Lines 100-125 In Beowulf

Robyn Westcott Sept/16/2013 Literature – Craig: 1-3
Beowulf Analysis lines 100 - 125
Lines 100 – 125 in Beowulf are full of paganism and descriptions of the horror brought by Grendel, all with the intention of glorifying God and reminding the audience of His importance. These lines are rich with cacophonous alliterations in order to set a tone of eerie foreboding as they tell how the king’s people’s turned from God towards Hell in desperation. Clearly the author was of Christian faith and made an effort to send a message to his audience: do not turn your heart away from God, without Him you have no hope.
Beowulf’s
author set a tone of darkness with the use of alliterations throughout the entire stanza, repeating sharp, uncomfortable sounds such as ‘CK’, ‘G’, ‘B’, ‘H’ and ‘S’. This tone-setting use of sound is especially effective in the first act: “So mankind’s enemy (Grendel) continued his crimes, Killing as often as he could, coming Alone, bloodthirsty and horrible” (lines 101-3). Not only is the imagery of the evil creature, Grendel, vivid itself – it is assisted by the sharp sounds, creating a deeper dimension of terror. The first act illustrates Grendel as a horrible demon that hides in the darkness of the night.
It is already known within the context of the story that Grendel is wretched and his demonic attacks hold the people of Herot under his power, thus ruling the kingdom with fear. Act one, lines 100 - 106, informs us that despite Grendel’s power over Herot’s people, he was constantly afraid and made truly powerless by God. Grendel had to lurk in the night which “hid him”, and as stated in lines 103 – 106, “he never Dared to touch king Hrothgar’s glorious Throne, protected by God – God, Whose love Grendel could not know”. Upon reading these lines, a spark of sympathy is lit for Grendel, making him more three-dimensional as a character – thus more realistic, without demeaning his horrid
nature.
We are then made aware of God’s absence in Herot by the second act, lines 106 – 119; to Hrothgar’s despair, his people, even “the best and most noble Of his council”, turned against Him (107-8).
Out of fear, the victimized people turned to paganism by making “heathen vows” hoping that the Devil would help them through their suffering. By stating “their ears could not hear His (God) praise nor know His glory”, the narrator tells us that by turning to Hell – the people of Herot had abandoned their only hope, rendering themselves unable to find it with God. In an attempt to save themselves, they push away the only thing that could save them – their Christian
faith. There are three acts within this stanza; act one focuses on Grendel, and shows that God had power over him; act two recounts that the King’s people turned from God in the midst of panic and desperately turned to Hell itself by praying to the Devil, unknowingly thrusting themselves into dark hopelessness; finally act three outlines that abandoning God leads to danger and darkness, that those who keep their faith in God have the upper hand – hope. This stanza is a clear warning from the heart of the author to his audience, a warning to stay faithful to God amidst the most horrid circumstances – he finishes with: “Hail To those who will rise to God, drop off Their dead bodies and seek our Father’s peace!” (123-25). Such circumstances may very well lead to death, but solace doesn’t necessarily come in one’s lifetime in Hrothgar’s kingdom; it is, however, guaranteed to the faithful in the kingdom of God.