Is Beowulf a heroic elegy or an epic story? There is considerable debate over whether the poem Beowulf is an epic narrative poem or a heroic elegy. It's what. This essay aims to present both sides of the story. Some major literary scholars believe that the poem is a heroic elegy, celebrating the fantastic achievements of its great hero, and also expressing grief or lamentation for the hero's unfortunate death. In "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics", Tolkien states: We must, of course, reject from the mind the idea that Beowulf is a "narrative poem", that it tells a story or intends to tell a story sequentially. The poem “lacks regular progress”: this is why Klaeber heads a critical section of his edition. But the poem was not meant to move forward, either stably or unsteadily. It is essentially a balance, an opposition of endings and beginnings. In its simplest terms, it is a contrasting description of two moments of a great life, rising and setting; an elaboration of the ancient and intensely moving contrast between youth and age, first realization and final death (Tolkien 34). Another literary scholar attacks the proposition that the poem is a narrative epic as many critics say: “For the structure of the poem is not sequential, but complementary; At first, certain parts of a situation are displayed, and these are given coherence and meaning through the gradual addition of its other parts” (Blomfield 60). These attacks on the epic-narrative theory regarding the poem Beowulf leave only one choice: the poem is a heroic elegy, a poem celebrating the achievements of its hero Beowulf, and at the same time a poem of lament, sorrow and loss. sadness. mourning the death of this great he...... middle of paper ......all, Inc., 1968.Greenfield, Stanley B.. "The Finn episode and its parallel." In Beowulf: The Donaldson Translation, edited by Joseph F. Tuso. New York, WWNorton and Co.: 1975. Rebsamen, Frederick R. in “Beowulf – A Personal Elegy”. Beowulf: The Donaldson Translation, edited by Joseph F. Tuso. New York, WWNorton and Co.: 1975Robinson, Fred C. “Appositive Word Meanings and Religious Perspectives.” In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Tolkien, JRR. “Beowulf: Monsters and Critics.” » In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Wright, David. “Digressions to Beowulf.” In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998.