Beowulf and metonymy
Beowulf is the first epic poem discovered in the new language other than Latin. Beowulf was written in the 700AD during the Anglo-Saxon period. Anglo- Saxon believed in bravery, loyalty and generosity. Beowulf have all these three characteristics that their culture saw as the main factor. The story of Beowulf tells the story of a hero who killed monsters with his own hands. At the end of the poem the epic hero died but he was described as a strong warrior. He was not afraid to die if it meant to save the people. Beowulf poem also talked about death which during that period of time it was an unknown topic for people, and it was something be afraid of. (https://w.taskstream.com/ts/malovich1/BeowulfTheBeginningofEnglishLiterature).
A metaphor that substitute one word for another word closely associated with is the definition of metonymy. Metonymy is used in the poem several times, mainly to described Beowulf. The author used strong and upper figures as “Lord” for the main character of the story. “The chief of the strangers rendered him answer.” Chief referring Beowulf and the strangers is the town people that he does not know. As we know he was from another town.
The poem also reflects good versus evil. Several times Beowulf’s metonymy is “light” while Grendel’s is “darkness” also Grendel is referred as the “monster”. “I shall manage the matter with the monster of evil.” Grendel was a monster because he killed people but because they will bother him. At one-point Beowulf character is not as divine. His desired to kill the monsters and the dragon makes his personality questionable. He accepted gifts from the king, he wanted fame and power. What if he never wanted to save the kingdom, he only did it because it was beneficial for him? At the end of the poem the dragon is obsessed with gold and is the dragon who killed the powerful Beowulf. Christianity is used a lot in this poem which Anglo-Saxon transition to that religion. The dragon killed the main character with venom and his kingdom was rich with all the gold they kept. The author reflected Beowulf with the dragon. When he finally could have it all the money and fame he died and that is when we could see the real Beowulf personality.
Another metonymy in the poem is the arms that the soldiers and Beowulf fought with. “In warlike equipment ‘gainst the wall of the building.” The arms and the armor are the “warlike equipment” Iron was used to say sword. By giving strong words for the armors helps the reader to feel the power of Beowulf. By saying iron instead of sword makes the main ingredient that you need to make the sword and that is what the main character is, he is main source of the story.
Metonymy in the poem “Beowulf” gives the clues and the idea that the author wants the reader to have for the characters. By substituting the words, it makes the story more clever and stronger. Also, it shows the language and the culture of the Anglo- Saxons and what they believed and feared back then.
