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Encyclopedia > Grendel's mother
The first page of Beowulf
The first page of Beowulf

Grendel's mother (Old English: Grendles modor) is one of three antagonists (along with Grendel and the dragon) in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf (c. 700-1000 AD); she is never given a name in the text. Image File history File links Beowulf. ... Image File history File links Beowulf. ... This article is about the epic poem. ... Old English redirects here. ... For other uses, see Antagonist (disambiguation). ... Grendel is one of three antagonists, along with Grendels mother and the dragon, in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf (c. ... For other uses, see Dragon (disambiguation). ... Old English redirects here. ... This article is about the epic poem. ...


Her nature in the poem is the subject of an academic debate, in which some scholars suggest that she might have been a Valkyrie or a Germanic goddess. The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ... ROSIE IS A GERMN LADYGermanic paganism refers to the religion of the Germanic nations preceding Christianization. ...

Contents

Story

Main article: Beowulf

The poem, Beowulf, is contained in the Nowell Codex. As noted in lines 106-114 and lines 1260-1267 of Beowulf, Grendel's mother and Grendel are descendants of Cain. After Grendel is killed and Grendel's mother attacks Heorot in revenge, Beowulf ventures into her lake-based home. When Grendel's mother senses his presence, she immediately attacks Beowulf and drags him into her home. They then engage in fierce combat. Grendel's mother nearly defeats Beowulf until he sees a sword in the "mere." He uses the sword to kill Grendel's mother and to behead the corpse of Grendel. Beowulf then returns to the surface and to his men at the "ninth hour" (l. 1600, "nōn", about 3pm). [1] This article is about the epic poem. ... This article is about the epic poem. ... he joost hoestie, wat loop je ons nou uit te schelden, je stinkt zelf, want je bent een nep japanner ... Grendel is one of three antagonists, along with Grendels mother and the dragon, in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf (c. ... In stories common to the Abrahamic religions, Cain or Káyin (קַיִן / קָיִן spear Standard Hebrew Qáyin, Tiberian Hebrew Qáyin / Qāyin; Arabic قايين QāyÄ«n in the Arabic Bible; قابيل QābÄ«l in Islam) is the eldest son of Adam and Eve, and the first man born in creation... Heorot is the stronghold of king Hrothgar in the epic poem Beowulf. ...


Peaceweaver, hostess, or monster

Queen Wealhþeow as the hostess of the banquet
Queen Wealhþeow as the hostess of the banquet

Scholars have noted that Grendel's mother functions in the poem as a foil to female protagonists who fulfill the roles of hostess (Wealhþeow and Hygd) and peaceweaver (Freawaru and Hildeburh). Grendel's mother and Modthryth (before her marriage to Offa) are also sometimes juxtaposed as representative of "monster-women." [2] In this context, Jane Chance Nitzsche (Professor of English, Rice University) argued for similarities between the juxtaposition of Wealtheow and Grendel's mother to that of the Virgin Mary and Eve (1980, 1986). Image File history File links Wealhtheow. ... Image File history File links Wealhtheow. ... Queen Wealhtheow as the hostess of the banquet Wealhþeow is the queen of the Daner, in Beowulf. ... Hostess is a brand of the Interstate Bakeries Corporation in the United States, known for its sugary snacks Twinkies, CupCakes, Chocodiles, Ding Dongs, HoHos, SuzieQs, Sno Balls, Donettes, Mini Muffins, Hostess Fruit Pies, Pudding Pies, Zingers, and Leopards. ... For other uses, see foil. ... Queen Wealhtheow as the hostess of the banquet Wealhþeow is the queen of the Daner, in Beowulf. ... Hygd is the young queen of Geatland and the wife of its king Hygelac, in Beowulf. ... Freawaru, introduced in l. ... Hildeburh, introduced in l. ... Queen Modthryth (also Thryth) is introduced in line 1932 of the poem, Beowulf. ... Offa (or Alavivaz Olauus) (? - c. ... Lovett Hall William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters, Science and Art) is a private, comprehensive research university located in Houston, Texas, USA, near the Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ...


