Characteristics of the Beowulf Poem There are many characteristics of the Beowulf poem that make it a significant part of the history of literature. It is a perfect representation of how the people in eighth century England communicated, what their feelings were, and their culture. "It gives us vital information about Old English social life and about Old English politics and about many things that scholars would like to have much more information on."(Raffel ix) Another characteristic is that the Beowulf poem was passed down orally. The poem contains aspects of Christianity what form it takes