Abstract
Translation
Recordings
Leaving the sea mysterious
Beowulf as historical allegory (a sketch)
Closing
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Abstract
The Geats swiftly arrive on Daneland's bright shores.
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Translation
The ship then knew the ocean's motion, was wind-hastened,
became foamy-necked, became seabird like,
until near the time of day they had left,
after their ship with curved prow had glided,
when those well-travelled ones saw land,
dazzling sea cliffs, steep hills,
an ample headland; then was sailing simple,
the journey at an end. From that ship sprang
the Geats onto the sands,
their boat they bound there - they shook their mailcoats,
war gear; they thanked God then,
the one that made their ship's going smooth.
(Beowulfll.217-228)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Leaving the sea mysterious
For a poem about sea-faring peoples, the poet's definitely not spinning out what you'd expect. Every time that someone travels by sea it's usually glossed over. There's often something about it being swift, or sailors being lucky with conditions, but no real detail about it is given.
Maybe, in this poem for a people looking to settle into a fixed identity, the idea was to keep transitory acts (like sailing) to a minimum. If that's the case, then the poet definitely did his/her job: there's not a true sailing scene in the whole poem. Though, there is the matter of Beowulf and Breca's swimming match.
Perhaps the Geats' trip over to Daneland is not shown because it would interfere with the importance of the swimming match. After all, the sea would hold no mystery or power or be able to inspire as much of a response if details about safe passage across it were given. With the sailing scenes (and even Beowulf's swimming back to Geatland after a major battle later in the poem) as short as they are, the sea retains its mystery. And with that mystery can come monsters, like those that Beowulf fights as he defends his friend.
Perhaps the power of this mystery was meant to extend further, as well. For, if the Anglo-Saxons of the British Isles wanted to feel like a grounded, rooted people, then making something as transitional as the sea a mystery could help them do so. For mysterious things are usually alienated or alien things.
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Beowulf as historical allegory (a sketch)
An interesting detail is contained in line 222: "brimclifu blican." I translated that second word, "blican," to dazzling (in line with the Clark Hall & Meritt Anglo-Saxon Dictionary's definition). Perhaps most of northern Europe had the white cliffs that are now associated with Britain (thanks in no small part to Matthew Arnold). So, is Daneland, in all things but figures and fealties, another Britain?
Going back to the Anglo-Saxons as a sea-faring people, they're sure to have noticed the white cliffs of Britain facing France. So if Beowulf was written by the Anglo-Saxons, and not just translated from a language you might expect given peoples' and places' names, then maybe that's a detail signalling that Daneland represents Britain.
If Daneland is understood as Britain, then perhaps Grendel is the Celts, or some sort of spirit or genius of the Celts that the Anglo-Saxons didn't care for. Reading Grendel in this metaphorical way, it then becomes possible to interpret Beowulf himself within the same historical framework. Where Grendel is the embodiment of what is wrong with the place that the Anglo-Saxons (the Danes) have chosen to settle, Beowulf represents what is just and what is good - Beowulf is god's instrument for the creation on earth of what is to be harmonious and perfect. Like the Anglo-Saxons he came from elsewhere, but frees those that he meets and is elevated to kingship because of his prowess and own merits rather than inheritance.
In fact, he becomes king because of the people's accord when a new ruler has to be found after Hygelac's line is ended. Ultimately, though, what Beowulf's death could mean in this metaphorical interpretation of the hero gets tricky. Perhaps it is a kind of prophecy of what would come next for the Anglo-Saxons, after they had waned like their other heroic peoples, the Jews of the book of Exodus, had.
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Closing
This entry wraps things up for 2013. Check back for the first post of 2014 on the third Thursday of January!
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Sunday, December 29, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Montage meanings imagined and interpreted (ll.210-216) [Old English]
Abstract
Translation
Recordings
Prime or time
Burrowing into a word
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
Beowulf and crew prep their ship and ready themselves, too.
Back To Top
Translation
"The foremost knew motion; the ship was on the sea,
the boat that sat before barrows. The warriors
roaringly rose a cry - the current carried them on,
bringing the sea against sand; the men bore
bright treasures upon their chests,
magnificent in martial-gear; they all shoved off,
men bound for an expected expedition trip by boat."
(Beowulf ll.210-216)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Prime or time
Once again, we see some summarized action at work. The poet is speeding us along here, giving the barest detail about Beowulf and his crew boarding their ship and putting out to sea. No doubt the strangeness of Grendel (and maybe the fame of Beowulf?) had audiences eager to hear what happened once the Geats reached the Danes.
But, despite the clear sense of forward motion in this passage, the first clause of this section is vague.
The three words that kick it all off ("Fyrst forð gewat") form a complete thought with a subject, object, and verb in that order. But at the level of literal translation into modern English, they don't really work together. They come out to something like "the first knew forwardness/awayness." Although, this isn't the only place in the poem where a literal translation just won't do.
Looking at this clause's general sense, I think that it's communicating the idea that the foremost member of the group (that is, Beowulf) was in a state of mind for travel as they set out. He had full understanding of his physical purpose, and so body and mind were joined in his undertaking. A sense of such unity could be used to foreshadow Beowulf's prowess and success against Grendel and Grendel's mother.
Running with that understanding of this clause's general sense, I then pieced together a clause that gets it across as economically as possible. "The foremost knew motion" is as close as I've gotten so far to my interpretation of the sense of the original.
For the sake of comparison, Seamus Heaney translates the line from a completely different understanding of its sense. He turns "Fyrst forð gewat" into "Time went by." There's still some motion in this version of the clause, maybe even more of it than in mine if you take time to be the motion of god (perhaps what Heaney took from "Fyrst" and left only implied in his translation). The difference between our clauses is also important, since Heaney chose the interpretation of "Fyrst" as "time" rather than as the premier cardinal number.
Looking back, that makes the clause as a whole quite clearer at the literal level. But, I've chosen to stick with my own translation because it allows for more interpretation. Very little is lost in doing so. Both convey a sense of motion, after all, and that is this clause's purpose as it comes at the start of a passage all about kicking off travel.
