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Beowulf: A Four-headed Creature

Above the resonating sounds of rattling goblets and a hissing fire, a deep and animated voice rang in the spacious stone mead-hall. The speaker's face was illuminated and the rings on his fingers were glittering in the warm flickering of the scattered candles. Dramatically, he called out "Then Beowulf rested; the building soared, spacious and adorned with gold; the guest slept within until the black raven gaily proclaimed sunrise." He paused for effect, then raising slowly his right hand he continued, "Bright light chased away the shadows of night." This theatrical spectacle was quite common in the grand dining halls of the 7th century Anglo-Saxons. During this time, many poems, stories, and songs were composed and performed, though few have survived to this day. Of the few Old English epic poems that have survived, the oldest and most famous of these is entitled Beowulf. There is only one copy and the original author is unknown. Some critics believe that Beowulf was the compiled works of more than one author, while others disagree, noting that the work was written with a unified poetic structure. Although it is possible that Beowulf was composed by one author, the changes in tone and inconsistencies in the traits of the main character imply that Beowulf may be the wok of more than one man.

To better understand the literary work, it is profitable to know the history surrounding Anglo-Saxon epic poems and those who authored them. In England, during the 7th century, it was popular amongst wealthy Anglo-Saxons to have traveling entertainers, called scops, present at dinners and celebrations to amuse their guests. These entertainers would memorize songs, stories, and poems to perform before their audiences. These narratives were rarely written down, and were not distributed in pamphlet form. As these exhibitions were performed before an audience, the entertainer would have the piece memorized with no need for a manuscript. Furthermore, due to the competitive nature of the profession, and as these pieces were repeated in various courts, it would be to the entertainer's great disadvantage to release written copies of his performances. Therefore, very few epic poems from the 7th century have survived in written form to the present day and fewer are recorded with the name of the author.

In the case of Beowulf, it is possible that the poem was the compilation of four different authors. When examining the book, one may divide it into four

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