The diction used in Beowulf has provided great interest in my reading as well. The alliteration adds a lyrical quality difficult to replicate in translation but still somewhat effective in this particular version. The kennings, to me, add the interest level of the author finding new ways to describe things. Like “whale-road” and “heaven’s gem” (the latter not being a kenning), the author creates imagery through creative kennings and word combinations. Though I have admiration for the author’s diction and the historical significance of Beowulf, my enjoyment of the epic is somewhat diminished by the long recounting of events that have already happened. However, one thing I have noticed is the increasing similarity between this epic and modern fantasy books such as Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings which we have already made mention of several times in class. Tolkien also uses Old English names and language similarities making it even more comparable to Beowulf. Other fantasy series like Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time and George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire replicate the Anglo-Saxon ethics so easily apparent in Beowulf. The stark loyalty of a thane to his lord which has almost no counterpart in modern society is readily apparent in fantasy series. I believe there is a fascination in our culture of a fierce loyalty even that which leads to death because of our lack of understanding. Our culture’s adoration of the U.S. military is another example of our admiration of those who put their lives on the line. I find a simplistic passion in Beowulf of people willing die for one man and their country. 

Lauren Sandelius