Anglo-Saxon period

"Beowulf" is the greatest and the oldest epic poem. It is of great value, because it mirrors
the spirit of the past and bares witness to the age. The extract of the poem I have read
reflects the old heroic spirit. The poem had a profound philosophical meaning. rom m!
basic "nowledge of this poem and from this extract the main idea is that the course of life
can not be predicted for sure in our uncertain world. And though the past or the future is
wisdom, the true real understanding of the future and our life is not eas! to achieve.
"Beowulf" is the foundation stone of all the British poetr!. The stor! of Beowulf tells us
about a great hero Beowulf who was a nephew of the #ing of the $eates. In %ohn
$ardner&s novel "$rendel" there is no such old spirit as it is in "Beowulf", it is written in
different wa!. irst of all, $ardner uses a novel to write his wor" and it is written using
modern words, and expressions.
In both extracts from "Beowulf" and %ohn $ardner&s novel "$rendel" there are different
points of views. In "Beowulf" it is omniscient point of view, third person point of view,
where characters are filters through whose e!es and minds the author loo" at the events.
In %ohn $ardner&s novel "$rendel" it is first person point of view. The author disappears
into the character of $rendel. 'e, the reader, see the stor! from $rendel&s point of view,
through his e!es and his mind.
In extracts "Beowulf", translated b! %.(uncan Spaeth, and "$rendel" b! %ohn $ardner,
there is a character that is vividl! portra!ed. This character is the monster $rendel, a non-
human being portra!ed in two separate wa!s.
In Beowulf, the fight between $rendel and Beowulf is told..
Beowulf-cover Beowulf ant the dragon Beowulf battles $rendel)s mother
Beowulf and the dragons
Seafarer
J.Duncan Spaeth: 1910/21
The Old Sailor:
True is the tale that I tell of my traels
Sin! of my seafarin! sorro"s and "oes#
$un!er and hardship%s heaiest &urdens'
Tempest and terri&le toil of the deep'
Daily I%e &orne on the dec( of my &oat
)earful the "elter of "aes that encompassed me'
*atchin! at ni!ht on the narro" &o"'
+s she droe &y the roc(s' and drenched me "ith spray.
)ast to the dec( my feet "ere fro,en'
-ripped &y the cold' "hile care%s hot sur!es
.y heart o%er"helmed' and hun!er%s pan!s
Sapped the stren!th of my sea/"eary spirit.
0ittle he (no"s "hose lot is happy'
*ho lies at ease in the lap of the earth'
$o"' sic( at heart' o%er icy seas'
*retched I ran!ed the "inter throu!h'
1are of 2oys' and &anished from friends'
$un! "ith icicles' stun! &y hail/stones.
3ou!ht I heard &ut the hollo" &oom
Of "intry "aes' or the "ild s"an%s "hoop.
)or sin!in! I had the solan%s scream#
)or peals of lau!hter' the yelp of the seal#
The sea/me"%s cry' for the mirth of the mead/hall.
Shrill throu!h the roar of the shrie(in! !ale
0ashin! alon! the sea/cliff%s ed!e'
4ierces the ice/plumed petrel%s defiance'
+nd the "et/"in!ed ea!le%s ans"erin! scream.
0ittle he dreams that drin(s life%s pleasure'
1y dan!er untouched in the shelter of to"ns
Insolent and "ine/proud' ho" utterly "eary
Oft I "intered on open seas.
3i!ht fell &lac(' from the north it sno"ed
$arest of hail.
The 5outh:
Oh "ildly my heart
1eats in my &osom and &ids me to try
The tum&le and sur!e of seas tumultuous'
1ree,e and &rine and the &rea(ers% roar.
Daily' hourly' dries me my spirit
Out"ard to sail' far countries to see.
0ieth no man so lar!e in his soul'
So !racious in !iin!' so !ay in his youth'
In deeds so darin!' so dear to his lord'
1ut frets his soul for his sea/adenture'
)ain to try "hat fortune shall send.
$arpin! he heeds not' nor hoardin! of treasure#
3or "oman can "in him' nor 2oys of the "orld.
