Modern Themes In Beowulf

Jackson, even though you say the blending of cultures does not make Beowulf an epic, it is not worth forgetting just because of this fact. Determining a piece of literature’s worth by just looking at whether or not it meets some criteria does not truly evaluate the content and experiences it has to offer. For instance, Beowulf has many universal themes that apply to this day, such as pride leading to the downfall of an individual. Although Beowulf introduces the theme through a medieval light, this theme is so popular that even modern day authors use it to this day because modern day audiences can easily related to it. Moreover, Beowulf takes readers on a journey through the wonderful medieval world of creatures and fighting. It is not only
entertaining to read Beowulf but it provides an experience like no other that modern day authors have aimed to recreate due to its ability to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Therefore, Beowulf can be considered as the first “modern day” piece of literature that was written many centuries ago. Nevertheless, just like the modern day, Beowulf was a source of entertainment for the Pagans who would have orally told this story. At the end of the day, everyone from the town would get together to drink and have a good time at the mead hall. Here, people would tell stories, have a great time, and unwind from a hard day of work. Beowulf provides all of these small details about medieval society, which teach readers about the great history behind the Pagans. Thus, even though one might overlook the literary importance of Beowulf just because it is not considered an epic, it does have a lot more to offer within its lines.