Tuesday, February 2

Beowulf, pp. 43-56

Tolkien and Chance

Thoughts on genealogy and lineage in the first reading:

"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among people everywhere." (25)

Defined in the prologue as ferocity and largesse.

From the prologue onwards we see how much genealogy, specifically patrilineage, is intertwined with identity. In a culture shaped by oral transmission, the very essence of identity is determined by what one's father, or father's father had done or failed to do.

The Spear-Danes (Shieldings): Shield-Beow-Halfdan-Hrothgar

Shield's Virtues:

Wrecker of mead-benches (5) / (See Grendel!! What's the difference?)

victory in battle, measured by tribute (11)

Shield was a foundling!! (7) So social mobility is possible through prowess in battle. (See Bjarki in HK: the chance to strike out on one's own)

Shield's funeral rites: the role of treasure (35-41)

Wonderfully weird connection between exile (being cast out as a foundling) and funeral rites (being cast out as a corpse) (42-5)

The possibility of salvage: The ship does not appear to have been set afire.

The king dies, the treasure lieves on, moves beyond knowledge and wisdom (Knowledge determined in oral culture by what can be told.)

Beow's virtues:

Note the differing roles for father and son! As a young king's son, Beow is praised for "prudence," in largesse, for warriors he will need later!! That is, being generous enough to win the loyalty of Shield's clan and warriors (21). Modernity would see this in monetary terms: In A-S culture, much more complex.

The length of Beow's reign also celebrated: implied that this is rare.

Halfdane's virtues:

Whom he fathered: it works both ways. You can be undistinguished or at least fail to break taboos (such as fratricide), but your son's prowess can elevate your name.

Note the horizontal genealogy of siblings and the fact that the daughter is not named, but her ability in bed defines her. Part of peace-weaving: bedwarming.

Hrothgar's name determined by victory in battle, the size of his armies (how many warriors he can attract: tension between kin-ties and warrior-mobility.

Think of how Beowulf is able to embark on a quest in response to the stories of Grendel.

The Mead-Hall as monument (forever) (70).

Virtues: largesse to young and old, e.g. all

Justice: his utterance is law.

The gathering of workmanship (treasure) from around the world.

The Germanic trope of foreshadowing: the splendor of Heorot just means it will burn better when the time comes (82).

Compare this cultural value of genealogy to other situations

1) the genealogy of Beowulf (260-275)

2) the genealogy of treasure

the 4 treasures (1020)

the hilt (1677)

3) The genealogy of obligation (455)

Counterexample: The genealogy of Cain: (Grendel / Grendel's mom)