1. Christian religion to symbolize the elements of good and evil and Heaven and Hell
2. Symbols
2.1. The majors
2.1.1. Herot
2.1.2. The dragon's treasure
2.1.3. The cave
2.1.4. Beowulf's claw and head
2.2. The rest
2.2.1. The Golden Torque
2.2.2. The Banquet
2.2.3. The Sea, the Mere, and Water Imagery
2.3. Christian symbolism
2.3.1. The poem did use various characters and references to the Old Testament
2.3.2. Swords
3. Author
3.1. Oral tradition
3.1.1. It preserves the lessons and lineages of the past
3.1.2. It helps to spread reputations
3.1.3. Beowulf itself contributes to the tradition of oral celebration of cultural heroes
3.1.4. Beowulf passed on orally over many generations before being written down
3.1.5. The poem was recited in audience around the fire
3.1.5.1. Family audience
3.1.6. Omniscient narrator
3.2. Manuscript
3.2.1. It was written in Old English
3.2.2. It has 3182 lines
3.2.3. It dates probably from about 1.000 A.D, when two scribes wrote it down for posterity
3.2.4. It is one of the most important works of Old English Literature
4. Setting
4.1. Place
4.1.1. Denmark
4.1.2. Geatland
4.2. Time
4.2.1. It is set around 500 A.D
4.2.2. It recounts historical events that happened much earlier