Beowulf General

Question 1

Basic Info & Synopsis

Answer 1

• Poem told by Englishman with an English perspective
• Separated from events by hundreds of years- ‘geardagum’ (ancient days)
• Poem opens in Denmark, not Beowulf’s home, Geatland
• Present Danish King is Hrothgar, who lives in a building named Heorot. Hrothgar constantly entertains, until Grendel begins his attacks.
• Grendel is descended from Cain, and similarly suffers punishment from Christian God
• Beowulf after some time comes to Denmark to battle with Grendel, but is belittled by Unferth, who reminds him of a swimming race Beowulf lost in his youth. Beowulf instead answers with all his achievements.
• Grendel comes and eats a warrior before Beowulf grabs him and pulls off his arm
• Victory feast, songs of merriment, however which is broken by an attack by Grendel’s mother, who carries away Hrothgar’s Chief Counsellor.
• Beowulf makes oath to kill G’s mother, then goes to fight her. She drags him to her cave, and they fight. B sees a sword and kills G’s mother, and then decapitates G who is also lying in the cave.
• The blood form G rises through the water, and the Geats and the Danes assume Beowulf is dead. He returns. More merriment.
• Hrothgar gives Beowulf gifts, and tells him how brill he is. Wealhtheow, Hrothgar’s queen, gives B a gold neck-piece, which is fated to be lost in a rubbish Geatish campaign in Frankish lands in future. Sense of Foreboding. Shining moments darkened by inevitable tragedy to come.
• B returns to Geatland, and is welcomed by his uncle Hygelac. Beowulf’s reputation shows by his riches. He recounts the events in a long monologue.
• The poet now tells us that Hygelac is later killed in battle. B becomes king, and rules for 50 years until a dragon invades and destroys the kingdom.
• contrast between end and beginning of Beowulf’s life emphasises fleetingness, which we see in flashbacks.
• Learn of the invasion of Frankish lands with Hgelac and Beowulf, where H fell in battle. Also learn of wars with Swedish Kingdom. At end of B’s 50 year reign, a fugitive steals a cup form a dragon, who gets angry and flies, burning down Geatland.
• Beowulf vows to confront the dragon and when he gets to its lair, he is abandoned by all apart from Wiglaf. They slay the dragon, but Beowulf is killed.
• Wiglaf is mad with the other warriors, and says that one will become known abroad for his cowardice.
• Beowfulf is cremated. Old lady predicts that Geatland will be conquered.
• End mood is awe for B, but also fear for future of Geatland.

Question 2

Male Desire / Homosocial Bonds

Answer 2

Homosical Bonds: Beowulf/Hrothgar,
Beowulf/Hygelac
Beowulf/Wiglaf

Hrothgar feels ‘dyne langað’ (a secret longing) for Beowulf when he leaves.

Higelaces mæg ond magoðegn ‘Hygelac’s kinsman and young thane’ (407b–8a)

Feond gefyldan… | ond hi hyne þa begen abroten hæfdon, | sibæþelingas’ [They felled the enemy… and then they had both destroyed it, noble kinsmen].
- ‘sibæþelingas’ encapsulates their close bond

Belief that treasure-giving society must undermine homosocial bonds, since it create naturally enemies

Hrothgar’s tears show ‘inability…to enact the masculine heroic ethos’ (Mary Dockray-Miller).
- Is this true?

MDM also says that Hrothgar in sleeping with his wife, rather than in hall, is effeminized.s

Question 3

Sons & Heirs

Answer 3

CONTRAST w/ Scyld and Beowulf = Beowulf doesn’t produce an heir.

CONTRAST w/ Denmark and Geatland = too many heirs / no heir

David Clark: ‘It makes no sense for the text to hold up the different components of the heroic way of life for scrutiny, show the destructiveness of feuding, the dubious worth of treasure and the problems associated with its bestowal, but recommend the begetting of an heir to maintain this cycle’

WIGLAF

• Wiglaf adopted as heir
• Nu ic suna minum syllan wolde guðgewædu (to my sons I would give this war apparel). Then gives to Wiglaf.
• W’s burning of treasures: ‘it is to symbolise the ultimate sterility of the heroic way of life, and heroic whimsicality as part of that way of life’. (DAVID CLARK)
• As man moves from retainer position, he is expected to get family and wife, as mature man. This fails, no productive dynasty.

GENERAL ATTITUDE
Poem demands ‘the need for a wider conception of society, one not centred solely on homosocial, kinship, or marital ties’. (DAVID CLARK)

A

Question 4

Heroism

Answer 4

Stacey Klein: ‘a culture’s attempts to find its way towards a new model of masculine heroism, one rooted less in external proficiency in war than in cultivation of the inner self’.

Poem is pagan not christian- but many people argue that the poem’s heroic warrior virtues are metaphors for Christian ones (JAMES W. EARL)

‘lofdædum sceal / in mægþa gehwære man geþeon’ (through praiseworthy deeds a man is sure to thrive in every tribe)