The role of Violence and Death in Children’s Adaptations of Beowulf from 1910-1968

ABSTRACT The role of Violence and Death in Children’s Adaptations of Beowulf from 1908-1968 Erin E. Simoni Department of English Texas A&M University Research Advisor: Dr. Britt Mize Department of English This thesis explores the portrayal of death and violence in children’s adaptations of Beowulf through the progression and trends of death and violence in children’s Beowulf adaptations from 1908-1968. The texts chosen from these times are considered well known and were published in both the United States and United Kingdom. Extensive study has been done on death and violence in children’s literature, however the study of death and violence in children’s literature has not yet discussed the adaptations of Beowulf from 1908-1968. This study is interested in the socialization of children regarding death, the cultural values communicated concerning death and dying, and the virtues portrayed through the deaths and violence in Beowulf. I am fascinated in analyzing the violence of these texts surrounding the multiple deaths of Beowulf and contrasting and comparing the deaths of major characters such as Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and Beowulf with the deaths of fringe characters such as Aeschere, Honscio/Hondscio, and the thirty thanes. Death and violence are classified as deemphasized as in the purposeful downplaying of existing violence and death in Beowulf in the text or images, and emphasized in reference to the existing violence and death in Beowulf being highlighted explicitly through text and images. When reasons are given for why the emphasized violence or death is fitting, this will be called legitimization and will be especially noted

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