Overview of debate

Scholars have debated the nature of Grendles modor since the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1970s. Grendel's mother is something of a conundrum to scholars, in large part because of the description of her descent as from the biblical Cain, who was the first murderer in Abrahamic religions. For some scholars, this justifies a monstrous appearance. For others, it implies that Grendel's mother is a marginal (rather than monstrous) figure, since she bears the curse and mark of Cain. Second-wave feminism refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted through the late 1980s. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... A conundrum is a puzzling question. ... In stories common to the Abrahamic religions, Cain or Káyin (קַיִן / קָיִן spear Standard Hebrew Qáyin, Tiberian Hebrew Qáyin / Qāyin; Arabic قايين QāyÄ«n in the Arabic Bible; قابيل QābÄ«l in Islam) is the eldest son of Adam and Eve, and the first man born in creation... Abrahamic religions symbols designating the three prevalent monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Abrahamic religion is a term commonly used to designate the three prevalent monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam[1][2] – which claim Abraham (Hebrew: Avraham אַבְרָהָם ; Arabic: Ibrahim ابراهيم ) as a part of their sacred history. ... In Christianity and Judaism, the curse of Cain and the mark of Cain refer to the Biblical passages in the Book of Genesis chapter 4, where God declared that Cain, the firstborn of Adam and Eve, was cursed, and placed a mark upon him to warn others that killing Cain...


This lack of consensus has led to debate and the production of a few seminal papers and texts among Beowulf scholars over the past few decades. The central focus of this debate concerns varying translations of the following lines:

“ 1258b: ...Grendles modor

1259a: ides, aglæcwif...

 ”

Wretch, or monster of a woman (Klaeber, Bonjour, Chance Nitzsche , & Gillam)

Beowulf and Grendel's Mother, by Rockwell Kent in his illustrated 1932 edition of Beowulf
Beowulf and Grendel's Mother, by Rockwell Kent in his illustrated 1932 edition of Beowulf

Up until the late 1970s, all scholarship on Grendel's mother and translations of the phrase "aglæc-wif" were influenced by the noted Beowulf scholar Frederick Klaeber and his translation Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburg. This edition has been considered a standard in Beowulf scholarship since its first publication in 1922. [3] According to Klaeber's glossary, "aglæc-wif" translates as: "wretch, or monster of a woman." Klaeber's glossary also defines "aglæca/æglæca" as "monster, demon, fiend" when referring to Grendel or Grendel's mother. On the other hand, "aglæca/æglæca" is translated by Klaeber as "warrior, hero" when referring to the character, Beowulf. [4] Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Rockwell Kent photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1933 Rockwell Kent (1882-1971), an American artist was born in Tarrytown, New York, was well educated in art. ... Frederick Klaeber (01 October 1863 - 04 October 1954) was a professor of Old and Middle English at the University of Minnesota. ... Grendel is one of three antagonists, along with Grendels mother and the dragon, in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf (c. ... Beowulf fights the dragon Beowulf (IPA: ) is the legendary hero and king of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem of the same name. ...


Klaeber has influenced many translations of Beowulf. Notable interpretations of line 1259a which follow Klaeber include, "Monstrous hell bride" (Heaney), [5] "Monster-woman" (Chickering) [6] "Woman, monster – wife" (Donaldson), [7] "Ugly troll-lady" (Trask) [8] and "Monstrous hag" (Kennedy). [9]


He has also influenced most scholarship on Beowulf. Critic Adrien Bonjour, who in his 1949 essay, "Grendel's Dam and the Composition of Beowulf,"[10] popularized the use of "Dam" for "mother" (where the Oxford English Dictionary defines, "Dam" as a "female parent (of animals) [...] mother (human): usually in contempt"). The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is the most successful dictionary of the English language, (not to be confused with the one-volume Oxford Dictionary of English, formerly New Oxford Dictionary of English, of...


Jane Chance Nitzsche (Professor of English, Rice University) in her 1980 article "The Structural Unity of Beowulf: The Problem of Grendel's Mother" argued that there are two standard interpretations of the poem: one view which suggests a two-part structure (i.e., the poem is divided between Beowulf's battles with Grendel and with the dragon) and the other, a three-part structure (this interpretation argues that Beowulf's battle with Grendel's mother is structurally separate from his battle with Grendel).[11] Chance stated that, "this view of the structure as two-part has generally prevailed since its inception in J. R. R. Tolkien's Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics in Proceedings of the British Academy 22 (1936)."[11] In contrast, she argued that the three-part structure has become "increasingly popular."[11] Lovett Hall William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters, Science and Art) is a private, comprehensive research university located in Houston, Texas, USA, near the Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. ... Grendel is one of three antagonists, along with Grendels mother and the dragon, in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf (c. ... Tolkien redirects here. ...


