The Tale of Finn and it's Correlation to Beowulf

A detailed Summary of The Tale of Finn and it's Correlation to Beowulf

In the poem Beowulf there are many ways in which the digressions exhibit a correlated foreshadowing and similarity to Beowulf's personal adventures as a single, heroic, entity. The similarities in wording and plot are remarkable. One such, indicative parallel is manifested between Beowulf's ordeal with the dragon and the digression titled "The Tale of Finn". To illustrate the foreshadowing one must see the parallels between the burial ceremonies of Beowulf and Hnaef, the similarities between Hnaef's scattering warriors and Beowulf's cowardly recruits. Also the dispositions of loyalty that Hengest, