Beowulf: The role of sea

 Beowulf: The role of sea

Or, Beowulf as a “protector of seafarers”

Answer: The Sea carries a major thematic significance in Beowulf. It represents an ever-present danger to the Danes, an elemental force which must be guarded and continually watched. At the same time, it symbolizes a trial to all those who try to traverse it: the man who successfully does battle with the sea becomes a hero to his people, and in the case of Beowulf, their king.

Beowulf may be seen as divided into two sections, both of which are directly concerned with the sea.

In the first session, Beowulf must cross the sea in order to meet and destroy the monster Grendel. And after Grendel has been killed, Beowulf must travel to the undersea lair of Grendel’s mother to battle with and destroy her. The blood spilled in this battle, which Hrothgar and his retainers see staining the water during the fight, effectively, symbolizes the danger lurking in the sea in Beowulf.

Furthermore, the first half of the poem contains other important references to the power and danger of the sea. The account of the swimming match is an example: in the mead hall, Beowulf is challenged by Unferth, who accuses him of having exercised a lack of judgement in his youth by entering into a foolhardy swimming match with Breca and, in fact, losing the competition. But Beowulf defends himself:  “I maintain that truth that I had more strength in the sea, hardship on the waves, than any other man.” (VIII). He tells Unferth that he killed nine sea monsters, and that he remained in the water for so long merely to protect Breca.

In a poem's second section, the Beowulf-poet recounts another swimming feat of the hero. After the slaying of Hygelac by the Frisians, Beowulf returns to his people by swimming the entire expanse of water with thirty sets of armour on his back.

At last, of course, Beowulf dies of the wounds suffered in his battle with the Dragon; he is carried home to the land of the Geats so that they may honour their king. But even after death Beowulf seems to remain for the Gates as the warden of the seas: “Then the people of the Weather-Geats built a mound on the promontory ………… by the seafarers and in ten days completed a monument” in memory of Beowulf’s valour as a protector of seafarers. 

Character References:

👉 Hrothgar was the aged ruler of the Danes who accepts Beowulf’s help in the first part of the story, Beowulf. He aids Beowulf’s development into maturity.

👉 Unferth was a foil for the near-perfect Beowulf. ((Foil is a character whose traits contrast with those of the other character and as a result are pronounced with other characters.) His jealousy upon Beowulf was clearly exposed when he reproached Beowulf at the time of swimming match with Breca when the other’s attention fell upon the great warrior, Beowulf.

👉 Breca (sometimes spelled Breoca or Brecca) was a Germanic tribe called Bronding. He was Beowulf's childhood friend.

👉 Hygelac was a king of the Geats, a large North Germanic tribe.

*****

Read also: 🔎

👉 Beowulf, as a heroic epic poem

👉 Anglo-Saxon Elegy or Old English Lyric Poetry

👉 Anglo Saxon Christian Poetry or Religious Poetry