Doreen M.E. Gillam's 1961 essay, "The Use of the Term 'Æglæca' in Beowulf at Lines 893 and 2592" explores Klaeber's dual use of the term "aglæca/æglæca" for both the heroes, Sigemund and Beowulf as well as for the Grendel and Grendel's mother. She argues that "aglæca/æglæca" is used in works besides Beowulf to reference both "devils and human beings. She further argues that this term is used to imply "supernatural," "unnatural" or even "inhuman" characteristics, as well as hostility towards other creatures.[12] Gillam thus suggests: "Beowulf, the champion of men against monsters is almost inhuman himself. [Aglæca/æglæca] epitomises, in one word, the altogether exceptional nature of the dragon fight. Beowulf, the champion of good, the 'monster' amongst men, challenges the traditional incarnation of evil, the Dragon: æglæca meets æglæcan." [13] This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


Lady, female warrior (Kuhn, Stanley, Alfano, & Heaney)

Further information: List of women warriors in folklore, literature, and popular culture

In 1979, Beowulf scholars Kuhn and Stanley argued against Klaeber's reading of Grendel's mother. Sherman Kuhn (Emeritus Professor of English and former editor of the Middle English Dictionary, University of Michigan [14]) questioned Klaeber's translations of both "aglæc-wif" and of "aglæca/æglæca" when referring to Grendel and Grendel's mother, stating that there are, This article is about examples of woman warriors in a number of contexts. ... The Middle English Dictionary is a dictionary of Middle English published by the University of Michigan. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (U of M, UM or simply Michigan) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Michigan. ...

“ five disputed instances of áglæca [three of which are in Beowulf] 649, 1269, 1512...In the first...the referent can be either Beowulf or Grendel. If the poet and his audience felt the word to have two meanings, 'monster,' and 'hero,' the ambiguity would be troublesome; but if by áglæca they understood a 'fighter,' the ambiguity would be of little consequence, for battle was destined for both Beowulf and Grendel and both were fierce fighters. [15] ”

He continued the argument by stating that, "I suggest, therefore, that we define aglæca as 'a fighter, valiant warrior, dangerous opponent, one who struggles fiercely.'" ).[16] In a footnote to this sentence, Kuhn added, "if there were one clear instance of áglæca referring to an unwarlike monster, a peaceful demon, or the like, this definition would fall apart." [17] Kuhn further suggested that, "Grendel's mother was an 'aglæc-wif', 'a female warrior' [...] There is no more reason to introduce the idea of monstrosity or of misery here than there is in line 1519 where she is called merewif, defined simply as 'water-woman', 'woman of the mere.'" [16] This article is about examples of woman warriors in a number of contexts. ...


E.G. Stanley (Emeritus Professor of Anglo-Saxon, Oxford University [18]) added to the debate by critiquing both Klaeber and Gillam: Old English redirects here. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ...

“ Grendel is described as an æglæca, a word which we do not understand. One scholar [Gillam] has, in fact, made investigation of this word a model for the methodology of establishing meaning. The attempt is of interest, but in the end we always come back to the fact that, as Klaeber's glossary shows, the word is used by the poet not only to describe Grendel as here, and later in the poem to describe the dragon, and the monsters of the mere as they attack Beowulf, but also Beowulf himself; and at one point the two enemies, Beowulf and the dragon, are described together using the plural æglæcean. As we assemble the many uses including compounds [...] it becomes clear that it is not pejorative in force. We must not follow Klaeber's distinction of 'wretch, monster, demon, fiend' for Beowulf's enemies, and 'warrior, hero' for Beowulf himself; and we must not abuse Grendel's mother when she is called aglæcwif by translating the word as Klaeber does, 'wretch,' or 'monster, of a woman.' We must never forget that she is called there ides aglæcwif (1259) and ides, 'lady,' is not a term of abuse [...] the poet does not speak of his monsters abusively. [19] ”
Amazon preparing for the battle (Queen Antiope or Armed Venus) - Pierre-Eugène-Emile Hébert 1860 National Gallery of Art

