BEOWULF: BURNING BEOWULF: BURNING IN THE AFTERMATHIN THE AFTERMATH

FeracoFeraco

Search for Human PotentialSearch for Human Potential

3 December 20073 December 2007

Noteworthy Features of Noteworthy Features of the Poem’s Second Halfthe Poem’s Second Half

The first portion of “Beowulf” is much, The first portion of “Beowulf” is much, muchmuch darker darker

The pain and exhaustion of aging and The pain and exhaustion of aging and defeatdefeat

Numerous setbacks: Beowulf only Numerous setbacks: Beowulf only assumes the throne after a brother assumes the throne after a brother accidentally kills another – before that accidentally kills another – before that brother is killed in warbrother is killed in war

The poem ends on a downbeat note, The poem ends on a downbeat note, with a woman wailing to the sky in with a woman wailing to the sky in griefgrief

Another LineupAnother Lineup

Most of the characters seem Most of the characters seem pretty similar to those in the pretty similar to those in the first half – although we do learn first half – although we do learn some interesting things about some interesting things about themthem

For example, Hrothgar will die For example, Hrothgar will die of old age in the futureof old age in the future

Our HeroOur Hero

Beowulf is unable to save Hygelac Beowulf is unable to save Hygelac in the Geats’ war with the Franksin the Geats’ war with the Franks

He becomes king of the Geats He becomes king of the Geats because Hygelac’s son is killedbecause Hygelac’s son is killed

The old hero serves out the rest of The old hero serves out the rest of his days preserving what he hashis days preserving what he has

When he goes to fight the dragon, When he goes to fight the dragon, he does so without expecting to he does so without expecting to survivesurvive

Our New HeroOur New Hero

Wiglaf – The only man (out of twelve) Wiglaf – The only man (out of twelve) to remain by Beowulf’s side during to remain by Beowulf’s side during the climactic fight with the dragonthe climactic fight with the dragon

Wiglaf’s courage outweighs his Wiglaf’s courage outweighs his prowess as a warrior – the dragon prowess as a warrior – the dragon torches his shield almost instantly – torches his shield almost instantly – but he lands a few strikes against the but he lands a few strikes against the dragondragon

He provides Beowulf with some final He provides Beowulf with some final comfort, as he goes into the treasure comfort, as he goes into the treasure hoard and returns with goodshoard and returns with goods

What Does This Portend?What Does This Portend?

Wiglaf is an interesting study – honorable Wiglaf is an interesting study – honorable and wise, but the last of his kind and lineand wise, but the last of his kind and line

On first blush, he appears to carry on the On first blush, he appears to carry on the heroic tradition that Beowulf adhered to for heroic tradition that Beowulf adhered to for yearsyears His father returned arms and armor to the family His father returned arms and armor to the family

of a man he killed, but they rewarded him by of a man he killed, but they rewarded him by allowing him to keep the goods (more on that allowing him to keep the goods (more on that later)later)

He is even able to enter the dragon’s hoard and He is even able to enter the dragon’s hoard and emerge without being cursed because his emerge without being cursed because his intentions are pureintentions are pure

However, Wiglaf is decidedly pessimistic However, Wiglaf is decidedly pessimistic about the future now that Beowulf is goneabout the future now that Beowulf is gone The country’s finest men showed their true colors The country’s finest men showed their true colors

by fleeing the fight with the dragonby fleeing the fight with the dragon

New and OldNew and Old

We get a chance to know some old We get a chance to know some old characters better, and meet some characters better, and meet some new onesnew ones

Hygelac turns out to be “young” for Hygelac turns out to be “young” for a king – which probably indicates a king – which probably indicates he’s in his early fiftieshe’s in his early fifties Hrothgar was Hrothgar was extremelyextremely young when he young when he

took the Danish thronetook the Danish throne

Hygelac will die during a war with Hygelac will die during a war with the Franks, but his thane will avenge the Franks, but his thane will avenge himhim

New and Old, Part IINew and Old, Part II

Hygd – Hygelac’s generous queen Hygd – Hygelac’s generous queen and Haereth’s daughterand Haereth’s daughter She offers Beowulf the throne once She offers Beowulf the throne once

Hygelac is slain, but he agrees Hygelac is slain, but he agrees instead to train her son while he instead to train her son while he learns the intricacies of rulelearns the intricacies of rule

Heardred – Son to Hygelac and Heardred – Son to Hygelac and Hygd, he dies before he can rule Hygd, he dies before he can rule for long at Onela the Swede’s for long at Onela the Swede’s handshands

