Treasure
“There was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, highborn and powerful” (196–198). His name was Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow.
Beowulf is the name of a legendary poem written in England well over one thousand years ago. It directly references the Christian faith on various occasions. Yet, today this work of literature can be indirectly understood as a testament to the Vikings and the Scandinavian region they inhabited. In short, it is a story about an ambitious young man from Geats (now Sweden) who overcomes three feats. Two feats concerning the Danes in and around Heorot (now Denmark), and one feat back on the land of the Geats. In all, the feats include “banished monsters, Cain’s clan, whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts” (105–107). And, a fire-breathing dragon who acts as a sentinel for treasure. Throughout the story, the reader is taught about themes of valor, incentive and loyalty. In addition, the literary device of metonymy is routinely displayed. Metonymy, commonly used by Shakespeare amongst other poets, is the interchanging of a word or series of words to mean the same thing just in a different way. A sample of this in Beowulf would be to refer to the Danes as “Shieldlings,” which pays homage to Shield Sheafson, a leader once of the Danes. Use of “Shieldings” can be seen almost 10 times in the first 1000 lines of the poem (148, 171, 229, 277, 371, 428, 456, 663, 1017, 1109).
Similar to the Vikings and nomadic tribes of the day, Beowulf seeks to uphold his honor despite whatever the degree of difficulty may be for him. And he does so in all three feats of the poem. First against the mighty Grendel with no weapons or armor, second against Grendel’s mother underwater, and third head-on against a fire-breathing dragon by himself. As a result, a theme of valor is displayed. That regardless of the obstacle, Beowulf believes “I shall gain glory or die” (1491). Furthermore, Beowulf’s constant attitude about courage in pursuit of honor is also a portrayal of the theme of loyalty present in the story. Coincidentally however, all three of the feats involve some type of reward. Thus, in my opinion, downplaying both of the themes of honor and loyalty and emphasizing the theme of an incentive-based lifestyle. For example, after defeating the dragon only to die by its venom, Beowulf says in his final words “I want to examine that ancient gold, gaze my fill on those garnered jewels; my going will be easier for having seen the treasure” (2747–2750). Logically, this reflects that the dragon was only defeated so that the treasure would change hands.
As stated earlier, metonymy is a literary device usually found in poetic sequences and has been deployed by prolific poets such as Shakespeare. Moreover, it can be seen throughout the legendary poem of Beowulf, and be understood as a referencing tool for storytellers or simple discussion. Ironically, the use of this literary device can also draw attention to whatever is being said. This is all due to the technique’s ability to be unique and stand out amongst the ordinary. Examples of metonymy are illustrated through Beowulf by referring to him as “the warrior” in lines 208 and 610, “the leader” in lines 258 and 341, and “the hero” in lines 399 and 747. The same can be said of the monster Grendel, who is labeled “a fiend out of hell” in line 100, a “God-cursed brute” in line 121, a “corpse-maker mongering death” in line 276, and a “hell-serf” in line 786. Coincidentally these words reflect a bigger picture for the poem, Beowulf is our protagonist, and Grendel one of our antagonists. The first resembles good while the latter resembles evil. And their countless names play a role in painting the picture. Furthermore, another example of metonymy is during the celebration of Grendel’s defeat. Beowulf tells those in attendance that during his battle with Grendel, Grendel “bought his freedom at a high price” (lines 969–970). Basically, this infers that Grendel sacrificed his life greatly but with embellishment. In addition, Beowulf’s choice of words if taken literally would mean that Grendel traded/bartered excessively for his life, which is not the case.
In conclusion, the story of Beowulf is of epic proportions. Although it is not written by Homer or feature Odysseus, it involves a journey like the “The Odyssey.” In it, a man faces trials and tribulations only to emerge victorious time and time again. As a result, he pays his respects to “the Divine Lord” and plays to his strength (685). Ironically, which is strength itself. Nonetheless, the man’s strength doesn’t entirely go to his body, rather some of it feeds his mind. To me, Beowulf is a story about being driven. A boy leaves home only to return as a man. And in doing so, he climbs the socioeconomic ladder to become King, and discovers the fruits of life’s labors. Treasure.
