Beowulf Storytelling and Boasting - Question #2

Joshua Malang

Professor Flack

Brit Lit Fall 12’

Beowulf Question

Choice: 2

Why are boasting and storytelling so important in the medieval warrior culture of Beowulf? What function do they serve in the epic?

In the epic poem, Beowulf, in my opinion, the poet writes in a boastful and storytelling manner to help readers create a more fantastical approach or reading.  Also, as a reader Beowulf seems more intriguing to read as the poet chooses this style. Think about it, do you want to hear about some guy who took a boat to a foreign land, fought a few bad people and might of died in the process-or!- “what kind of men are you who arrive rigged out for combat in your coats of mail, sailing here over the sea-lanes in your steep-hulled boat?...Never before has a force under arms disembarked so openly…Nor have I seen a mightier mat-at-arms on this earth than the one standing here…(Lines 237-249). It’s like hearing a story of Ireland from American (bland, lazy accent) or better yet a thick, heavy Irish accent coming from an actual Celtic storyteller.

I, as a reader, enjoyed the boastfulness Beowulf carried. I usually feel the opposite and frown upon those who think too highly upon themselves, but in this case, I enjoyed how he and others bragged about things like, “a thane, they declared, with the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand” (lines 380-381) and how Unferth, yet disliked him but the author still bragged for Beowulf with lines 511-519 stating, “the ocean swayed, winter went wild in waves, but you vied for seven nights; and then he outswam you, came ashore the stronger contender.” I personally enjoyed those lines, because if I were to envision what was going on, my mind sees rough sea waters like the ones from that George Clooney, Mark Walberg movie and Beowulf easily plowing through the waters like some X-man character. Like a stated in class, Beowulf reminds me of legendary tall tale like a Paul Bunyan or John Henry.

                I will not take the credit, but give credit where its do, Professor Flack had an interesting point when she helped me realize that the poets and singers would “boast” for others was intentional for various reasons. She mentioned it help draw parallels with comparisons for instance, “Great Queen Modthryth... if any retainer ever made bold to look her in the face, if any eye not her lord’s stared at her directly during daylight, the outcome was sealed: he was kept bound, in hand-tightened shackels, racked, tortured until doom was pronounced…even a queen outstanding in beauty must not overstep like that...a queen should weave peace, not punish the innocent with loss of life for imagined insults.” (Lines 1932-1943). It makes one think how cruel things can be back then, and if your weird like me it’s somewhat cool, it “wows” me, keeps me wondering what else is strange (how things compare to other women back then and even in today’s world). I do wonder though, what if women were able to express themselves as well. I say this because I feel women are very creative and very well at story telling as well. It’s a shame women of those were not typically known as singers and poets, because I like female artists of today and they help me look at things from different perspectives.

                Beowulf, the legendary one man wrecking crew, also boasted in quite interesting way that intrigued me. Even when he was accepting the role of death, he foretold how, if he was to fall to Grendel, how it might be. I like this, because it also showed that he too can be defeated and if he did, it might go like this, “If Grendel wins, it will be a gruesome day; he will glut himself on the Geats in the war-hall… he will carry me away as he goes to ground, gorged and bloodied; he will run gloating with my raw corpse and feed on it alone, in a cruel frenzy fouling his moor-nest.” (Lines 442-451) Now if those lines don’t make you use your imagination than I’m afraid you watch too much television and you need to start letting your mind mentally visual things. I enjoyed letting my mind create these heroic characters, monsters, and come on, a dragon- you got to have fun doing so.