ENGL 177 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Heremod, Hygelac, Gift Economy
Document Summary
Sigmund (good king) and heremod (bad king) (910) Hrothgar mentions beowulf"s mother for the first and only time (949) Hrothgar gives gifts to people to be a good king. Gifts are meant to last --> lasting bond (1020-1060) Gives saddle to beowulf (not to one of his own sons) Hrothgar tells of how he rode the saddle when in battle, killing a bunch of people. Gifts don"t work to make a bond between finns and danes. Future of necklace: goes on a raide with hygelac and ends up with the enemies when hygelac falls. Christianity - what really endures is god"s will, not treasure. Poem is similar to an interlace belt buckle. Intertext is not an interruption - is vital to the story. Frisians try to make peace and danes want hengest to take revenge. Homosocial bonds: bonds formed within the same gender (predominantly male in the story)
