The usage of symbolism in literary works has been a constant for thousands of years. Many scholars have devoted their lives to researching and delineating what a certain novelist or poet was trying to portray through their literature. Analyzing the symbolism of a literary work, however, can give the reader a slight background on the author’s religious beliefs, or even events pertaining to the author’s lifetime. An unknown poet, who may have lived anytime between the middle of the seventh and end of the tenth century of the first millennium, wrote an epic poem entitled Beowulf within which the symbolism plays a large role in the comprehension of the true meaning of the text. The unknown poet lived in a land where paganism was all around him, but the poet writes a literary work that shows the ultimate good of one person. Through the poet’s detailed accounts of mighty Beowulf’s life, the reader has a picture of the ultimate good painted before them.
Throughout the epic poem the poet creates an image of Beowulf as a savior. Moreover, Beowulf is described as being sent by God through Hrothgar’s statement “Now Holy God has, in His goodness, guided him here to the West Danes, to defend us from Grendel.” Beowulf journeys to defend Heorot and its inhabitants from Grendel and his horrible destruction. He battles with this form of ultimate evil, a descendent of Cain, and ultimately prevails. This battle establishes the evil versus good idea in the poem and further details Beowulf’s role as not only a savior, but it shows how Beowulf is the ultimate good in the poem. As a result of his fight against Grendel, Grendel’s mother becomes enraged and journeys to Heorot to assassinate the king’s advisor because of his relationship to Hrothgar. When she attacks the soldiers in Heorot, Beowulf decides to slay another evil force of the land. Beowulf struggled to defeat Grendel’s mother until God intervened and assisted Beowulf in his struggle. These references to God and His relationship to Beowulf create a picturesque image of Beowulf as a savior of the land. This image created by the poet depicts Beowulf as a symbol of ultimate good.
In addition, honor is an important character trait of Beowulf to further his representation of the ultimate good in the poem. He finds it his duty to go fight off evil and in this way he is very honorable. The poet describes Beowulf as honorable “Thus Beowulf bore himself with valour; he was formidable in battle yet behaved with honour and took no advantage; never cut down a comrade who was drunk, kept his temper and, warrior that he was, watched and controlled his God-sent strength and his outstanding natural powers.” The reader can not only infer through the text, but is provided with the fact that Beowulf is a warrior of honor. Beowulf never cowers down when engaged in battle and looks at death as an inevitable event. Before Beowulf goes into combat, he states that he will fight until death and if it is his time to go then so be it. This broad statement not only exemplifies his honorable nature, but displays his role as the ultimate good within the poem.
Beowulf follows a code of loyalty in the epic poem that more thoroughly displays him as a symbol of ultimate good. His loyalty to not only his king, but to the people of his land is shown by his encounters with evil and the bravery with which he fights. This loyalty prompts Beowulf to venture to defend Hoerot “I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac’s fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce this sword and the shelter of the broad shield.” His loyalty in the epic poem is not always blatantly written in the text, but is displayed by his many battles. Beowulf wants to “heighten Hygelac’s fame and gladden his heart” which is a statement of his loyalty to Hygelac and how he must fight to please his king while uplifting Hygelac’s name at the same time. Also, he fights the dragon towards the end of the epic poem because he has a duty to his people and must display his loyalty even though he knows his ultimate fate. His role as a good leader in the poem also reflects his representation of the ultimate good. The code of loyalty in the poem also applies to family name. This loyalty is very predominant because in the history of this kind of literature family names play an important role.
Beowulf’s mighty strength and heroism embodies the epic poem. His sweat and blood is spilled so others will not have to anguish as Beowulf does. Loyalty to his king pulses through his veins with that blood and with every stroke of his sword, every blow of his fists the fight for good continues. Beowulf’s proclamation that he will fight or die trying embodies the ideals of an Anglo Saxon hero and a person that has honor and loyalty embedded in their soul. A savior among mere mortals and a leader for his people, Beowulf signifies ultimate good with every word he speaks and every evil he defeats.
