Posts: 51
Mon 30 Oct, 2006 11:07 pm
Patrick,
In regards to your previous post about most of Beowulf's men not having
maille. The poem refers in line 321 that "Their maille shirts glinted, hard and hand-linked; the high-gloss iron of their armour rang." I don't know if it is just this translation, but the poet goes through a sizable passage in and around these lines regarding the armour and weapons of the whole group. This leads me to believe that all of Beowulfs men are remarked as being so armoured.
Regarding the issue of decorated helms, a near passage of the text states "Boar-shapes flashed above their cheeck-guards, the brightly forged work of goldsmiths, watching over those stern-faced men." Again, the poet is writing of the group of warriors as a collective. This also leads me to believe that most or all of Beowulf's men are regarded as having finely forged and gilt helments.
One must take into account that these men were seasoned professional warriors renowned as the best of their people. If anyone would be armed to the hilt in the manner of the era, it would be these fellers.
I have just read this poem again for a pre-1700 Brit Lit course. I don't mean to throw dirt at anyone. The text is just fresh in my mind and I figured some food for thought might be entertaining.
Jonathan.