The Beowulf-Poet’s Vision of Heorot by Karl P. Wentersdorf explains the story of Beowulf through a historical lens based on the architecture of Heorot- which is Hrothgar, ruler of the Danes’ meeting hall. He relates it to ancient architecture including the Romans, “traditional Germanic royal halls,” and also includes buildings written in Anglo Saxon literature (Wentersdorf). Wentersdorf gives a good description of what Heorot would have looked like and how close to reality it was.
During this time in history buildings were constructed using massive pieces of timber. Roofs were “supported by rows of wooden pillars” this making the architecture of Heorot able to withstand almost anything (Wentersdorf). In Beowulf during the fight with Grendel
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They said that Heorot was a very impressive building with its size and how it shone with gold. However “there is no archeological evidence for the existence of gold-plated buildings in the ancient Germanic world, continental or Anglo-Saxon” therefore the storyteller was trying to make a point explaining the building in that way (Wentersdorf). Some of the ways they described Heorot related to other international folklore of the time. In a lot of the stories the buildings had gold roofs. Although all these stories have this kind of roof in common, it does not make it any closer to being a true factor of buildings during this time. Nonetheless “no indisputable evidence survives for the existence of golden-roofed building in later Anglo-Saxon England” therefore it most likely was something that helped with imagery in Beowulf (Wentersdorf). This story mentions gold a lot “almost sixty times” once Beowulf kills Grendel and his mother, king Hrothgar offered him “rich gifts” and when Beowulf returned home and killed the dragon with help of young Wiglaf several years later there were “lengthy descriptions of the incalculable treasures the hero has now won” however the battle with the dragon ended in the death of Beowulf
to land he managed to kill nine sea monsters with his bare hands and still
Garner, Loei A. "Returning to Heorot: Beowulf 's Famed Hall and Its Modern Incarnations." Parergon 27.2 (2010): 157-81. Gale Acedemic One File. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. .
The Anglo-Saxons were a people who lived in and ruled England from the fifth century AD until the Norman Conquest. They were a people who valued courage and leadership. They lived under kings who were "keepers of gold" and were guarded by their loyal thanes (knights). They were a Pagan culture until the Normandy conquistadors came. They believed in fate and believed the only way to live forever was if you had fame. In the Anglo-Saxon book, Beowulf, there was a combination of many different people. The characters in Beowulf are defined by their status. Their status was in form of their fame and accomplishments. Beowulf was a very famous warrior, who sails to the Danes to kill a monster who is murdering their people. Beowulf kills Grendal, Grendal's mother and a dragon throughout the entirety of the story. Every time he receives more fame and more glory. Beowulf became a king. He was a great king who received honor and loyalty from his men. Although, during the fight with the dragon Beowulf's men run away and as a result Beowulf dies. The book claims that Beowulf had fate against him in his last battle against the dragon, but also says that Beowulf had Christian morals. By having two conflicting religions (paganism and Christianity) it makes the story more interesting. This book is composed of four main characteristics: fame, kingship, fate, and God, which play very important roles throughout the book.
Beowulf begins with a history of the Danish kings. Hrothgar is the present king of the Danes. He builds a hall, called Heorot, to house his army. The Danish soldiers gather under its roof to celebrate and have fellowship with each other. Grendel, who lives at the bottom of a nearby swamp, is awakened and disgusted by the singing of Hrothgar's men. He comes to the hall late one night and kills thirty of the warriors in their sleep. For the next twelve years Grendel stalks the mead hall known as Heorot.
high From the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster's Arm, claw and
Anticipation of catastrophe, doom, gloom are present in Beowulf rom beginning to end, even in the better half of the poem, Part I. Perhaps this is part of what makes it an elegy – the repeated injection of sorrow and lamentation into every episode.
Every culture has many stories and poems to represent what they believe in, and what they look for in a hero. The heroes written in these stories and myths are brave, and are leaders. However, every hero comes with a flaw or two. The epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, has an extraordinary hero named Beowulf. Beowulf was a hero to the Anglo-Saxons which were fierce warriors who fought a lot. Beowulf fights many brutal monsters and threats in his days, but the most barbaric of them all is the inside threat within him. Beowulf had a big ego, and focused more on creating a name for himself than thinking about the real risks ahead. Two of his major battles that he faced along with his internal peril was against the dragon, and the beast Grendel.
To qualify as an epic poem, Beowulf reflects the values of the culture in which it was created. The Anglo-Saxon culture and the poem share many of the same values. They shared a heroic ideal that included loyalty, strength, courage, courtesy, and generosity. Like all epic poems Beowulf is a long narrative work that tells the adventures of a great hero and also reflects the values of the society in which it was written. Both Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxons believed in those qualities as an individual.
When Grendel consecutively attacks the Danes every night, Beowulf steps out of his shelter in order to help the majority of people. He defeats his fears even though the possibilities of the consequences that he might suffer are high. “The hero comes to Heorot” (Beowulf lines 188-189) the similarity in the pronunciation of “hero” and “Heorot” seems as if the mead hall was designed for Beowulf. The words contain such coincidence that the tone of the quote seems certain and possess. When Beowulf arrived in the land of the Danes, he announced to the soldiers: The man whose name was known for courage, the Great leader, resolute in his helmet.
Beowulf's first heroic accomplishment is his defense against the monster Grendel. Heorot is not even Beowulf’s own hall, but he is willing to risk his own life to protect its peopl...
Another effect of what are called the ‘historical elements’ in Beowulf – the subsidiary stories of the Danes and the Geats – is to give the poem greater depth and verisimilitude. Hrothgar, the Danish king, is a ‘historical character, and the site of his palace of Heorot has been identified with the village of Leire on the island of Seeland in Denmark. The Geat king Hygelac really existed, and his unlucky expedition against the Franks, referred to several times in the poem, is mentioned by Gregory of Tours in the Historia Francorum and has been given the approximate date of AD521 (127).
Beowulf’s generosity leads him to the shores of Heorot after hearing the news of Grendel’s gruesome murders. Beowulf being the kind warrior that he is offers his help to king Hrothgar. Beowulf explains that “...news of Grendel, hard to ignore, reached me at home: sailors brought stories of the plight you suffer in this legendary hall, how it lies deserted, empty and useless once the evening light hides itself infer heaven’s dome. So every elder and experienced councilman among my people supported my resolve to come here to you King Hrothgar, because all knew of my awesome strength…” (pg. 29). Beowulf’s battle with Grendel not only symbolizing his strengths, courage, and bravery but also the youth of a warrior. Beowulf proved that he was young and strong enough to face Grendel with out any weapons. ...
The plot of the story revolves around the main character, Beowulf. However, the story doesn’t begin with Beowulf in the land of Geats but with Scyld Scefing in the land of Danes. It then skips ahead to Scefing’s great-grandson Hrothgar. Hrothgar builds Hall Heorot, the largest royal hall in the northern kingdoms. But all the people and celebration and goodness that take place in Hall Heorot attract the attention and of the creature Grendel, who is offended by the all happiness in Hall Heorot.
to have been composed between 700 and 750. "No one knows who composed Beowulf ,
The epic poem Beowulf tells the story of a man by the name of Beowulf that goes through events that prove how heroic he is. Throughout the poem, Beowulf endures three battles. In the first, he battles the monster Grendel. In the second, he battles Grendel's mother. In the end he battles an enraged dragon. With each battle, Beowulf finds increasing difficulty in his opponent, but prevails and saves both the Danes and the Geats from all being killed by monsters. In each battle, Beowulf proves that he is worthy of having the title of a hero.