Actually, Heaney's interpretation slows down time in that it calls attention to time itself passing by. Taking "Fyrst" as a reference to Beowulf instead puts the focus on the Geats and their eagerness to be off on their "expected expedition" (l.216).
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Burrowing into a word
A cleaner curiousity (from an academic angle) is the use of "beorge" (l.211). This word has several interpretations, including "mountain," "hill," and "barrow." The sense that I pulled from it and its context is that this "beorge" indicates the boundary of Geatish territory, or, since Beowulf and company find their boat safe, maybe it's the final land marker of Geatish territory. If it's meant to indicate mountains, then maybe the Geats cleverly set up where mountains sheltered them from naval assaults.
The more fantastical explanation that sprang to my mind (with no help from any facts that I know) is that the word means just what it sounds like: a barrow. I'm not sure about the practices of the Geats and how much they were like those of other groups around them, but it makes sense to bury your dead on the outskirts of your settlement. Doing so allows those in mourning to move on, and keeps those still living free from any disease that might propagate or reside in a corpse.
Stepping into the realm of superstition, maybe a barrow on the edge of your settlement also acted as an enemy deterrent. If not regarded as an out-and-out hazardous field of ghosts, perhaps it could stand as a reminder of the finality of death and demotivate those who sought to add to it.
Also, and who knows since the geographical detail is so sketchy here, perhaps this "beorge" is a reference to Hronesness, the place where Beowulf is buried at the poem's end. Maybe it even is that place. We're never told much about Hronesness after all, other than the fact that it's high enough to mount a beacon for ships on it. Perhaps generations before Beowulf there was another hero buried there, and in the ultimate show of the vanity of human pride the elements wore down his great barrow until it was just a low mound - the same fate that awaits Beowulf's.
If this whole "beorge" business has anything to do with Hronesness, then maybe it's even the poet/scribe stepping in to imply the importance of written history and records. Words record deeds and memory much better than monuments left exposed to the cruel elements of nature's erasing power.
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Closing
Next week Beowulf and crew get out to sea, and, very quickly, come to Daneland.
Back To Top
Translation
Recordings
Prime or time
Burrowing into a word
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
Beowulf and crew prep their ship and ready themselves, too.
Back To Top
Translation
"The foremost knew motion; the ship was on the sea,
the boat that sat before barrows. The warriors
roaringly rose a cry - the current carried them on,
bringing the sea against sand; the men bore
bright treasures upon their chests,
magnificent in martial-gear; they all shoved off,
men bound for an expected expedition trip by boat."
(Beowulf ll.210-216)
Back To Top
Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Prime or time
Once again, we see some summarized action at work. The poet is speeding us along here, giving the barest detail about Beowulf and his crew boarding their ship and putting out to sea. No doubt the strangeness of Grendel (and maybe the fame of Beowulf?) had audiences eager to hear what happened once the Geats reached the Danes.
But, despite the clear sense of forward motion in this passage, the first clause of this section is vague.
The three words that kick it all off ("Fyrst forð gewat") form a complete thought with a subject, object, and verb in that order. But at the level of literal translation into modern English, they don't really work together. They come out to something like "the first knew forwardness/awayness." Although, this isn't the only place in the poem where a literal translation just won't do.
Looking at this clause's general sense, I think that it's communicating the idea that the foremost member of the group (that is, Beowulf) was in a state of mind for travel as they set out. He had full understanding of his physical purpose, and so body and mind were joined in his undertaking. A sense of such unity could be used to foreshadow Beowulf's prowess and success against Grendel and Grendel's mother.
Running with that understanding of this clause's general sense, I then pieced together a clause that gets it across as economically as possible. "The foremost knew motion" is as close as I've gotten so far to my interpretation of the sense of the original.
For the sake of comparison, Seamus Heaney translates the line from a completely different understanding of its sense. He turns "Fyrst forð gewat" into "Time went by." There's still some motion in this version of the clause, maybe even more of it than in mine if you take time to be the motion of god (perhaps what Heaney took from "Fyrst" and left only implied in his translation). The difference between our clauses is also important, since Heaney chose the interpretation of "Fyrst" as "time" rather than as the premier cardinal number.
Looking back, that makes the clause as a whole quite clearer at the literal level. But, I've chosen to stick with my own translation because it allows for more interpretation. Very little is lost in doing so. Both convey a sense of motion, after all, and that is this clause's purpose as it comes at the start of a passage all about kicking off travel.
Actually, Heaney's interpretation slows down time in that it calls attention to time itself passing by. Taking "Fyrst" as a reference to Beowulf instead puts the focus on the Geats and their eagerness to be off on their "expected expedition" (l.216).
Back To Top
Burrowing into a word
A cleaner curiousity (from an academic angle) is the use of "beorge" (l.211). This word has several interpretations, including "mountain," "hill," and "barrow." The sense that I pulled from it and its context is that this "beorge" indicates the boundary of Geatish territory, or, since Beowulf and company find their boat safe, maybe it's the final land marker of Geatish territory. If it's meant to indicate mountains, then maybe the Geats cleverly set up where mountains sheltered them from naval assaults.
The more fantastical explanation that sprang to my mind (with no help from any facts that I know) is that the word means just what it sounds like: a barrow. I'm not sure about the practices of the Geats and how much they were like those of other groups around them, but it makes sense to bury your dead on the outskirts of your settlement. Doing so allows those in mourning to move on, and keeps those still living free from any disease that might propagate or reside in a corpse.
Stepping into the realm of superstition, maybe a barrow on the edge of your settlement also acted as an enemy deterrent. If not regarded as an out-and-out hazardous field of ghosts, perhaps it could stand as a reminder of the finality of death and demotivate those who sought to add to it.
Also, and who knows since the geographical detail is so sketchy here, perhaps this "beorge" is a reference to Hronesness, the place where Beowulf is buried at the poem's end. Maybe it even is that place. We're never told much about Hronesness after all, other than the fact that it's high enough to mount a beacon for ships on it. Perhaps generations before Beowulf there was another hero buried there, and in the ultimate show of the vanity of human pride the elements wore down his great barrow until it was just a low mound - the same fate that awaits Beowulf's.
