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Blue & Cyan's Book Club #2: Beowulf (Patreon)

Published:
2020-04-13 20:58:39
Imported:
2021-05

Content

Hi everybody!

Cyan and I are on to book number 2 in our new Book Club project, and this time, we read another epic from a ways later: Beowulf!

Though Cyan has read Beowulf before for a school assignment, I've never actually read the book before. The first thing that struck me was its length — the book was over and done in just 3 hours!  Still, in tone and style, if not in runtime, Beowulf is very much an Epic.

If you've read the story before, or are looking for something fun to do over the next week, we encourage you to enlist a friend, or read on your own time, and take a crack at Beowulf! To help guide your reading and give you something to ponder, we've written up some good discussion questions. (I've also attached a map I found online, which helps put the setting of the story into context).

Next on our list, we're going way east to look at two Chinese classics: the Daodejng and the Art of War!

Happy reading!
-B

Files

Comments

Anonymous

Hi Blue, Have you considered discussing the book with Cyan on a Patreon-only live stream?

Bill Lemmond

My favorite scene is Grendel's first visit to the mead hall, when he smashes the door open with an upright piano on wheels, as a battering ram. But it's still in tune enough for drunken Norse, and he gets them all singing along. ... Oh. Wait. That's just my pacifist head cannon, where I still cling to my inner Rodney King and think "Why can't we all just get along?"

Anonymous

I've read Beowulf at least 5 times, it's one of my favorites!!!

Anonymous

OK, Late to the Party! Read it, and just finished listening to it. This MUST be listened to. 1) What is you favorite Scene and why? The ending of it honestly. The imagery that it gives, the way it ties in the Nordic heritage and the Christian influence. 12 riders circling the Barrow on teh Headlands. To me, The 12 riders symbolize teh 12 apostles. But they're all Prices, Warlords, soldiers, the type of people that would "worship' a character such as Beowulf. 2 Which character was most intersting? What about them stuck out? Unferth. You have a kin-slayer that Beowulf disamntles and denounces when unferth calls him out "You can't even win a swimming match!" An dthen later, in the same agone, Beowulf glad takes these offerings that Unferth has for him,a nd appears to respect him. I want to know where the hell that respect came from. 3 What constitutes an Honorable death to the Danes? That appears to be "in the service of serving his country?" But this appears to ne tied in with English and Christian morals, I don't know. This is hard to interpret without knowing more of Danish culture. 4) What function does the Christian god serve? How is he understood by the Characters? He provide Beowulf his strength and confers his blessings against the spawn of Cain and the monsters. God is understood by the characters as aprovider of strength and fortune. 5) What is happening in Scandanavia between 700 and 100AD? Conversion to christianity. You see a lot of constant influence from christianity here, continual references to god, the 12 riders circling the Barrow of Beowulf like the 12 Apostles paying homage to Christ. Also,and this is interesting to me... Grendel, a spawn of Cain cannot approach the throne of Higelac because of the "divine right of kings" not in so many words, but because the throne is god blessed. As well as Monsters, dwarves, elves, and giants also beings aid to be teh spawn of cain, beings normally in Norse mythology, here are lumped in as 'spawn of Cain'. 6) How does Beowulf meet each new challenge, Why does he succeed... Te first two he meets with Relish and pride, with no small boast. Drawing strength from God. The Final one, fighting the Dragon he is assisted by Wiglaf, as an almost literal passing of the torch to the enxt generation. This challenge, he meets with a somber and resigned tone, that he MUST fight against it. 7) How is the reception at the Courts different? In Hrothgar's court, he is welcomed as a Savior and is lavished with gifts. He does nothing but speak well of those he will fight with and for. Upon his return to geatland, he is prideful,a nd Boastful, justifying his actions, and pumping up his ego while talking down Hrothgar. Typical boasting in other words. 8: The Substories in beowulf.... Not touching these, I'll have to go ove rthem further. But In general, they draw parallel to other great heroes, Siegmund and teh ragon. And then fights with other nations showing both his righteousness and Pride. 9) What Arc is captured by Beowulf. The Hero's Journey, as well as a slow fall and decline in the latter portion of this. It's meant to be recited and so used vibrant engaging wording that is quite unique and not typical with modern literature. the use of Kennings 'whale road, battle tackle, etc.." dose a great job in only a few words of painting a much wider picture. A) Why did the medieval Scandanavians and britons care so much? I don't know. I'm not a history major I'm a mailman. b) whys hould we: Other than this being one of the first English Super hero stories? It's an amazing narrative and it shows a truly beautiful historical perspective, that brings life to an old age. 10) What does beowulf teach us about the period in which it is set? it shows us the boasting, the way court is held and interactions between kings, queens, and their soldiers. It's a great slice of life for a specific population segment. 10) It rejects the 21st century sterotype because beowulf draws his strength form the Christian God, not Odin/Thor/Tyr. But at the same time, the style of burial and his death in battle fit it beautifully.