JRR tolkien reviews beowulf by first attcking previous reviews.
He criticizies previous critics like Beowulfiana, Girvan, and many more. His main critique of these men is how they analyze beowulf. Tolkien believes that it should be veiwed as a poem and nothing more. However, many previous authors of Beowulf analysis choose to veiw i as a historical document or a fairytail. This, according to tolkien, makes it hard for them to apreciae what the story really is, a poem.
So many people have analyzed, and re-analyzed Beowulf that they have lost the rue meaning of the author in time. Although i does have many historical facts, such as battles and people, Beowulf has alot of fiction. Many people dont see this. They see the many facts of the story and assume that it is a historical document. Critics go on to notice that many of the "facts" in Beowulf are incorrect, theirfor coming to the conclusion that the author was crazy.
Tolkein points out another major mistake of critics that is they veiw it as a fairy tail. This mistake he says, is made when critics don't veiw the whole document. They see it as just another fairy tail with dragons, monsters, and a hero. Tolkein shows that the story has been analyzed in so many ways that it isnt seen for what it really is anymore, a Poem.
Analysis
I think that tolkein is raging a little bit.He repeats himself alot. He has, however, very good evidence for his statements, and i do agree with him. Sometimes fiction is fiction. even if it has a little fact in it. Writing was originally made to be enjoyed but sometime when it is a great peice, it is analyzed too much and it looses its enjoyment.
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Tolkien wanted criticism aimed at the "art" of the poem. He didn't feel enough criticism elucidated the real meaning of the story, and, as you say, the poem is a fiction meant to capture a passing moment of life.
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