Beowulf


 * BEOWULF **

** Beowulf is the conventional title of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182. It survives in a single manuscript known as the [|Nowell Codex]. Its composition by an anonymous [|Anglo-Saxon] poet is dated between the 8th and the early 11th century.In 1731, the manuscript was badly damaged by a fire that swept through a building housing a collection of Medieval manuscripts assembled by [|Sir Robert Bruce Cotton]. The poem fell into obscurity for decades, and its existence did not become widely known again until it was printed in 1815 in an edition prepared by the Icelandic-Danish scholar [|Grímur Jónsson Thorkelin] .In the poem, [|Beowulf], a hero of the [|Geats] in Scandinavia, comes to the help of [|Hroðgar] , the king of the [|Danes] , whose [|mead hall] (in Heorot) has been under attack by a monster known as [|Grendel]. After Beowulf slays him, [|Grendel's mother] attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to [|Geatland] in [|Sweden] and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a [|dragon], but is fatally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants bury him in a <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">[|tumulus], a burial mound, in Geatland. ** media type="youtube" key="RmULp5MDp-g" width="425" height="350"
 * Characters: **

** __Beowulf__, prince of the Geats, hears about Hrothgar's troubles, gathers fourteen of the bravest Geat warriors, and sets sail from his home in southern Sweden. The Geats are greeted by the members of Hrothgar's court, and Beowulf boasts to the king of his previous successes as a warrior, particularly his success in fighting sea monsters. Hrothgar welcomes the arrival of the Geats, hoping that Beowulf will live up to his reputation. During the banquet that follows Beowulf's arrival, <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">[|Unferth], a Danish thane, voices doubt about Beowulf's past accomplishments, and Beowulf, in return, accuses Unferth of killing his brothers. Before the night ends, Hrothgar promises Beowulf great treasures if he meets with success against the monster. **

** [|Grendel], a monster who lives at the bottom of a nearby mere, is provoked by the singing and celebrating of Hrothgar's followers. He appears at the hall late one night and kills thirty of the warriors in their sleep. For the next twelve years, the fear of Grendel's fury casts a shadow over the lives of the Danes. Hrothgar and his advisors can think of nothing to calm the monster's anger. **

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** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #980000; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Wiglaf__ is a young Geatish warrior in Beowulf's retinue who follows him to the barrow where the dragon is lurking. When all of Beowulf's other thanes, or lords, abandon him, Wiglaf remains loyally with his king, encouraging and supporting him. It is only with Wiglaf's help that Beowulf is able to defeat the dragon – Wiglaf's timely sword-stroke gives Beowulf the opportunity to stab the dragon in the side and kill it once and for all. As Beowulf is dying, he gives his golden necklace, called a torque, to Wiglaf, probably symbolizing the transfer of power from the dying king to his chosen successor. **

** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #980000; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grendel's mother__, another demonic descendant of Cain, attempts to avenge her son's death by attacking Heorot Hall. Although she manages to kill one man, she is alarmed by the strength and prowess of the Geatish warriors, and retreats to her lair, a cave underneath a lake filled with sea monsters. Beowulf follows her to her lair and beheads her with a sword that he finds there. Although she isn't nearly as strong as her man-eating son, Grendel's mother fights like an Amazon warrior, and Beowulf has a tough time defeating her. **

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 * __King Hrothgar :__ Hrothgar is the king of the Spear-Danes when Beowulf arrives in their land, ready to **** fight the demon Grendel. Many years earlier, Hrothgar paid money to the Wulfings to resolve a blood feud they had with Ecgtheow,Beowulf's father. As a result, Beowulf feels some loyalty toward Hrothgar. **

**<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #0000ff; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 32px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beowulf’s funeral **

** Beowulf's funeral is perhaps the climax of the poem and features a combination of a funeral pyre and a mound burial. He is buried with the dragon's horde as well as other precious items. In many ways, it is a fitting end for the poem because it represents several moods and motifs from throughout the poem. **



** The mood is again mournful but in essence glory has been restored. Beowulf was the “man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame” ** ** The funeral displays the greatness of his life and the dragon’s hoard is buried with Beowulf. Beowulf's funeral “was their hero’s memorial" and everyone was "mourning his loss as a man and a king" (3160). In this case, his greatness as a warrior is unimportant compared to Beowulf's strength as a man and a king. **



** Although Beowulf is buried with many jewels, there is a definite change in the importance of gold. For example, the author says gold has “gone to earth, as useless to men now as it ever was.” The death of their leader and the end of their society makes gold seem useless. **

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 * <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #0000ff; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 32px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beowulf and Grendel: the Fight **
 * Mighty and canny, **
 * Hygelac’s kinsman was keenly watching **
 * for the first move the monster would make. **
 * Nor did the creature keep him waiting **
 * but struck suddenly and started in; **
 * he grabbed and mauled a man on his bench, **
 * bit into his bone-lapping, bolted down his blood **
 * and gorged on him in lumps, leaving the body **
 * utterly lifeless, eaten up **
 * hand and foot. Venturing closer, **
 * his talon was raised to attack Beowulf **
 * where he lay on the bed, he was bearing in **
 * with open claw when the alert hero’s **
 * comeback and armlock forestalled him utterly. **
 * The captain of evil discovered himself **
 * In a handgrip harder than anything **
 * he had ever encountered in any man **
 * on the face of the earth. Every bone in his body **
 * quailed and recoiled, but he could not escape. **
 * He was desperate to flee to his den and hide **
 * with the devil’s litter, for in all his days **
 * he had never clamped or cornered like this. **
 * Then Hygelac’s trusty retainer recalled **
 * his bedtime speech, sprang to his feet **
 * and got a firm hold. Fingers were bursting, **
 * the monster back-tracking, the man overpowering. **
 * The dread of the land was desperate to escape, **
 * to take a roundabout round and the flee **
 * to his lair in the fens. The latching power **
 * in his fingers weakened; it was the worst trip **
 * the terror-monger had taken to Heorot. **

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Inghilterra,Di Ridolfo,Franchella,Di Paola,Lafratta,Galante