If this whole "beorge" business has anything to do with Hronesness, then maybe it's even the poet/scribe stepping in to imply the importance of written history and records. Words record deeds and memory much better than monuments left exposed to the cruel elements of nature's erasing power.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week Beowulf and crew get out to sea, and, very quickly, come to Daneland.
Back To Top
Sunday, November 17, 2013
The action's paused, time for a montage (ll.202-209) [Old English]
Abstract
Translation
Recordings
Low action, high language
Beowulf in montage
Closing
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Abstract
The Geatish hero gathers his group and they head for their ship.
Back To Top
Translation
"Then were wise warriors chosen to accompany
him on his journey, those whom to him were dear,
whetstones to wondrous deeds, each looking hale.
The good Geat people then a great warrior
had crowned, there you a brave man might find;
some fifteen sought out the ship at shore;
to the frontier they went, following
the words of the wise, the one versed in sea-ways."
(Beowulf ll.202-209)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Low action, high language
The action of this passage is pretty bland. Beowulf's crew is selected, they're all mighty in their own right, and the lot of them head down to the shore for their boat. That's it.
But the poet was certainly aware of the dullness of this section of the epic. Where its action lags, its language really soars. Unfortunately, this doesn't always come across in translation, but the alliteration and tone of line 204a is pretty easily preserved.
The original reads thusly:
"hwetton higerofne"
A literal translation of this is: "sharpening high bravery"
To maintain the alliteration and theatricality of the original, I translated it thusly:
"whetstones to wondrous deeds"
What makes this sort of preservation possible here is the fact that this half-line is an adjective clause. That makes it easier because most of Old English's poetic sentences are garbled and have words shuffled out of the usual Subject-Verb-Object order. As a result, even taking poetic license, it's not always possible to translate a sentence from Beowulf so that you maintain the original's rhythm and tone. But, a clause that's just describing something always follows the same formula of encapsulating the thing being described into a vaguely related phrase.
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Beowulf in montage
This passage's lack of action has two causes. The first is that it's primarily a descriptive section of the poem. Instead of seeing anything in depth, this mysterious Geatish hero is merely introduced as vaguely as the others who had tried to help the Danes were. The biggest difference is that he's being dwelled upon quite a bit, but otherwise this guy is as anonymous as the rest.
The extra attention afforded to this hero makes it clear that this one is different from the rest. But the poet would have had to have mentioned those others who tried their hands against Grendel to get this effect in the first place. Plus, though it can only be speculation, since I have no idea how well known the story of Beowulf and Grendel was when the epic was first being put together, audiences might have already known about the one who gets Grendel out of the Danes' hair. As such, introducing him through this summary-like, action-less passage builds anticipation for his full arrival in the story.
The other reason for this passage's being rather bland is connected to the idea that this is just a brief description of events that the audience may already have been familiar with. In fact, it kind of bolsters the first reason.
Were Beowulf's arrival written only as this stranger's appearing on the Danish shore, without any sort of explanation or reason why, it would be downright bad writing - especially if Beowulf was a well known character. After all, for anything more than a cameo, even a well known character needs to be set up. Audiences get more out of it if they're able to guess at who this Geatish hero is. Just dropping audiences into the Geats' meeting with the Danes' would not build up the same amount of anticipation, and so the pay off of Beowulf's being named would be much less than it is.
Actually, this part of the poem is like the modern movie montage - a thing to drop in between scenes when you need a quick way to show some sort of motion or progress towards a goal. Here, that goal is Beowulf's arriving in Daneland.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week the montage continues, as we watch Beowulf and his band set sail and navigate the seas.
Back To Top
Translation
Recordings
Low action, high language
Beowulf in montage
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
The Geatish hero gathers his group and they head for their ship.
Back To Top
Translation
"Then were wise warriors chosen to accompany
him on his journey, those whom to him were dear,
whetstones to wondrous deeds, each looking hale.
The good Geat people then a great warrior
had crowned, there you a brave man might find;
some fifteen sought out the ship at shore;
to the frontier they went, following
the words of the wise, the one versed in sea-ways."
(Beowulf ll.202-209)
Back To Top
Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Low action, high language
The action of this passage is pretty bland. Beowulf's crew is selected, they're all mighty in their own right, and the lot of them head down to the shore for their boat. That's it.
But the poet was certainly aware of the dullness of this section of the epic. Where its action lags, its language really soars. Unfortunately, this doesn't always come across in translation, but the alliteration and tone of line 204a is pretty easily preserved.
The original reads thusly:
"hwetton higerofne"
A literal translation of this is: "sharpening high bravery"
To maintain the alliteration and theatricality of the original, I translated it thusly:
"whetstones to wondrous deeds"
What makes this sort of preservation possible here is the fact that this half-line is an adjective clause. That makes it easier because most of Old English's poetic sentences are garbled and have words shuffled out of the usual Subject-Verb-Object order. As a result, even taking poetic license, it's not always possible to translate a sentence from Beowulf so that you maintain the original's rhythm and tone. But, a clause that's just describing something always follows the same formula of encapsulating the thing being described into a vaguely related phrase.
Back To Top
Beowulf in montage
This passage's lack of action has two causes. The first is that it's primarily a descriptive section of the poem. Instead of seeing anything in depth, this mysterious Geatish hero is merely introduced as vaguely as the others who had tried to help the Danes were. The biggest difference is that he's being dwelled upon quite a bit, but otherwise this guy is as anonymous as the rest.
The extra attention afforded to this hero makes it clear that this one is different from the rest. But the poet would have had to have mentioned those others who tried their hands against Grendel to get this effect in the first place. Plus, though it can only be speculation, since I have no idea how well known the story of Beowulf and Grendel was when the epic was first being put together, audiences might have already known about the one who gets Grendel out of the Danes' hair. As such, introducing him through this summary-like, action-less passage builds anticipation for his full arrival in the story.
