Reading Notes: Beowulf, Part A

 Beowulf is appointed to be a thane of King Hygelac, his uncle. A thane is an aristocratic attendant of the king, a nobleman in the king's service.

the "Wanderer," a minstrel who will sing to King Hygelac about terrible events taking place in the land of Daneland, where Hrothgar is king, events caused by the monster Grendel. Modern archaeologists speculate that the historical Heorot may have been located near the modern village of Lejre on the island of Zealand in east Denmark.



Journey of Beowulf, expand maybe on topics:

FOR seven days and seven nights, there were great preparations in the halls of Hygelac the Geat that Beowulf might go on his adventure fully equipped for whatever awaited him in Daneland. From the group of companions who had come to manhood at the same time as himself, Beowulf selected fourteen earls to accompany him.

He had wished to go alone to the land of the Danes, but his uncle the king had commanded that he be suitably companioned on such a voyage so that at the court of Hrothgar it could not be said that Hygelac had sent the youth upon a fool's errand and badly equipped. So, with the best grace he could muster (for Beowulf was stubborn, as you have seen and shall see again), he named his earls, and Hygelac ordered that they be furnished with the finest head-pieces and spears and swords in the kingdom.



Special shields made of stout wood


Source:

 The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs with illustrations by Henry Pitz (1933).

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