Lord of the Geats

Lord of the Geats

By: Arun Marsten, Jay Mainthia, Peter Diaz, and J.B.

Lamb

J.R.R. TOLKIEN AND BEOWULF He wrote a 1936 lecture called “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics”. The

lecture is considered a turning point in Beowulfian criticism. Tolkien was especially drawn to the importance of the monsters in the

poem: “I shall confine myself mainly to the monsters- Grendel and the Dragon, as they appear in what seems to me the best and most authoritative general criticism in English. Before Tolkien wrote this article, most people disregarded the monsters and solely focused on Beowulf.

• Tolkien also declares that Beowulf is a historical document.• In the article, Tolkien also stresses the importance of poetry: “Beowulf is

in fact, so interesting as poetry, in places poetry so powerful, that this quite overshadows the historical context.”

• “We have none the less in Beowulf a method and structure that within the limits of the verse-kind approaches rather to sculpture or painting. It is a composition, not a tune.” Beowulf isn’t just a poem, it is more than that.

• Lord of the Rings didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. Tolkien drew on ancient tales, stories, and legends, including the one and only Beowulf

DOOM• Both stories have very strong feeling of inevitability and fatalism• Beowulf

– “None of them expected he would ever see his homeland again or get back to his native place and the people who reared him,” (691-696)

– “But death is not easily escaped from by anyone: all of us with souls, earth-dwellers and children of men, must make our way to a destination already ordained where the body, after the banqueting, sleeps on its deathbed,” (1001-1007)

– “For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away," (1759-1768)

• Lord of the Rings– The elves fading into the west– The Mines of Moria– “The world of men will fall”

A Chart

Beowulf

Wiglaf

Unferth

BEOWULF LOTR LOTRBEOWULF

Grendel

Hrothgar

Boromir and Unferth• Boromir and Unferth represent two ‘Anti-Heroes’ who

exhibit dishonorable behavior (what not to be).– Boromir is seduced by the power of the Ring, and attacks

Frodo in attempts to steal it. – Unferth openly questions and insults Beowulf in Heorot,

and is revealed to have ‘killed [his] own kith and kin” (Heany 41).

• However, both men redeem themselves.– Boromir sacrifices his life to save the lives of the hobbits

Merry and Pippin, earning himself the honor and respect of Aragorn.

– Though it is not shared how, Unferth earns the respect of Beowulf, who later regards him as a ‘far-famed man’ and ‘bequeath[s]’ him with his own sword (Heany 103).

Grendel and Gollum• Both are very twisted and evil beings.Both are very twisted and evil beings.• Both have above average physical strengthBoth have above average physical strength• Although they appear very un-humanlike, Although they appear very un-humanlike,

even though they actually both descended even though they actually both descended from humans at some point in time. from humans at some point in time. Grendel- “Many doomed beings were Grendel- “Many doomed beings were descended from Cain, including the descended from Cain, including the detestable outcast Grendel” (57). Gollum- detestable outcast Grendel” (57). Gollum- hundreds of years ago was a hobbit just hundreds of years ago was a hobbit just like Frodo (a Stoor).like Frodo (a Stoor).

• Both are nemesis to the protagonists: Both are nemesis to the protagonists: Grendel to Beowulf and Gollum to Frodo.Grendel to Beowulf and Gollum to Frodo.

• Grendel is also represented in Grendel is also represented in other monsters I.e. the Nazgulother monsters I.e. the Nazgul

Anglo-Saxons = Race of Men• The values, art, beliefs and overall culture of the Anglo-Saxons

is directly mirrored in the race of Men that inhabit middle Earth.

• Values: The race of Men stress a particular importance in the idea of honor and pride. It is best to die in battle, defending you race against evil. This will bring honor to your name.

– Lineage defines an individual (although more so for the dwarves). Much is expected of men from great lineage. Shielding’s lineage

– “Our People” the Idea that your race is great and that although the end of day will come, our race will fight with honor to the death. In the end the kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan will come together.

– MEADE & GLUTTONY (Brandywine and Prouncing Pony).

• The story of the Jutes, Frisians, and the Danes closely resembles the struggles of the multiple kingdoms of men: they can’t live alongside each other.

