Character Values within Beowulf

1. Character Values within Beowulf An analysis of why the characters do what they do, and how this interplays with the Christian and Pagan dialogue of the text.

2. Critics on Beowulf: Like Evans, many critics have explored the Christian aspects of the poem, particularly the juxtaposition of Christian and pagan elements. Larry D. Benson notes that although some critics appear certain that Beowulf is the work of a Christian author, rather than a pagan work later modified by a Christian scribe, the question is far from settled. The pagan elements of the poem, including Beowulf's funeral ship, the observance of omens, and the practice of cremation, seem to create an inconsistent tone in the poem. Benson maintains that this apparent contradiction stems from modern assumptions about the poet's attitude toward paganism. The Christian Englishmen of the time, assures Benson, viewed the Germanic pagan with interest, and the sympathetic treatment of the pagan values in Beowulf provides a framework that allowed the Christian to admire the pagan. Likewise, Stanley B. Greenfield suggests that the Christian author of Beowulf viewed the poem's heroic world with kindness and sympathy and even lauded the ethical and social values of that world. Greenfield feels that Beowulf and his world are presented as flawed in an effort to humanize them and elicit a more emotional response from the audience.

3. Margaret E. Goldsmith takes a different approach in explaining the coexistence of Christian and pagan symbols in the poem, contending that the poet was cognizant of the ambivalence of the symbolism used, especially Heorot and the treasure. The great hall and the treasure seem to embody grandeur and wealth, the hero's reward, while to the Christian audience they exemplify man's pride and are to be viewed as costly and worthless. Bernard Felix Huppé similarly emphasizes the poem's Christian message, maintaining that Beowulf may have been used as a Christian apologetic, highlighting the error of English ancestral ways.

4. Historical Context: 10th Century Christianity

5. Tenth Century Christianity “Monastically-oriented texts are, by definition, the writings of an elite about an elite. Those practicing the ‘perfect life’ are very few, yet their influence is great, or, more accurately, make to be great by the opinion-makers. These were the proponents of monastic spirituality, whose writings exercised an influence on the clergy concerned with a verbal translation of Christianity to a wider public, as well as on the artists who created objects that could convey specific meanings to the monk, cleric and lay person.” A Monastic System:

6. Christian Values: "O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low," ll. 1758- "I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning," ll. 2514 Pagan Values

7. Quick Summary: 10th Cent. Christianity was monastic, and the preserved texts reflect monastic values Time of reconciliation between belief systems Both pagan and Christian values within the texts

8. Wealth, Possessions, and Worldly Goods: What do we do with it?

9. Funerals:(Religious Practices) "They stretched their beloved lord in his boat,laid out by the mast, amidships,the great ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures were piled upon him, and precious gear.I never heard before of a ship so well furbished with battle tackle, bladed weapons and coats of mail. The massed treasure was loaded on top of him: it would travel far on out into the ocean's sway." (ln34-42) Here at Shield's burial, his treasure is adorned on his ship shamelessly as a testament to his greatness. He is given the title "the great ring-giver," which is a mark of his greatness as a ruler. The manner of funeral suggests an afterlife for Shield (like Professor Hall said). Here the treasure serves as a reminder of his generosity and greatness. Though in the end his treasure is destroyed with his body, the destruction is much different than in the occurence of Beowulf's funeral; the implications of which suggest a different end for Beowulf (and, by extension, paganism).

10. Power: "They marched in step, hurrying on till the timbered hall rose before them, radiant with gold. Nobody on earth knew of another building like it. Majesty lodged there, its light shone over many lands. (ln 306-311)" I chose this quote because it embodies the Anglo-Saxon, Nordic obsession with wealth. The gold adorned Heorot is built for everyone everywhere to see. Wealth symbolized power: hence the flaunting. Furthermore, "its light shone over many lands," resembles the New Testament passage of “let your light so shine” (Matthew 5:16, KJV), reminding us of the textual dialogue between Christianity and Paganism. Where Christianity teaches that a person’s value is found in their works and virtues – the light that shines on the hill – the author’s juxtaposition suggests that Pagan values are found in material posessions and their proud egotistical culture. Remembere, here, that all of their wealth is eventually destroyed – funeral ships, funeral pyres, and the house both by the fights with Grendell and Grendell’s Mum and a later fire. Beowulf’s home, in his old age, is burned by the dragon – a hoarder of treasure.

11. A Measure of Your Life: "The old lord gazed sadly at the gold. 'To the everlasting Lord of All,to the King of Glory, I give thanks that I behold this treasure here in front of me, that I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die." (2793-2798) This is from after Beowulf defeated the dragon and was lamenting his fate. Here we can see the conflict in Beowulf between his pride and his desire to be a good, generous ruler. Beowulf is sad because he realizes he is going to die and he can't enjoy his wealth but is happy because his people will be provided for. However almost all of the gold is destroyed and buried with Beowulf because it is viewed as cursed.