The other reason for this passage's being rather bland is connected to the idea that this is just a brief description of events that the audience may already have been familiar with. In fact, it kind of bolsters the first reason.
Were Beowulf's arrival written only as this stranger's appearing on the Danish shore, without any sort of explanation or reason why, it would be downright bad writing - especially if Beowulf was a well known character. After all, for anything more than a cameo, even a well known character needs to be set up. Audiences get more out of it if they're able to guess at who this Geatish hero is. Just dropping audiences into the Geats' meeting with the Danes' would not build up the same amount of anticipation, and so the pay off of Beowulf's being named would be much less than it is.
Actually, this part of the poem is like the modern movie montage - a thing to drop in between scenes when you need a quick way to show some sort of motion or progress towards a goal. Here, that goal is Beowulf's arriving in Daneland.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week the montage continues, as we watch Beowulf and his band set sail and navigate the seas.
Back To Top
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Grendel exposed! (ll.189-201) [Old English]
Abstract
Translation
Recordings
Old time telephone
Punishment personified
Closing
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Abstract
Word of Grendel reaches the Geats.
Back To Top
Translation
So they brooded upon the troubles of that time,
none of the wise could put them upon the right
way; that strife was too steep, loatheful and longlasting,
that which had befallen the people,
that fierce severe punishment, wreaker of night-destruction.
One of his thanes heard of this while home with Hygelac,
one good amidst the Geats, he heard tell of Grendel's deeds;
he was humanities' mightiest in strength
in the days of this life,
regal and great. He was given command of a ship
and well-directed; he spoke, saying he would seek
the troubled king across the swan's way,
that famous ruler, to show that he was the man they needed.
(Beowulf ll.189-201)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Old time telephone
For the first time here, we get a kind of report on Grendel's activities. That is, we're told once again about Grendel's doings with the Danes, but in a quick summary. Also, this summary is in a different voice, one that's more removed from the scene than that previously used to describe the terror that is Grendel. Of course, this distant voice is just perfect, since that's likely how contemporary news would have been after travelling hundreds of miles.
What's also interesting about this reportage is that it ossifies the Danes as a troubled group. Again, this is all too appropriate. By the time the news had reached as far as it would, the situation - if truly terrible - would probably be quite well-ensconced.
Unfortunately, the poet/transcriber doesn't seem to be interested in the dimension of time here, nor is there any mention of how distant the Geats are from the Danes. We're not told how long it takes the Geats to hear about the Danes' plea. We're only told that one among them is intrigued by the whole thing and seeks to make a name for himself.
Nonetheless, I can't help but get the impression that the Geats are among the last to hear about the Danes' plight. I can't quite say why, save that the Geats' being last to receive word and the group from which the Danes' hero comes works well for narrative purposes.
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Punishment personified
Old English is full of curious compound words.
You can find such a word lurking in line 193: "nyðwracu." Now, so joined, the word means "severe punishment." But, taken separately, "nyðwracu" is made up of "nyð," which means "strife," and "wracu," meaning "vengeance," "punishment," or "cruelty." The jump to "severe punishment" when the two are combined thus becomes clear.
For, when each word is looked at, we get a sense of some severe form of vengeance - a vengeance that's not just contained in a single act, but that is more long-lasting and spreading. It's the sort of vengeance that comes in the form of a series of calamities. Because the word describes an act of vengeance, that is, a reaction to something that's gone before, the idea of punishment can enter into it and we get "severe punishment."
Once again, what we're left wondering, though, is just what is it that the Danes are being punished for?
Since, in a grammatical sense, Grendel isn't described as one who is bringing "severe punishment," it's not that he's some greater figure's agent. Instead, on line 193, the word is used in the sense of a pronoun for Grendel, personifying him as this severe punishment by means of synecdoche. In personifying Grendel as the punishment, rather than merely its agent, the poet answers our wondering. Grendel is then made into a symbol of severe punishment, retribution, vengeance - maybe even the furious heart of every feud - itself. He has no purpose but to cause incredible strife.
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Closing
Next week, we'll hear about the Geats' preparations and their shoving off into the sea.
Back To Top
Translation
Recordings
Old time telephone
Punishment personified
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
Word of Grendel reaches the Geats.
Back To Top
Translation
So they brooded upon the troubles of that time,
none of the wise could put them upon the right
way; that strife was too steep, loatheful and longlasting,
that which had befallen the people,
that fierce severe punishment, wreaker of night-destruction.
One of his thanes heard of this while home with Hygelac,
one good amidst the Geats, he heard tell of Grendel's deeds;
he was humanities' mightiest in strength
in the days of this life,
regal and great. He was given command of a ship
and well-directed; he spoke, saying he would seek
the troubled king across the swan's way,
that famous ruler, to show that he was the man they needed.
(Beowulf ll.189-201)
Back To Top
Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Old time telephone
For the first time here, we get a kind of report on Grendel's activities. That is, we're told once again about Grendel's doings with the Danes, but in a quick summary. Also, this summary is in a different voice, one that's more removed from the scene than that previously used to describe the terror that is Grendel. Of course, this distant voice is just perfect, since that's likely how contemporary news would have been after travelling hundreds of miles.
What's also interesting about this reportage is that it ossifies the Danes as a troubled group. Again, this is all too appropriate. By the time the news had reached as far as it would, the situation - if truly terrible - would probably be quite well-ensconced.
Unfortunately, the poet/transcriber doesn't seem to be interested in the dimension of time here, nor is there any mention of how distant the Geats are from the Danes. We're not told how long it takes the Geats to hear about the Danes' plea. We're only told that one among them is intrigued by the whole thing and seeks to make a name for himself.
Nonetheless, I can't help but get the impression that the Geats are among the last to hear about the Danes' plight. I can't quite say why, save that the Geats' being last to receive word and the group from which the Danes' hero comes works well for narrative purposes.
Back To Top
Punishment personified
Old English is full of curious compound words.
