Extra Reading Diary: Beowulf

Beowulf and Wiglaf

• Beowulf is the son of Ecgtheow and nephew of Hygelac.
• Nicknamed “the Silent”
• “he has the strength in his arms and legs of thirty men."
• Though Beowulf is a Geat, huge chunks of the story take place outside of Geatsand.
• Heorot is the drinking hall in Daneland
• Unferth does not offer to fight Grendel.  (Beowulf is more valiant that Unferth)
• “he would seek out this monster Grendel and slay him — yes! Slay him with bare hands” This preference for weaponless fighting persists throughout the story.
• “But I charge you, Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, earl of the Geats, and my own nephew, return not to these halls if you should fail in your attempt” Seems a bit harsh.  He was the only one to even offer to slay Grendel.
• The story seems to point out age a lot
• Hygd, his aunt by marriage, seems fond of him
• 7 days of preparations and 14 men
• His aunt and uncle gave him a gold collar? What?  Necklace?
• “There were sea-lions of shaggy mane and bird-like fish with horny claws.”  And sea-serpents.
• “But they came at length to the coast of Daneland, and the sea boiled white between them and the land, and the land itself was scarred and pitted with a thousand narrow inlets, which were treacherous to seafarers unfamiliar with them. The forests that clung to the shore line were half hidden in gray mists that moved and twisted like smoke about the trees.”  Sounds violent, harsh, and darkly mysterious.
• “Prince of Weders” Weders?
• Ecgtheow and Hrothgar were friends/war-brothers.
• Wealhtheow is the queen of the Danes
• Seems like all heroes are moody. (Beowulf and Unferth)