These arguments were supported by Christine Alfano (Lecturer in English, Stanford University), who stated in her 1992 article, "The Issue of Feminine Monstrosity: A Reevaluation of Grendel's Mother" that: "I find a noticeable disparity between the Grendel's mother originally created by the Beowulf poet and the one that occupies contemporary Beowulf translations. Instead of being what Sherman Kuhn calls a 'female warrior,' the modern Grendel's mother is a monster. This assumption informs almost all areas of Beowulf scholarship, although there is little evidence for this characterization in the original Anglo - Saxon work." [20] Seamus Heaney, in his noted 2001 translation of Beowulf, compared Grendel's mother to an "amazon warrior" in l.1283 (swá bið mægþa cræft). [21] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1025 × 1366 pixel, file size: 832 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Pierre-Eugene-Emile Hebert Washington DC The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1025 × 1366 pixel, file size: 832 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Pierre-Eugene-Emile Hebert Washington DC The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and... The Amazons (in Greek, ) were a mythical ancient nation of all-female warriors. ... Pierre-Eugène-Emile Hébert (1828-1893) was a French sculptor. ... The West building of the National Gallery of Art with the East building visible behind and to to the left The National Gallery of Art is an art museum, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The museum was established in 1937 by the Congress, with funds for... Stanford redirects here. ... Old English redirects here. ... Seamus Justin Heaney (IPA: ) (born 13 April 1939) is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. ... The Amazons (in Greek, ) were a mythical ancient nation of all-female warriors. ...


Lady or hero (Temple, Taylor, & Kiernan)

Scholars have continued Stanley's discussion of "Ides" as "lady" when discussing Grendel's mother, most notably Temple ("Grendel's Lady-Mother," 1986) and Taylor (who argues in his 1994 essay that the term Ides indicates that "Grendel's mother is a woman of inherently noble status"[22]). In addition, Kevin Kiernan (Emeritus Professor of English, University of Kentucky) followed Klaeber's interpretation of monstrosity in his 1984 article "Grendel's Heroic Mother." At the same time, he argues, a scholar could "find plenty of evidence for defending Grendel's mother as a heroic figure." [23] This is because, as he suggests, "Grendel's mother accepted and adhered to the heroic ethic of the blood-feud, the main difference between Grendel's feckless feud with the noise at Heorot and his mother's purposeful one exacting retribution for the death of her son. In heroic terms, her vengeance for the death of her kinsman Grendel." [24] The University of Kentucky, also referred to as UK, is a public, co-educational university located in Lexington, Kentucky. ...


Ides/Dis (Germanic paganism)

The Anglo-Saxon ides, Old High German itis and Old Norse dís are cognates that all mean "lady",[25] and idisi appears as the name of the valkyries in the only surviving pagan source from Germany, the Merseburg Incantations.[26] More generally, in Norse mythology, the Dísir ("ladies") are fate goddesses who can be both benevolent and antagonistic towards mortal people. Consequently, many have pointed out that dís is probably the original term for the valkyries (lit. "choosers of the slain"), which in turn would be a kenning for dís.[27] Old English redirects here. ... The (Late Old High) German speaking area of the Holy Roman Empire around 950. ... The dying Viking hero Ragnar Lodbrok exclaimed in Krákumál: the dísir invite me home (to Valhalla). This is an illustration of a lady welcoming Odin back to Valhalla on the Tängvide image stone, Gotland. ... The Merseburg Incantations The Merseburg Incantations (German: die Merseburger Zaubersprüche) are two medieval magic spells, charms or incantations, written in Old High German. ... Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... In Norse mythology, the dísir (sing. ... The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ... In literature, a kenning is a poetic phrase, a figure of speech, substituted for the usual name of a person or thing. ...


A few scholars have suggested that Grendel's mother may be associated with the Norse myths of the Valkyries and of the goddess Gefion who is considered to be an avatar of Frigg and Freyja. Freyja, the daughter of the sea god Njörðr, was both a Fertility goddess and the goddess of war, battle, death, magic, prophecy (who was also sometimes associated with the Valkyries and disir). Norse paganism or Nordic religion is a termed used to abbreviate the religion preferably amongst the Germanic tribes living in Nordic countries under pre-Christian period that are supported by archaeology findings and early written materials. ... The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ... The Gefion fountain in Churchill Park Copenhagen, Denmark. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ... The Gefion fountain in Churchill Park Copenhagen, Denmark. ... A statue of Freyja at DjurgÃ¥rden, Stockholm, Sweden. ... Njord or Njordr (Old Norse Njörðr) is one of the Vanir and the god of the fertile land along the seacoast, as well as seamanship and sailing in Norse mythology. ... Many cultures developed deities to watch over and promote fertility, pregnancy, and birth. ... For other uses, see War (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Battle (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Death (disambiguation), Dead (disambiguation), or Death (band). ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... For other uses, see Prophecy (disambiguation). ... The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ...


