A Comparison of Runes and Magic in Beowulf and in Anglo-Saxon England :: comparison compare contrast essays

Runes and Magic in Beowulf and in Anglo-Saxon England In the Old English poem Beowulf we see the mention of runes, which were used with connotations of magic or charms. Examining evidence from historic times, we find that early Englishmen were fully conversant with the Germanic runic alphabet and that runes did have modified connotations. In Beowulf the hero is in unwholesome combat with Grendels commence in the mere. He is at the point of being killed by the monster when suddenly God shows to him the presence of a special sword nearby on the wall. Beowulf seizes the giant weapon and kills the monster. Then that sword had begun to melt in battle-bloody icicles that it melted away was as much a admiration as ice itself when the Father unwinds the bonds of frost, loosens the freezing chains of water, Who keeps the power of times and seasons He is the true God. . . . Already the sword had melted away, its blade had burned up too hot the blood of the poisonous s pirit who had died within. . . . the wave-sword burned up, quenched in that blood. . . . then the strange property hilt was placed in the hand of the gray-bearded king, acute war-leader old work of giants after the fall of devils it came into the hands of the lord of the Dane-men, from magic smithies once the fierce spirit, long Gods opponent, guilty creature, and his murderous mother had quitted this world, it came to the power of the best overlord between the two seas, of all world-rulers in Scandanavia who gave good treasures. Hrothgar spoke, examined the hilt, great treasure of old. There was engraved the origin of past strife, when the run drowned, the pouring ocean killed the race of giants. . . . On its bright gold facings there were also runes set down in order, engraved, inlaid, which told for whom the sword was first worked, its hair-keen edges, twisted gold scrolled in the hilt, the woven snake-blade(1605ff). Chickering in his Commentary would h ave us believe that the melting sword is a reference to patristic theology, to St.