You can find such a word lurking in line 193: "nyðwracu." Now, so joined, the word means "severe punishment." But, taken separately, "nyðwracu" is made up of "nyð," which means "strife," and "wracu," meaning "vengeance," "punishment," or "cruelty." The jump to "severe punishment" when the two are combined thus becomes clear.
For, when each word is looked at, we get a sense of some severe form of vengeance - a vengeance that's not just contained in a single act, but that is more long-lasting and spreading. It's the sort of vengeance that comes in the form of a series of calamities. Because the word describes an act of vengeance, that is, a reaction to something that's gone before, the idea of punishment can enter into it and we get "severe punishment."
Once again, what we're left wondering, though, is just what is it that the Danes are being punished for?
Since, in a grammatical sense, Grendel isn't described as one who is bringing "severe punishment," it's not that he's some greater figure's agent. Instead, on line 193, the word is used in the sense of a pronoun for Grendel, personifying him as this severe punishment by means of synecdoche. In personifying Grendel as the punishment, rather than merely its agent, the poet answers our wondering. Grendel is then made into a symbol of severe punishment, retribution, vengeance - maybe even the furious heart of every feud - itself. He has no purpose but to cause incredible strife.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week, we'll hear about the Geats' preparations and their shoving off into the sea.
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Thursday, October 17, 2013
Idols of love (ll.175-188) [Old English]
Abstract
Translation
Recordings
Wants and Worship
"Love is all you need"
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
After going over the Danes' religious practices, the poem's recorder (poet?) gives them a stern talking to.
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Translation
"Meanwhile they made demands of cherished idols
at household shrines, with words of worship,
so that they sought help against their problems
from the soul-slaying fiend. Such was their way,
their heathenish hope; they concentrated on hell
in their hearts, they knew not the Measurer,
deeds of the Judge, they knew not almighty God
nor knew they of the praiseful protection of heaven,
glorious God. Woe betide them that shall
cast their soul into the flames' embrace when
embroiled in cruel enmity, cheer they never know,
never a person restored! Well be those that might
after their death day seek the Lord
and hope for the safety of God's grace."
(Beowulf ll.175-188)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Wants and Worship
What's striking about the description of the Danes and their idols is the relationship that's presented. It doesn't seem that these idols are things that they regard on a regular basis, but instead whenever they have some request. A request that they very courteously couch in worship, of course.
This is a worship that seems to be entirely for the sake of appealing to their deities. Quite literally: "they made demands of cherished idols/at household shrines, with words of worship" ("hie geheton æt hærgtrafum/wigweorþunga, wordum bædon" (ll.175-76)).
In making this connection, the poet sets himself up for the very Christian address that follows. The Danes serve the soul-slaying one because their worship isn't of any deity, but ultimately their own desires and wants is what underpins his complaint. According to the poem's recorder (or poet?), this hip new Christian god, on the other hand, is something that requires worship in good times and in bad - with eternal rewards. And even if you're not too sure about this Christian god, then, well, Danes, you can see for yourselves in a few hundred lines that its power is greater than even Grendel's.
At the same time, the poet doesn't break out all the fire and brimstone when condemning the Danes' practices. He very clearly states that "they knew not the Measurer," ("metod hie ne cuþon" (l.180)). So the Danes aren't even aware of this Christian god that Beowulf is strangely always on about.
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"Love is all you need"
There are hundreds of thousands of words in English. Hundreds of thousands. But, there isn't a single word (so far as I know) that expresses the same thing as a certain word in Latin that is best translated as "in the bosom of." The Latin word (an adjective, I believe, which, unfortunately, escapes me) actually refers to keeping something in layer/piece of clothing that went over the chest - meaning that whatever it described is kept very close indeed.
Maybe it's the fifth grader in me, but "in the bosom of" just seems off the mark. There are connotations of motherly love in this term, true. The same concept is at play in the Latin term, but the Latin term transcends "in the bosom of" because its connotation is genderless and relies on a cultural commonality.
More than likely this lack on English's part is due to its difficulty in expressing several kinds of love. Sure we all have acquaintances, friends, lovers, platonic partners, significant others, and the like, but we don't really have too many words to describe the feeling between people in these various roles. "Love" is about the only one that comes up, though you would probably think it strange to hear someone say that they love an acquaintance (maybe even a friend, depending on the person speaking).
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Closing
Next week, we hear about how a certain Geat first heard of Hrothgar's woe.
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Translation
Recordings
Wants and Worship
"Love is all you need"
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
After going over the Danes' religious practices, the poem's recorder (poet?) gives them a stern talking to.
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Translation
"Meanwhile they made demands of cherished idols
at household shrines, with words of worship,
so that they sought help against their problems
from the soul-slaying fiend. Such was their way,
their heathenish hope; they concentrated on hell
in their hearts, they knew not the Measurer,
deeds of the Judge, they knew not almighty God
nor knew they of the praiseful protection of heaven,
glorious God. Woe betide them that shall
cast their soul into the flames' embrace when
embroiled in cruel enmity, cheer they never know,
never a person restored! Well be those that might
after their death day seek the Lord
and hope for the safety of God's grace."
(Beowulf ll.175-188)
Back To Top
Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
Wants and Worship
What's striking about the description of the Danes and their idols is the relationship that's presented. It doesn't seem that these idols are things that they regard on a regular basis, but instead whenever they have some request. A request that they very courteously couch in worship, of course.
This is a worship that seems to be entirely for the sake of appealing to their deities. Quite literally: "they made demands of cherished idols/at household shrines, with words of worship" ("hie geheton æt hærgtrafum/wigweorþunga, wordum bædon" (ll.175-76)).
In making this connection, the poet sets himself up for the very Christian address that follows. The Danes serve the soul-slaying one because their worship isn't of any deity, but ultimately their own desires and wants is what underpins his complaint. According to the poem's recorder (or poet?), this hip new Christian god, on the other hand, is something that requires worship in good times and in bad - with eternal rewards. And even if you're not too sure about this Christian god, then, well, Danes, you can see for yourselves in a few hundred lines that its power is greater than even Grendel's.
