Beowulf's final battle against the dragon as a reflection of his growth as a hero. It contrasts his youthful heroism, driven by glory and physical prowess, with his later-life heroism as a king, motivated by responsibility and the welfare of his people. The dragon fight highlights Beowulf's confrontation with his own….

This post explores John Gardner's novel Grendel as a reinterpretation of the epic poem Beowulf. It discusses how Gardner shifts the narrative perspective to Grendel, transforming him from a one-dimensional monster into a complex, introspective character grappling with existential and nihilistic themes…..

"Widsith" (Old English: Wīdsīþ, "far-traveller", lit. "wide-journey"), also known as "The Traveller's Song",^[1] is an Old English poem of 143 lines. It survives only in the Exeter Book(pages 84v–87r), a manuscript of Old English poetry compiled in the late-10th century, which contains approximately one-sixth of all surviving Old English poetry. "Widsith" is located between the poems "Vainglory" and "The Fortunes of Men". Since the donation of the Exeter Book in 1076, it has been housed in Exeter Cathedral in southwestern England. The poem is for the most part a survey of the people, kings, and heroes of Europe in the Heroic Age of Northern Europe.

This newsletter explores the epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, arguing that far from being a dry academic text, it's a thrilling and deeply significant story. Set in the dark ages of Scandinavia, it follows the Geatish hero Beowulf as he battles the monstrous Grendel in Denmark's great mead-hall, Heorot…..

The blog post explores whether Grendel's mother in Beowulf is a simple monster or a more complex, potentially misunderstood character. It contrasts a reader's comment which argues against overanalysing the character through the lens of modern feminism with a feminist perspective by Jane Chance, who sees her as a figure challenging traditional gender roles. It questions the fairness of applying modern interpretations to ancient texts and emphasises understanding the historical context, specifically the Anglo-Saxon values and the wergild system, which motivated her actions. The piece concludes that while modern readings add value, historical context is crucial for understanding her role.

The blog post explores Grendel's representation in Beowulf through psychoanalytic and postcolonial lenses. From a psychoanalytic viewpoint, Grendel embodies the id, representing repressed desires and the struggle between civilisation and primal instincts. Postcolonial interpretations consider Grendel a "marginalised other" due to his lineage, habitat, and exclusion from society, though the analysis questions the modern tendency to view villains as misunderstood victims. The discussion also analyses how Beowulf's fight with Grendel constructs heroism through strength, virtue, and divine favour, solidifying Beowulf's heroic status by defeating a monstrous outsider and restoring order.

The discussion explores how Beowulf's boasting aligns with the Anglo-Saxon heroic code. Boasting, while seemingly arrogant today, was a cultural norm that established worth, boosted morale, and enhanced clan reputation. It created expectations that had to be met with action, as failure to fulfil a boast brought dishonour. While fate played a role, boasting served as a tool to define identity, prepare for battle, strengthen social bonds, and establish dominance, with the understanding that words had to be matched by deeds. The consequences for failing to live up to a boast could be severe, including social ostracism or death.

These are five (actually eight) books that I think are a must for anyone thinking seriously about studying Beówulf

The Blog post explores J.R.R. Tolkien's interpretation of Beowulf, particularly his emphasis on the poem's themes of mortality and heroism. Tolkien viewed Beowulf as an elegy, where the awareness of death heightens the significance of courageous deeds performed out of duty rather than a desire for glory. The "Northern Theory of Courage," as defined by Tolkien, is central, highlighting facing what must be faced even in the face of certain death. This perspective profoundly influenced Tolkien's own writing, particularly The Lord of the Rings, where characters grapple with mortality and the fading of their world. While acknowledging counterarguments, the script presents Tolkien's analysis as a deeply insightful and influential reading of the poem.

This article explores the epic Beowulf through the lens of fate (wyrd), the heroic code, and the growing influence of Christianity in a pagan world. Fate is portrayed as both a guiding and inevitable force, often intertwined with divine will. Beowulf exemplifies the heroic code through courage, loyalty, and legacy-building actions, such as boasting and honorable combat. The story navigates a cultural transition, juxtaposing pagan notions of destiny and revenge with Christian themes of divine providence and moral judgment. Ultimately, Beowulf presents a world where heroism, mortality, and spiritual evolution converge.

Kevin Kiernan’s Beowulf and the Beowulf Manuscript argues that to fully understand Beowulf, we must examine the manuscript itself, not just the poem. He emphasizes that the physical aspects—such as handwriting, parchment, damage, and restorations—reveal crucial historical and interpretive context. Kiernan challenges traditional assumptions about the manuscript’s date and completeness, suggesting it may have been altered or compiled from multiple stories. He highlights the importance of paleography and physical analysis to uncover how scribes shaped the text. Ultimately, the manuscript isn’t just a container for the poem—it’s a key part of the story itself.

The newsletter delves into the intriguing and turbulent history of the Nowell Codex, famously known as the Beowulf manuscript. It illuminates the Codex's unique makeup as a compilation of distinct texts, its custodians like Laurence Nowell and Sir Robert Cotton, the near-catastrophic fire it survived, and its current abode in the British Library. The newsletter emphasizes the manuscript's significance as a connection to our history and a testament to preservation.

The newsletter argues that modern heroes in fiction and film often fall short of the ideals Beowulf embodies. It criticises the perceived decline of traditional masculine heroism and the rise of "Mary Sue" characters, suggesting a return to qualities like honour, pride, selflessness, and strength is needed. The author uses nostalgic examples from the '80s and '90s to illustrate the point while acknowledging some positive exceptions in superhero films, before lamenting a perceived shift towards weaker male characters and overly powerful female characters in recent years. Ultimately, it calls for a resurgence of the "Beowulfian" hero.

This section of Beowulf introduces the poem's opening, establishing a warrior culture in Denmark during/after the Viking Age. It focuses on the legendary Shield Sheafson, founder of the Scylding dynasty, highlighting his rise from foundling to powerful king who wasn't afraid to wreck a mead-hall. The segment then traces the genealogy to Hrothgar, builder of the magnificent mead-hall, Heorot. This sets the stage (time, place, origins of the ruling dynasty) before the arrival of the monster, Grendel, disrupting the (relative) peace and prosperity.

The blog discusses the poetic techniques used in Beowulf, focusing on how the poem functions as oral literature. It highlights three main stylistic features: alliterative verse (with its A-line and B-line structure), kennings (formulaic epithets), and gnomic statements (general, traditional comments). The video argues that these elements aided memory and transmission in a time before widespread writing. It suggests that alliterative verse is where the linking of letters is how poets organized sound, and that the oral pattern made it easy for people to remember. The presenter describes the "art of stating the bleeding obvious", describing the gnomic statements throughout Beowulf, and describes that these come to start and end section of the poem.