• Disloyalty is part of life, as seen by Rohan’s initial betrayal of the white city. Grima Wormtounge is the disloyal one. The rangers, Dunedoreans are like the middle-earth“Tea-Party.”

Specifics• The kingdom of Rohan is the EQUIVALENT of Herot. In the beginning,

Heorot is in a state of “continued woe that never stopped, steady affliction…riven by terror” (190-194). “Sad lays are sung about the beset king” (151) because Grendel “took over Heorot, haunted the glittering hall after dark” (167-168). It is as if Herot is under the curse of Grendel!

• In the beginning, Rohan is under the EVIL PLAGUE of SAURON. The king, Theodens, mind is being poisoned by Grima Wormtounge. Wormtongue (evil minister) pressures him into disloyalty to Gondor. The King grows very old and sickly as a visual manifestation of this curse.

• Beowulf brings an end to this curse with his entrance to the kingdom because he restores the happiness to the kingdom. He cures the the plague.

• The fellowship enters into Rohan, led by Aragorn (chosen heir), and they rid the king, and thereby Rohan, of the curse

-Hrothgar is mixture between Theoden and Denethor.

The Clan Mentality in LOTR• In the world of LOTR, this clan mentality In the world of LOTR, this clan mentality

exists between the different races that exists between the different races that exist. (Men, Elves, Dwarves, etc.) exist. (Men, Elves, Dwarves, etc.) – These races live independent from one These races live independent from one

another, until they are faced with a another, until they are faced with a giant evil that threatens to destroy giant evil that threatens to destroy them all.them all.

• This clan mentality exists within each race This clan mentality exists within each race themselves.themselves.– Elves and Dwarves have their Elves and Dwarves have their

respective factions, but it is more respective factions, but it is more highly shown in the race of Men.highly shown in the race of Men.

– The kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan The kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan mirror the kingdoms of the Geats and mirror the kingdoms of the Geats and Danes.Danes.

– Living independent of one another, Living independent of one another, they are soon both united by Aragorn- they are soon both united by Aragorn- who convinces them to come to each who convinces them to come to each others aid.others aid.

The Clan Mentality In Beowulf• The world of Beowulf describes independent conflicts between

tribes/families.• Each clan, such as the Danes and the Geats, tries to keep to

themselves, independent of the other, even with some hatred between the two.– Pg. 19, The coast guard is distrusting, does not recoginize the Geats,

sole job is to ‘watch the waves for raiders, any danger to the Danish shore’ (Heany 19).

• This changes when the Danes face an evil too much for them to handle. Beowulf is still asked to “let the South-Danes settle their own blood-feud with Grendel” by King Hygelac, yet he goes anyway (Heany 137).

• Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel unites the two clans.– “what you have done is draw two peoples, the Geat nation and us

neighboring Danes, into shared peace and a pact of friendship in spite of hatreds we have harbored in the past” (Heany 127).

• This is mirrored in what we learned about Anglo-Saxon society: splintered groups, living independently of one another except to fight.

Swords• Both Beowulf and Lord of the Rings share the theme of swords having

special and magical qualities.• Beowulf

– Dazzle the Duel– Hrunting– Grendel’s Mother’s sword– Naegling

• Lord of the Rings– Sting– Andúril– Glamdring– Narsil

Rings• The presence of rings in LOTR is fairly apparent, however rings are also very

important in Beowulf• In both stories the rings initially symbolize honor and act as a sort of reward.• In Anglo-Saxon and Nordic cultures rings were highly prized and often

associated with power and magic.• In fact there’s a famous cycle of operas written by Wagner called Der Ring

des Nibelungen, which is about a magic ring that gives you the power to rule the world and the ensuing battle for possession of it (sound familiar?)

• The One Ring (weird speculations)– Symbolizes greed for power and honor.– Sauron the ring-giver– Negative effects of the values of Anglo-Saxon culture– Beowulf and the ring

Works Cited

Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: a New Verse Translation. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2001. Print."Tolkien and Beowulf." Valar Guild. Web. 01 Oct. 2011.

<http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/papers/Ancalagon/TolkienandBeowulf.htm>.

Tolkien, J. R. R. Beowulf; the Monsters and the Critics. London: Oxford U. P., 1936. Print.

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Print.

Our own knowledge.