11-1, 11-2

TEST: WEDNESDAY APRIL 22, 2013

BEOWULF




Summary of the Work
Hrothgar, the Danish king, builds a hall—Herot—for his brave soldiers. The first night they sleep there, Grendel—a monster—attacks and kills 30 of them. The attacks continue, keeping Herot empty and Hrothgar sorrowful for 12 years. Beowulf sails to Denmark with a band of 14 men to defeat the monster, since Hrothgar had saved Edgetho, Beowulf’s father, from a feud which threatened to start a war years earlier.
The first night the Geats (Beowulf’s people) sleep in Herot, Grendel strikes again. Hondshew, a young warrior, is killed in the attack. Beowulf fights with Grendel barehanded since Grendel bewitched the weapons, rendering them useless. Beowulf tears off the monster’s claw, arm, and shoulder, mortally wounding him, although Grendel flees to his lair before dying. Hrothgar orders that Herot be cleansed and a feast prepared. He presents Beowulf with prizes of a golden banner, a helmet, a coat of mail, an ancient sword, and eight horses. Grendel’s claw, arm, and shoulder are hung on the wall of Herot.
The Danes return to Herot. As they are sleeping, Grendel’s mother attacks in retaliation for the murder of her son. She carries off her son’s body parts and takes Esher, Hrothgar’s close friend and trusted advisor. The Geats follow but cannot save Esher. Beowulf dons his woven mail shirt for protection and plunges into the monster-filled lake to pursue his quarry. Hrothgar’s courtier, Unferth, who earlier taunted Beowulf about his triumphs, now lends Beowulf his sword, Hrunting, although the sword turns out to be useless against the monster’s skin.
As he tires during the fight and it seems Grendel’s mother will win, Beowulf spies a gigantic sword on the wall of the battlehall to which she’s dragged him. It is this sword, blessed with the magic of the giants who made it, which he uses to slay her by cutting through her neck. Beowulf brings the monster’s head and the hilt of the giants’ sword to Hrothgar. Another feast is held and the Geats are sent home with even more gifts from the joyful Hrothgar. Unferth makes a gift of Hrunting to Beowulf.
Once home, Beowulf recounts his adventures for his lord, Hygelac, and gives him the gifts Hrothgar sent. Hygelac, in turn, rewards Beowulf with the golden sword which had belonged to his father and Beowulf’s grandfather, in addition to giving him land and houses. After the deaths of both Hygelac and his son, Heardred, the crown falls to Beowulf. Fifty years into his rule, yet a third monster appears—this time in Geatland.
This dragon is awakened by a slave who accidentally discovers the hidden path into his tower. Seeing the dragon, the slave grabs one of the treasures surrounding him and flees for his life. The dragon, angry at being aroused and robbed, waits until nightfall; then, he uses his own fire and smoke to burn down the houses of the Geats as they watch in horror.
Beowulf orders an iron shield be made for him, since a wooden one would be no protection against the fire, and proceeds to face his own death by battling the dragon, but fully intending to take the dragon’s life as well. He plans to fight alone, rather than risk the lives of others, although a dozen soldiers accompany him to the dragon’s tower. It is the slave who leads them to the proper place. Weaponless and angry, Beowulf seeks the dragon, and a fiery battle ensues with the dragon seemingly the victor. However, after all his soldiers but Wiglaf flee, Wiglaf urges Beowulf on to victory and helps to kill the dragon by stabbing him with a dagger.
During the battle, Beowulf is badly burned and fatally wounded in the neck. Before his funeral pyre is built, his soldiers march past his body, having to pass the 50-foot corpse of the dragon first. The dragon’s corpse is tossed into the sea and Beowulf is given the funeral he requested: burned along with his helmets, battle shields, and mail shirts. Finally, ten days are spent building a tall tower at the water’s edge in which to house his ashes. Upon its completion, 12 of the bravest Geats ride around it on horseback telling stories of Beowulf’s bravery and victories, weeping as they do so.

Setting of Beowulf: Where and When

Beowulf is set in what is now modern-day Sweden and Denmark. At the time, this area was home to a tribe called the "Geats" (Sweden) and "Danes" (Denmark)
Although the exact year is uncertain, scholars estimate that the story takes place sometime during the years 400 A.D. to 500 A.D. It circulated for about 200 years and by the 8th century a poet wrote it down.

Blending of the Christian and Pagan in Beowulf

Sometimes readers of Beowulf  are confused by the mishmash of overt Christianity with obvious pagan imagery like dragons and superhuman powers. Prior to the medieval period, Old English poetry was not written down; rather, stories were disseminated orally. The Anglo-Saxons, originally from Germanic regions, brought their own tales with them when they invaded England.
Most Anglo-Saxons eventually converted to Christianity but the majority hung on to their love of heroics from the old tales, especially stories about knights and dragons, and typically, damsels-in-distress. Beowulf  is a good example of the blending of pagan and Christian themes.

Poetic Device: Kennings

Kennings are two-word metaphors.  (A metaphor is a literary device that compares two things that seem different but actually have something in common.)
The use of kennings in Beowulf  provides colorful examples that enliven the poem.  Here are several examples and their "translations."

• whale-road (or whale-path), swan-road = the sea
• bone-house = body
• flashing-light= sword 
• ring-giver = king
• gold-friend (of men) = generous ruler
• battle-sweat = blood
• sleep-(of the)-sword = death
• mind's-worth = honor