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The Manuscript Reading at Beowulf, Line 1278b

2011; Oxford University Press; Volume: 59; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/notesj/gjr224

1471-6941

Alfred Bammesberger,

Historical Studies of British Isles

IN the course of his final incursion in the hall Heorot, Grendel kills one of Beowulf's companions,1 but is himself fatally wounded by Beowulf. The Danes prematurely celebrate Beowulf's victorious fight against the monster. Little do they suspect that Grendel's mother will exact revenge after ‘the enemy of mankind’ (line 1276a) has succumbed. The following lines tell us that Grendel ‘bereft of joy’ (line 1275a) departed humiliated to his place of death, and his mother wanted to avenge him: Þa he hean gewat, dreame bedæled deaþwic seon, moncynnes feond, ond his modor þa gyt gifre ond galgmod gegan wolde sorhfulne sið, sunu deoð wrecan Beowulf, lines 1274b–8