At the same time, the poet doesn't break out all the fire and brimstone when condemning the Danes' practices. He very clearly states that "they knew not the Measurer," ("metod hie ne cuþon" (l.180)). So the Danes aren't even aware of this Christian god that Beowulf is strangely always on about.
Back To Top
"Love is all you need"
There are hundreds of thousands of words in English. Hundreds of thousands. But, there isn't a single word (so far as I know) that expresses the same thing as a certain word in Latin that is best translated as "in the bosom of." The Latin word (an adjective, I believe, which, unfortunately, escapes me) actually refers to keeping something in layer/piece of clothing that went over the chest - meaning that whatever it described is kept very close indeed.
Maybe it's the fifth grader in me, but "in the bosom of" just seems off the mark. There are connotations of motherly love in this term, true. The same concept is at play in the Latin term, but the Latin term transcends "in the bosom of" because its connotation is genderless and relies on a cultural commonality.
More than likely this lack on English's part is due to its difficulty in expressing several kinds of love. Sure we all have acquaintances, friends, lovers, platonic partners, significant others, and the like, but we don't really have too many words to describe the feeling between people in these various roles. "Love" is about the only one that comes up, though you would probably think it strange to hear someone say that they love an acquaintance (maybe even a friend, depending on the person speaking).
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Closing
Next week, we hear about how a certain Geat first heard of Hrothgar's woe.
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Thursday, October 3, 2013
Words from the "gif-stol" (ll.164-174) [Old English]
Abstract
Translation
Recordings
All about the "gif-stol"
On 'secret' 'courage'
Closing
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Abstract
At long last we're given details about Grendel's grip on Heorot beyond a body count.
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Translation
"So the fiend trespassed deeply against humankind,
the horror of the lone-goer, oft cursed,
awful affliction; Heorot was lived in,
the richly adorned hall was his by gloomy night,
though he could not approach the throne,
the treasure to the Measurer, nor could he be known.
This did much to the misery of the Scyldings,
their hearts broken. Many oft sat
with the ruler to give counsel, esteemed advice,
things that the rash and the best were fixing
to do against the awful horror."
(Beowulf ll.164-174)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
All about the "gif-stol"
As the physically stronger party, Grendel claims physical control over Heorot, though the Danes retain legal ownership of it. But Grendel, even as a violent squatter, cannot approach "the throne" ("gif-stol" (l.168)).
The Old English word used here for "throne" can also mean "gift-seat." The difference between the two translations is minimal, but the reason for there being two in the first place is because "gif-stol" doesn't just refer to the throne as a place of power. It refers to the gift-giving role that any good ruler had to play, as well. The throne is the place from which a ruler would dispense gifts and favours.
It's entirely possible that the throne is set aside so that it can be the exclusive purvey of a ruler, imbuing him with a kind of positive, public solitude. It's a place in which a ruler could be guaranteed clearer thinking and judgement in the matter of gifts because it was the ruler's alone - no one else could enter that head (or cheek) space. Gifts were important in early medieval Europe, to the point where their being given and being received was closely watched. Who gave what to whom and vice versa mattered greatly to peoples' reputations and standing.
Grendel can't approach this gift-giving center, however.
In the text, the implication is that the throne is somehow dedicated to god. Building on the story that the scops had been singing in Heorot when times were still great, it seems that Grendel, as an accursed of god, can't approach the throne because it is simply not for him. In a gift-driven society in which gifts could end feuds (and start them), not being able to approach the throne would mean that Grendel is cut off from a major social function. Being so isolated from society at large shouldn't matter much to one who is already quite monstrous and thus excluded from society, and, really, it doesn't seem to. The mention of Grendel's not being able to approach this throne reads more like a detail added to show that there was hope yet. After all, Grendel "could not be known" ("ne his myne wisse" (l.169)).
I take this extra clause to mean that he could not be acknowledged by anyone in the throne (seated there, or to whom it had been dedicated), and therefore showing that Grendel was indeed cut off from society at large, reinforcing his isolation. It's interesting to note that there's no mention of Grendel's aggression in this passage. He rules the hall by night. After reading this passage, it almost seems that Grendel could be capering about it, revelling in being in a public, social space.
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On 'secret' 'courage'
Some curious words appear in the latter half of this passage.
First, on line 172, we have "counsel" or, in Old English: "rune." It's a neat philological fact that the Old English word for "mystery, secret, secrecy" is also the one for "counsel, consultation." It gives the sense that rulers were believed so wise and powerful not necessarily because they themselves were, but because their counsel - with whom they worked behind the scenes - helped them to be so. The dictates and gifts made from the throne, would, after all, be made by the ruler alone. Thus the power of many would appear to be the power of one in public.
One line later we run into the word that I've translated as "rash": "swiðferhðum." This word pulls triple duty as far as Modern English translators are concerned, since it can mean "bold," "brave," or "rash." In the context of the survivors giving Hrothgar advice about what to do with Grendel, "rash" is the best fit because it definitely reflects the attitude and outlook of some of his counsellors, as well as their advice.
The "and" between "rash" and "best" is my own insertion. I added it to distinguish between the "rash" and the "best" who are giving Hrothgar advice.
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Closing
Next week, we learn more about the measures that the Danes have taken to ward off Grendel.
Back To Top
Translation
Recordings
All about the "gif-stol"
On 'secret' 'courage'
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
At long last we're given details about Grendel's grip on Heorot beyond a body count.
Back To Top
Translation
"So the fiend trespassed deeply against humankind,
the horror of the lone-goer, oft cursed,
awful affliction; Heorot was lived in,
the richly adorned hall was his by gloomy night,
though he could not approach the throne,
the treasure to the Measurer, nor could he be known.
This did much to the misery of the Scyldings,
their hearts broken. Many oft sat
with the ruler to give counsel, esteemed advice,
things that the rash and the best were fixing
to do against the awful horror."
(Beowulf ll.164-174)
Back To Top
Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
All about the "gif-stol"
As the physically stronger party, Grendel claims physical control over Heorot, though the Danes retain legal ownership of it. But Grendel, even as a violent squatter, cannot approach "the throne" ("gif-stol" (l.168)).
