Importance of Kinship Ties in Beowulf - Essay Example

The Importance of Kinship Ties in Beowulf When most people think of the ancient world, they conceive of a world of barbarians following horrific pagan belief systems and fighting against impossible supernatural forces. However, this conception may be more the legacy of later Christian judgment on a largely illiterate society rather than the truth. Fortunately, there are still a few ancient texts in existence, such as the epic poem Beowulf, which manage to capture a sense of the values that were important to this earlier period. Beowulf was first written as a text sometime around 1000 AD, but the poem was preserved through oral tradition for centuries prior to its transmission to the monks who preserved it. It is therefore impossible to tell just how much of the story is due to the interpretation of the monks, how much of it had been shaped by the society as it became more Christian and what remains of the original culture from which the story originally sprang. In spite of this uncertainty, the behavior of the main characters demonstrates there was already a clear distinction being made between the concepts of barbarism and civility, morality and immorality, well before the advent of Christianity. Strong kinship ties reinforced good behavior and helped to codify what was considered bad. Characters who embody these ideals include Beowulf, Hrothgar and Wealhtheow while characters such as Grendel’s mother demonstrate how bonds of kinship can lead one astray. As it is revealed through the poem, the code of kinship and honor placed significant value on personal characteristics such as physical strength and liege loyalty, expansive hospitality particularly to those associated through kinship ties and smooth political skill in leaders (Tierney-Hynes, 2000). This is how Hrothgar is presented to the reader from the beginning, establishing him as the example by which Beowulf will be able to judge himself later. Before he can accept Beowulf’s help in getting rid of Grendel, Hrothgar has to make it clear that Beowulf’s service is in honorable repayment of past deeds on behalf of Beowulf’s father – kinship ties must be established. He says, “Great was the feud that your father set off when his hand struck down Heatholaf in death among the Wylfings. … I then settled the feud with fitting payment, sent to the Wylfings over the water’s back old things of beauty; against which I’d the oath of your father” (459-61; 470-72). By acknowledging the kinship relationship, Hrothgar is able to accept Beowulf’s help without losing any of his present status despite his loss of physical ability as the result of age. This action reveals that it was considered unjust to refuse to allow a debt of honor to be repaid at the same time that it was considered essential that lines of kinship repay debts to other closely tied kinship groups. Just before Beowulf and the Geats depart from Heorot after slaying Grendel and his mother, Hrothgar warns Beowulf about the dangers of power such as greed and pride that were the cause of Hrothgar’s troubles. “Beloved Beowulf, best of warriors, resist this deadly taint, take what is better, your lasting profit. Put away arrogance, noble fighter! The noon of your strength shall last for a while now, but in a little time, sickness or a sword shall swipe it from you” (1758-63). This lesson sounds very much like the Christian warning to remain humble as it advises to take the path of the servant of men rather than the exalted lord. In this statement, Hrothgar reveals the degree to which the ruler depends upon the support of his kinship group, reinforced by the generous distribution of gifts, as well as his responsibility to it. The concept of generosity and responsibility for the family line is revealed as well in Hrothgar’s treatment of the people in his mead hall. He understands that generosity to those who serve you is both a responsibility and a blessing bestowed by the Gods. While Hrothgar demonstrates from the beginning of the poem the example of the ideal family leader, Beowulf emerges as an ideal in training, making the transition from young warrior to older ruler. According to Chickering, part of the ancient Anglo-Saxon belief system was the understanding that “life was a struggle against insuperable odds and that a man’s wyrd or lot would be what it would be” (269). This fate was partially determined by the family into which one was born and the individual’s ability and willingness to make up for the sins of the past. When he first hears of the monster plaguing Hrothgar, Beowulf is not in Heorot, but immediately selects 14 of his best warriors and sets off to offer Hrothgar his aid as a means of repaying an old family debt. The dangers to be faced simply making the journey are not counted as anything toward repaying this debt nor does Beowulf seem to expect them to. Upon arriving safely, Beowulf and his men are challenged on the coast, but Beowulf offers a calm and humble reply, offering both his house name and his humble intentions to