Discuss the significance of Beowulf.
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Beowulf is the oldest extant Anglo-Saxon poem and includes universal themes of death, the fragility of life, and the importance of loyalty and courage. The text introduces the linguistic innovation of kennings, describing characters in terms of compound descriptions: for example, swords are described as “battle light” and kings as “ring-givers.” Beowulf is a popular and valiant Swedish king who defends his subjects from the monster Grendel. The characters—namely, Beowulf—incorporate the values of the society in which it was composed. For example, Beowulf displays a Christ-like willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good, and the honor and courage he exhibits are fully in keeping with the values of feudal warrior culture.
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Who were the Vikings?
What will be an ideal response?