Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf, A Verse Translation
Beowulf, as an epic set in historical Scandinavia, explores the classical battle with
monsters that Germanic tribes of this era are most associated with. However; to
observe Beowulf as a tale of a great man killing evil monsters is only seeing a
small portion of a narrative which explores the great contradictions of this
mysterious but captivating era, shedding a fascinating light on the perception and
interpretation of greatness and achievement.
Lines 2247-2266 are a prime example of the tragedy which results from a failure
to deal with the system of reciprocity that was custom in this era. A community’s
possession of a “hard helmet, hasped with gold” (2255) or a “coat of mail that
came through all fights” (2258) and yet be in such a dire situation, is evidence of
the pitfalls of kingship Hrothgar highlights in his speech about Heremod (17091722). Reciprocity, the role of ‘ring giver’1, is emphasised by Hrothgar as the
most crucial aspect of kingship. Therefore, the narrator’s story of the hoarding is
interpretable as a foreshadowing of Beowulf’s ‘heroism’ in fighting the dragon;
arguably another failure in reciprocity which leaves his kingdom in a deadly
dangerous situation. Like the lost community alluded to in this section, Beowulf’s
kingdom would have benefitted from action similar to how Hrothgar dealt with
Grendel. The King of the Danes at no point underestimates his own value, unlike
King Beowulf. Thus he uses reciprocity, specifically his wealth and a debt owed
to him by the Geats2, to play a part in attracting the hero to Heorot.
Consequentially the poet uses this passage, along with Hrothgar’s story of
Heremod, to dictate what, in these Germanic tribes, constituted a good king. The
1
2
Hrothgar says of how Heremod, in his selfishness, gave no more rings; a trait which made him a bad king.
Hrothgar states how he solved a feud for Ecgtheow
depicted trove is exactly what Beowulf dies for, he says “I want to examine/ that
ancient gold” (2747-2748), showing that he, much like the ruler of the kingdom
which collected what the dragon guarded, failed to understand what made a good
king. Heroism is very simple, but kingship is far more complicated. “All the
goods and golden ware/ worth preserving” (2245-2246) is a prime example of the
difference in the roles. As a king, nothing is worth preserving apart from peace in
your kingdom. Beowulf does not understand this, instead believing that winning
the Dragon’s hoard is of more value than his life; an opinion belittled by Wiglaf’s
damming forecasts in the epic’s closing piece3. Therefore the extract depicting the
hoarding of the treasure is a tool of the poet’s; used to bring to prominence the
significance of wealth in this era, and how its redistribution relates to good
kingship.
Beowulf and the leader of this featured tribe are, it is clear, poor kings. They have
failed in the system of reciprocity; having wealth but a kingdom which is doomed
or lost respectively. The rewards of kingship are far more obscure than the fame
and glory lavished upon heroes, and Beowulf shows that in this era of Germanic
tribes, monsters and vast wars; good kings meant more than great heroes.
3
“Nor do I expect peace... from the Swedes” (2922-2923)