Write a 400-600 word, textually-specific analysis of Beowulf. This epic poem is the product of Anglo-Saxon oral culture, though it was written down by monks who sometimes editorialize about the pagan society that produced the story. In any case, oral epics are meant to establish and reinforce the identity of a culture: its history, beliefs, values, mores, etc. So as you interpret the themes of the poem, think about the specifics of the cultural identity it reinforces, and whether these ideals are familiar or alien to twenty-first century Americans.