New and Old, Part IIINew and Old, Part III

The Swedes are an interesting bunchThe Swedes are an interesting bunch Ongentheow is the head of the line, Ongentheow is the head of the line,

and while it is his sons who lead the and while it is his sons who lead the initial skirmishes against the Geats, initial skirmishes against the Geats, he is credited as “Hygelac’s killer” he is credited as “Hygelac’s killer” (although he is not actually the one (although he is not actually the one to land the death-blow)to land the death-blow) Hygelac is avenged by Eofer, one of his Hygelac is avenged by Eofer, one of his

thanes, who strikes Ongentheow downthanes, who strikes Ongentheow down

New and Old, Part IVNew and Old, Part IV

His sons, Oethere and Onela, have His sons, Oethere and Onela, have an odd relationship with the Geatsan odd relationship with the Geats Oethere’s son, Eanmund, is killed by Oethere’s son, Eanmund, is killed by

Weohstan, Wiglaf’s father – yet Weohstan, Wiglaf’s father – yet Eanmund’s uncle (Onela) rewards Eanmund’s uncle (Onela) rewards Weohstan’s honorable behavior by Weohstan’s honorable behavior by allowing him to keep his nephew’s armorallowing him to keep his nephew’s armor

Beowulf kills Onela in order to Beowulf kills Onela in order to avenge Heardred’s death, ending the avenge Heardred’s death, ending the fighting between the Swedes and the fighting between the Swedes and the GeatsGeats Beowulf also support Oethere’s other Beowulf also support Oethere’s other

son, Eadgils, while he lives in exileson, Eadgils, while he lives in exile

It’s Enough to Make Your It’s Enough to Make Your Head SpinHead Spin

The Danes basically disappear The Danes basically disappear during the second half of the poemduring the second half of the poem Once Beowulf returns to Geatland, Once Beowulf returns to Geatland,

there’s no reason to talk about them!there’s no reason to talk about them! Instead, we meet three “traditional” Instead, we meet three “traditional”

powers, all of which threaten the powers, all of which threaten the Geats at poem’s endGeats at poem’s end The Frisians, who hail from FinlandThe Frisians, who hail from Finland The Franks, who hail from FrieslandThe Franks, who hail from Friesland

I know.I know. The Swedes/Shylfings, who hail from The Swedes/Shylfings, who hail from

SwedenSweden

Try to Keep It StraightTry to Keep It Straight

The Geats have a sad family The Geats have a sad family historyhistory Hrethel, the original king, had three Hrethel, the original king, had three

sons: Herebeald, Haethcyn, and sons: Herebeald, Haethcyn, and HygelacHygelac Haethcyn accidentally shoots HerebaldHaethcyn accidentally shoots Herebald Hrethel dies soon thereafter, which Hrethel dies soon thereafter, which

leaves the country vulnerableleaves the country vulnerable The Swedes attack, and Haethcyn diesThe Swedes attack, and Haethcyn dies Hygelac is killed in a war with the FranksHygelac is killed in a war with the Franks Heardred, Hygelac’s son, is killed by the Heardred, Hygelac’s son, is killed by the

Swedes – leaving Beowulf as the kingSwedes – leaving Beowulf as the king

Just Sit Here and Wait for Just Sit Here and Wait for the End of the Worldthe End of the World

The bloodshed I just outlined leaves The bloodshed I just outlined leaves Beowulf as the sole survivor of his Beowulf as the sole survivor of his lineline Hygd only had two children, Heardred Hygd only had two children, Heardred

and an unnamed daughterand an unnamed daughter As reward for avenging Hygelac’s death, As reward for avenging Hygelac’s death,

Eofor marries the daughter – but they Eofor marries the daughter – but they produce no offspringproduce no offspring

Therefore, Beowulf’s death is really Therefore, Beowulf’s death is really the “death” of the Geatish royal linethe “death” of the Geatish royal line He has no heir of his ownHe has no heir of his own This is why Wiglaf fears the other This is why Wiglaf fears the other

countries will attack – they have in the countries will attack – they have in the past, and the Geats are now vulnerablepast, and the Geats are now vulnerable

I Warned YouI Warned You

I wasn’t kidding when I mentioned that I wasn’t kidding when I mentioned that the second half is more downbeatthe second half is more downbeat Beowulf defeats the dragon, saving his Beowulf defeats the dragon, saving his

country and his subjects – but he leaves country and his subjects – but he leaves behind a broken shell of a nation, one which behind a broken shell of a nation, one which will be erased from the face of the Earthwill be erased from the face of the Earth After all, can After all, can youyou visit Geatland? visit Geatland?