Valkyries (Chadwick & Damico)

A sculpture of a Valkyrie on a horse by Stephan Sinding (1908)
A sculpture of a Valkyrie on a horse by Stephan Sinding (1908)

Following the connection between "ides" and "dis" first Nora Kershaw Chadwick (1959) and later Helen Damico (Professor of English, University of New Mexico) in two works (1980)/(1984) argue that Grendel's mother may have been derived from the myth of the Valkyries. In her 1980 essay, "The Valkyrie Reflex in Old English Literature," Damico argues that: Download high resolution version (1024x1024, 912 KB)Statue of a warlike valkyrie, riding a horse and carrying a spear. ... Download high resolution version (1024x1024, 912 KB)Statue of a warlike valkyrie, riding a horse and carrying a spear. ... The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ... Stephan Sinding (1846–1922), was a Norwegian-Danish sculptor. ... Nora Kershaw Chadwick was a twentieth century British scholar of traditional literature. ... The University of New Mexico (UNM) is a public university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ...

“ in both their benevolent and malevolent aspects, the valkyries are related to a generic group of half-mortal, half-supernatural beings called idisi in Old High German, ides in Old English, and dis in Old Norse, plural, disir. Both groups are closely allied in aspect and function: they are armed, powerful, priestly [...] The Beowulf poet follows the tradition of depicting the valkyrie-figure as a deadly battle demon in his characterization of Grendel's Mother. As Chadwick has argued, Grendel's Mother, that wælgæst wæfre 'roaming slaughter - spirit' epitomizes the earlier concept of the valkyrie. [28] ”

Damico later argues in Beowulf's Wealhtheow and the Valkyrie Tradition that Wealtheow and Grendel's mother represent different aspects of the valkyrie. This article is about the Valkyries, figures of Norse mythology. ...


Gefion (Battaglia)

The Gefion fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark by Anders Bundgård, 1908.
The Gefion fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark by Anders Bundgård, 1908.

In his 1991 article, "The Germanic Earth Goddess in Beowulf", Frank Battaglia (Professor of English, CUNY) argued for the presence of the Early Germanic goddess Gefion in the poem whom he states was also a form of Nerthus and Freyja. [29] He does not speak of the Valkyries in this context, but specifies his argument by pairing "ides" (Old English) with "dis" (Old Norse) and noting that the "dis" were "female guardian spirit[s]" with the "power over the dead and choosing who would die. In this capacity [they] might be feared."[30] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 871 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 871 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Gefion fountain The Gefion fountain (Danish: Gefionspringvandet) is a large fountain on the harbour front in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... The City University of New York (CUNY; acronym: IPA pronunciation: ), is the public university system of New York City. ... For the 1934 film, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... The Gefion fountain in Churchill Park Copenhagen, Denmark. ... Nerthus (also sometimes Hertha) is a Germanic fertility goddess who was mentioned by Tacitus in his work entitled Germania. ... A statue of Freyja at Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden. ...

Freyja, depicted in a painting by J. Penrose.
Freyja, depicted in a painting by J. Penrose.

He further notes that "in scaldic poetry the word dis means goddess [...] Freyia herself is called Vanadis, that is, dis of the Vanir, the Scandinavian chthonic, fertility deities." [31] Image File history File links Freya_by_Penrose. ... Image File history File links Freya_by_Penrose. ... A statue of Freyja at Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden. ... A statue of Freyja at Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden. ... For other uses, see Chthon (disambiguation). ...


Battaglia argues that Grendel's mother might have been the goddess Gefion, because of five appearances of the word in the poem: l.49 (géafon on gársecg - "Gefion on the waves"), l.362 (ofer geofenes begang - "over Gefion's realm"), l.515 (geofon ýþum- "Gefion welled up in waves"), l.1394 (né on gyfenes grund - "Ground of Gefion"), and l.1690 (gifen géotende - "Gefion gushing"). In addition, he states, "in Old English poetry, geofon is a word for ocean which has been seen since Jakob Grimm (1968, 198) as related to the name Gefion of the Danish Earth Goddess...power to divide land and sea is shown by representations of Gefion in Norse literature." [32] Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (January 4, 1785 – September 20, 1863), German philologist and mythologist, was born at Hanau, in Hesse-Kassel. ...


