Symbolism in Beowulf

Facts about Beowulf:

• Old English Epic poem with 3,182 lines 
• by anonymous poet 
• Story set in 6^th c. 
• Story in nutshell: Beowulf, the hero of Geats, North Germanic Tribes helps Hrothgar, king of Danes by killing the monster Grendel first, then killing Grendel’s mother and finally after 50 years killing the dragon but dying wounded by the dragon in the final battle. People respect his valour erecting tower in his memory.

Symbolism in Beowulf

Grendel is not wrong because its rage is because of the noise in the Heorot, the feast hall by Hrothgar.

Grendel’s mother is also not wrong because she comes to avenge her son’s death.

The dragon is also not wrong because a slave has stolen a cup from the dragon’s cave and this has made it boil with rage and fire everything on the way.

Thus in all cases animals are not wrong. It is only human beings who are wrong.

The brave always encounter the enemies alone and Beowulf is no exemption. In the first battle, he refuses to use any weapon. In the second, he takes a special sword got from a warrior but it is of no use. He jumps into the lake and reaches the liar and face Grendel’s mother alone. In the third battle too, he asks his men to wait in the mountain and he rushes to attack the dragon alone, that is , he is with the same spirit that  he had 50 years before.

Another greatness of the poem is that the poet doesn’t want any recognition, any fame and name and leaves his poem anonymously. There is not even a title for this poem. Only the hero’s name later adds title to it.

Besides, the words in Beowulf themselves carry symbolic meaning:

battle-blame = sword

life-lord = God

ring-giver = king

whale-road = sea or ocean

Shepherd of sins = Grendel

flame-snake = dragon

watch the trailer of Beowulf here: