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...the manuscript was not discovered until late in the 17th century. Many scholars also theorize that it could have been written in the 9th-century, and was lost during the Viking invasions of Anglia. However, due to the author's positive position on the Danes, it can also be theorized that it was written sometime after the invasions, in the 11th century. However scenes and aspects of court life from the poem correlate with artifacts discovered in the Sutton Hoo burial in Suffolk, England. Which was dated around 600-650 A.D. England at that time was aflame with culture. It had well established libraries and monasteries that kept and recorded such literature, it is possible it existed and was transcribed at such an early period then lost during the Danes invasions, as they burnt the libraries and destroyed many of the monasteries.
In Germanic storytelling, it is the earliest known oral tradition in existence. The oral story could possibly have arrived in England via the migrating Anglos, Saxons and Jutes. It was originally written in old English, which suggests that it had been changed somewhat from its original state. It is thought that the prevalent Christian themes were added as the poem was transcribed from its original Germanic tongue. In this sense it is unusual, as it mixes a pagan story with Christian values.
The poem takes place in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark and Sweden and was most likely written by a poet only observing codes of conduct and lifestyles from a by gone era. The Geats (Beowulf's tribe) inhabited the southern part of Sweden and Hrothgar, with his glorious mead-hall Heorot, lived on the Danish island, Sjaelland.
In the poem there are many examples of archetypal characters that are presented by the monomyth. In this poem Beowulf is the hero, or more accurately a hero. The monomyth process begins with the hero's call to adventure....

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