Dictionary of Old English (Jack, Mitchell, & Menzer)

The Dictionary of Old English, University of Toronto, made the following updates in 1994: The Dictionary of Old English (DOE) is a dictionary published by the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto under the direction of Angus Cameron, Ashley Crandell Amos, and Antonette diPaolo Healey. ... The University of Toronto (U of T) is a public research university in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ...

  • āglāc-wíf (noun) is translated as female warrior, fearsome woman.
  • āglæca (adj.) is translated as formidable, awe-inspiring
  • āglæca (noun) is translated as awesome opponent, ferocious fighter

The 1994 DOE translations were supported by George Jack (Former Lecturer in English, University of St. Andrews [33]) in his 1997 glossary of Beowulf. They were also supported by Bruce Mitchell (Emeritus Fellow at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford) in his 1998 glossary of Beowulf. University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews was founded between 1410-1413 and is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the United Kingdom. ... Bruce Mitchell (born January 8, 1909, Johannesburg, Transvaal, died July 1, 1995, Abbotsford, South Africa) was a South African cricketer who played in 42 Tests from 1929 to 1949. ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ...


Melinda Menzer (Associate Professor of English, Furman University) critiqued both the new DOE translations, as well as those influenced by Klaeber, in a 1996 article which argued that the actual meaning of aglæca is problematic. Thus, Menzer states, "from the semantic norms governing compounds with -wif, that the word does not merely refer to the female equivalent of a male or genderless aglæca ('female warrior,' 'female monster'); aglæcwif denotes a woman, a human female, who is also aglæca [...] Indeed wif alone always refers to a woman, rather than a female being." [34] The Bell Tower Furman University is a private, coeducational, non-sectarian university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. ... In general, semantics (from the Greek semantikos, or significant meaning, derived from sema, sign) is the study of meaning, in some sense of that term. ... The word norm coming from the latin word norma which means angle measure or (lawlike) rule, has a number of meanings: A social or sociological norm; see norm (sociology). ...


Grendel's mother in film, literature, and popular culture

Main article: List of artistic depictions of Grendel's mother

Grendel's mother has been adapted in a number of different mediums (film, literature, and graphic/illustrated novels or comic books) including the 2007 Robert Zemeckis film, Beowulf. The first page of Beowulf This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness. ... Robert Lee Bob Zemeckis (born May 14, 1952) is an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning American movie director, producer and writer. ... Beowulf is a 2007 animated epic film adapted from the Old English heroic epic poem of anonymous authorship, Beowulf. ...


References and further reading

Dictionaries:

  • Cameron, Angus, et al. "Aglac-Wif to Aglaeca." Dictionary of Old English. Toronto: Published for the Dictionary of Old English Project Centre for Medieval Studies University of Toronto by the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1986/1994.

English translations and dual text: The Dictionary of Old English (DOE) is a dictionary published by the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto under the direction of Angus Cameron, Ashley Crandell Amos, and Antonette diPaolo Healey. ...

  • Jack, George. Beowulf : A Student Edition. Oxford University Press: New York, 1997.
  • Heaney, Seamus Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001.
  • Klaeber, Frederick. Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburg. Third ed. Boston: Heath, 1950.
  • Mitchell, Bruce, et al. Beowulf: An Edition with Relevant Shorter Texts. Oxford, UK: Malden Ma., 1998.

Scholarship: Seamus Justin Heaney (IPA: ) (born 13 April 1939) is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. ... Frederick Klaeber (01 October 1863 - 04 October 1954) was a professor of Old and Middle English at the University of Minnesota. ... Bruce Mitchell (born January 8, 1909, Johannesburg, Transvaal, died July 1, 1995, Abbotsford, South Africa) was a South African cricketer who played in 42 Tests from 1929 to 1949. ...

