Beowulf

     The style of language used in the epic story of Beowulf is very unique in its own. Reminiscent of other epic narratives, such as The Aeneid and Odysseus, it projects grandeur and valor in each page. The style of the language is a big component of putting across the noble images this epic tale conveys. An important part of the language of Beowulf is the alliteration. Having similar sounds in each sentence is a common theme in Beowulf and is a nice tool to emphasizing a certain thing. For example, "He was a weary seafarer, far from home," (Norton 69) is a great example of alliteration setting the tone and emphasizing a certain thing. In this line the words far, from, and seafarer all have a prominent F which makes this sentence soft and light. By adding the word weary the sentence gets a little of a depressed mood and drags down, especially with the pronunciation of the Y at the end. Also the many R's and M's help to make a more rounded voice. Without even knowing the meanings of the words a reader can get a feel for the sentence by the way it sounds. Alliteration is a key component to the composition of Beowulf, along with word choice.
     Another characteristic of the language of Beowulf is the combination of words and how they affected the subject they are describing. Throughout the story there are many words that are put together to create an affect or to simply describe a thing. With these combination of words the book creates its own language that the reader must decipher to fully grasp the full meaning of a story. For example "Ring-Danes's country" (Norton 68) or "shield-clash" (Norton 74) or "battle-famed"  or "gold-chased" or "gem-studded" (Norton 77). The combination of words can produce a completely different meaning then before. For example with the first example talking about the "Ring-Danes's country," the two words separated mean a completely different thing then with them together, where they actually stand for a person. Also with the second example, it provides for a more detailed account of what occurred then simply saying battle. Also it is part of the book's own vocabulary which helps us identify with it. The combination of words in this epic story helps create a more personal connection with the book and also is used as a more descriptive and creative way to describe something, or name it.
     The style of the language used in Beowulf is very important for it gives you the whole feeling of the book. It helps convey the emotions correctly and the scenes correctly. Because of the use of this unique style  the experience of reading Beowulf greatly improves. (450)