Literary Devices In Beowulf

Beowulf, written by an anonymous author, is one of the most common epic British literature poems. This epic is a story about a young warrior, who defends against mythical monsters and dragons that represents other worldly beings. The unknown author uses several aids when creating the work and brave tales of Beowulf. With the use of these literary devices the author is able to clearly communicate the purpose of their writing. The main literary devices identified within Beowulf are hero, allegory, and foreshadowing. Each device used is designed to help convey what the writer wants the reader to interpret. When you think of a hero you probably picture your parents or someone physically gifted, flying from building to building. They are most likely putting away the most wanted thieves and hardened criminals. In this case, British literature depicts a hero to be anyone with a broad structure, facing adversity, and smiling in the face of danger. They were built with great strength, not only physical, but mentally tough. Heroes were expected to be selfless and courageous, which were all characteristics of our main warrior. Authors use heroism as a literary device, because it can be a real challenge or a metaphor with a symbolic meaning. Writers can express their values and …show more content…
It is the writers way of hinting what is expected to come. It does not give too many details at how the future comes to be, but rewards and challenges the reader with the extra bit of knowledge. This was seen throughout the first couple sentences of Beowulf. The funeral of Shield Sheafson previewed Beowulf's death in the final words of the epic poem. Insight is also given when referencing King Heremod, because it eventually leads to how Beowulf came into his righteous power. Foreshadowing is a strong literary device because it is similar to a movie trailer that tells the plot without completely stealing away the suspense or revealing the final