Essay on The Mead-hall in the Old English Poem Beowulf

The Mead-hall in the Old English Poem Beowulf What was the function and nature of a mead-hall in the Heroic Age of Beowulf? Was it more than a tavern for the dispensing and consumption of alcoholic beverages, and occasionally precious gifts? Yes, much more. Remaining true to the Anglo-Saxon culture’s affinity for mead (ale/beer/wine), the characters of Beowulf partake frequently of the strong beverage. And the mead hall was their home away from home, with more entertainments than just fermented beverages: â€Å"gold and treasure at huge feasts †¦ the words of the poet, the sounds of the harp.† Needless to say, with â€Å"the world’s greatest mead-hall †¦ Hrothgar’s people lived in joy.† â€Å"after a mead party the Danes †¦ knew no†¦show more content†¦That was †¦ the greatest of sorrows.† Wiglaf, in censuring the ten who deserted their chief, said, â€Å"At the ale-bench he often gave you †¦ helmets and armor.† In this classic poem, can there be anything more vital or essential to joyful living, or to conducting business, than the mead-hall? T. A. Shippey in â€Å"The World of the Poem† (45) says: Some objects in fact reach â€Å"mythic† status – most obviously halls. What the poet thinks about these can be derived most immediately from his run of twenty to thirty compound words for describing them. Halls are for drinking in winehall, beerhall, meadhall; they are filled with people in guesthall, retainer hall; in them worth is recognized in goldhall, gifthall, ringhall. They are also the typical, though not only, setting for festivity and poetry. â€Å"The only archaeological evidence of what Heroic Age royal halls in England were like, comes from the Yeavering in Glendale in present-day Northumberland, where the site of one of the royal townships of the English kings of Northumbria has been identified and investigated† (Arnold 91). The location corresponds to Bernicia, the northernmost Anglo-Saxon kingdom. There archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a complex of seven large structures surrounded by eleven smaller ones - the royal villa mentioned by Bede of a seventh century English king (Cramp 132). Each of fourShow MoreRelatedComparison between Beowulf and The Wanderer1436 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Survey of English Literature / Comparison between Beowulf and the Wanderer 10th October, 2013 / Esma Bike BostancÄ ± BEOWULF AND THE WANDERER There are many factors to consider in comparing the two poems of the Old English society – Beowulf and The Wanderer. While they have many similarities; they have, within their structure and plot, many differences we can easily find or eventually make out. When we look at both the poems in terms of their genre; while they are both products of theRead MoreTheme Of Heroism In Beowulf1139 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Beowulf† is the oldest surviving poem in Old English Literature. It is an epic poem, which is a narrative poem typically revolving around heroism. The poem emphasizes repetitively on how Beowulf is a hero. 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The women in Beowulf are portrayed as strong individuals, each of whom has a specific role within the poem. Some women are cast as the cup-bearers and gracious hostesses of the mead halls, such as Wealhtheow and Hygd, while others, Grendels mother, fulfill the role of a monstrousRead MoreBeowulf : Virtue And Community1658 Words   |  7 Pages Beowulf: Virtue and Community Larry Chambers ENG/235 05/06/2016 Colette Wanless-Sobel â€Æ' Beowulf: Virtue and Community Beowulf is set against a background of feuding and warfare amongst the Danes, Frisians, Jutes, Swedes, and the Geats. Heroes the likes of Beowulf and Wiglaf stand proudly among other figures from history such as Hygelac, Hrothgar, and Ingeld. Although, in a modern sense, the poem cannot be considered historically accurate, Beowulf offers a familiar look intoRead MoreImagery in the Old English Poem Beowulf Essay3689 Words   |  15 PagesPopular Imagery in the Old English Poem Beowulf  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Some popular elements of imagery in Beowulf are the mead-hall, the sea, swords, armor including shields. Let us discuss these items and, where applicable, the archaeological support for them.    Remaining true to the Anglo-Saxon culture’s affinity for mead (ale/beer/wine), the characters of Beowulf partake frequently of the strong beverage. And the mead hall was their home away from home, with more entertainments than just fermentedRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1338 Words   |  6 Pagesstories that make me really love it called â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.† Both of this story illustrated between these women s always try to overcome with all the mission in life and show their responsibility to achieve successfully in life. Thus, the poet shows that the women s role in British literature is a very good central point, they always face with all these conflicts about the protagonist male throughout the poem. Besides that, Beowulf and Sir Gawain always challenge with allRead MoreEssay on Comparison between Female Characters in Beowulf1203 Words   |  5 PagesComparison between Female Characters in Beowulf   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf, the Old English epic tells the story of one brave hero and his battles against evil monsters. The poem deals with mostly masculine elements like fight descriptions, depictions of armor and long inspiring speeches. However, the women characters in the epic also have important roles and they are far from being superficial, as it may seem at first. There are several female figures in Beowulf; this paper will focus on three of them- queenRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Beowulf 851 Words   |  4 Pagesliterary analysis of Beowulf, the oldest epic poem that has survived in English literature. It is also widely known as the earliest surviving piece of literatures in vernacular European Literature. The language of this poem is Old English, spoken by Saxon people. This poem depicts a traditional story that is a part of oral Germanic tradition. As per experts, this is work of a single poet and was composed in then England. It has been determined by the scholars th at this poem was written between 8th