Beowulf Notes

• Only complete Old English epic.
• Composed about 750 A.D., written down about 1000 A.D.
• Mingles Pagan (heroic virtue) & Christian (man's mortality) values.
• Refers to events in the 6^th century that became legends.
• Superhero who is called to kill monsters.
• Myths developed from conflicts.
• People in Old England feared invasions & so developed a hero to deal with it, just as Americans confronted with a vast wilderness created Paul Bunyan to conquer it.
• Supernatural curiosity also influenced myth.
• Tribal setup-similar to culture in Odyssey (750 b.c.)
• Used crisis to typify own situation in reality.
• Monsters:
• Grendel
• His Mom
• Dragon

Beowulf, a Geat, is the hero; extraordinary swimmer & warrior. He comes to defend the Danes and King Hrothgar against monsters. His father, Ecgtheow, owed the Danish King because he had raised a ransom (wergeld, blood money) for him. Beowulf repays the debt by slaying Grendel and his mother. Beowulf comes to save the Danes. 1. Strips off his clothes & fights hand-to-hand with Grendel. 2. Kills mom with sword. 3. Slays dragon with sword, shield, & another warrior, Wiglaf. Although Wiglaf was afraid, he aided the king because of personal loyalty. When Beowulf leaves, Hrothgar's son comes to stay with Beowulf. He returns home where he eventually becomes king. Rules for 50 years; dies after battling a dragon who had begun to terrorize the Geats because Beowulf had received his stolen cup through the gift-giving circuit. Beowulf is old and has lost some of his strength. He is aided in the battle by Wiglaf; other warriors have deserted Beowulf. Ending is bad. People fear that the Swedes will "swarm" their land. Typifies situation in England at that time. People feared invasions. Like Beowulf, the Romans were no longer there to protect them.
 

• Transitional period between paganism & Christianity. Reason why monster traced to Biblical period & not to Norse/Greek gods.
• Grendel is similar to the Cyclops in the Odyssey. Liked to eat flesh. Lives deep in water in a palace which had air.
• Idea that a degenerate society comes from underworld.
• Line 1633: Monster can be viewed as bad ruler-one who hoards-Dragon. Grendel can't be considered human because he kills/eats people, but Beowulf could become like him ("his double"). Beowulf is what you can attain if you use your power, fame wisely. Grendel is the monster from within. If Beowulf becomes too proud, he can become like Grendel.
• Tribal relationships: friendship or feud (war). Tribal ethic: if you're in my tribe, anything you do is excusable. Has spiral of violence. If one of your tribe is killed by the other, it is terrible, but OK if the opposite happens. Ends when everyone dies or when some truce is reached (reason for arranged marriages).
• Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Celtic backgrounds.
• Monster comes from:

1. the Earth
2. within
3. Cain (Hell, & feud-revenge)
4. Society

• Status comes from display of spoils (wealth) and achievements.
• Rich man in story gives; his possessions are from pillaging cities. "Ring Giver" passes around loot to retain loyalty. If you are greedy, people lose respect for you.
• Emblem on helmets is boar's head.
• Danes can't kill Grendel because swords can't pierce his skin. Beowulf has terrible grip. (Took 4 men to carry Grendel's head).
• Beowulf's boast: Pagan. To one from a purely Christian background, it would be foolish pride.
• Queen (women) mixes with men. We don't see them much in the epic, but they seem to move freely.
• Beowulf seeks glory in battle which God will give.
• Idea of Fate: God protects you until it's your time to go.
• Noble Fighting: rules for fighting, for engagement. After killing enemy, return him to tribe or burn him. Grendel has no idea of this; he's fierce, but not noble. Beowulf tears off his arm.
• Grendel's mother represents another social ill of the time-feuding. She doesn't care that he was a murderer, only that he was her son. The idea of justice is familial & tribal. They support their side no matter what.
• The dragon represents a third ill of the time-greed. Our monsters always represent and warn us against parts of ourselves & dragons change with the time. The dragon who terrified us after WWII was Godzilla, who is the product of nuclear science. The "dragons" of Jurassic Park represent the dangers of cloning & of big business' drive for profits. I guess it brings us back to greed after all.