I
believe that one can easily discern three levels on which Beowulf can
be profitably read: the heroic character of Beowulf, the nature of leadership
and, hence, of the politics of the society, and the forces to which humans were
subjected. I also believe that most of these levels are apparent from the
beginning of the work. There are a few points of background which one should
understand to appreciate some of the nuances of the speeches and to make some
of the action understandable. Most of what follows is my own interpretation,
and it is not necessarily definitive.
Analysis:
Analysis:
| Beowulf , written in Old English sometime before the tenth century A.D., describes the adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century.A rich fabric of fact and fancy, Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic in British literature. Beowulf exists in only one manuscript. This copy survived both the wholesale destruction of religious artifacts during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and a disastrous fire which destroyed the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571-1631). The poem still bears the scars of the fire, visible at the upper left corner of the photograph. The Beowulf manuscript is now housed in the British Library, London.  |
The most evident and important allusion to Christianity
is the God “Figure” which is magnificent almighty and protective his servants
on Earth.
We see the dichotomies of pride vs. humility and sacrifice
vs. selfishness evident in Christian philosophy.
The story Beowulf repeatedly
acknowledges God as his protector. When Beowulf relates
his battle with Grendel's
mother, he states that "The fight would
have ended straightaway if God had not guarded me". Further exemplified by
the powerfully stated "most often He has guided the man without
friends", there is a sense of mystical protection permeating all of
Beowulf’s actions, however, there is also a strong sense that God's protection
must be earned; a warrior must first be true to his values, courage, honesty,
pride, and humility and only then will he earn God's protection.
For me the place where a story takes place is very important!!!!
Here you have some:
The Cave
The
cave where Grendel and his mother hide from the world is symbolic of their
lives as outcasts. Hidden beneath a treacherous mere in the middle of a dark,
forbidding swamp, the cave allows them a degree of safety and privacy in a
world that they view as hostile. They certainly are not welcome at Heorot, and
they know it.
2 Heorot Hall, Mead-Halls
In
the translation of Beowulf that we've used, King Hrothgar's mead-hall
is called Heorot, which is its name in Old English. Translated into modern
English, "Heorot" means "hart," which is a male deer or a
stag. Hrothgar's lavish, wealthy hall – where his warriors gather to drink and
feast and where he holds court – is named for this proud, majestic animal. Of
course, deer aren't just any kind of animal – they're prey animals, hunted by
men and other predators. Perhaps this is a little hint to us that Hrothgar's
hall is destined to be attacked, again and again, by the local man-eating
demon, Grendel.
3 The Sea
Water is the element around which most of
the Beowulf narrative revolves. It is necessary at this point to
examine its function in order to later grasp the relationship between Grendel’s
mother and the mere. Other than the mere, water is mainly represented by the
sea, the opposing element to the ordered landscape surrounding Heorot. It
follows that water’s main function within the narrative is that of chaos.
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