  • Alfano, Christine. "The Issue of Feminine Monstrosity: A Re-evaluation of Grendel's Mother." Comitatus 23 (1992): 1-16.
  • Anderson, Carolyn. "Gæst, gender, and kin in Beowulf: Consumption of the Boundaries", The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5, Summer/Autumn 2001. 
  • Battaglia, Frank. "The Germanic Earth Goddess in Beowulf." Mankind Quarterly 31.4 (Summer 1991): 415-46.
  • Chadwick, Nora K. "The Monsters and Beowulf." The Anglo-Saxons: Studies in Some Aspects of Their History. Ed. Peter ed Clemoes. London: Bowes & Bowes, 1959. 171-203.
  • Damico, Helen. Beowulf's Wealhtheow and the Valkyrie Tradition. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1984.
  • ---. "The Valkyrie Reflex in Old English Literature." New Readings on Women in Old English Literature. Eds. Helen Damico and Alexandra Hennessey Olsen. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990. 176-89.
  • Gillam, Doreen M. "The Use of the Term 'Aeglaeca' in Beowulf at Lines 893 and 2592." Studia Germanica Gandensia 3 (1961): 145-69.
  • Grigsby, John. Beowulf & Grendel: The Truth Behind England's Oldest Legend. Watkins Publishing. London, 2005. (2006 reprint edition distributed by Sterling Publishing).
  • Horner, Shari. The Discourse of Enclosure: Representing Women in Old English Literature. New York: SUNY Press, 2001.
  • Kiernan, Kevin S. "Grendel's Heroic Mother." In Geardagum: Essays on Old English Language and Literature 6 (1984): 13-33.
  • Kuhn, Sherman M. "Old English Aglaeca-Middle Irish Olach." Linguistic Method: Essays in Honor of Herbert Penzl. Eds. Irmengard Rauch and Gerald F. Carr. The Hague, New York: Mouton Publishers, 1979. 213-30.
  • Menzer, Melinda J. "Aglaecwif (Beowulf 1259a): Implications for -Wif Compounds, Grendel's Mother, and Other Aglaecan." English language notes 34.1 (September 1996): 1-6.
  • Nitzsche, Jane Chance. "The Structural Unity of Beowulf: The Problem of Grendel's Mother." Texas Studies in Literature and language 22 (fall 1980): 287-303. Repr. inNew Readings on Women in Old English Literature. Eds. Helen Damico and Alexandra Hennessey Olsen. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990. 248-61.
  • ---. Woman as Hero in Old English Literature. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1986.
  • Porter, Dorothy. "The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf: A New Context", The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5, Summer/Autumn 2001. Retrieved on 2006-08-09. 
  • Stanley, E.G. "Did Beowulf Commit 'Feaxfeng' against Grendel's Mother." Notes and Queries 23 (1976): 339-40.
  • ---. "Two Old English Poetic Phrases Insufficiently Understood for Literary Criticism : Þing Gehegan and Senoþ Gehegan." Old English Poetry: Essays on Style. Ed. Daniel G. Calder. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1979. 67-90.
  • Taylor, Keith. "Beowulf 1259a: The Inherent Nobility of Grendel's Mother." English Language Notes 31.3 (March 1994): 13-25.
  • Temple, Mary Kay. "Beowulf 1258-1266: Grendel's Lady Mother." English Language Notes 23.3 (March 1986): 10-15.

Nora Kershaw Chadwick was a twentieth century British scholar of traditional literature. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Notes

