Beowulf: Mead Hall
Hrothgar's mead-hall also known as Heorot in the old english epic poem Beowulf, is a major setting during the commencement of the epic. Beowulf is called upon the region of Danes (Denmark) to be of service to the king and his misfortune. Beowulf's honorable self travels across Scandinavia from Geats to face a new challenge. When he arrives to Heorot the king accepts him with open arms and offers him to feast at his leisure with the citizens of Danes. After celebrating Beowulf's arrival, Grendel makes an appearance for his own feasting pleasure. The protagonist and antagonist begin their battle and Beowulf comes up victorious with ease. He presents the citizens of Heorot Grendel's arm as triumph and celebrates once again. The vast building of Heorot is used as a diplomatic headquarters, a place to administer justice, plan battle, and hold entertainments. "The Leire of Hrolf Kraki and therefore the hall Heorot was located on a hillside, miles away from the present village Leire, On a spot now doing service as a cornfield part of a farm on Vixo Parish" said author Stephen J Herben Jr. This location is meaningful because it was the first place Beowulf defeats one of his antagonists and actually receives the honor and respect of the people from Danes. The word "Heorot" translated into modern english means "hart" which is a male deer. A deer is a majestic animal that can symbolize life, but can just as easily be interpreted as death in the contexts of man's prey. In my opinion deers are often correlated to the Fight-or-Flight saying when in the presence of humans. I believe the Author of the poem is foreshadowing that the man eating demon, Grendel will continue to attack his prey and feast on the innocent lives of people in Heorot. Eventually Grendel finds his match and decides to flight instead of continuing the fight. "This hall would be celebrated through out the ages, and in that place he would distribute to young and old all gifts God had given him except inherited land and the lives of men". This quote is directly from the poem translated in english. I believe this quote ties up Beowulf to Heorot by foreshadowing the near future of the text.
Work Cited
Herben, Stephen J. “Heorot.” PMLA, vol. 50, no. 4, 1935, pp. 933–945.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/458100.>
"The Grinnell Beowulf : A Translation with Notes (Revised)." Digital Grinnell |. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016. <https://digital.grinnell.edu/islandora/object/grinnell%3A5317#page/36/mode/2up>.
