Wednesday, January 8, 2020
A Comparison of Beowulf and Icelandic Sagas Essay
Beowulf and Icelandic Sagas There are many similarities between the hero of the poem Beowulf and the heroes of the two Icelandic sagas, The Saga of The Volsungs and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki. The former saga is an Icelandic saga representing oral traditions dating back to the fourth and fifth centuries, when Attila the Hun was fighting on the northern fringes of the Roman Empire; the latter is an Icelandic saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written. An unknown author wrote The Saga of The Volsungs in the thirteenth century, basing his story on far older Norse poetry. Iceland was settled by the Vikings about 870-930, who took to that land the famous lay of†¦show more content†¦Concerning Sigurd, â€Å"none was his match in conduct and size†(55); concerning Beowulf, he was â€Å"noble and huge†(198), and had â€Å"the strength of thirty in his mighty hand-grip (380-81). Sigurd â€Å"was raised there with King Hjalprek†(5); Beowulf was raised with King Hrethel. â€Å"And when all the most renowned men and kings in the ancient sagas are named, Sigurd must be counted the foremost in strength and accomplishments, in zeal and valor†(55); King Hrothgar said to Beowulf, â€Å"Your glorious name is raised on high over every nation, Beowulf my friend, your fame spreads far†(1703). Sigurd had contact with runes; Beowulf experienced runes on the sword hilt after the death of Grendel’s mother. Sigurd experienced magic from an old man living in the woods; Beowulf experienced magic in a sword which melted. Sigurd was taunted by Regin (57); Beowulf was taunted by Unferth before facing Grendel. Sigurd had made a sword for himself whose â€Å"equal has never been made†(59); Beowulf had more than one famous sword. Sigurd was so strong that he broke swords; likewise Beowulf. Sigurd went by ship to avenge his family members who had fallen in battle; Beowulf went by ship to avenge his family (Heardred and Daghrefin) who had fallen in battle. Sigurd was feared by other tribes; Beowulf was feared by other tribes. Sigurd killed King LyngviShow MoreRelated A Comparison of Women in Beowulf, Widsith and Icelandic Sagas4023 Words  | 17 PagesWomen in Beowulf , Widsith and Icelandic Sagas                       Are women in these poems active equals of the men? Or are they passive victims of the men? The roles of the women in Beowulf, Widsith, The Saga of The Volsungs, and the Saga of King Hrolf Kraki are not always stereotyped ones of passive homemaker and childbearer and peaceweaver, but sometimes ones giving freedom of choice, range of activity, and opportunity for personal growth and development.  Let us first ofRead MoreBeowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem Essay1356 Words  | 6 Pagesepic poem Beowulf, is a work of fiction and was composed sometime between the middle of the seventh and the end of the tenth century of the first millennium, in the language today called Anglo- Saxon or Old English. This story is a heroic narrative, more than three thousand lines long, concerning the deeds of the Scandinavian prince, also called Beowulf, and it stands as one of the foundation works of poetry in English. Beowulf is obviously a creation of the poet, through partial comparisons have been
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