Beowulf Influences

As one of the oldest surviving and most well known of the early English epic poems, Beowulf represents a substantial influence on our modern pop culture. The other day I was rereading Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and happened across a passage wherein Holden Caulfield explains that the only reason he passed English was because of the interest he had in the poem Beowulf. In many ways, similarities can be drawn between the heroic Beowulf and the often antihero Holden Caulfield as they each set out on a journey and face various challenges along the way.

That being said, there are a lot more blatantly obvious examples of Beowulf's influence on pop culture. Online sources make great mention of the various film adaptations including the most recent CGI version. The other obvious Beowulf influence is the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and specifically the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. One of the more interesting Beowulf spin offs that I was remotely familiar with is a 1971 novel by John Gardner that tells the Beowulf story from the point of view of Grendel. Attempting to explain his history, his misunderstanding with the people of Hrothgar, and his complicated relationship with his mother; Gardner attempts to explain what has motivated Grendel to attack. I think that this book sounds very interesting and I intend to read it at some point in time.

However, all of these examples are much more literal and often direct adaptations of the famous poem. Knowing the complex history of the Beowulf poem and the fact that it was not really a part of the literary lexicon until it’s popularization by Tolkien, it can be a little hard to ascribe its direct influence on a lot of the earlier literary movements. However, I do think it is interesting to look at exactly what the poem Beowulf is doing. On a basic level, Beowulf tells the tale of a hero as he accomplishes various tasks and overcomes difficulties. All the while, the Beowulf poet gives us a glimpse into the daily life of the nomadic warrior/king during that period of time. In many ways, Beowulf either sets or shines as an ancient example of what is still a popular blueprint for many literary works. While a direct influence cannot necessarily be proven, it can be easy to see the basic outline of the hero overcoming obstacles that become increasingly more difficult. This basic plot outline can be easily seen in a wide variety of books from the Harry Potter novels to even Gone with the Wind.

Another great example of Beowulf’s influence, and his role as an outside foreign protector, can be seen in almost any comic book. Take for example Superman, who comes from another planet with superior and supernatural powers that allow him to protect us from villains that we cannot destroy on our own. In many ways it can be said that Beowulf is the original superhero/action star.