The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment

The present article reassesses the legend of Heremod and its relevance to Beowulf. It argues on the basis of analogues preserved in Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum that the legend of Heremod was principally concerned not with the theme of avaricious hoarding, but with themes of popular sentiment, r...

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Main Author: Neidorf, Leonard
Format: text
Published: Archīum Ateneo 2023
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Online Access:https://archium.ateneo.edu/english-faculty-pubs/189
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11061-023-09778-5
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Institution: Ateneo De Manila University
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spelling ph-ateneo-arc.english-faculty-pubs-11892024-03-11T06:51:35Z The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment Neidorf, Leonard The present article reassesses the legend of Heremod and its relevance to Beowulf. It argues on the basis of analogues preserved in Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum that the legend of Heremod was principally concerned not with the theme of avaricious hoarding, but with themes of popular sentiment, regime change, and the relationship between a king and his most illustrious subjects. Understood as such, the legend of Heremod can be seen to resonate with the political situation at the Danish court in Beowulf in ways that have not yet been fully appreciated in the poem’s critical literature. The Heremod digressions, it is argued, prompt reflection on the predicaments both of Beowulf, whom the Danish people proclaim worthy of kingship, and of Hrothgar, who must decide what to do about Beowulf’s popularity. 2023-12-01T08:00:00Z text https://archium.ateneo.edu/english-faculty-pubs/189 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11061-023-09778-5 English Faculty Publications Archīum Ateneo Beowulf Kingship Old English Old Norse Saxo Grammaticus Arts and Humanities English Language and Literature Literature in English, British Isles
institution Ateneo De Manila University
building Ateneo De Manila University Library
continent Asia
country Philippines
Philippines
content_provider Ateneo De Manila University Library
collection archium.Ateneo Institutional Repository
topic Beowulf
Kingship
Old English
Old Norse
Saxo Grammaticus
Arts and Humanities
English Language and Literature
Literature in English, British Isles
spellingShingle Beowulf
Kingship
Old English
Old Norse
Saxo Grammaticus
Arts and Humanities
English Language and Literature
Literature in English, British Isles
Neidorf, Leonard
The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment
description The present article reassesses the legend of Heremod and its relevance to Beowulf. It argues on the basis of analogues preserved in Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum that the legend of Heremod was principally concerned not with the theme of avaricious hoarding, but with themes of popular sentiment, regime change, and the relationship between a king and his most illustrious subjects. Understood as such, the legend of Heremod can be seen to resonate with the political situation at the Danish court in Beowulf in ways that have not yet been fully appreciated in the poem’s critical literature. The Heremod digressions, it is argued, prompt reflection on the predicaments both of Beowulf, whom the Danish people proclaim worthy of kingship, and of Hrothgar, who must decide what to do about Beowulf’s popularity.
format text
author Neidorf, Leonard
author_facet Neidorf, Leonard
author_sort Neidorf, Leonard
title The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment
title_short The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment
title_full The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment
title_fullStr The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment
title_full_unstemmed The Heremod Digressions in Beowulf: A Reassessment
title_sort heremod digressions in beowulf: a reassessment
publisher Archīum Ateneo
publishDate 2023
url https://archium.ateneo.edu/english-faculty-pubs/189
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11061-023-09778-5
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