Further Celebration in the Hall :: Essays Papers

Further Celebration in the Hall It is a cold, vestige night when Beowulf enters the great hall carrying the head of the treacherous Grendel . He has defeated both the beast and his mother, so the Danes rejoice upon seeing their hero alive. They all discover eagerly as Beowulf tells his amazing tale of glory. He credits his success to God, saying that he would not have survived if God had not guarded him (Norton 48). Hrunting, the firebrand he has brought to battle, has failed him because Grendels mother has bewitched all swords so that they can not harm her. Luckily, fate has led him to see hanging on the wall a fair, antique great sword (48) with which he defeats the powerful woman. Once he has slain the monster, the sword mysteriously melts, leaving him with only the golden hilt to bring foul to his Lord. After hearing this great tale, King Hrothgar speaks. He is especially pleased with Beowulfs success, as he no longer has to live in fear for his kingdom. by dint of his s peech, he congratulates Beowulf and advises him with words of wisdom. Hrothgar cautions the almighty warrior to beware of his pride by not allowing it to swell, due to his glory. He tells a tale about the notorious King Heremod who is bring up with everything--money, power, strength, and glory Until his portion of prideincreases and swells within himthen the watcher sleeps,the souls guardianthat sleep is too sound,bound in its own cares,and the slayer most somewhose bow shoots treacherously. . .he cannot protect himself. . .angry-hearted he covets. . .and then he forgets andregards not his destinybecause of what God,wielder of heaven, has given him . . .In the end it happens in turn that the loaned body weakens, locomote doomed another takes the earls ancient treasure,one who recklessly gives precious gifts does not fearfully guard them (49).From this speech, parallels can be drawn between Beowulf and Hrothgar. Hrothgar states that he govern the Ring-Danes for a hundred half-years (49), and in the second part of the tale, it is revealed that Beowulf also reigns as a wise King for fifty years. In his speech, Hrothgars reference to the loaned body and the earls ancient treasure directly relate to The Last Survivors Speech in the second part of Beowulf. It is this later revelation that connects Beowulf with The Wanderer. Click on the picture to the right for a closer look at the passages that clearly show the parallel between Beowulf and The Wanderer.