  1. ^ Jack, George. Beowulf: A Student Edition, p. 123
  2. ^ Porter, Dorothy. "The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf: A New Context", The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5, Summer/Autumn 2001. Retrieved on 2006-08-09. 
  3. ^ Bloomfield, Josephine. Benevolent Authoritarianism in Klaeber's Beowulf: An Editorial Translation of Kingship. "Modern Language Quarterly 60:2, June 1999
  4. ^ Klaeber, Fr, and ed. Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburg. Third ed. Boston: Heath, 1950.
  5. ^ Heaney, Seamus Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001.
  6. ^ Chickering, Howell D. Beowulf. Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Books, 1989.
  7. ^ Donaldson, E. Talbot, and Nicholas Howe. Beowulf : A Prose Translation : Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism. A Norton Critical Edition;. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2002.
  8. ^ Trask, Richard M. Beowulf and Judith : Two Heroes. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, 1998.
  9. ^ Kennedy, Charles W., and tr. Beowulf, the Oldest English Epic. New York: London [etc.] Oxford University Press, 1940.
  10. ^ Bonjour, Adrien. "Grendel's Dam and the Composition of Beowulf." Twelve Beowulf Papers, 1940-1960, with Additional Comments. Ed. Adrien Bonjour. Neuchâtel: Faculté des lettres, 1962: 29-42.
  11. ^ a b c Chance, Jane (1990). in Helen Damico and Alexandra Hennessey Olsen: The Structural Unity of Beowulf: The Problem of Grendel's Mother. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 248. 
  12. ^ Gillam, Doreen M. "The Use of the Term 'Aeglaeca' in Beowulf at Lines 893 and 2592." Studia Germanica Gandensia 3 (1961).
  13. ^ Gillam, Doreen M. "The Use of the Term 'Aeglaeca' in Beowulf at Lines 893 and 2592." Studia Germanica Gandensia 3 (1961):169.
  14. ^ Middle English Dictionary Review
  15. ^ Kuhn, S.: "Old English Aglæca-Middle Irish Olach." Linguistic Method: Essays in Honor of Herbert Penzl, pp. 216-7. Mouton Publishers, 1979
  16. ^ a b Kuhn, S., Old English Aglæca-Middle Irish Olach." Linguistic Method: Essays in Honor of Herbert Penzl, pages 218. Mouton Publishers, 1979
  17. ^ Kuhn, S., Old English Aglæca-Middle Irish Olach." Linguistic Method: Essays in Honor of Herbert Penzl, page 227. Mouton Publishers, 1979
  18. ^ E.G. Stanley
  19. ^ Stanley, E.G. "Two Old English Poetic Phrases Insufficiently Understood for Literary Criticism : Þing Gehegan and Senoþ Gehegan.Old English Poetry: Essays on Style, pp. 75-76. University of California Press, 1979
  20. ^ Alfano, Christine. "The Issue of Feminine Monstrosity: A Reevaluation of Grendel's Mother. Comitatus: A Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Vol 23, pages 1 & 12", 1992. Retrieved on 2006-08-09. 
  21. ^ Heaney, Seamus Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001.
  22. ^ Taylor, Keith. "Beowulf 1259a: The Inherent Nobility of Grendel's Mother." English Language Notes 31.3 (March 1994): 18
  23. ^ Kiernan, Kevin S. "Grendel's Heroic Mother." In Geardagum: Essays on Old English Language and Literature 6 (1984):31.
  24. ^ Kiernan, Kevin S. "Grendel's Heroic Mother." In Geardagum: Essays on Old English Language and Literature 6 (1984):24-5.
  25. ^ The article Dis in Nordisk familjebok (1907).
  26. ^ Calvin, Thomas. 'An Anthology of German Literature', D. C. Heath & co. ASIN: B0008BTK3E,B00089RS3K. P5.
  27. ^ Including: Ström, Folke (1954) Diser, nornor, valkyrjor: Fruktberhetskult och sakralt kungadöme i Norden; Näsström, Britt-Mari (1995) Freyja: The Great Goddess of the North; and Hall, Alaric (2004) The Meanings of Elf, and Elves, in Medieval England.
  28. ^ Damico, Helen.The Valkyrie Reflex in Old English Literature." New Readings on Women in Old English Literature. Eds. Helen Damico and Alexandra Hennessey Olsen. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990: 176, 178.
  29. ^ Battaglia, Frank. "The Germanic Earth Goddess in Beowulf" in Mankind Quarterly, page 415-17. Summer 1991
  30. ^ Battaglia, Frank. "The Germanic Earth Goddess in Beowulf" in Mankind Quarterly, page 433. Summer 1991
  31. ^ Battaglia, Frank. "The Germanic Earth Goddess in Beowulf" in Mankind Quarterly, page 436. Summer 1991
  32. ^ Battaglia, Frank. "The Germanic Earth Goddess in Beowulf" in The Mankind Quarterly, page 416. Summer 1991
  33. ^ George Jack Memorial Lecture
  34. ^ Menzer, Melinda J. "Aglaecwif (Beowulf 1259a): Implications for -Wif Compounds, Grendel's Mother, and Other Aglaecan." English language notes 34.1 (September 1996):2
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  Results from FactBites:
 
Beowulf (Medieval): Grendels Mother (453 words)
According to the poem, Grendel is a monster described as the “seed of Cain,” and Hrothgar is a righteous king of the Danes.
Grendel’s mother arrives the next night to retrieve her son’s arm and in the process takes and kills Hrothgar’s best thane, Æshere.
Grendel in the story was a grendel mere because he lived in a large brackish pond full of coarse ferns.
The Truth About Grendels: COBs (721 words)
The Grendel-friendly COB, when injected, will make sure that grendels will only hit when they mean to (instead of even hitting when they want to kiss, like they do normally), and will be able to breed if you use fertile grendels.
Grendel Trap will capture and cage the grendel - please give him toys to play with and food to eat if you use this and don't want to be cruel.
Grendel Guard is a COB that searches for a grendel, and takes you to it so you can watch it die.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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