Explain Word- Beowulf Essay
Choose one word from Beowulf and write a mini-essay of 300–400 words in which you analyze
the origins of the word and the way the word is used at one specific point in the poem. You will first
need to look up the word in the Oxford English Dictionary (which you can access through the
AUM Library databases) and learn about its various meanings and etymology. How did this English
word come to be? What are its origins? What did it mean during the Anglo-Saxon period? Is this the
same meaning as today? How does the poet use the word in Beowulf? So, this is a combination of
explaining the meaning of the word and a close reading of the word in the poem. The essay should
probably be three paragraphs (but it does not have to be): an introductory paragraph that establishes
your word and explains why it is important in Beowulf; a second paragraph that provides the history
and meaning of the word from your research into the OED; and a third paragraph that provides a
close reading of one spot in Beowulf where the word appears. If your essay has more than one
grammatical/mechanical error, or if it has one sentence fragment, you will need to revise and
resubmit for a grade.
Explain Word- Beowulf
Name
Course
Institution
Date
How did this English word come to be? What are its origins? What did it mean during the Anglo-Saxon period? Is this the same meaning as today? How does the poet use the word in Beowulf? So, this is a combination of explaining the meaning of the word and a close reading of the word in the poem.
Beowulf is an epic and heroic poem focusing on Beowulf the hero who battles against Grendel the monster, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. The chosen word is warrior, which is related to war where there are people who fight with weapons and battle while serving for a militia, unit or community. The poem highlights that “He was the dearest of heroes to Hrothgar among his comrades between the two seas, mighty shield-warrior, whom she snatched from his rest” (1295). Warriors fight for the benefit of their people and they are considered brave and fierce soldiers who defend the people. Typically, they have moral convictions for why they are fighting. The closest synonym for warriors is soldiers or fighters. The word warrior is used for the fighting men and these soldier-kinsmen are heroes who defend and protect the people.
The Oxford English dictionary defines a “warrior” as a brave or experienced soldier or ...