Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg [3rd, reprint ed.]

Table of contents :
BEOWULF
Introduction ix
1. Argument of the Poem ix
2. The Fabulous or Supernatural Elements xii
3. The Historical Elements xxix
4. The Christian Coloring xlviii
5. Structure of the Poem li
6. Tone, Style, Meter lviii
7. Language. Manuscript lxxi
8. Genesis of the Poem cii
Bibliography cxxv
Table of Abbreviations clxxxiv
Text 1
Notes 121
THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURG
Introduction 231
Bibliography 239
Text 245
Notes 250
APPENDICES
I. Parallels 254
II. Antiquities 270
III. Textual Criticism (Grammatical and Metrical Notes) 274
IV. The Text of 'Waldere', 'Deor', Select Passages of 'Widsið', and the OHG. 'Hildebrand' 283
GLOSSARIES
Glossary of 'Beowulf' 293
Proper Names 433
Glossary of 'The Fight at Finnsburg' 443
Supplement 445
Additions to the Supplement (1941) 460
Second Supplement (1950) 463

Citation preview

MS. CoTT. Vitellius A. XV. Fol. 184· (reduced). (11 . 2428-50.)

BEOWULF AND

THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURG

E D I T E D , W IT H IN T R O D U C T IO N , B IB L IO G R A P H Y N O T E S , G L O S S A R Y , A N D A P P E N D IC E S

BY

FR. KLAEBER

TH IR D EDIT ION W ITH F IR S T AN D SECOND S UPPL E M E N T S

D. C. H E A T H AND C O M P A N Y BO STO N

C opyright, 1922, 1928, 1936, 1941, and 1950 B y D. C. H eath and C ompany

No part of the material covered by this copyright may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

Printed April 1968

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CO NTEN TS BE O W U LF

Introduction

.

.

jx

1. Argument of the P o em ..................................................... 2. The Fabulous or Supernatural Elements

.

3. The Historical Elements

.

4. The Christian Coloring 5. Structure of the Poem

.

.

,

.

. .

.

ix

. .

. .

lxxi

8. Genesis of the P o e m .....................................................

T

able of

A

xlviii lviii

7. Language. Manuscript

ibliography

ττίτ li

6. Tone, Style, Meter

B

xii

.

cii cxxv

bbreviations

.................................... clxxxiv

T ext .

.

.

.

.

N otes .

1 121

T H E F IG H T A T F IN N S B U R G

Introduction . B ibliography T ext . N otes .

231 .

239

. .

.

.

.......................................... 245

.

250 A P P E N D IC ES

I. Parallels II. A ntiquities .

.

.

............................ 254 270

CONTENTS

ίν

III. T extu al C r it ic is m ( G r a m m a t ic a l IV . T

he

T

ext

and th e

of

and

M

Waldere, Deor, S e l e c t P a s s a g e s

OH G. Hildebrand

N

e t r ic a l

o tes)

274

W idsid,

of

.

.

283

GLO SSARIES G

lo ssary of

P

ro per

G lo ssa r y

N

B e o w u l f .............................................................................. 293

a m e s ......................................................................................................................... 433

of

The Fight at Finnsburg .

.

.

.

.

.

443

S u p p l e m e n t .........................................................................................................445 A d d it io n s

to t h e

Su

S eco nd S u

pplem en t

pplem en t

(1950)

(19 4 1)

.

.

.

460 463

F ig . i . — T he Gokstad B oat ( cir .

a . d .;

reconstructed).

Found in a grave mound near Gokstad, southern Norway, and preserved in Christiania (Oslo). From O. Montelius, Die Kultur Schwedens in vorchristlicher Zeit. Berlin, G. Reimer. 2d ed., 1885, p. 174.

F ig . 2. — B ronze P la t e from Öland (Early Viking period?). Preserved in the National Museum, Stockholm. From Montelius, p. 151.

F ig . 3. — I ron H elm et with B ronze Pl a t e s . From Vendel, Uppland (cir. close of 7th century). From Studier tillägnade Oscar Montelius af Lärjungar. Stockholm, P. A. Norstedt & Söner, 1903, p. 104.

F ig . 4 . — Gold Collar from Öland (5th to 8th century). Preserved in the National Museum, Stockholm. From Montelius, p. 124.

F i g . 5. — E n t r a n c e

to a

Sto n e G r a v e (

) , Zealand.

From M. Hoemes, Die Urgeschichte des Menschen. Wien, A. Hartleben, 1892, p. 302.

T h e Geo graph y

of

B eo w u lf

INTRODUCTION I. A R G U M E N T OF T H E POEM P art

I. B e o w u l f

the

Y

oung

H

ero

(His exploits in Denmark) I.

The Fight with Grendel Biowulfe wear's güShreS gyfeþe. (8i8 f.)

1-18 8 . Introductory. The building of Eeorot by Erofigār; the ravages of Grendel. The poem opens with the story of Scyld, the mythical founder of the Scylding dynasty, whose glorious reign and magnificent sea-burial are vividly set forth. — (53-85*) His line of descendants is carried down to king Hrö