Following the Formula in Beowulf, Örvar-Odds saga, and Tolkien by Michael Fox

Author:Michael Fox
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030481346
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

4.3 Under harne stan (887b)

By far the most interesting phrase in the digression, however, is under harne stan (887b), which describes where Sigemund engages his dragon. The har stan appears three other times in the poem: in line 1415a, as a marker at the mere, and in lines 2553b and 2744b with reference to the dragon’s barrow in Beowulf’s final fight. The immediate effect of this repetition is obvious: Sigemund’s dragon, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and Beowulf’s dragon are linked; the abodes of monsters are under harne stan. Further, the exploits of Sigemund and Beowulf become the same sorts of fights against the same sorts of beings. The great deeds of the heroes Sigemund and Beowulf are harmonized, and this may help to explain the common objection that the poet’s praise of Beowulf, connecting Sigemund’s successful fight to Beowulf’s unsuccessful one, has to contain implicit criticism. Looking only at the two dragon fights, one might agree with Kenneth Sisam’s observation that “to remind the audience of Sigemund’s more complete success was not the happiest way of praising Beowulf” (1965, 4n2).54 However, Beowulf wins two fights with creatures who issue from beyond the har stan before losing the third; surely even Sigemund did not attempt this thrice.55 The final mention, in 2744b, comes from the tongue of Beowulf himself, who, in his dying wish, directs Wiglaf under harne stan to gather some of the treasure. Though the passage is not complicated by the presence of a living dragon or monster, this may further represent the passing of the hero’s mantle from Beowulf to the young Wiglaf.

Although the general effect of the four-fold repetition of har stan is relatively straightforward, examining the phrase in context expands its significance. First of all, under harne stan has the appearance of possibly being part of a formula or formulaic system. In the poem, the only variation is in the preposition, which is ofer once (1415a), though that variation is for logical reasons. I am unable to discover or imagine a formulaic system of sufficient specificity to generate under/ofer harne stan, except the rather obvious ability to vary the preposition, which does not seem flexible enough to be a system. Within the poem, then, the repetition seems to be just that, and the similar contexts in which the phrase appears suggests a very specific function. The next appearance after the digression is ofer harne stan, which is part of the description of the mere as Beowulf approaches, a description that must be paired with Hrothgar’s earlier remarks on that horrible place: Hie dygel lond

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