I found another blog post on Beowulf; not so much the movie, which is looking regrettable, but the epic.
I won't precisely say "It's a Christian poem!!" I like Tolkien's analysis, that it's probably written by a Christian looking back at the ancient ways that have faded: close enough to love their good points, and Christian enough to discern what they are. I love Beowulf. I love the intolerable distance of the narrative, the bright glimpses into a grey world, the loneliness of iron and muscle against a monster with the cursed legacy of Cain, the author's language that has been described as "built" rather than flowing. I don't want to be Beowulf (miserable thought), nor yet marry him, but I love reading about him.
I like Beowulf because it's impressively not a modern work. It follows a lot of narrative rules we still go with, but it comes from an entirely different mindset and so ignores others completely. For instance, the hero does not have an affair with anyone, particularly the queen. In fact, the hero has no love interest whatsoever. It's refreshing.
Do you remember the commentary on the DVD for The Incredibles? The producers were talking about how the villain had to penetrate the Incredibles' very house and kidnap Jack-Jack, because that has a certain zing for the audience that no external attack can imitate. I just noticed that Beowulf starts with Grendel attacking--the hall. It's the king's house, and the symbol of Home for the whole kingdom. (That's another bit of the ancient mindset I like: the country is bound up in the middle, with the king and his capital, rather than by the exact borders he rules.) Beowulf, in a tense moment equal to anything in Bourne Ultimatum, lies awake in the dark waiting for Grendel to bring it on. Life is good.
The link talks about sacrifice so that others may live. Yes. It also talks about braggadocio as a sort of vow. It's very nice, living in a country where monsters don't generally eat you in your sleep; it's also nice that in countries where there are such hazards, they have the opportunity for heroes. There you can see what a man is made of. Beowulf is explicitly contrasted with another guy at the feast who's full of himself, but Beowulf delivers and the other slinks away with his tail between his legs. Beowulf may not be quite Christian enough to appreciate humility, but he is ancient enough to appreciate honor. I like that too.
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3 comments:
Hi, Carolyn. My mom and i were reading about the percieved ties between Beowulf and the Hobbit. The article we read suggested Gollum is a Grendel figure (because he's degraded from humanity, I suppose?) and had a new insight on the obvious one of Smaug missing the cup and emerging from the mountain. In a new bit of charity to Tolkien, I found out that the dragon's awakening is actually fire damaged - and he was only borrowing a perceived plot element. The Hobbit is not just a copycat but provides a needed extrapolation of the burned pages of Beowulf.
As for a movie, I aspire to write the definitive movie someday. (;
--Tobin
The story of Beowulf is so alien, really. A different world, yet with people like those who live now. Perhaps that's why it is so intriguing.
Douglas Wilson has an article on Beowulf in the July/August Touchstone. He seems to be taking a tack similar to Tolkien's, so far as I understand it... but I'm not sure I've actually read Tolkien's essay (!) so I'm not entirely sure.
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