The story is set in Scandinavia in the 6th century. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated.
It is possibly the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. It was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century. The author was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred to by scholars as the “Beowulf poet.”
The phrase "making of a man" refers to the process by which a man becomes successful or prosperous, while the phrase "made man" refers to actually being successful.
The phrase "making of a man" is used when Henry discusses Harris’s "humble feeding house." He says, "I was the making of Harris. The fact had gone all abroad that the foreign crank who carried million-pound bills in his vest pocket was the patron saint of the place.” When people find out that Henry, already known for having a million-pound bank note, breakfasts at Harris’s eating house, the restaurant’s popularity skyrockets. Earlier, Harris’s eating house had been "poor, struggling," but it became "celebrated, and overcrowded with customers" after London society hears that Henry eats there.
The phrase "made man" is used when Henry is caricatured in Punch. He says, "Punch caricatured me! Yes, I was a made man now; my place was established. I might be joked about still, but reverently, not hilariously, not rudely; I could be smiled at, but not laughed at." Because he was mimicked so publicly, Henry becomes famous, and his good reputation is solidified.
Using an absolute adjective in a comparative sentences makes your English sound strange so watch out! Another example of an absolute adjective is 'unique' because it means 'one of a kind' and, therefore, it can not be 'more unique' than something. It's either 'unique' or it isn't.
