How was the story Beowulf originally told?

Answer 1

It was Written because it was a true story and they wanted other people to know about it (what happened) in our days and so on.

I'm going to leave this answer up, however, it is quite a terrible attempt at an answer.

1. There's no way, currently, to verify the accuracy of the events in Beowulf. However, many of the battle scenes are not likely to have occurred as written, especially any underwater battles.

2. The real question of why Beowulf was written is far more complex than "they wanted other people to know about it." You'd have to define they. They is/are whoever wrote the story in Old English. Which is an odd thing once you consider that the Anglo-Saxons were not good friends of the Danes. This meant 1 of 2 things. Either...

a. A Dane who knew Old English decided to write a piece about a Danish hero as Propaganda, or someone who really didn't know their target audience.

or...

b. An Anglo-Saxon wrote a story about a Danish hero.

Both theories beg the question of "Why?"

There isn't a definitive answer. Especially not: "because it actually happened," and someone thought to themselves, "SURELY people hundreds of years from now will find this important." Also taking into consideration that paper and ink was made by hand. This would mean that to produce one copy of Beowulf would be to kill an animal; prepare its hide for use; make their own ink; and write and reproduce Beowulf by hand. Each copy. So, I really don't think the answer is as simple as the question.

Answer 2

Beowulf is an epic poem. It's originally from a culture where writing was not the normal mode of archival or communication, but storytelling and group activity was.

Because of this, to keep the story alive, it was recited in public, at special events, so that many people would remember it and tell it again, later.

Answer 3

The Anglo-Saxons would have told the story of Beowulf in large gatherings (perhaps in mead halls) as a form of entertainment, just as the stories the Iliad and The Odyssey would have been told in Greece. One thing we can certainly say about Beowulf is that it is almost certain that all of the references to "God", "Hell", "demons" and the like would have not been there, as the Anglo-Saxons were pagans. The reason we have all of those christian references today is because the first people to actually write the epic down were monks (as the Anglo-Saxons did not have a written language), and they wrote it in Old English. I can't say as to which language it was originally told in definitely, but I would imagine that Danish would be a good guess. I hope that answered your question! I dont no anything

Answer 4

"Beowulf" is an Old English epic poem that was likely originally told and retold through the oral tradition by wandering minstrels or scops in Anglo-Saxon communities. The poem was later transcribed in manuscript form by an unknown author. The story features themes of heroism, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil.

Answer 5

Gossip that a friend tells you