The Old English word used here for "throne" can also mean "gift-seat." The difference between the two translations is minimal, but the reason for there being two in the first place is because "gif-stol" doesn't just refer to the throne as a place of power. It refers to the gift-giving role that any good ruler had to play, as well. The throne is the place from which a ruler would dispense gifts and favours.
It's entirely possible that the throne is set aside so that it can be the exclusive purvey of a ruler, imbuing him with a kind of positive, public solitude. It's a place in which a ruler could be guaranteed clearer thinking and judgement in the matter of gifts because it was the ruler's alone - no one else could enter that head (or cheek) space. Gifts were important in early medieval Europe, to the point where their being given and being received was closely watched. Who gave what to whom and vice versa mattered greatly to peoples' reputations and standing.
Grendel can't approach this gift-giving center, however.
In the text, the implication is that the throne is somehow dedicated to god. Building on the story that the scops had been singing in Heorot when times were still great, it seems that Grendel, as an accursed of god, can't approach the throne because it is simply not for him. In a gift-driven society in which gifts could end feuds (and start them), not being able to approach the throne would mean that Grendel is cut off from a major social function. Being so isolated from society at large shouldn't matter much to one who is already quite monstrous and thus excluded from society, and, really, it doesn't seem to. The mention of Grendel's not being able to approach this throne reads more like a detail added to show that there was hope yet. After all, Grendel "could not be known" ("ne his myne wisse" (l.169)).
I take this extra clause to mean that he could not be acknowledged by anyone in the throne (seated there, or to whom it had been dedicated), and therefore showing that Grendel was indeed cut off from society at large, reinforcing his isolation. It's interesting to note that there's no mention of Grendel's aggression in this passage. He rules the hall by night. After reading this passage, it almost seems that Grendel could be capering about it, revelling in being in a public, social space.
Back To Top
On 'secret' 'courage'
Some curious words appear in the latter half of this passage.
First, on line 172, we have "counsel" or, in Old English: "rune." It's a neat philological fact that the Old English word for "mystery, secret, secrecy" is also the one for "counsel, consultation." It gives the sense that rulers were believed so wise and powerful not necessarily because they themselves were, but because their counsel - with whom they worked behind the scenes - helped them to be so. The dictates and gifts made from the throne, would, after all, be made by the ruler alone. Thus the power of many would appear to be the power of one in public.
One line later we run into the word that I've translated as "rash": "swiðferhðum." This word pulls triple duty as far as Modern English translators are concerned, since it can mean "bold," "brave," or "rash." In the context of the survivors giving Hrothgar advice about what to do with Grendel, "rash" is the best fit because it definitely reflects the attitude and outlook of some of his counsellors, as well as their advice.
The "and" between "rash" and "best" is my own insertion. I added it to distinguish between the "rash" and the "best" who are giving Hrothgar advice.
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Closing
Next week, we learn more about the measures that the Danes have taken to ward off Grendel.
Back To Top
Friday, September 27, 2013
Desperate Danes, Poetic License (ll.146b-163) [Old English]
Abstract
Translation
Recordings
More feuding, less sin
Grendel kin
Closing
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Abstract
Grendel's rule over Heorot becomes news of the world, and the Danes' plight becomes well known.
Back To Top
Translation
"It was so for some time,
Twelve winters of anger the friends of Scyld suffered,
each became accustomed to such hardship,
rougher sorrow; because of that they became speakers,
sons of the age, knowledge of them was unhidden,
those troubled deeds of old, that Grendel lashed
out against Hrothgar for a long time, the hateful
monster's way, years full of failures and feuding,
a perpetual siege. That kin would not treat
with any man of the Danes for even the shortest time,
deadly evil from afar, as few did hope,
nor were there any who believed that his
hand could be stayed with a bright death price;
the fierce enemy was, after all, the pursuer,
a dark death shadow over the veterans and youths,
those who tarried and planned, night upon night
he held the misty moors, men never knew
whither the fiendish monster rapidly went."
(Beowulf ll.146b-163)
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Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
More feuding, less sin
Once more we're faced with the classic phrase: "fyrene ond fæhðe " (l.153). However, I took a bit of a liberty in its translation. Rather than go with a usual English word for "fyrene" like "transgression," or "sin," I went with "failure." This word rings true here because the phrase is used as a blanket term for the Danes' relationship with Grendel over the twelve years of his terror. Pairing "failure" and "feud" reflects this relationship pretty much perfectly.
Why?
Because those twelve years are definitely twelve years of fueding. The Danes and Grendel exchange blows (though in a rather one sided way) because of some initial offense for all twelve of those winters. At the same time, the Danes attempt to end this feud in the ways that they're used to doing so. Ways such as trying to parlay with him (l.154-155), and paying "a bright death price" ("beorhtre bote" (l.158)). Why Grendel should be paid off with a "death price" remains unanswered, though it implies that the Danes may have killed one of his at some earlier point. Or, it could be a sign that the Danes were simply trying everything and anything.
Of course, none of the tactics that the Danes under Hrothgar try succeed. So, in their feud with Grendel, they fail.
The Danes fail to understand what it is that has turned Grendel on them, and, maybe, they fail to understand that Grendel isn't just monstrous in appearance, but also in his nature. Grendel can't be dealt with in the same way that some other human clan or group could be dealt with.
Thus, translating "fyrene and faedthe" as "failure and feuding" describes perfectly the Danes experience over their terrible twelve years. The phrase also gels well with the idea of a "perpetual siege" ("singale sæce" (l.154)), since both are terribly one sided conflicts in one way or another. Plus, it alliterates much more smoothly than "sin and feuding" or "transgression and hostility."
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Grendel kin
Getting back to the Danes' trying to pay Grendel off to end the feud, the latter half of this extract suggests that there's a bit more to this attempt. Particularly in line 159, where Grendel is called "the pursuer" ("ehtende" (the past tense of the verb "ehtan" ("to pursue"), but I have translated it as a noun)).
