Is Beowulf an epic? |

Beowulf is considered one of the oldest English poems. It is a narrative poem that tells the story of Beowulf, a brave warrior who voluntarily sails to Denmark with several fellow warriors to protect King Hrothgar and his friends. The king and his friends are gathered at Heorot, a mead-hall, feasting and celebrating. Unfortunately, their jubilant noises draw the attention of the demon, Grendel, who comes each night to kill and destroy. Beowulf defeats the first demon; however, the peace is short-lived, and he soon faces further trials.

The story was originally transmitted orally and was not written down for several centuries. Though the story was set in the sixth century, many scholars estimate that the earliest existing manuscript was likely written in the eleventh century. After Beowulf was written down, there was a time when the poem was seemingly forgotten. Thankfully, more recent scholars, including J.R.R.Tolkien and Seamus Heaney, felt this historical piece was an important monument in the English literary canon and translated Beowulf from Old English (which is incomprehensible to today’s readers) into modern English. The poem’s long and complex history has inspired many scholarly debates.

One prevalent debate is about whether Beowulf deserves to be categorized as an epic.  An epic is generally a long narrative poem that focuses on a journey to a distant land. Most focus on a hero who goes on a journey to defeat a monster, often with the help of several loyal friends; this journey typically concludes with the hero winning a great victory.  Additionally, epics often include examples of supernatural figures, often gods, intervening in the chaos and aiding the hero’s efforts. They usually involve themes such as loyalty to one’s leaders, courage in the face of great trials, human mortality, and returning home. Some of the most famous epics include The Iliad and The Odyssey, written by Homer during the 8th century. Interestingly, like Beowulf, The Iliad and The Odyssey were originally oral stories. These stories were written down by Homer centuries later. Another well-known epic poem is The Aeneid, written in Latin by Virgil in the first century.

It can be argued that Beowulf has enough similarities with its predecessors to be deemed an epic. This can be justified by pointing out:

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  Its great length—the poem is over 3000 lines long.


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  Its brave hero—Beowulf faces monsters and risks his life to save many lives.


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  Its mighty monsters—Beowulf defeats three terrifying monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mom, and a dragon.


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  Its great journey—Beowulf departs from his homeland, Geatland, to fight the monsters in Denmark.


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  Its inclusion of companions—Beowulf takes several of his companions from Geatland to fight beside him.


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  Its epic themes—Beowulf includes the theme of homecoming when Beowulf returns to his homeland and rules as king for fifty years after defeating Grendel. Loyalty is seen in Beowulf’s decision to defend King Hrothgar and his kingdom; loyalty is also seen when Wiglaf stays by Beowulf’s side and helps battle the dragon. Courage is shown as Beowulf fights three treacherous monsters. Human mortality is seen both in the deaths of King Hrothgar’s subjects (by Grendel) and in Beowulf’s eventual death (by the dragon).

These are some of the characteristics that Beowulf shares with other epic poems.

However, some scholars rebut this argument by citing Beowulf’s death, which was caused by wounds he received battling the dragon. Though he kills the dragon first, it is unusual for a hero to be defeated in epic poetry.  Additionally, some believe that Beowulf is too selfish to be considered an epic hero. Though he goes to protect King Hrothgar and his friends early in the poem, it can be argued that he is motivated by a selfish desire to demonstrate his power rather than a desire to help others. It can also be argued that Beowulf’s decision to fight the dragon was prompted by a selfish desire for dragon plunder, rather than a selfless desire to protect a kingdom. Most epic heroes fight to help others, rather than focusing on themselves.