Károli Gáspár University, Budapest: spring term 2015

MEDIÆVAL LITERATURE (BAN 2363 e/f) (Angol-amerikai irodalomtortë netí attekinté ś 1.1: a kozë pkoŕ eś a reneszansź ) seminars on Fridays at 1200-1330 and 1400-1530 syllabus: http://www.richardmajor.com/teaching/Karoli/BAN2363.doc this handout: http://www.richardmajor.com/teaching/Karoli/BAN2363/3.pdf

Dr Richard Major [email protected]

Seminar III, 6 March: Anglo-Saxon epic poetry 1. Quiz (for the 1200 group only) 2. Review of last week 3. Presentation by Fanni (1200) and Attila (1400): What is an epic?

The Battle of Maldon (c. 1000) The battle was fought on 10 August 991 near Maldon beside the River Blackwater in Essex. Earl Byrhtnoth died and his army was badly defeated; Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury and various aldermen then persuaded advised King Æthelred the Unræd (bad-counsel) to buy off the Vikings with 3300 kg of silver rather than fight on: the beginning of the custom of Danegeld. This poem was written soon afterward. One MS – British Library, MS Cotton Otho A.xii was destroyed by fire in 1731, and a 1726 edition was our only text until a transcript of the Cotton MS was found in the Bodleian.

… Þa stod on stæðe, stiðlice clypode Then on the bank stood a Viking messenger, wicinga ar, wordum mælde, called out stoutly, spoke with words, se on beot boastfully, threateningly abead brimliþendra brought the seafarers’ errand ærænde to þam eorle, þær he on ofre stod: to that land’s earl where he stood on shore: “Seamen sent me quickly to you, ordered me tell you to send rings at once, wealth for defense: better for all of you that you with tribute this spear-rush forgo than that we share so bitter a war. Nor need we kill each other if you perform it; for gold we will fasten a truce with you. If you determine it, the mightiest here, that you for your people ransom will pay – give to the seamen at their own choosing wealth for a truce and take peace from us – we with that payment shall to our ships, on ocean fare, hold peace with you.”

Byrhtnoth spoke, lifted shield, shook slender ash-spear, with words spoke, angry and one-minded gave him answer: “Hear you, seafarer, what this folk says? Spears will they give you, ash-spears as tribute, poisonous point, old sword – an armor-tax useless to you in war. Seamen’s messenger, bear word back again; tell your people much loathlier tale: that here stands a good [unforcuð undisgraced: reputable, noble, brave] earl with his war-band, who will defend this homeland, Æthelred’s land, land of my prince, folk and fold. [folde earth, land] At battle, now, heathen must fall. Too shameful it seems that you, unfought, should go to ship bearing our wealth, now that thus far you have come into our land. Not so softly shall you carry off riches: point must, and edge, reconcile us first, grim battle-play, before we give tribute.”

He bade them take shield then, go so that warriors all stood on the bank. One band could not to the other for water: there came flowing the flood after ebb-tide; streams locked. Too long it seemed till they might bear spears together. With tumult they stood along Pante’s stream, the van of the East-Saxons and the ash-army [æschere, here translated literally; the here or raiding force from the æscas, distinctively Scandinavian ships built of ash wood. The OE word is an anglicization of ON askr. The askr was the usual Scandinavian warship]; nor might any bring harm to the other, but those who through flane-flight [flanes flyht flight of an arrow] took death.

The flood went out. The seamen stood ready, many a Viking, eager for war. Then bade men’s protector to hold the bridge a war-hardened hero – he was called Wulfstan – who with his spear slew the first man who most boldly there on the bridge stepped. There with Wulfstan stood warriors unfrightened, Ælfere and Maccus, brave twain, who would not at the ford flight work, but fast against fiends defended themselves, the while they could wield weapons. When they perceived and saw clearly that they found the bridge-wards there bitter, those loathly strangers [laðe gystas loathed guests] began to use guile, asked for free landing, passage to shore, to fare over the ford leading foot-troops.

Then the earl for his arrogance [ofermod, the most discussed word in the poem. High-spiritedness? A great deal of critical discussion of the poem in the past fifty years or so has been devoted to arguing whether the poem views Byrhtnoth as blameworthy for his action] left too much land [landes to fela. Tolkien: Byrhtnoth should have yielded no land at all to the Vikings] to a hostile people. Then over cold water Byrhthelm’s son began to call (men listened): “Now you have room: come quickly to us, warriors to war. God alone knows who may master this battlefield.” [wælstowe corpse-place] Beowulf (c. 950? or c. 720? or c. 1020?)

