So, I started reading Beowulf, and let me just say that I'm already confused!! I know this is trnaslated but it's still kind of hard to comprehend at times, at least for me. Basically, it's the characters that are confusing me.
So this Shield Sheafson guy is the ruler right? Is he good or bad? It says that he was a "wreaker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes" (Heaney 3). First of all, I don't know what mead-benches are so I can't really tell whether that's a good thing or a bad thing! But then at the end of the stanza it says, "that was one good king" (Heaney 3). Confusing much! And ok, is Beow the same as Beowulf? If so, then is Beowulf Shield's son? Ok and on page five it says, "Shield was still thriving when his time came" (Heaney 5). Does that mean he died? If he did die, how did he die? They talk alot about 'gear' and 'weapons', who are they fighting against and what for? Are they just the fighting kind of people? I read that on the Anglo-Saxon website that they were constantly defending their kins, so did these people just attack other tribes randomly? That's kind of wierd!
So ok, going over this is kind of helping me. I think Shield did die and Beowulf has to now protect his tribes because his father died. I hope i'm right! Now, it starts talking about these people with names starting with H's. This is where I got confused. It says on the side note, "Shield's heirs: son Beow succeeded by Halfdane, Halfdane by Hrothgar" (Heaney 7). So maybe Beow is not the same thing as Beowulf???
Then, it starts talking about Grendel. Is Grendel a person or a monstrous beast? And why does Grendel do bad? Does he just feel like it? I think it's confusing how the story starts kind of in the middle of things, leaving a confused reader! Who is the king during the time that Grendel started attacking all these people? Oh yeah, and is Dane a type of person? Like a social class or something?? If Halfdane? And is Heorot a place? Where is it? Greatland?
Then there's this Hygelac guy and it says that, "there was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth" (Heaney 15). So is he going to help fend off Grendel? If so, why did the Danish coastguard question him when he arrived at their kingdom? Wouldn't he have known that they were coming?
Anyways, that was just a rambling of all my questions so far in this book. Other than all these questions, I think it's going to be a really good book; it sounds really intense! I hope Mrs. Clinch or any of you guys can help me with my questions in class!
Works Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000.
5 comments:
Haha I can totally relate Lindsay. It's very hard to differentiate all of the characters that are mentioned in Beowulf. I think that maybe a little more description is necessary in order to understand the characters a little better. That might be a little hard to do in a poem though. Also, i think that the reason it is hard to distinguish Grendel's character is because whoever wrote the book wanted the reader's mind to create the darkest image possible. For instance some people might not think that a vampire is scary so the author let the reader interpret the evilness inside Grendel. Good stuff though Lindsay.
Yeah i think you're totally right. It would be hard to explain all that in a poem and keep up with the meter and things like that. And I can see what you're talking about how they wanted to make you see grendel the way you see evil. Plus this was written so long ago but who knows, so it excusable haha.
I can definitely understand your trouble with Grendel. I am so confused on him- but I agree with Kevin. I think Grendel's mysteriousness is what makes him scary.
And what's up with all the "H" names? It's so hard to keep track.
haha lindsay this is exactly what is going on in my head as well.
i just can't seem to get anything straight. and the h's are incredibly confusing. i'm not sure if i truely know the difference between the cities and the people's names. or monsters names... are these people people? or super human type of people?
Hahaha Justine I know! I'm getting to the point where I'm skimmg over them because I don't think I'll ever get them straight. (Hopefully Mrs. Clinch doesn't see this).
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