James Earl has argued that Beowulf should be read in the context of historical and external knowledge. He calls this method intertextuality, the benefits of which are unlimited. Intertextuality gives the reader a strong sense of genre, theme, and even “arbitrary details” (Earl 290). While Earl argues that outside contextual knowledge is necessary, some argue that the text itself is sufficient for such a task. JRR Tolkien, the famous author of The Lord of the Rings series, is in second place. Both Tolkien and Earl present distinct strengths and weaknesses in their arguments on this topic. And so, neither should be considered the definitive answer to the question of the interpretation of this ancient text. Rather, the method the reader uses to understand Beowulf must be defined by the goal he or she pursues in reading it. Ultimately, understanding the different strengths and weaknesses of these two methods of interpretation allows the reader to determine which method best suits their purpose. One of the weaknesses of Earl's method of interpretation is that the knowledge is limited. Human capacity for knowledge must eventually come to an end for the individual; with the death of our body comes the end of this knowledge. This does not mean that knowledge cannot be passed on to new generations; however, individuals only have access to a limited amount of information over their lifetime. This reality often means that understanding the entire historical context of an ancient literary work, such as Beowulf, would require a significant amount of research. For Tolkien, research is not necessary to understand this story. He says, “Beowulf is in fact so interesting as poetry…that it completely eclipses the historical content and is largely independent of even the most important facts…that research has discovered” (Tolkien 105). Although this is a weakness of Tolkien's, some see it as a strength. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. Earl considers such research a strength when reading Beowulf. For him, the research adds depth and meaning to the themes of this ancient text. This article cannot discuss all of the research Earl has conducted, but it will focus on one important theme that he develops in his essay. This theme concerns the forbidden allure and moral implications of incest. Without studying the analogies made by Earl, this theme does not appear. However, upon closer inspection, the reader will discover that Beowulf "is a poem which struggles to master its Germanic nature, to bring it into crude harmony with Christianity" (Earl 291). This harmony with Christianity is evoked throughout the poem. The author constantly uses expressions referring to the sovereignty of God. For example, after defeating Grendel's mother, Beowulf says, "If God had not helped me, the outcome would have been swift and fatal" ("Beowulf" 76). However, this harmony with Christianity is only strengthened by the discovery that an instance of incest in this story is easy to overlook. For Earl, “Beowulf is what he is largely because he suppressed the idea of ​​incest” (Earl 304). For some, this interpretation of Beowulf is surprising, even offensive. However, it undeniably adds depth to the story. For a researcher, this is valuable information. Thus, a weakness of Tolkien's method of interpretation is that it limits the reader's understanding of this story. Without searching, the reader.