Maybe it's my recent obsession with all things OUAT (Once Upon a Time) or Galavant, but I can not help but to read this epic a bit sarcastically or with a bit more humor than maybe was originally intended. Beowulf's telling of his battle and the praise he receives are just a little overdone for me to attempt to take in the most literal sense. While Beowulf is telling his account of (anything really, but specifically) the defeat of Grendel and his (oh, so loving) mother, he seems to be boasting and not even denying or being even a bit subtle about it. I have to question whether the situation was as quite as dramatic. Also, the praise from Hrogarth (okay, probably not right), is too saint-like. Maybe I'm am all wrong, but he seems to push Beowulf ego through the roof with his "your words are from the Lord" comments. Like, yikes.
I commented on Matt's blog.
I found a lot more humor in this story during this read of it. I think I also may have gotten a bit more cynical since the first time I read it. Maybe it is because we are so far removed from that time that sometimes the things they would have taken as the highest honor would now sound as if someone was mocking us or down playing our accomplishments. It does sound quite silly most of the time.
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