12. And other thoughts…. "And they buried torques in the barrow, and jewels and a trove of such things as trespassing men had once dared to drag from the hoard.They let the ground keep that ancestral treasure, gold under gravel, gone to earth, as useless to men now as it ever was." (3163-3168) After Beowulf's funeral pyre, he is buried on the tallest cliff for all the ships passing by to see in a similar fashion as Heorot was built. Contrasted with Shield's funeral, Beowulf's is very final stressing that Beowulf's lifestyle brought him nothing in the end. The poet also stresses this by this quote by explaining how useless gold is to men, especially when compared to eternal rewards. "The Geat captain saw treasure in abundance but carried no spoils from those quarters except for the head and the inlaid hilt embossed with jewels;...Then away he swam, the one who had survived the fall of his enemies, flailing to the surface." Lines 1612-1619 After Beowulf defeats Grendel's mother, he leaves the other treasure, only taking proof of his victory. "Inspired again by the thought of glory, the war-king threw his whole strength behind a sword stroke and connected with the skull. And Naegling snapped. Beowulf's ancient iron-gray sword let him down in the fight." Lines 2678-2682 Beowulf's trust in his weapon is misplaced. "Go now quickly, dearest Wiglaf, under the gray stone where the dragon is laid out, lost to his treasure; hurry to feast your eyes on the hoard. Away you go: I want to examine that ancient gold, gaze my fill on those garnered jewels; my going will be easier for having seen the treasure, a less troubled letting-go of the life and lordship I have long maintained." Lines 2743-2751 After lamenting the fact that he has no heir, he says he did his best. Then asks for the gold.

13. ... "How easily treasure buried in the ground, gold hidden however skillfully, can escape from any man!" Lines 2764-2766 List of the treasures that the dragon collected...so easily lost by men. "The treasure had been won, bought and paid for by Beowulf's death." Lines 2842-2843 Self-explanatory. Lines 3038-3075 Cursed gold...humans get nothing, and dragon is buried with its treasure. Beowulf declared "unselfish" at the end of it. "One warrior stripped the other, looted Ongentheow's iron mail-coat, his hard sword-hilt, his helmet too, and carried the graith to King Hygelac, he accepted the prize, promised fairly that reward would come, and kept his word...So this bad blood between us and the Swedes, this vicious feud, I am convinced, is bound to revive." Lines 2985-3001 Part of the reason they had a feud with the Swedes was because of the looting going on.

14. This paper (Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics) is regarded as a formative work in modern Beowulf studies. In this talk, Tolkien speaks against critics who play down the fantastic elements of the poem (such as Grendel and the dragon) in favour of using Beowulf solely as a source for Anglo-Saxon history. Tolkien argues that rather than being merely extraneous, these elements are key to the narrative and should be the focus of study. In doing so he drew attention to the previously neglected literary qualities of the poem and argued that it should be studied as a work of art, not just as a historical document. Later critics who agreed with Tolkien on this point have routinely cited him to defend their arguments. The paper remains a common source for students and scholars studying Beowulf and was praised by Seamus Heaney in the introduction to his translation of the poem.

15. Questions: What role do the monsters play in connection with the "things" (worldly goods, weapons/armor, glory)? • What do you think the poet is saying about worldly goods and Beowulf? Is there a time when "things" are seen as good and worthy goals?

16. Readings of Beowulf: What it sounds like. The Battle between Beowulf and Grendell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooj25_j3k1E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3iK7T5kx_c This is a link of Seamus Heaney reading his translation of Beowulf... Video of an action-y scene in Beowulf (in Old English; same Swedish storyteller we saw in class). Pay attention to his expressions and tone of voice as he goes through the battle between Grendell and Beowulf; remember that this would have been performed for a pagan audience. There is clearly value placed on violence and battle.

17. Sources: Videos: "Beowulf - Battle " YouTube. Entertainment One U.S., 26 October 2007. Web. 12 September 2012. Critics: Text Quotations: Contextual Information: Herren, Michael W & Brown, Shirley Ann. Christ in Celtic Christianity: Britain and Ireland from the fifth to the tenth century. Rochester, NY: The Boydell Press, 2002. Internet. Tolkien site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf:_The_Monsters_and_the_Critics enotes site: http://www.enotes.com/beowulf-criticism/beowulf

18. Interesting Reading (not required, but interesting). England in the Ninth Century: The Crucible of Defeat N. P. Brooks Transactions of the Royal Historical Society Fifth Series, Vol. 29, (1979), pp. 1-20 Published by: Royal Historical Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3679110 A study of the history surrounding Beowulf - the wars and such.

19. Conclusions: Wealth plays an active role in the dialogue between Christianity and Paganism. Wealth is generally associated with temporary and/or pagan values. Therefore: The author is condemning of the final outcome of material wealth and values, and more sympathetic to the Christian belief system. He’s probably a Christian.