I love the exaggerations that embody the epic of Beowulf. It is these tales that make Beowulf the hero that the people believe in. It is the hype behind Beowulf that gives him his power and his confidence on his escapades because it is this one particular brave, courageous, daring and inhumanely strong image of Beowulf that is the basis of the epic.
The first of these high tales is Beowulf’s seven-day swim challenge. He explains that he lost the battle because he was attacked by nine sea monsters, which he had to defeat to save himself and to make the seas a safer place. Additionally, after slaying these monsters Beowulf ended up in Finland. Geographically and physically this is impossible, but what was our poet trying to accomplish here by adding this fictitious and mysterious element about what really happened? What is our poet’s purpose in creating a Beowulf that is superhuman?
Another aspect of this story that I found interesting was that Beowulf himself took the time in the mead hall to embellish the tale and to make it more impressive. He even contradicted a son of Ecglaf by stating that he was the strongest swimmer and then began to recount his battle with the nine monsters. In Beowulf there are two extravagant versions of this event, but Beowulf himself took his conquest to a completely different level. It then becomes clear at this point that other stories of Beowulf’s might be embellished as well to enhance his own image.
In fact, there are countless examples throughout the epic where Beowulf’s legend precedes him. He is constantly winning battles against unlikely monsters with hardly any weapons or protection. Beowulf is definitely portrayed as inhumane, which is also seen in another final act when Beowulf survived the Frisian War. He should not have survived because he only had thirty men with him and he had a long swim. According to legend,
“But Beowulf’s prodigious
Gifts as a swimmer guaranteed his safety:
He arrived at the shore, shouldering thirty
Battle-dresses, the booty he had won{…}
Across the wide sea, desolate and alone,
The son of Esgtheow swam back to his people.
There Hygd offered him throne and authority
As lord of the ring-hoard” (83).
This story is told as if no one would question the greatness of Beowulf. Of course after everything that the audience has learned about him this final act seems no more ridiculous than when he ripped off Grendel’s arm. Beowulf is the hero of this epic, but after examining all of the lies behind his actions can we still find his heroism to be true?
