18 April 22 – Beowulf #19

ANOTHER KIND OF BATTLE

The events in the poem take place over most of the sixth century and feature no English characters. Some suggest that Beowulf was first composed in the 7th century and shows close connections with Scandinavia, and the East Anglian royal dynasty. who may have been descendants of the Getese. Others have associated this poem with the court of King Alfred the Great or with the court of King Cnut the Great. 

The poem blends fictional, legendary, and historic elements. Although Beowulf himself is not mentioned in any other Anglo-Saxon manuscript, many of the other figures named in Beowulf appear in Scandinavian sources. This concerns not only individuals but also clans and certain events such as the battle between Eadgils and Onela. The raid by King Hygelac is mentioned into Frisia is mentioned in History of the Franks and can be dated to around 521.

And now . . . Help arrives . . . 

They heard the sound of Hygelac’s horn, His trumpet calling as he came to find them  

The hero in pursuit at hand with troops.

“The bloody swathe that Swedes and Geats

Cut through each other was everywhere.

No one could miss their murderous feuding. 

Then the old man made his move,

Pulled back, barred his people in:          2950

Ongentheow withdrew to higher ground. 

Hygelac’s pride and prowess as a fighter 

Were known to the earl; he had no confidence

That he could hold out against that horde of seamen, 

Defend wife and the ones he loved

From the shock of the attack.  

He retreated for shelter 

Behind the earth wall.  Then Hygelac swooped

On the Swedes at bay, his banners swarmed

Into their refuge, the Geat forces

Drove forward to destroy the camp. 2960

There in his gray hairs, Ongentheow

Was cornered, ringed around with swords.

And it came to pass that the king’s fate 

Was in Eofor’s hands, and in his alone.

Wulf, son of Wonred, went for him in anger, 

Split him open so that blood came spurting 

From under his hair. The old hero

Still did not flinch, but parried fast,

Hit back with a harder stroke:

The king turned and took him on.           2970

Then Wonred’s son, the brave Wulf, 

Could land no blow against the aged lord. 

Ongentheow divided his helmet

So that he buckled and bowed his bloodied head 

And dropped to the ground. 

But his doom held off. 

Though he was cut deep, he recovered again.

“With his brother down, the undaunted Eofor, 

Hygelac’s thane, hefted his sword

And smashed murderously at the massive helmet

Past the lifted shield. 

And the king collapsed,     2980

The shepherd of people was sheared of life.

“Many then hurried to help Wulf,

Bandaged and lifted him now that they were left 

Masters of the blood-soaked battleground.

One warrior stripped the other,

Looted Ongentheow’s iron mail-coat, 

His hard sword-hilt, his helmet too, 

And carried the graith to King Hygelac;

 He accepted the prize, promised fairly

That reward would come, and kept his word. 2990

For their bravery in action, 

when they arrived home Eofor and Wulf were overloaded

By Hrethel’s son, Hygelac the Geat,

With gifts of land and linked rings

That were worth a fortune. 

They had won glory, 

So there was no gainsaying his generosity.

And he gave Eofor his only daughter

To bide at home with him, an honor and a bond.

“So this bad blood between us and the Swedes,

This vicious feud, I am convinced, 3000

Is bound to revive; they will cross our borders

And attack in force once they find out

That Beowulf is dead. In days gone by

When our warriors fell and we were undefended 

He kept our coffers and our kingdoms safe.

He worked for the people, but as well as that

He behaved like a hero.

We must hurry now

To take a last look at the king

And launch him, lord and lavisher of rings,

On the funeral road. 

His royal pyre                                        3010

Will melt no small amount of gold:

Heaped there in the hoard, it was bought at heavy cost, 

And that pile of rings he paid for at the end

With his own life will go up in flames, 

Be furled in fire: treasure no follower

Will wear in his memory, nor lovely woman 

Link and attach as a torque around her neck—

 But often, repeatedly, in the path of exile 

They shall walk bereft, bowed under woe,

Now that their leader’s laugh is silenced,         3020

High spirits quenched. Many a spear 

Dawn-cold to the touch will be taken down 

And waved on high; the swept harp

Won’t waken warriors, but the raven winging

Darkly over the doomed will have news, 

Tidings of the eagle of how he hooked and ate,

How the wolf and he made short work of the dead.

Background

The poem shows a war as the principal factor in this society. The author(s) glorify war, constantly emphasizing it as heroic, virtuous and justifiable. In this society wisdom and kindness are admired human characteristics, but they are not nearly glorified as bravery. And battle seems to be the solution to disputes and the only access to veneration or afterlife. 

Although Beowulf dies an honorable death in battle and attains immense riches, no one gets to enjoy the treasure, nor seems positive about the future. The people expect a time of war, when the king’s fall becomes widely known to the Franks and the Frisians. In the end Beowulf's grave becomes symbolic because it's not only the reminder his glory but it is also the symbol of warfare and its end result.

The majority view appears to be that figures such as King Hroðgar and the Scyldings in Beowulf are based on historical people from 6th-century Scandinavia. Beowulf has consequently been used as a source of information about Scandinavian figures such as Eadgils and Hygelac, and about continental Germanic figures such as Offa, king of the continental Angles. Finds from Gamla Uppsala's western mound, left, excavated in 1874, support Beowulf and the sagas.

Exploration 1: Today’s segment has a decidedly different tone than any that have come before. Do you think this is true? Can you sense it? Describe it? If not, you may forego this exploration.

Exploration 2: Death is once again present and tangible. The King is dead. Spears and swords withdrawn. Imagine yourself one of Beowulf’s thanes. You are a warrior, yet also likely a husband, a brother in arms, and a man of strength and integrity. How might you express your feelings about this important death?

Exploration 3: 

Now that their leader’s laugh is silenced . . . 

Won’t waken warriors, but the raven winging

Darkly over the doomed will have news, 

Tidings of the eagle of how he hooked and ate,

How the wolf and he made short work of the dead.

This excerpt comes at the end of the segment. Animal totems are rarely mentioned in Beowulf. Here we have three. Speculate on why they appear.