English 211 Beowulf Digressions

1. Good king versus bad king (pp. 45-46)

Sigemund, the dragon slayer, fought giants; Heremod is a bad king introduced here as the opposite of a good king who is represented by Sigemund. The point of Heremod's story is that bad kings can be replaced and that change is the nature of life. Heremod is good at the beginning, but he becomes a bad king. On page 64, lines 1709-22, is another reference to Heremod.

page 64: Heremod as example of a bad king (lines 1709-22)

2. Divided loyalties or flaws in the Old Heroic Code of Vengeance (pp. 49-53)

Finnsburg Episode: Hildeburh (a Dane) is married to Finn (king of the Jutes or of Friesland/ hence Jutes are also called Friscans; the footnote says Jutes may have been a "sub-tribe" to Friscans; the tribal connection is unclear) in an attempt to make peace between two warring tribes. Hildeburh's father or brother depending on the translation (your text says brother), named Hnaef, visits. A fight breaks out that causes Hnaef's death and Hildeburh's son's death. Hildeburh's other brother Hengest also came to visit and has to stay during the winter after this fight because the weather makes it impossible for him to return home. After the fight that resulted in the deaths of Hildeburh's brother and child, an attempt is made at a truce. However, by spring, Hengest kills Finn as recompense for his brother's death (blood vengeance code) and takes Hildeburh home to Denmark. What does this say about the role of women or of changes to the old vengeance code? Why does the vengeance code retain such a hold on people's actions?

3. Good queen versus bad queen (pp. 68-69)

Like the tale of Heremod, the point of this story is that people change, but it has the opposite moral to the tale of Heremod. Here the queen, Modthryth, improves and becomes a good queen, whereas Heremod was a good king who became a bad king. This tale is told when Beowulf returns home and gives his treasure from Hrothgar to his uncle who is also his king, Hygelac. The tale is supposed to flatter Hygelac's wife, Hygd, who is seen as a good queen.

Offa is the only connection to England in this story (see footnote). He is the king who turned Modthryth into a "good woman" or queen. What does this story say about the role of women? What do "good" women do?

4. On pages 70-71 (lines 2029-69) is a digression about the future. Beowulf says that Ingeld, a Heatho-Bard, will marry Hrothgar's daughter, Freawaru, in an effort to make peace between two warring tribes, Danes and HeathoBards. However, war will eventually break out among the old enemies. This is similar to the Finnsburg episode, an episode from the past. (Theme that all things change and war and enemies tend to rise up despite human attempts at peace).

5. "Lay of the Last Survivor" (pp. 75-76) VERY important digression

The point of this story told by the last member of some tribe or whole civilization is that often people have the wrong values. Amassing possessions or materialism is a wrong value. Nothing that is important really lasts, although gold may exist forever. This reinforces the theme that change is the nature of life and all people die. It also foreshadows what happens to Beowulf as he leaves Wiglaf as the "last survivor" of the Geats. It foreshadows that Beowulf chooses the wrong value at the end of his life. This story also condemns the Old Heroic Code's insistence on blood vengeance as the speaker points out that we all fought until there was no one left but me.

6. Friscan Campaign (pp. 77-78) and Background on Beowulf's family (79-80)

This digression gives background on Beowulf and points out that a good leader can be a person of unfavorable birth who rises to greatness. (Beowulf's dad put the family in disgrace due to his killing someone and then having to be "saved" by having Hrothgar pay the wergild for him. This shame of the father tainted the son, except that Hygelac, Beowulf's uncle, took him in and reared him with Hygelac's own sons. From this ignoble beginning, Beowulf became a great king; thus, values and actions are more important than birth. Also, this episode exemplifies Beowulf's loyalty, humility, and service. Hygelac, Beowulf's uncle and king (son of Hrethel) is killed in battle. Heardred inherits the rule of Hygelac's kingdom but is eventually killed in battle by people from the tribe whom his father had defeated, the Swedes (p. 78). When Herdred dies, Beowulf reluctantly accepts the position of king and restores the might of the Geats when he defeats the Swedes.

Note: Hygelac is a historically verifiable character; he appears in a 10th C. manuscript as King Hunglacus, a Geat noted for his size. He was killed in a battle with Frisians about 512 A.D.