlessly perpetuated by the mythology that surrounds them and of the great many battles which have rightfully earned them their immortality, their primal and fundamental motivation. These are the literature which proves that heroes are not made, heroes are born and for which they will not die but continue on through the books we call literature. Bibliography Beowulf. United States: Orange Street Press Classics, 1999. Huffman, Rick. Ezinearticles.com. 11 September 2009. 21 April 2010 . Paradine, Gerald. csis.pace.edu. 22 April 2010 . Tolkien, J.R.R. "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics." Sir Israel Gollancz Lecture. 1936. Read More