beowulf essay outline

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Simplified beowulf essay guide: themes, topics, and examples.

By Evans Dec 02 2020

Beowulf is a piece of English literature depicting Beowulf's feats and life. He is a courageous legendary warrior who conquered beasts and helped people. Although the poem used alliteration as the literary device that creates rhythm and unity. Beowulf poem can be hard to interpret and understand right away. Fortunately, one of our expert writers has simplified by giving you a quick summary, plot and outlines, essay topics, examples, and themes.

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Summary of the Poem

In the poem, Beowulf encounters three beasts and defeats them. The section below discusses each of them as a different life milestone and performance as a great warrior and commander.

First Battle

Grendel, a monster, terrorizes Hrothgar together with his warriors. The monster cannot stand happiness and joy and punishes people for celebrating. Moreover, he feasts on Hrothgar's men every day.

A few years ago, Heorat saved Ecgtheow, Beowulf's father, from death. Immediately, Beowulf hears about the Heorot's trouble, together with fourteen men, he sets to leave his homeland and assist Hrothgar.

Hrothgar's men welcome Beowulf, and they feast. When everyone is sleeping, the monster comes to Heorot. He attacks the mead-hall and kills one of Beowulf's men. Then he attempts to kill and eat Beowulf but fails. Instead, Beowulf gets hold of his hand and rips it off his body from the shoulder. Severely injured, the monster flees. Men praise Beowulf, and, in the glory, Beowulf hangs Grendel's claw off the ceiling.

Second Battle

After defeating the ogre, people celebrate, play music, drink, and eat delicious food.   Additionally, Hrothgar and his wife award Beowulf a golden collar.

Everyone sleeps after the celebrations, and Grendel's mother, a water witch, interrupts their peace. She comes to seek vengeance against Beowulf. She takes her son's arm off the ceiling and kidnaps Aeschere while all people are sleeping.

The following day, Beowulf and his men leave in search of the water witch. While looking for the tracks, they notice Aeschere's head on a mountain and follow the lead. Beowulf gets into the cave and finds the witch. She drags him to the lake, and they start fighting. Her attacks do not overpower Beowulf. Thanks to his sword's power.

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Beowulf sees another sword in the cave and uses it to pierce her and cut her neck and spine. Her blood melts this sword and shines a ray of light, which illuminates the cave.

Third Battle

After the victory, Beowulf and his men return to their homeland. Hygelac and his son die in a battle, and Beowulf is crowned the king and reigns peacefully for fifty years.

One day, a dragon interrupts peace. The dragon is annoyed because a goblet it had guarded for ages had been stolen. The dragon burnt houses and killed innocent inhabitants.

Beowulf gathered 11 brave warriors and the thief who knew where the beast lived and prepared to battle it. The dragon looked terrified, and all the warriors ran away. Only Wiglaf, Beowulf's most loyal warrior, remained, and they defeated the beast.

Unfortunately, the king is severely injured and succumbs. On his sickbed, he leaves the kingdom to Wiglaf as a reward for standing with him.

Beowulf Essay Topics Guide

When asked to write an essay about Beowulf, it is worth noting that the essay is heroic and has changeable and universal topics . It is because this piece of literature draws convincing and new attention in the contemporary world. Perfect examples of essay topics include:

·          Is Beowulf a perfect king or hero? Is there anything that lacks in his character?

·          The role digressions play in the poem. What light do they shed on the action?

·          Importance of establishing an identity

·          Tensions between heroic code and other value systems

·          The difference between a good king and a good hero

Beowulf Themes

A theme is an overarching belief or idea that a writer expresses in their text. The recurring idea becomes essential when the reader interpret their understanding of the piece of literature to compare and apply various things or incidents. Themes in Beowulf, including the following, surpass races and cultures.

Heroic Code

Heroic code is one of the central Beowulf themes. The honourable manner and conduct dominate the Anglo-Saxon culture . The zeal to fight, courage, and bravery were the basic norms of the heroic code. Beowulf sticks to the standards when he meets the Danes. He fights Grendel and kills the monster after claiming that he will settle the result in one combat. This utterance resonates again when he meets with Grendel's mother. When he's older, he portrays bravery traits by killing the dragon at the expense of his life.

The theme of Loyalty in Beowulf essay

On a battlefield or during the war, all soldiers should be loyal to their comrades and country. Loyalty is evident through the conflict between Beowulf and Unferth. Unferth taunts Beowulf and is disloyal to the king until he knows the truth. Beowulf's loyalty to Hrothgar, on the other hand, is because of the help and refuge the king extended to his father. Finally, while other warriors fled in terror during the battle with the dragon, only Wiglaf stood with the king.

Although Beowulf comes to help Hrothgar, he wants to seek vengeance for the Danes that Grendel killed. Grendel kills Danes because their singing disturbed his peace. Additionally, Grendel's mother attacks when people are asleep because she is angry with her son's brutal death.

Beowulf also seeks vengeance against the dragon for its massive killings. The dragon's killings and conduct are revenge for its lost cup.

Blind revenge was a fundamental part of medieval culture.

The Responsibility of a Ruler

Any responsible ruler should protect his people and rule justly. Both Beowulf and King Hrothgar are popular among the people. KingHrothgar felt obligated to entertain his people and built the mead-hall where Danes could sing and enjoy.

