Tolkien’s Beowulf Lecture: Redefining the Monsters and the Critics

J.R.R. Tolkien's engagement with the Old English epic, Beowulf, began in the 1920s, a period during which he was deeply immersed in both academic and creative writing. His scholarly work on Beowulf culminated in a pivotal lecture that he delivered in 1936, which later became a published article titled "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics." This lecture marked a turning point in the way literary critics approached the text, challenging the prevailing views that had dominated the field. Tolkien argued for the importance of understanding the poem as a cohesive work of art rather than merely a collection of monsters and heroic deeds. He emphasized the significance of the poem's themes, such as heroism, mortality, and the interplay between good and evil, which had often been overlooked in previous analyses. His insights encouraged a more nuanced appreciation of the text, influencing generations of scholars and readers alike.