In Beowulf, the author’s use of “druncen” falsifies the tone of the poem. Gould said, “Generally, scholars and translators of Beowulf have been reluctant to translate the word druncen with its modern English equivalent, 'drunken'.Druncen is used five times in Beowulf, once in line 1231, where Wealhtheow uses it to refer to Hrothgar's dryhtguman, once in line 2179, where it refers to Beowulf's heorogeneatas, and three times in the phrase beore/wine druncen, in lines 480, 531, and 1467: twice this expression refers to Hunferth, and once to Hrothgar's oretmecgas” (Gould). In this passage Gould said, “Scholars seem willing to translate the word as 'drunken' when it refers to Hunferth, though even here they are likely to tone it down by using …show more content…
L. Wrenn comments as follows on the word druncne, which Wealhtheow uses to describe Hrothgar's loyal followers: 'Here the past participle implies only that the retainers were mellowed with their drinking, and could almost be rendered as an active perf. part., "having drunk".'(6) Edward B. Irving, Jr. translates the word druncne in line 1231 with the circumlocution 'once entertained with drink at a feast like this'. (17) Many translators have followed suit. In Beowulf and the Appositive Style, Fred Robinson gives a list of what he calls 'delicate renderings' of druncne: 'cheered with drink', 'flown with drink', 'revelling', 'wine-cheered', 'wine-glad', and 'wine-joyous'.(18) To this list we might add 'refreshed with beer' and 'beer-exalted' (John Earle),(19) 'bold in their mead' (Chickering),(20) 'talkative' and 'tipsy with wine' (Kevin Crossley-Holland),(21) 'cheered with drink' and 'made bold with beer' (Donaldson),(22) and 'glowing with courage drawn from too many cups of ale' (Raffel).(23) E. G. Stanley mentions R. W. Chambers's 'having drunk (not necessarily to intoxication)', which he interprets, as one of two alternatives, to mean something like 'surely, we are not forced to interpret the poet's words as meaning that the men in the hall were drinking to intoxication'.(24) Even the Dictionary of Old English being compiled at the University of Toronto, …show more content…
He states that 'the drinking ritual . . . is one of those heroic age motifs that distance the audience [of Beowulf] from the world of their forebears', (26) and maintains that the passages in Beowulf which refer to drinking actually describe 'the ritual of the oath cup'. 'The vow uttered while drinking from the lord's cup', he says, 'is an oath made before the gods.' He then goes on to state that the phrase beore druncne in line 480 of Beowulf. . . is to be understood as 'having drunk the [lord's] beer,' just as in Andreas 1003 'dreore druncne' means 'having drunk blood.' To translate druncne as 'drunk, inebriated' is logically impossible in the Andreas passage and inappropriate in Beowulf 480.(27)” (Gould) He then said, “Robinson's point about 'the ritual of the oath cup' is well taken; there is every evidence that in Germanic society - or at least, in Germanic heroic literature - formal vows were often made while drinking, and oaths uttered under such circumstances were considered binding we find Beowulf, for example, making his beot or vow to kill Grendel after having been formally presented with a cup of mead by Wealhtheow” (Gould). The tone of the poem Beowulf is falsified by the incorrect usage of the word
Frank, Roberta. “The Beowulf Poet’s Sense of History.” In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.
When Beowulf and his crew of brave Geat warriors arrive to the court of King Hrothgar of Denmark, one of the king’s retainers, Unferth by name, has been drinking too heavily of the mead. This puts him into a drunken state of mind wherein he unwisely and rudely challenges the hero regarding a swimming contest sometime earlier:
This is the first scene in where we see Beowulf as an old man. The poem skips fifty years between the first and second parts, and this scene picks up after the fifty-year gap. This scene also sets up Beowulf’s last great battle, which happens with the dragon. This scene also describes Anglo-Saxon beliefs. The scene shows how the people, and the dragon, love to fight. It is their way of life. It also shows a little bit of the law.
The Old English epic poem Beowulf poses something for an enigma for scholars. The poet was surely a Christian, but the poem depicts a pagan society, so what sort of religion is being expressed. Most recent scholars have argued for a Christian reading, but others still hold out for a pagan one. Some have suggested Christian-pagan syncretism. Pagan beliefs involve sacrifices to the old stone Gods, making heathen vows, hoping for Hell’s support, the devil’s guidance in driving their affliction off. This was their way and the Heathen’s only hope.Some suggest Christian-pagan syncretism. Anglo-Saxon epic heroes are willing to put their own lives in danger for the greater good. Beowulf highlights the code’s points of tension by relating circumstances
The epic Beowulf is one of the oldest poems written in English. According to the Norton Anthology, "the poem was composed more the twelve hundred years ago, in the first half of the eight century. Its author may have been a native of what was Mercia, the Midlands of England today, although the late tenth-century manuscript , which alone preserves the poem, originated in the south in the kingdom of the West Saxons" (Norton 21). Although the poem is of English origin, it speaks of tribes (the Danes and the Geats) that are from the "Danish island of Zealand and southern Sweden respectively" (Norton 22). The main character, Beowulf, demonstrates that he is a warrior who places heroism and bravery over his own well-being and life. Beowulf is a hero and an example of a great warrior. His actions give us a good example of the pagan warrior mentality. The pagan society is a warrior society, in which courage and bravery are extremely prevalent. Beowulf fights against monsters and dragons, and he would rather die in battle, then anywhere else. Beowulf is called upon to help defeat Grendel, who is a monster that has taken over the hall of Heorot. He is greeted with great hospitality. Hrothgar, the King of Denmark, is relived to see Beowulf. There is some skepticism by Unferth, who recalls a fight in which Beowulf lost in Battle. Unferth is wrong, and Beowulf says this great line: "fate often saves an undoomed man when his courage is good." Beowulf defeats Grendel with great ease and the people of the hall are gracious to Beowulf.