Referring to Grendel in such a way suggests that the payment the Danes tried to make to him wasn't so much to repay Grendel for some past wrong they had done to him. Instead, it seems that the Danes are trying to pay Grendel to stop him from killing their own. How exactly this is supposed to work doesn't make clear sense. After all, it's a bit too much of an appeal to whatever humanity Grendel may share with the Danes. It's enough to give you a strong sense that Grendel's not just monstrous because of his appearance and actions, but because he is completely outside of the usual civil way that people in Beowulf's world interact.
The Danes' trying to pay Grendel to stop his killings could also be because of a misunderstanding on their part. However, I don't think that's entirely the case. The poet's reference to Grendel as "that kin" ("sibbe" (l.154)) implies that he was regarded as some distant relation of the Danes. Maybe this is a nod back to the scop's noting that the monsters are the kin of Cain. From there, the Danes could surmise that Grendel, a monster, is related to Cain, the son of Adam, the father of humanity, and thus (distantly) related to them.
On a more meta level, the reference to monsters being the kin of Cain and the poet's referring to Grendel as "the kin" here could be the Beowulf poet/scribe's own commentary on the power and influence of stories (or the gullibility of people in the past). Perhaps Grendel has no relation to the Dane's whatsoever, and they are only trying all that they are and loosely referring to him as "kin" because the scop's history of the world told them such was so.
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Closing
Next week, we'll hear more about Grendel's attacks and the Danes' responses.
Back To Top
Translation
Recordings
More feuding, less sin
Grendel kin
Closing
Back To Top
Abstract
Grendel's rule over Heorot becomes news of the world, and the Danes' plight becomes well known.
Back To Top
Translation
"It was so for some time,
Twelve winters of anger the friends of Scyld suffered,
each became accustomed to such hardship,
rougher sorrow; because of that they became speakers,
sons of the age, knowledge of them was unhidden,
those troubled deeds of old, that Grendel lashed
out against Hrothgar for a long time, the hateful
monster's way, years full of failures and feuding,
a perpetual siege. That kin would not treat
with any man of the Danes for even the shortest time,
deadly evil from afar, as few did hope,
nor were there any who believed that his
hand could be stayed with a bright death price;
the fierce enemy was, after all, the pursuer,
a dark death shadow over the veterans and youths,
those who tarried and planned, night upon night
he held the misty moors, men never knew
whither the fiendish monster rapidly went."
(Beowulf ll.146b-163)
Back To Top
Recordings
Old English:
{Forthcoming}
Modern English:
{Forthcoming}
Back To Top
More feuding, less sin
Once more we're faced with the classic phrase: "fyrene ond fæhðe " (l.153). However, I took a bit of a liberty in its translation. Rather than go with a usual English word for "fyrene" like "transgression," or "sin," I went with "failure." This word rings true here because the phrase is used as a blanket term for the Danes' relationship with Grendel over the twelve years of his terror. Pairing "failure" and "feud" reflects this relationship pretty much perfectly.
Why?
Because those twelve years are definitely twelve years of fueding. The Danes and Grendel exchange blows (though in a rather one sided way) because of some initial offense for all twelve of those winters. At the same time, the Danes attempt to end this feud in the ways that they're used to doing so. Ways such as trying to parlay with him (l.154-155), and paying "a bright death price" ("beorhtre bote" (l.158)). Why Grendel should be paid off with a "death price" remains unanswered, though it implies that the Danes may have killed one of his at some earlier point. Or, it could be a sign that the Danes were simply trying everything and anything.
Of course, none of the tactics that the Danes under Hrothgar try succeed. So, in their feud with Grendel, they fail.
The Danes fail to understand what it is that has turned Grendel on them, and, maybe, they fail to understand that Grendel isn't just monstrous in appearance, but also in his nature. Grendel can't be dealt with in the same way that some other human clan or group could be dealt with.
Thus, translating "fyrene and faedthe" as "failure and feuding" describes perfectly the Danes experience over their terrible twelve years. The phrase also gels well with the idea of a "perpetual siege" ("singale sæce" (l.154)), since both are terribly one sided conflicts in one way or another. Plus, it alliterates much more smoothly than "sin and feuding" or "transgression and hostility."
Back To Top
Grendel kin
Getting back to the Danes' trying to pay Grendel off to end the feud, the latter half of this extract suggests that there's a bit more to this attempt. Particularly in line 159, where Grendel is called "the pursuer" ("ehtende" (the past tense of the verb "ehtan" ("to pursue"), but I have translated it as a noun)).
Referring to Grendel in such a way suggests that the payment the Danes tried to make to him wasn't so much to repay Grendel for some past wrong they had done to him. Instead, it seems that the Danes are trying to pay Grendel to stop him from killing their own. How exactly this is supposed to work doesn't make clear sense. After all, it's a bit too much of an appeal to whatever humanity Grendel may share with the Danes. It's enough to give you a strong sense that Grendel's not just monstrous because of his appearance and actions, but because he is completely outside of the usual civil way that people in Beowulf's world interact.
The Danes' trying to pay Grendel to stop his killings could also be because of a misunderstanding on their part. However, I don't think that's entirely the case. The poet's reference to Grendel as "that kin" ("sibbe" (l.154)) implies that he was regarded as some distant relation of the Danes. Maybe this is a nod back to the scop's noting that the monsters are the kin of Cain. From there, the Danes could surmise that Grendel, a monster, is related to Cain, the son of Adam, the father of humanity, and thus (distantly) related to them.
On a more meta level, the reference to monsters being the kin of Cain and the poet's referring to Grendel as "the kin" here could be the Beowulf poet/scribe's own commentary on the power and influence of stories (or the gullibility of people in the past). Perhaps Grendel has no relation to the Dane's whatsoever, and they are only trying all that they are and loosely referring to him as "kin" because the scop's history of the world told them such was so.
Back To Top
Closing
Next week, we'll hear more about Grendel's attacks and the Danes' responses.
Back To Top
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