Beowulf protects the Geat tribes for many years. The obligation costed his life when he fought the dragon.

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Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Anonymous's Beowulf . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Beowulf: Introduction

Beowulf: plot summary, beowulf: detailed summary & analysis, beowulf: themes, beowulf: quotes, beowulf: characters, beowulf: symbols, beowulf: theme wheel, brief biography of anonymous.

Historical Context of Beowulf

Other books related to beowulf.

• Full Title: Beowulf
• When Published: Beowulf exists in a single damaged manuscript in the British Library. The manuscript was probably written in England in the early eleventh century, though the poem itself was probably first written down in the eighth century, and was passed on orally before that.
• Literary Period: Medieval; Anglo-Saxon
• Genre: Epic poem
• Setting: Northern Europe, especially Denmark and Sweden, around the sixth century
• Climax: Beowulf's final fight with a dragon
• Point of View: The unnamed speaker of the poem

Extra Credit for Beowulf

Old English Style. Beowulf is the longest poem written in Old English. Old English poetry uses alliterative meter, meaning that the stressed words in a line begin with the same sound. A line of Old English poetry has two halves, with a brief pause, called a caesura, in the middle of the line. The two halves of a line are linked by the alliteration (repetition of an initial consonant); at least three words in a line alliterate. Old English poetry also uses kennings , compressed metaphors like "heaven's candle" for the sun, or "whale's road" for the sea, or calling a woman married in an effort to gain peace a "peace weaver."

Beowulf an Epic Poem Analysis

• Categories: Beowulf

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Published: Mar 5, 2024

Words: 945 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

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Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Hero Outline [sentence outline]

Written by an unknown scribe around A.D. 700, Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem in the English language. Its sole manuscript, British Library MS Cotton Vitellius A.XV., is written in Old English, the language of the Anglo-Saxons, and dates from c. 1000. The story, set in A.D. 500 Denmark and Geatland (present day Sweden), follows the life of Beowulf from brave prince to wise king. Throughout his adventures, Beowulf demonstrates the characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon epic hero because he is noble, loyal, and brave.

I. A basic character trait of any epic hero is nobility, and Beowulf is indeed noble.

A. Noble birth Wulfgar acknowledges Beowulf’s “ noble birth.” (150) Beowulf introduces himself as a cousin of Higlac, the Geat’s king.

B. Noble character – The first Dane that he meets says that he recognizes in his demeanor and beauty that he is of noble blood and no commoner. (143-6)

C. Identity and reputation are important in Anglo-Saxon society because reputation establishes trust.

II. Beowulf is also loyal, a trait essential to preserving Anglo-Saxon society.

A. Beowulf helps Hrothgar

1. Beowulf and fellow Geats come to help King Hrothgar, who had once helped Beowulf’s father (172) 2. Even when Beowulf is praise by the people and poets for defeating Grendel, everyone knows that “none of Beowulf’s praise was meant to belittle Hrothgar, their kind and gracious king” (515).

B. He is faithful to his king, Higlac

1. He does not try to usurp his throne; instead, he shows honor to the king. 2. He is known as“Higlac’s follower” (1-2).

C. At the end of his life, Beowulf remains loyal to his people as their faithful king.

1. He is known as the “shield and protector of his people” (566), who is loyal to his people and dedicated to protecting them. 2. When his kingdom is ravaged by a fire-breathing dragon, he goes to fight it even though he knows that he will be killed. While his warriors cower and watch, he takes on the dragon with only the help of Wiglac, his loyal kinsman. 3. He does slay the dragon, but he is poisoned in the process. Dying, he requires Wiglac to give the dragon’s treasure to the Geats and to erect there a tower to guide sailors.

D. Loyalty was important to the Anglo-Saxons, as it was the Danes and Geats. United they could survive their harsh environment, fight off invaders, and enjoy fellowship.

III. Strong and brave A. B. Conclusion

Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Hero Outline [parallel outline]

Introduction: A. Background of manuscript B. Setting of story C. Thesis: Throughout his adventures, Beowulf demonstrates the characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon epic hero because he is noble, loyal, and brave.

I. Nobility

A. Noble birth 1. Acknowledged by others (150) 2. Declares himself cousin of Higlac, the Geat’s king.

B. Noble character 1. Demeanor 2. Beauty (143-6) C. Importance of nobility in Anglo-Saxon society

II. Loyalty

A. Helps Hrothgar 1. King Hrothgar, who had once helped Beowulf’s father (172) 2. “[N]one of Beowulf’s praise was meant to belittle Hrothgar, their kind and gracious king” (515).

B. Faithful to his king, Higlac 1. Does not usurp his throne but shows honor to the king. 2. Known as“Higlac’s follower” (1-2).

C. Loyal to his people as king 1. Known as the “shield and protector of his people” (566) 2. Defeats the fire-breathing dragon 3. Gives the dragon’s treasure to the Geats 4. Directs that a tower be built to guide sailors

D. Importance of loyalty

III. Strong and brave Conclusion: A. Summarize B. Importance of the traits in Anglo-Saxon society C. Relevance or importance today

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