Custom essays on Beowulf and the dragon

Interesting facts are included in the poem, because in a spirit theories, dominating in science in the middle of XIX century, some interpreters of Beowulf asserted that a poem had arisen up as a result of association of different songs; it was accepted to dissect it on four parts: duel with Grendel, duel with his mother, returning of Beowulf on a motherland, duel with a dragon. The point of view spoke out, that originally cleanly a heathen poem was partly processed in a Christian spirit, because of what in it and there was interlacing of two world views. Then most researchers began to consider that a transition from verbal songs to the “book epos” was not taken to outage of their fixing; these scientists examined “Beowulf” as single work the “editor” of which one’s own way united and processed present in his order material, expounding traditional subjects more extensively. It is needed, however, to acknowledge that about the “Beowulf” formation process is known nothing.
Describing this poem and looking for different information about it I understood that the representatives of “mythological school” in literary criticism of the last century tried to decipher this epos in the next way: monsters personify the storms of the North sea; Beowulf is a kind deity, restraining elements; his peaceful rule is a beneficial summer, and his death is an offensive of the winter. Thus, the contrasts of nature, growth and fading, are symbolic represented in an epos, ups and downs, youth and old age.

Other scientists understood these contrasts in an ethics plan and saw the theme of fight of good and evil in “Beowulf”. Those researchers, which in general deny its epic character and consider it making of clerk or monk, knowing and using early Christian literature, are not alien symbolic and allegoric interpretation of poem. These interpretations to a great extent abut against a question about that, whether the “spirit of Christianity” is shown in “Beowulf” or before us is a monument of heathen consciousness. Supporters of its understanding as a folk epos the beliefs of heroic pore of Great migrations living in which, naturally, found in it German paganism and took the value of church influence to the minimum. Opposite, those modern scientists which add a poem on the digit of writing literature carry the centre of gravity on Christian reasons; in paganism “Beowulf” we see no more than stylization under old times. In the newest criticism a tendency is noticeable to moving of attention from the analysis of maintenance of the poem to the study of its invoice and stylistics. In the middle of our age the denial of connection of “Beowulf” prevailed with epic folk-lore tradition. Meantime in the last few years the row of specialists is inclined to count prevalence in text of poem of stereotype expressions and formulas by the certificate of its origin from verbal creation.
If to be honest and based on last researches we could say that in science there is no the generally accepted conception which sufficiently explains “Beowulf’s” content. Meantime, without interpretation we can’t understand any work of literature, because many authors put in their works hidden sense and the main aim of interpreters is not to translate the work of literature, but also find this sense. Frankly speaking, “Beowulf” is difficult for a modern reader, educated on quite to other literature and inclined, let involuntarily, to carry and on ancient monuments presentations, formed with an acquaintance with artistic creations of new time.
In the ardor of scientific disputes researches forget at times: regardless of what way there was a poem, whether there was it made from different pieces or not, it was perceived by a medieval audience as nothing unit. It touches composition of “Beowulf”, and interpretation in it of religion. An author and his heroes often mention God’s name; in an epic there are hints on biblical subjects, apparently, clear of that time “public”; paganism is obviously reprobated. At the same time “Beowulf” makes gaudy references on Fate, which both comes forward as an instrument of creator and identical to divine Providence and appears as independent force. But a faith in Fate occupied a central place in pre-Christian ideology of the German people. Family blood feud which a church reprobated, although quite often forced was to stand, in a poem glorified and considered an obligatory debt, and impossibility to sweep is considered as the greatest hoodoo. In short, an ideological situation, appearing in “Beowulf”, is contradictory enough. But it is contradiction of life, but not simple inconsistency between more early and by the subsequent releases of poem. Anglo-Saxons of VII-VIII centuries were Christians, but Christian religion at that time not so much overcame heathen perception of the world, how many drove back it from an official sphere on the second plan of public consciousness. A church succeeded to destroy old heathen temple and worship heathen gods, offerings by it, as for the forms of human conduct; here business was much more difficult. Reasons which move the acts of characters of “Beowulf” are determined the not at all Christian ideals of humility and obedience to will of divine.