Chapter 3 of 6 · 765 words · ~4 min read

CHAPTER III. THEORIES AS TO THE ORIGIN,

DATE AND STRUCTURE OF THE POEM

SECTION I. Is _Beowulf_ translated from a Scandinavian original? 98 SECTION II. The dialect, syntax and metre of _Beowulf_ as evidence of its literary history 104 SECTION III. Theories as to the structure of _Beowulf_ 112 SECTION IV. Are the Christian elements incompatible with the rest of the poem? 121 {x}

PART II

DOCUMENTS ILLUSTRATING THE STORIES IN _BEOWULF_, AND THE _OFFA_-SAGA

A. The early Kings of the Danes, according to Saxo Grammaticus: Dan, Humblus, Lotherus and Scioldus; Frotho's dragon fight; Haldanus, Roe and Helgo; Roluo (Rolf Kraki) and Biarco (Bjarki); the death of Rolf 129

B. Extract from _Hr['o]lfs Saga Kraka_, with translation (cap. 23) 138

C. Extracts from _Grettis Saga_, with translation: (_a_) Glam episode (caps. 32-35); (_b_) Sandhaugar episode (caps. 64-66) 146

D. Extracts from _Bjarka R['i]mur_, with translation 182

E. Extract from _Th['a]ttr Orms St['o]r['o]lfssonar_, with translation 186

F. A Danish Dragon-slaying of the Beowulf-type, with translation 192

G. The Old English Genealogies. I. The Mercian Genealogy. II. The stages above Woden: Woden to Geat and Woden to Sceaf 195

H. Extract from the Chronicle Roll 201

I. Extract from the Little Chronicle of the Kings of Leire 204

K. The Story of Offa in Saxo Grammaticus 206

L. From Skiold to Offa in Sweyn Aageson 211

M. Note on the Danish Chronicles 215

N. The _Life of Offa I_, with extracts from the _Life of Offa II_. Edited from two MSS in the Cottonian Collection 217

O. Extract from _Widsith_, II. 18, 24-49 243

PART III

THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURG

SECTION I. The _Finnsburg Fragment_ 245

SECTION II. The Episode in _Beowulf_ 248

SECTION III. Moeller's Theory 254

SECTION IV. Bugge's Theory 257

SECTION V. Some Difficulties in Bugge's Theory 260

SECTION VI. Recent Elucidations. Prof. Ayres' Comments 266

SECTION VII. Problems still outstanding 268

SECTION VIII. The Weight of Proof: the Eotens 272

SECTION IX. Ethics of the Blood Feud 276

{xi} SECTION X. An Attempt at Reconstruction 283

SECTION XI. Gefwulf, Prince of the Jutes 286

SECTION XII. Conclusion 287 _Note_. Frisia in the heroic age 288

PART IV

APPENDIX

A. A Postscript on Mythology in _Beowulf_. (1) Beowulf the Scylding and Beowulf son of Ecgtheow. (2) Beow 291 B. Grendel 304 C. The Stages above Woden in the West-Saxon Genealogy 311 D. Grammatical and literary evidence for the date of _Beowulf_. The relation of _Beowulf_ to the Classical Epic 322 E. The "Jute-question" reopened 333 F. _Beowulf_ and the Archaeologists 345 G. Leire before Rolf Kraki 365 H. Bee-wolf and Bear's son 365 I. The date of the death of Hygelac 381

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF _BEOWULF_ AND _FINNSBURG_ 383

INDEX 414

PLATES

PLATE

I. Drida (Thryth) reproached for her Evil Deeds FRONTISPIECE

II. Leire in the Seventeenth Century TO FACE 16

III. Offa, miraculously restored, vindicates his Right. At the side, Offa is represented in Prayer " " 34

IV. Drida (Thryth) arrives in the land of King Offa, "in nauicula armamentis carente" " " 36

V. Riganus (or Aliel) comes before King Warmundus to claim that he should be made King in place of the incompetent Offa " " 218

VI. Drida (Thryth) entraps Albertus (Aethelberht) of East Anglia, and causes him to be slain " " 242

VII. The Gokstad Ship. The Oseberg Ship " " 362

VIII. Southern Scandinavia in the Sixth Century. English Boar-Helmet and Ring-Swords _At end_

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GENEALOGICAL TABLES

The names of the corresponding characters in Scandinavian legend are added in italics; first the Icelandic forms, then the Latinized names as recorded by Saxo Grammaticus.

(1) THE DANISH ROYAL FAMILY

Scyld Sc[=e]fing [_Skj[o,]ldr_, _Skyoldus_] | B[=e]owulf [not the hero of the poem] | Healfdene [_Halfdan_, _Haldanus_] | .-----------------------------------------------------------. | | | | Heorog[=a]r Hr[=o]dhg[=a]r [_Hr['o]arr_[1], H[=a]lga a daughter [_no _Roe_], _mar._ Wealhth[=e]ow [_Helgi_, [_Signy_] Scandinavian_ | _Helgo_] _parallel_] .----------------------. | | | | | | | | Hr[=o]dhmund | | Heoroweard Hr[=e]dhr[=i]c Hr[=o]dhulf | [_Hj[o,]rvardhr,_ [_Hraerekr,_ _mar._ [_Hr['o]lfr_ _Hiarwarus:_ _Roericus:_ Ingeld _Kraki,_ _but not_ _not_ _Roluo_] _recognized as_ _recognized_ _belonging_ _as a son of_ _to this family_] _Hroarr_]

(2) THE GEAT ROYAL FAMILY

(3) THE SWEDISH ROYAL FAMILY

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PART I