Early in the poem, Beowulf hears accounts of Grendel’s destruction of Herot, Hrothgar’s majestic mead hall. Knowing his strength and military prowess, Beowulf immediately devises a plan, recruits men, and orders boats, thrusting himself into a battle that was not necessarily his to fight. Beowulf felt obligated to end Grendel’s reign of terror. Though he knew the death of Grendel would bring him fame and honor, the idealized Beowulf was able to set aside personal ambition in order to end the suffering of the Danes. Shortly after slaying Grendel, Beowulf again displays an awareness of duty when Grendel’s mother extracts revenge upon Herot, killing one of Hrothgar’s best men, Aeshere. Instead of leaving Herot in a state of frenzy, Beowulf comes to King Hrothgar’s side, pledging allegiance and service. Bolstering the defeated king’s moral, Beowulf boldly addresses the older King Hrothgar saying, “So arise, my lord, and let us immediately set forth on the trail of this troll-dam. I guarantee you: she will not get away, not to dens under ground nor upland groves nor the ocean floor. She’ll have nowhere to fall to. Endure your troubles to-day. Bear up and be the man I expect you to be.” Beowulf could not set aside his duty and obligation, though he knew full well the suffering and pain that might result from his actions. Thus, Beowulf is a portrait of
Anonymous. “Beowulf.” Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. Seamus Heaney, trans. New York: W.W. Norton &Company Ltd. 2001. 2-213. Print.
The warrior in the Anglo-Saxon civilization had many duties to fulfill. He was obligated to respect and protect his lord as well as defend his lord's honor. The demonstration of personal valor was also very important in these times. Beowulf is "Higlac's Follower" and works to please his lord. He is afraid that "My lord Higlac / Might think less of me" (l 191-192) if he uses weapons in battle. Not only does Beowulf work to please his lord, but he also works to protect Hrothgar, the lord of the Danes. As the poem shows, when
The society that he terrorized was happy and always rejoicing. “As now warriors sang of their pleasure/ So Hrothgar’s men lived happily in this hall… (11)”
Robinson, Fred C. “Apposed Word Meanings and Religious Perspectives.” In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.
The world is a very big place with millions of people living on it at the same time. All of the people in the world are moved to do something. People all have reasons to do things. Most people call them motivations. A definition of motivations is, “Motivations: reason for doing something,” (Goldman). Beowulf was just like anyone of those people. He had dreams and goals he wanted to obtain. In the epic poem Beowulf, he was challenged with killing three deadly monsters, he had to have motivation for that. He was able to kill the Grendel and his mother, monsters said to be from the time of Cain and Abel. He first slew the Grendel with his bare hands. When the Grendel’s mother found out what was done, she was furious and came back for revenge.
Beowulf was written anonymously like most poems during the Anglo-Saxon period. During this time period, “there was a rigid code of behavior that stressed bravery, loyalty and [the] willingness to avenge” (Rougeau-Vanderford “Themes in Beowulf”.) His character represents the true values of the Anglo-Saxon values, from his sacrifices, to the loyalty he shows his people. The Anglo-Saxons culture believed that “life was regarded as valuable,” (Rougeau-Vanderford “Themes in Beowulf”) making Beowulf’s sacrifice the ultimate display of
Have you ever wanted to avenge a wrong doing done unto you? Well, the characters in Beowulf will stop at nothing to achieve vengeance. Revenge is so immensely practiced that it is a common act to pay of a deed done by an offender. However, a payment or truce does not satisfy the desire for revenge in the Poem. Every time a Character precedes to make peace, it eventually falls apart by a desire to avenge loved ones. This desire is usually upheld until someone is no longer left to be avenged or no one is left to avenge those whom they loved. This, although it may not seem so, happens commonly in this epic.
“ Wealhtheow came in, Hrothgar’s queen, observing the courtesies. Adorned in her gold, she graciously saluted the men in the hall, then handed the cup first to Hrothgar, their homeland’s guardian, urging him to drink deep and enjoy it” (lines 613-617).
The Anglo-Saxon culture ran on the outline of the heroic code. The warrior pledged allegiance to his lord in exchange for protection (“Beowulf” 38). Through acts of strength and bravery in battle, the warrior rose in levels of nobility and received rewards from his lord for his bravery (“Beowulf” 38). Hrothgar, king of the Danes and lord of the Scyldings, builds a mead hall, Heorot, to honor his warriors and give gifts to them (Beowulf 67-73). A savage demon named Grendel attacks the great hall and kills thirty of Hrothgar’s men (Beowulf 122). Beowulf, a young Geat warrior, leaves his homeland to aid King Hrothgar in purging the Danes of Grendel. Beowulf’s act of allegiance extends past the kingdom of his homeland by ‘rescuing’ the Danish people. His actions not only illustrate courage but the principle of allegiance to his family and himself. Upon arriving on the Danish shore, Beowulf states, “We belong by birth to the Geat people / and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac. / I come to proffer / my wholehearted help and counsel” (Beowulf 260-1, 277-8). Beowulf declares his allegiance to his lord and is willing to come to the Danes’ aid. Hrothgar knows that Beowulf is only in Denmark to “follow up a...