![]() ![]() In many ways, this story explores what it means to be human, to be part of a collective, and, most importantly, what the nature of heroism truly is. Similarly, the ties of kinship and clan speak to the importance of communal life during this time as an antidote to solitude and protection against certain death. The line between monster and man is murkier than one might, at first, assume. When he is killed, it is maternal anguish that motivates his unnamed mother to avenge the death of her son and when he enters the dragon’s lair, it is Beowulf who is called “invader” (Puchner 887). The first monster, Grendel, is identified as “one of Cain’s clan” – a monster that is also vaguely human, an outcast who is “spurned and joyless.” He envies the comradery of Hrothgar’s men, their closeness as a tribe. The story is often divided into three parts (each devoted to the slaying of a monster) and though it may seem that the focus here is on the exploits of battle, there are some deeper themes here. Though he wins handedly, he is mortally wounded in the process and dies as a revered warrior king. In old age, Beowulf must again take up arms to defeat a dragon who hoards gems and shining weapons. Victorious, he sails back to his homeland and becomes king of the Geats, reigning without significant incident for 50 years. In the aftermath, Grendel’s mother is enraged to the point of attacking the mead-hall herself she too is ultimately killed by Beowulf. At the story’s open, he appears to the aid of the Danes and their king, Hrothgar, by slaying a monster known as Grendel who has been attacking the mead-hall of Heorot for years. This story, while written in England, is set in Scandinavia and follows the exploits of a great warrior of the Geats, Beowulf. Beowulf, as a literary work, represents the culmination of an era of early English history several decades after its transcription, the Normans would invade and bring with them new customs, language and forever transform English literature. This manuscript also includes accounts of saints’ lives and tales of travel to the Orient while wildly different in terms of content, all the stories in the Nowell codex focus on heroes and monsters, good and evil. ![]() Thankfully, the original was transcribed long before, likely by two different monks, the latter of whom is also thought to be the scribe of Judith (which may account for their similarities in writing style). It suffered damage in 1731, during the Cotton Library fire at Ashburham House where it had been stored efforts to bind and restore it were made but in the process some letters were lost. This poem is known from a single manuscript found in the Nowell Codex, and dated to 1,000 CE. Wikimedia Commons.Īn epic poem of 3,182 lines, Beowulf is regarded as one of (if not the) most important works of Old English literature. Sköldar hänger längst relingen” by Swedish National Maritime Museums under CC Share-Alike 3.0. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |