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Anonymous Beowulf, Introduction
and lines 2199 through end:
Vocabulary:
allusion (i.e., biblical allusions), beot, fame/shame culture,
ubi sunt motif
Lecture or Handouts: How
is the dragon in Germanic legend a sort of "anti-cyning"?
I.e., how does the behavior of dragons function as a foil
to the ideals of Germani kingship among the Anglo-Saxons?
What does the name "Wiglaf" mean in Anglo-Saxon?
If we undertake a Christological reading of Beowulf,
how does that connect with the disciple John?
Identify the Following
Primary Characters, Items, and Places from the second section
of Beowulf
Beowulf, Hygelac, Breca, Unferth, Day-Raven, Wiglaf,
the Dragon, the gem-studded goblet, the Dragon's Lair in
the Barrow, the Keeper of the Hoard, the sword Naegling
Explain the Significance of
the Following and How it Relates to the the third section
of the Beowulf Narrative
Norse legends of Fafnir turning into a
dragon, Norse legends of Ragnorak. Christological symbolism,
Revelation 12:7-9
Reading Questions:
- What ultimately happens to Hygelac and his kingdom in
the days after Beowulf's first two monster fights? To
whom does the kingdom of the Geats revert upon the death
of Hygelac and Hygelac's son Heardred?
- How many years does Beowulf rule the kingdom according
to lines 2207-09?
- Where does the dragon make its lair? What is a "stone-roofed
barrow"?
- What does the thief steal from the dragon's lair that
arouses the monster's wrath?
- The "Keeper of the Hoard" in lines 2247 et
passim is apparently the last survivor of some
forgotten tribe.After all his race has died, what did
he decide to do with their treasure?
- How is the speech of the Keeper of the Hoard an example
of the ubi sunt motif?
- How does the dragon react to the theft of its goblet?
- What does the dragon do to King Beowulf's own house?
- In lines 2345-67, the poet describes briefly the battle
that killed Hygelac. We discover an astonishing fact about
Beowulf's swimming ability here. How many "battle-dresses"
(suits of chainmail armor) does Beowulf carry with him
as he "swims"?
- How many men does Beowulf take with him to scout out
the dragon's location? Who is added a couple lines later
to this number?
- When Beowulf muses on his childhood, what unfortunate
situation did King Hrethel face where he was unable to
pursue a blood-feud as would normally be expected?
Why do you suppose Beowulf brings up this story now, in
his present circumstances?
- In lines 2479-86, Beowulf remembers how Hygelac's sword
was used by Eofor to cleave the skull of King Ongentheow
of the Swedes. Where is the sword of Hygelac now--who
possesses it? Given what we know about Anglo-Saxon blood-feuds,
what does this indicate about the political situation
between the Swedes and the Geats whom Beowulf rules?
- How did Beowulf kill Dayraven, the champion of the Franks?
Given what we know about Anglo-Saxon blood-feuds, what
does this indicate about the political situation between
the Franks and the relatives of Beowulf?
- What is Beowulf's last beot he makes before
going to fight the dragon?
- Give a brief blow-by-blow of Beowulf's fight with the
dragon.
- Who is the one warrior that remains loyal to Beowulf
when the other thegns run away?
- Wiglaf, we discover, had grown up among what tribe?
[see line 2607]
- The sword Wiglaf carried had been used by Weohstan to
kill Eanmund of Othere's tribe. Given what we know about
Anglo-Saxon blood-feuds, what does this suggest about
the political attitude of Othere's tribe toward Wiglaf
and the Waegmunding families of the Geats?
- After Beowulf appoints Wiglaf king, what is Beowulf's
last dying request? (i.e., what does he want to look at
before he dies?) Why does that request make (or not make) sense?
- What does Beowulf ask be done with his body when it
comes to burial?
- When Beowulf is about to die, what does he remove from
his neck and give to the young thegn? [Note:
this means Beowulf is passing his kingdom on to the boy
Wiglaf.]
- In lines 2813-16, Beowulf makes a stunning revelation.
Beowulf isn't just a Geatish tribesman, he's also a member
of the Waegmunding tribe like Wiglaf! For an Anglo-Saxon
audience, this news would be met with a sudden intake
of breath and a dreadful "aha!" moment. See
if you can put together the pieces of the puzzle. Think
back about all those blood feuds. What are the Swedes
obligated to do to the Geats? What are Othere's family
obligated to do to the Geats? What are the Franks obligated
to do to the Waegmundings? Note also the Frisians and
the Scylfings have separate blood-feuds with the Geats. Beowulf
only was able to maintain the peace through the sheer
terror of his reputation, so what are all the surrounding
tribes going to do when the kingdom of the Geats falls
into the lap of a young boy like Wiglaf?
- What punishment does Wiglaf order for those men who
fled from the scene of battle? Why does
this decision make sense in terms of Anglo-Saxon culture--but
why is it political suicide at the same time?
- What do the Geats do with the war-shields, helmets,
and shining armour they pull out of the dragon's lair
in the barrow?
- What do the Geats do with the torques, jewels, and gold
from the dragon's lair?
Quotations for Identification (Be able
to identify what work these quotations come from, what the
author is, what character (if any) is speaking, and briefly
comment upon the quotations significance or importance in
the work:
A: For three centuries, this scourge of
the people / had stood guard on that stoutly protected /
underground treasury, until the intruder unleashed its furuty;
he hurried to his lord / with the gold-plated cup and made
his plea/ to be reinstated. Then the vault was rifled, /
the ring-hoard robbed, and the wretched man had his request
granted.
B: "I risked my life often when I was young.
Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this
fight for the glory of winning. / ... / But I shall be meeting
molten venom / in the fire he breathes, so I go forth /
in mail-shirt and shield. I wont't shift a foot / when I
meet the cave-guard."
C: Then the king in his great-heartedness
unclasped / the collar of gold from his neck and gave it
/ to the young thane, telling him to use / it and the war-shirt
and gildedhelmet well. "You are the last of us, the
only one left / of the Waegmundings. Fate swept us away,
/ sent my whole brave highborn clan / to their final doom.
Now I must follow them." / That was the warrior's last
word.
D: "I remember the time, when mead
was flowing / how we pledged loyalty to our lord in the
hall, / promised our ring-giver we would be worth our price,
/ make good the gift of the war-gear, / those swords and
helmets, as and when his need required it. He picked us
out / from the army deliberately, honored us and judged
us / fit for this action, made me these lavish gifts. .
. . / Now the day has come / when this lord we serve needs
sound men / to give him their support. Let us go to him,
/ help our leader through the hot flame / and dread of the
fire."
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