Heorot means “The Hart,” or “The Stag,” from decorations in the gables that resembled the antlers of a deer. This hall was rectangular, with opposite doors—mainly west and east—and a hearth in the middle of the single room. A row of pillars down each side, at some distance from the walls, made a space which was raised a little above the main floor, and was furnished with two rows of seats. On one side, usually south, was the high-seat, midway between the doors. Opposite this, on the other raised space, was another seat of honor. At the banquet soon to be described, Hrothgar sat in the south or chief high-seat, and Beowulf opposite to him. Planks on trestles formed the tables just in front of the long rows of seats, and were taken away after banquets, when the retainers were ready to stretch themselves out for sleep on the benches

The Nowell Codex or Cotton Vitellius A.xv, with the famous opening words of Beowulf (singed by the terrible fire at Ashburnham House in 1731 that destroyed a quarter of the Cotton Library): Hwæt [Listen! or So!]! We Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. Lo, praise of the prowess of people-kings of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped, we have heard, and what honour the athelings won! Beowulf translated by Francis Barton Gummere, lines 53-114: for warfare and hatred that woke again. With envy and anger an evil spirit OW BEOWULF BODE in the burg of the Scyldings, endured the dole in his dark abode, leader belovéd, and long he ruled that he heard each day the din of revel N in fame with all folk, since his father had gone high in the hall: there harps rang out, away from the world, till awoke an heir, clear song of the singer. He sang who knew haughty Healfdene, who held through life, tales of the early time of man, sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad. how the Almighty, made the earth, Then, one after one, there woke to him, fairest fields enfolded by water, to the chieftain of clansmen, children four: set, triumphant, sun and moon Heorogar, then Hrothgar, then Halga brave; for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, and I heard that Sigeneow was Sæwela’s queen, and braided bright the breast of earth the Heathoscylfing’s helpmate dear. with limbs and leaves, made life for all To Hrothgar was given such glory of war, of mortal beings that breathe and move. such honour of combat, that all his kin So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel obeyed him gladly till great grew his band a winsome life, till one began of youthful comrades. It came in his mind to fashion evils, that fiend of hell. to bid his henchmen a hall uprear, Grendel this monster grim was called, a master mead-house, mightier far march-riever mighty, in moorland living, than ever was seen by the sons of earth, in fen and fastness; fief of the giants and within it, then, to old and young the hapless wight a while had kept he would all allot that the Lord had sent him, since the Creator his exile doomed. save only the land and the lives of his men. On kin of Cain was the killing avenged Wide, I heard, was the work commanded, by sovran God for slaughtered Abel. for many a tribe this mid-earth round, Ill fared his feud, and far was he driven, to fashion the folkstead. It fell, as he ordered, for the slaughter’s sake, from sight of men. in rapid achievement that ready it stood there, Of Cain awoke all that woful breed, of halls the noblest: Heorot he named it Etins and elves and evil-spirits, whose message had might in many a land. as well as the giants that warred with God Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt, weary while: but their wage was paid them! treasure at banquet: there towered the hall, high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting of furious flame. Nor far was that day when father and son-in-law stood in feud

lines 710-745 swallowed him piecemeal: swiftly thus the lifeless corse was clear devoured, HEN FROM THE MOORLAND, by misty crags, e’en feet and hands. Then farther he hied; with God’s wrath laden, Grendel came. for the hardy hero with hand he grasped, T The monster was minded of mankind now felt for the foe with fiendish claw, sundry to seize in the stately house. for the hero reclining,—who clutched it boldly, Under welkin he walked, till the wine-palace there, prompt to answer, propped on his arm. gold-hall of men, he gladly discerned, Soon then saw that shepherd-of-evils flashing with fretwork. Not first time, this, that never he met in this middle-world, that he the home of Hrothgar sought,— in the ways of earth, another wight yet ne’er in his life-day, late or early, with heavier hand-gripe; at heart he feared, such hardy heroes, such hall-thanes, found! sorrowed in soul,—none the sooner escaped! To the house the warrior walked apace, Fain would he flee, his fastness seek, parted from peace; the portal opened, the den of devils: no doings now though with forged bolts fast, when his fists had struck it, such as oft he had done in days of old! and baleful he burst in his blatant rage, Then bethought him the hardy Hygelac-thane the house’s mouth. All hastily, then, of his boast at evening: up he bounded, o’er fair-paved floor the fiend trod on, grasped firm his foe, whose fingers cracked. ireful he strode; there streamed from his eyes The fiend made off, but the earl close followed. fearful flashes, like flame to see. The monster meant—if he might at all— He spied in hall the hero-band, to fling himself free, and far away kin and clansmen clustered asleep, fly to the fens,—knew his fingers’ power hardy liegemen. Then laughed his heart; in the gripe of the grim one. Gruesome march for the monster was minded, ere morn should dawn, to Heorot this monster savage, to sever the soul of each, of harm had made! life from body, since lusty banquet Din filled the room; waited his will! But Wyrd forbade him the Danes were bereft, to seize any more of men on earth castle-dwellers after that evening. Eagerly watched and clansmen all, Hygelac’s kinsman his cursed foe, earls, of their ale. how he would fare in fell attack. Not that the monster was minded to pause! Straightway he seized a sleeping warrior for the first, and tore him fiercely asunder, the bone-frame bit, drank blood in streams,