DEATH OF SCYLD SHEAFSON & THE PRECEDENT SET FOR HEROIC LIFE
The death of Scyld Sheafson taking place in the beginning of the narrative conveys the importance of lineage and glory, and is the first instance where themes of death are introduced into the poem. The epic follows the Scyldings lineage for more than sixty lines from Scyld, then to Beow, then to Healfdene, and finally to the presiding king, Scyld's great grandson, Hrothgar. (Schrader 491) All relatives preceding Hrothgar are all described as mighty, beloved and famous. The funeral for Scyld is a definite display of the love and respect for his rule as King. In the society surrounding Beowulf the greater the funeral pyre the greater the status of the person who has passed. His funeral
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The reputation and the standard for the Scylding line is represented through this grandeur funeral and through the glory of their lineage. As the Scyldings are of pagan culture Schrader asserts "The celebration of glory has such emphasis because human praise is the highest goal of the pagan characters"(491). Glory is often at the center of the motives and decisions of important characters in Beowulf. What the anglo-saxons strived for was recognition and a legacy that would be remembered past their own death. What this required however was the survival of people who would guard, propel, and tell of their legacy. In the narrative we will see many characters historical and of the present timeline, seek glory at all costs. Even at the risk of losing their claim to …show more content…
The role of women in Beowulf is very limited and noble women are often only portrayed as “peace-weaving queens”(Leneghan 555). In many examples in Beowulf intertribal marriage is used as a way to resolve blood-feud, although seen unsuccessfully in the Finnsburg Episode. After both lays are recited Wealtheow makes a speech engaging Beowulf, Hrothgar, and Hrothulf, Hrothgar’s orphaned nephew. She seems to be urging these men to make mindful decisions and safeguard and protect her sons Hrethric and Hrothmund. She hopes they will be the ones to rule over the Scyldings after Hrothgar. However, there are factors out of her control that could stop her hopes from becoming a reality. In her speech she says to Hrothgar: “You have taken as son, so many have told me, This hardy hero[Beowulf]”(38). In her anxiety she mentions this because the strong bond or comitatus between Beowulf and Hrothgar endangers her children. Beowulf is that much closer to the Scylding throne than even her children. It can be inferred that she has thought about in depth about the precarity of the situation with her children very seriously. Contrastingly Hrothgar seems unaware of any threat. This makes her job as peace-maker extremely difficult as she must walk the line of being subtle but
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem.
"She'd taken Hrothgar's closest friend, The man he loved most of all men on earth" (414-415). After the death of Grendel, his mother seeks revenge by taking one of the Dane's lives. Coincidently, the man happened to be the best friend of a king, Hrothgar. This gives Hrothgar the desire to retaliate by asking Beowulf for help. In Beowulf, motivation comes in many forms such as revenge, treasures, and fame.
In retrospect, Scefing is essentially Beowulf himself. It is stated that Scefing is a warrior, a conqueror, gifted the spoils of his enemies as he defeated them. Beowulf was interested in the spoils and trophies of war in a similar fashion, always mindful to bring a piece or two of any recently dominated monsters back with him for display purposes. In addition, the poet mentions the pure prosperity, praise, and honor of Scefing; and in parallel form, the reader is exposed to the wealth, recognition, and reverence for the hero Beowulf. From the double victories over Grendel and his mother to the final battle against the dragon, Beowulf retains his status and his persona as a hero, a definite king and without a doubt a noble one. As the reader recalls Scefing was also described as a noble king, the pieces and reasoning of the previously digressive tangent rapidly falls into place.
Beowulf’s death at the end of the poem represents the idea that all men and all their works shall die. A great hero, the icon of northern warrior, is dead, but his legend lives on.