discuss an idea he has with Hrothgar to rid the kingdom of the evil it’s facing. Although he announces his many feats in what might seem a boastful manner to the modern reader, he is instead merely listing his qualifications for the task at hand. At the same time, he demonstrates that he is aware of the bonds of kinship which insist upon fair play and just treatment when he talks about how he will face Grendel. “As I am informed that this unlovely one is careless enough to carry no weapon … I abjure utterly the bearing of sword or shielding yellow board in this battle! With bare hands shall I grapple with the fiend, fight to the death here, hater and hated!” In this statement, Beowulf demonstrates his submission to the rules of fair play, only allowing himself the same tools and defenses used by his enemy. He makes no promises regarding the outcome of the battle and does not presume to believe that either himself or Grendel have the final say in the outcome. Wealtheow is not an often considered character in this story, but as mistress of Hrothgar’s hall, she demonstrates for the Beowulf audience the subtle ways in which kinship ties were communicated in this society. When she first appears as the hostess of Hrothgar’s hall after Beowulf’s arrival, she serves Hrothgar first, then all the men of the house and Beowulf last. This establishes the rank of the men in terms of their relative importance to the kinship group that Hrothgar leads (Shippey & Harder, 1998). This serving order establishes that Hrothgar is leader, followed by those warriors who are pledged to him and Beowulf is nothing more than a guest. However, after Beowulf defeats Grendal, Wealtheow changes her serving order. Although Hrothgar is still first as lord of the hall, Beowulf is served second and is seated with the sons of Hrothgar in a position of honor. This indicates that he has been accepted as a member of the kinship group and is given rank just under that of Hrothgar. In this way, Beowulf is marked as being eligible to be a lord in his own right someday. At the same time, Wealtheow takes special care to ensure that her own sons’ positions are secured by reminding Hrothgar of his duty to his direct line and reminding Beowulf that kinship is honored to the male as well as the female leaders of the house. She tells Beowulf, “the troop, having drunk at my table, will do as I bid” (1231). Although she is not given many blatant references, Grendel’s mother is more powerfully hideous than her son because she is incapable of acting in proper accord with the customs of kinship and hospitality. She has special abilities, such as being able to exist above and below water, but she is limited in her abilities and she refuses to accept the role of the female as rank-giver in the hall. As Chance (1986) points out, Grendel’s mother makes no attempt to welcome guests into her homes, instead choosing to use “the sword to rid [the] halls of intruders or unwanted ‘hall-guests’” (256). Once her child is killed, kinship ties mandate that she must seek vengeance by any means available to her. “Grendel’s mother undertakes her venture in no spirit of pride or anger, but under the necessity of revenge” (Chapman, 1956: 334). However, her insistence upon revenge, even though Grendel deserved his death, necessitates her own death. Despite her brave fight, there is never any hope that Grendel’s mother will succeed in her efforts at revenge because she is breaking all the rules. Because Grendel has been a murderer among the ring-thanes of Hrothgar, many critics look upon Grendel’s mother’s vengeance as being unlawful because he was the first to kill and then refused to pay wergild, or restitution for the men he killed. Thus, while kinship was important, the degree of its importance depended entirely on the individual’s value to the kinship group. Hrothgar illustrates what is expected of the leader of the kinship group and Beowulf takes his example. However, Beowulf only gains this opportunity because of his own kinship ties to Hrothgar and his ability to prove that he fully accepts the responsibility of these ties through his previous actions. Wealtheow demonstrates the subtle ways in which kinship rank is bestowed upon the men who appear in her hall at the same time that her presence in the story reinforces the importance of family to the smooth operation of this society. Because she is incapable of properly understanding the delicate balance of kinship between clans, Grendel’s mother is an outcast and thus demonstrates failed kinship ties. Works Cited Alexander, M. (Trans.). Beowulf. London: Penguin Books, 1973. Chance, Jane. Woman as Hero in Old English Literature. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1986. Chapman, Robert L. “Alas, Poor Grendel.” College English. Vol. 17, N. 6, (March 1956): 334-337. Chickering, Harold D. Jr. Beowulf: A Dual Language Edition. New York: Doubleday, 1977, 267-277. Tierney-Hynes, Rebecca. “The Heroic Ethos: Reality and Representation.” Chass. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2000. Read More