This is why that ending is so beautiful – it’s This is why that ending is so beautiful – it’s appropriate, and yet heartbreakingappropriate, and yet heartbreaking We watch everything Beowulf spent his life We watch everything Beowulf spent his life

defending crumble before his eyesdefending crumble before his eyes The betrayal is The betrayal is soso vicious – and yet it’s inevitable vicious – and yet it’s inevitable

So Many ParallelsSo Many Parallels

I mentioned that the Old English Poet I mentioned that the Old English Poet (or Scop) was fond of parallel (or Scop) was fond of parallel structurestructure Queen Modthryth’s bloody tale is meant Queen Modthryth’s bloody tale is meant

to show that Hygd is a nice queen, but it’s to show that Hygd is a nice queen, but it’s also a setup for later – when Beowulf also a setup for later – when Beowulf speaks of the arranged marriage between speaks of the arranged marriage between Ingeld and FreawaruIngeld and Freawaru

This story, in turn, is mean to underscore This story, in turn, is mean to underscore the inevitability of our hatred – that the inevitability of our hatred – that neither honor nor time nor marriage can neither honor nor time nor marriage can erase the thirst for vengeanceerase the thirst for vengeance

We are our own worst enemiesWe are our own worst enemies

So Many Parallels, Part IISo Many Parallels, Part II

Heremod’s backstory is fleshed out a bitHeremod’s backstory is fleshed out a bit We see the difference between a good We see the difference between a good

king and a bad king, as Heremod grows king and a bad king, as Heremod grows corrupt after long years on the thronecorrupt after long years on the throne He grows bloodthirsty, sparking feuds He grows bloodthirsty, sparking feuds He hoards the spoils of victory, refusing to He hoards the spoils of victory, refusing to

dispense rings to his warriorsdispense rings to his warriors It’s nice to see that fifty exhausting It’s nice to see that fifty exhausting

years of rule doesn’t change Beowulf years of rule doesn’t change Beowulf tootoo drastically – he avoids Heremod’s drastically – he avoids Heremod’s fatefate Yet he, too, is forced into a sort of exile at Yet he, too, is forced into a sort of exile at

the end; his warriors abandon him during the end; his warriors abandon him during the fight with the dragonthe fight with the dragon

So, Umm…Themes?So, Umm…Themes?

Degeneration and Decay – By Degeneration and Decay – By the time Naegling shatters, the time Naegling shatters, everything about the Geats, and everything about the Geats, and the state of the world, seems to the state of the world, seems to scream that the End is comingscream that the End is coming

Loyalty – We see warrior after Loyalty – We see warrior after warrior – from all sides – avenge warrior – from all sides – avenge the deaths of their kinsmen and the deaths of their kinsmen and countrymen, but we also see countrymen, but we also see Beowulf’s thanes abandon himBeowulf’s thanes abandon him

A Bit of AdviceA Bit of Advice

Just about everything from the Just about everything from the first half of the poem carries first half of the poem carries over into the second halfover into the second half After all, the poem isn’t actually After all, the poem isn’t actually

divided – it only makes sense that divided – it only makes sense that the work is unifiedthe work is unified

If you’re still reading, try your If you’re still reading, try your best to spot thematic material best to spot thematic material as you go!as you go!

Some Final WordsSome Final Words

I have quite a few reasons to love I have quite a few reasons to love BeowulfBeowulf – its bold sense of action, – its bold sense of action, its broad strokes of honor and its broad strokes of honor and love, the way it brings a love, the way it brings a completely alien world so vividly completely alien world so vividly to life.to life.

However, the reason I reread this However, the reason I reread this poem is not to get the “blood poem is not to get the “blood stirring,” or anything of the sort.stirring,” or anything of the sort.

It’s not even because I love It’s not even because I love parallels!parallels!

Some Some FinalFinal Final Words Final Words

Beowulf is about the loss of everything a Beowulf is about the loss of everything a person can love, about the ways our lives person can love, about the ways our lives crumble before we do, and about the inevitable crumble before we do, and about the inevitable decline of things we never really decline of things we never really feelfeel will will disappeardisappear

Yet it’s also about enduring in the face of Yet it’s also about enduring in the face of overwhelming adversity, and about conquering overwhelming adversity, and about conquering impossible odds through the sheer force of impossible odds through the sheer force of human spirithuman spirit

Beowulf’s thanes may abandon him, but Wiglaf Beowulf’s thanes may abandon him, but Wiglaf turns around – because he remembers the turns around – because he remembers the value of friendship, security, honor…and love.value of friendship, security, honor…and love.

To read Beowulf is to be reminded that life is To read Beowulf is to be reminded that life is precious – big, bold, and beautiful – and that precious – big, bold, and beautiful – and that it’s important to value the things you may take it’s important to value the things you may take for granted…what you have, and what you can for granted…what you have, and what you can loselose

That Does It For Today!That Does It For Today!

I’ll have a few more words I’ll have a few more words before the test, but this is a before the test, but this is a pretty good place to start!pretty good place to start!

Let me know if you have any Let me know if you have any questions on Wednesday or questions on Wednesday or Thursday!Thursday!