3othin! doth please &ut the plun!in! &illo"s#
6er he lon!s' "ho is lured &y the sea.
*oods are a&loom' the "ide "orld a"a(ens'
-ay are the mansions' the meado"s most fair#
These are &ut "arnin!s' that haste on his 2ourney
$im "hose heart is hun!ry to taste
The perils and pleasures of the pathless deep.
The Old Sailor:
Dost mind the cuc(oo mournfully callin!7
The summer%s "atchman sorro" fore&odes.
*hat does the landsman that "antons in lu8ury'
*hat does he rec( of the rou!h sea%s "oe'
The cares of the e8ile' "hose (eel has e8plored
The uttermost parts of the ocean/"ays9
The 5outh:
Sudden my soul starts from her prison/house'
Soareth afar o%er the soundin! main#
$oers on hi!h' o%er the home of the "hale#
1ac( to me darts the &ird/sprite and &ec(ons'
*in!in! her "ay o%er "oodland and plain'
$un!ry to roam' and &rin! me "here !listen
-lorious tracts of !limmerin! foam.
This life on land is lin!erin! death to me'
-ie me the !ladness of -od%s !reat sea.
.6DI6:+0 +-6S
$ere &e!ins the 1oo(
of the Tales of ;anter&ury
*+ 'han that aprill with his shoures soote
,+ The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
-+ And bathed ever! ve!ne in swich licour
.+ /f which vertu engendred is the flour0
1+ 'han 2ephirus ee" with his sweete breeth
3+ Inspired hath in ever! holt and heeth
4+ Tendre croppes, and the !onge sonne
5+ 6ath in the ram his halve cours !ronne,
7+ And smale foweles ma"en melod!e,
*8+ That slepen al the n!ght with open !e
**+ 9so pri"eth hem nature in hir corages:0
*,+ Thanne longen fol" to goon on pilgrimages,
*-+ And palmeres for to se"en straunge strondes,
*.+ To ferne halwes, "owthe in sondr! londes0
*1+ And speciall! from ever! shires ende
*3+ /f engelond to caunterbur! the! wende,
*4+ The hool! blisful martir for to se"e,
*5+ That hem hath holpen whan that the! were see"e.
'hen April with his showers sweet with fruit
The drought of ;arch has pierced unto the root
And bathed each vein with li<uor that has power
To generate therein and sire the flower0
'hen =eph!r also has, with his sweet breath,
>uic"ened again, in ever! holt and heath,
The tender shoots and buds, and the !oung sun
Into the ?am one half his course has run,
And man! little birds ma"e melod!
That sleep through all the night with open e!e
9So @ature pric"s them on to ramp and rage:-
Then do fol" long to go on pilgrimage,
And palmers to go see"ing out strange strands,
To distant shrines well "nown in sundr! lands.
And speciall! from ever! shire&s end
/f Angland the! to Banterbur! wend,
The hol! blessed mart!r there to see"
'ho helped them when the! la! so ill and weal
*7+ Bifil that in that seson on a da!,
,8+ In southwer" at the tabard as I la!
,*+ ?ed! to wenden on m! pilgr!mage
,,+ To caunterbur! with ful devout corage,
,-+ At n!ght was come into that hostelr!e
,.+ 'el n!ne and twent! in a compaign!e,
,1+ /f sondr! fol", b! aventure !falle
,3+ In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were the! alle,
,4+ That toward caunterbur! wolden r!de.
,5+ The chambres and the stables weren w!de,
,7+ And wel we weren esed atte beste.
-8+ And shortl!, whan the sonne was to reste,
-*+ So hadde I spo"en with hem everichon
-,+ That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,
--+ And made forward erl! for to r!se,
-.+ To ta"e oure we! ther as I !ow dev!se.
Befell that, in that season, on a da!
In Southwar", at the Tabard, as I la!
?ead! to start upon m! pilgrimage
To Banterbur!, full of devout homage,
There came at nightfall to that hostelr!
Some nine and twent! in a compan!
/f sundr! persons who had chanced to fall
In fellowship, and pilgrims were the! all
That toward Banterbur! town would ride.
The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,
And well we there were eased, and of the best.