Throughout the epic Beowulf attempts to introduce himself as someone worthy of glory by boasting of his skills and deeds. These boasts show Beowulf’s glory seeking tendencies. One of these boasts
King Hrothgar once again looks toward Beowulf to take care of another monster. To get ready for this battle Beowulf wears armor and uses the Horting sword which has never lost in battle. Once again Beowulf shows his courage by deciding to go to the bottom of the monster filled swamp and fight alone. Fighting off monsters on his way down, Beowulf reached the bottom where he was met by Grendel 's mother. He tried to cut her head off with Horting, but she is too strong. Beowulf takes a sword made for giants off the wall, and uses his super strength to cut the mother 's head off. As a trophy of this battle Beowulf finds the body of Grendel in a corner and decides to take his head back to the mead hall. Hrothgar celebrates another victory by once again throwing a large celebration where they gave more gifts to Beowulf and the Geats. After two battles, Beowulf decides it is time for him and his men to head back to their homeland. Continuing to show courage, honor, and strength Beowulf states that if the Danes ever have anymore problems with monsters he will help protect
In Beowulf the movie the queen reveals Grendel’s mother seduced Hrothgar and that Grendel is Hrothgar’s son. According to Margaret Reed, “She has seduced Hrothgar and Grendel is their son.” Grendel has a bronze scales on parts of his skin this a symbol of Hrothgar. After Beowulf “slays” Grendel’s mother, he returns to Heorot to tell Hrothgar and his Danes. After announcing that he has slayed her the Danes have a party, but Hrothgar pulls Beowulf aside questioning him about what really happened. Beowulf reveals that he actually didn’t slay her. Hrothgar then proceeds to give Beowulf the kingdom, The Queen before he jumps off of the castle committing suicide. According to Beowulf the movie, “so you brought back the head of Grendel. What about the head of the mother? Hrothgar asks .With her dead and cold in the bog, is it not enough to return one monster’s head? Beowulf responds. Did you kill her? Asks Hrothgar. Would you like to hear the story of my struggle against this monstrous hag? Beowulf says passive aggressively. She is no hag, Beowulf. We both know that. But answer me, did you kill her? Hrothgar says. Would I have been able to escape her, had I not? Beowulf asks. Grendel is dead that’s all that matters to me. He can bother me no more. The mother, the “Hag” she’s not my curse anymore.” Hrothgar then announces to the Danes that since he doesn’t have a son he is giving the throne and
"So,” begins poem. “The Spear-Danes in days gone by/ and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness./ We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns” (1-3). What follows is a brief history lesson, the story of “Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,/ a ...
Beowulf is honored after Grendel and his mother’s defeat for his morality and willingness to help the king with his problem. He put aside the life he had at home and gave up everything so they were protected. Upon his return, everyone was praising him and lifting up the wondrous works and all that’d he’d done to protect them. Because of his respectable actions, Beowulf was rewarded for his true heroism. He becomes king over his people and ruled for the next fifty years.
Wealhtheow is Hrothgar's queen and the mother of his two sons. Wealhtheow portrays the role of a traditional Anglo-Saxon woman at the time. When Wealhtheow is first introduced to the audience, she immediately falls into her role as peaceful greeter and cocktail waitress. The author writes, "Then Wealhtheow came forth / folk-queen of the Danes daughter of Helmingas / and Hrothgar's bedmate. She hailed all of them / spoke her peace-words stepped to the gift-throne / fetched to her king the first ale-cup" (ll. 612-6). Wealhtheow then proceeds through the meadhall "offering hall-joy to old and to young / with rich treasure-cups" (ll. 621-2). When Wealhtheow first approaches Beowulf and the Geats, she "bore him a cup / with gold-gleaming hands held it before him / graciously greeted the Geats' warleader" (ll. 623-5). The author then reinforces that she is a member of the weaker gender by directing Wealhtheow to her proper pos...
Hearing talk of the Monster lurking near King Hrothgar’s hall, sailing to Denmark with his plans to destroy a foreign monster. This was his call, where he left his comfort zone to save others and face a force much stronger than
The betrothal of Hrothgar’s daughter, Freawaru to the son of the Heathobard chieftain, Froda weighs heavier on Beowulf’s mind. Hygelac makes it clear that he earnestly desires news of Beowulf’s deeds:
After she escapes, the warriors realize that she has managed to steal back Grendel's claw from where it has been hanging. The victim is one of Hrothgar's closest advisors, "the man he loved most of all men on earth." The king summons Beowulf and his men. There's a feeling of desperation in the air. We know Beowulf realizes that something is dreadfully wrong -- no doubt he can hear the uproar from the main hall- but he also knows that it's his job to convey confidence and self-control. At this moment, the young warrior seems wiser and more mature than the aging king.
Does the above not establish in our minds an historically sound footing for the poem? “I suggested in an earlier paper that the Beowulf poet’s incentive for composing an epic about sixth-century Scyldings may have had something to do with the fact that, by the 890’s at least, Heremod, Scyld, Healfdene, and the rest, were taken to be the common ancestors both of the Anglo-Saxon royal family and of the ninth-century Danish immigrants, the Scaldingi” (Frank 60). Is not universal acceptance as truth in fact not a proof that the geneologies of the work are factual? With the exception of the hero, this literary scholar seems to agree: “He [Beowulf] appears unknown outside the poem, while virtually every other character is found in early legends” (Chickering 252). Consider the following royal burial of the Danish king, and how unrealistic it appears:
One of the oldest and most prominent issues that mankind has faced throughout history is that of their own mortality. In every society mankind has wrestled with the inevitable problem of their eventual death, and literature often reflects each society’s take on their mortality. For instance one of the most pronounced motifs in the epic poem Beowulf is the impending doom that each and every character knows will eventually come for them. This is most clearly illustrated by the protagonist himself in his dialogue with other characters. It is also perpetuated by the compelling need for glory and renown that many of the characters continuously search for. Lastly, the issue of mortality is presented by the preeminence of the history of the clans