Beowulf Notes

Characters:

Beowulf: a Geat and the hero of the poem; son of Ecgtheow; later on he becomes king of the Geats.

Hrothgar: King of Danes; son of Healfdene and brother of Heorogar; he wants to be rid of the monster Grendel but does not know how to do so

Unferth: Son of Ecglaf; killed his brother; he taunts Beowulf early in the poem but technically that is his job. He lends his sword but it fails against Grendel’s mother.

Wiglaf: Beowulf’s faithful man; the only one to stay and fight the dragon with Beowulf in the end. He is left to carry out Beowulf’s last wishes after he is with the King at death

Monsters:

Grendel: The monster who threatens Hrothgar’s kingdom. Beowulf kills him.

Grendel’s Dam: She dwells at the bottom of a mere, a large swampy pond, in a cave. She comes back for Grendel’s arm when he is killed. She fights Beowulf and is eventually slain by him.

Dragon: Guards a vast treasure. He awakens from a deep rest when a slave steals a cup from his treasure hoard. He ravages Beowulf’s kingdom. Beowulf kills him but loses his own life in the process.

Christian VS Pagan

·        There is a vague reference to biblical times throughout the story

·        There is a synthesis of one God referred to and yet a reliance on a wear or faith which is a pagan quality

·        Whether or not Beowulf is Pagan or Christian

o       His eagerness for fame: pagan

o       He wants to be remembered in this life

o       He always thanks one God: Christian

o       He has the Christian virtue of selflessness because he is willing to protect

o       There is a conflict of good and evil

o       Victory’s are attributed to God

o       Beowulf appears as the guardian of God’s gift

·        Moderation is a Christian virtue

·        Courage is a pagan virtue

·        There is the fame seeking quality that is pagan

Comitatus bond: a band of warriors would pledge themselves to a lord who was known for his bravery and generosity. They swore to defend him to their death, and it was considered shameful to leave the battlefield if their chief was slain. According to code if the leader was slain his life must be avenged. They were known for their courage, bravery, and loyalty. In return the lord gave them protection and shared his weapons and wealth with them. Exile from one’s lord meant that one was without a home, friends, and without a livelihood.

·        When Beowulf descends into the Dam’s den and does not come up for a long time, his men refuse to give up hope. Even thought Hrothgar’s man leave, Beowulf’s men refuse to and eventually their lord comes back.

·        In the end only Wiglaf stays with his lord to fight the dragon, all the other men desert him.

·        When Beowulf dies it is like the end of this era

Themes:

·        Good VS Evil

·        Kingship

o       Hrothgar is a good King but Beowulf becomes a great king

·        Atmosphere of impending doom

o       Society penned in by a hostile world

o       Hero will eventually be overthrown in time

o       Beowulf will fight on unwilling to yield in the face of defeat

·        Rise and fall of a nation

o       At the end Beowulf saves his people from themselves

o       He fights a battle that loses his life but saves the people

·        Setting of semi-darkness

o       Potential for sudden change

o       Fear of attack

o       Threatened society

Parallel Structure of Hrothgar and Beowulf:

·        Both have a 50 year reign

·        Both had monsters coming to disturb their reign

·        Both seen as shepherds to the people

·        Both had generosity, faith, and selflessness

·        Hrothgar serves as a model for Beowulf, but Beowulf outreaches him

·        In part 1 Beowulf fights for Hrothgar and has faithful men. In part 2 when Beowulf is king and deserves loyalty, his men desert him and he dies which signifies the end of the heroic age

Background and Important facts:

·        Most likely originally a folk epic

·        Told orally by a scop, and believed to be written down

·        It is thought that there were multiple authors

·        Another thought is that it was written by a pagan and then later added onto by a Christian

·        Since there is such a synthesis to the story the most common idea is that it was written down by a 1 author who was of the pagan society who was coming into Christianity.

·        It starts on an ominous note

·        It gives a circular note by going from burial to burial

·        It is in a tri-part, 3 monsters and 3 parts

·        It preludes with the mythical founder of the Dane line, who grew into power and goodness till he was a feared and loved leader

·        There is a contrast between youth and age

·        The rising and setting of a society

·        At the end it is not only the death of a lord but of the heroic civilization