And briefl!, when the sun had gone to rest,
So had I spo"en with them, ever! one,
That I was of their fellowship anon,
And made agreement that we&d earl! rise
To ta"e the road, as !ou I will apprise.
-1+ But nathelees, whil I have t!me and space,
-3+ Ar that I ferther in this tale pace,
-4+ ;e th!n"eth it acordaunt to resoun
-5+ To telle !ow al the condicioun
But none the less, whilst I have time and space,
Before !et farther in this tale I pace,
It seems to me accordant with reason
To inform !ou of the state of ever! one
-7+ /f ech of hem, so as it semed me,
.8+ And whiche the! weren, and of what degree,
.*+ And ee" in what arra! that the! were inne0
.,+ And at a "n!ght than wol I first big!nne.
/f all of these, as it appeared to me,
And who the! were, and what was their degree,
And even how arra!ed there at the inn0
And with a "night thus will I first begin.
The <ni!ht%s 4ortrait T$6 <3I-$T
.-+ A "n!ght ther was, and that a worth! man,
..+ That fro the t!me that he first bigan
.1+ To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
.3+ Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
.4+ ul worth! was he in his lordes werre,
.5+ And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
.7+ As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
18+ And evere honoured for his worth!nesse.
1*+ At alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.
1,+ ul ofte t!me he hadde the bord bigonne
1-+ Aboven alle nacions in pruce0
1.+ In lettow hadde he re!sed and in ruce,
11+ @o cristen man so ofte of his degree.
13+ In gernade at the seege ee" hadde he be
14+ /f alge2ir, and riden in belmar!e.
15+ At l!e!s was he and at satal!e,
17+ 'han the! were wonne0 and in the grete see
38+ At man! a noble armee hadde he be.
3*+ At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,
3,+ And foughten for oure feith at tram!ssene
3-+ In l!stes thries, and a! sla!n his foo.
3.+ This il"e worth! "n!ght hadde been also
31+ Somt!me with the lord of palat!e
33+ Aga!n another hethen in tur"!e.
34+ And everemoore he hadde a sovere!n pr!s0
35+ And though that he were worth!, he was w!s,
37+ And of his port as mee"e as is a ma!de.
48+ 6e nevere !et no vile!n!e ne sa!de
4*+ In al his l!f unto no maner wight.
4,+ 6e was a verra!, parfit gentil "n!ght.
4-+ But, for to tellen !ow of his arra!,
4.+ 6is hors were goode, but he was nat ga!.
41+ /f fustian he wered a g!pon
43+ Al bismotered with his habergeon,
44+ or he was late !come from his viage,
45+ And wente for to doon his pilgr!mage.
A "night there was, and he a worth! man,
'ho, from the moment that he first began
To ride about the world, loved chivalr!,
Truth, honour, freedom and all courtes!.
ull worth! was he in his liege-lord&s war,
And therein had he ridden 9none more far:
As well in Bhristendom as heathenesse,
And honoured ever!where for worthiness.
At Alexandria, he, when it was won0
ull oft the table&s roster he&d begun
Above all nations& "nights in Crussia.
In Datvia raided he, and ?ussia,
@o christened man so oft of his degree.
In far $ranada at the siege was he
/f Algeciras, and in Belmarie.
At A!as was he and at Satal!e
'hen the! were won0 and on the ;iddle Sea
At man! a noble meeting chanced to be.
/f mortal battles he had fought fifteen,
And he&d fought for our faith at Tramissene
Three times in lists, and each time slain his foe.
This self-same worth! "night had been also
At one time with the lord of Calat!e
Against another heathen in Tur"e!+
And alwa!s won he sovereign fame for pri2e.
Though so illustrious, he was ver! wise
And bore himself as mee"l! as a maid.
6e never !et had an! vileness said,
In all his life, to whatsoever wight.
6e was a trul! perfect, gentle "night.
But now, to tell !ou all of his arra!,
6is steeds were good, but !et he was not ga!.
/f simple fustian wore he a Eupon
Sadl! discoloured b! his habergeon0
or he had latel! come from his vo!age
And now was going on this pilgrimage.