The Style of Beowulf Essay - 2172 Words

The Style of Beowulf Ursula Schaefer in â€Å"Rhetoric and Style† gives an overview of the history of criticism of style: Examination of the poem’s rhetoric and style started out with investigating common Germanic features. On the other end of the scale, attention was given to a possible Latin influence on the poem’s style. Recently, there have been reconsiderations of authochthonous traditions linked mainly with the analysis of larger narrative patterns (105). Beowulf ‘s stylistic features will be examined in this essay, along with the perspectives of various literary critics. T. A. Shippey in â€Å"The World of the Poem† expresses himself on the subject of a point of style in the Old English†¦show more content†¦When Hygd is described as good and wise, her opposite, Modthryth, is described as hate-filled and murderous. Blomfield comments on the digressive style found in poem: The poetry of this time ( like the visual art) reaches a high degree of abstraction and formalism. †¦ the poet has detached his theme from the processes of time and space and disregarded the appearances which for practical purposes constitute reality. He is able to evaluate his â€Å"action† directly, by exhibiting the parts in their aesthetic and moral relation (Blomfield 64). Therefore those passages which have been construed sometimes as digressive moralizing, should properly be regarded not as digressions but as an integral part of the subject. And such digressions would not therefore be properly considered stylistic flaws to the poem. The poetic conventions used by this poet include two half-lines in each verse, separated by a caesura or pause. The half-lines are joined by the oral stressing of alliterative words in the half-lines, both consonants and vowels (Tharaud 34). â€Å"At least one of the two stressed words in the first half-line, and usually both of them, begin with the same sound as the first stressed word of the second half-line† (Donaldson 67). When a word was stressed in the first half-line, its alliterative counterpart was stressed in the following half-line; the words could either complement each other, like holy/heaven orShow MoreRelatedLeadership Style Of Beowulf839 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf is an epic poem following the tale of the titular character and his journeys in Middle Ages Denmark. Beowulf, our hero, goes on a treacherous trip to gain fame and glory, and comes out in the end as a successful and loved king. In fact, one could consider Beowulf on how to become a successful king. In the epic poem Beowulf, the audience is shown exactly how to go about seeking fame and glory through Beowulf’s great journey. To become glorious, one would need to have the correct mindset andRead More themebeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - Theme and Style of Beowulf2716 Words   |  11 PagesThe Theme and Style of Beowulf  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Interpretations of Beowulf’s theme vary much more than commentary on the poet’s style. In this essay I hope to state clearly some of the popularly mentioned themes running through the poem, and to carefully delineate many aspects of the author’s style.    â€Å"Many critics feel that the speech of Hrothgar between lines 1700 and 1784 encapsulates the moral of the poem†¦.’He does not know the worse – till inside him great arrogance grows andRead MoreBeowulf As An English Poem1321 Words   |  6 Pagesthe years. 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Beowulf fits Abrams description of an epic, exhibiting all of the characteristics listed throughout the book, thus defining Beowulf as a hero and making the book an epic through its elevated style, the focusRead MoreBeowulf : An Epic Poem Derived From Old World Storytelling Traditions1090 Words   |  5 PagesMs. Michelle Boykin EH 203 (Fall 2015) First Essay: Beowulf October 5, 2015 Beowulf: An Epic Poem Derived from Old World Storytelling Traditions The classic poem Beowulf recorded by a monk during eleventh century A.D., and of unknown authorship, is thought to have been passed down over time through oral traditions of storytelling, popular during that period in history. Most likely the listeners and retellers of these types of these stories would have been warriors themselves, much likeRead MoreA Hero : A Comparison Of The Hero Of Beowulf884 Words   |  4 Pageshistory. From modern examples such as Superman, The Avengers, to early history such as Hercules, or Ulysses. Beowulf is a great example of one of the early heroes written about. But what is a hero? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a hero as: an object of extreme admiration and devotion; a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability. Beowulf has many of these characteristics including great strength, and is portrayed as a legendary figure by those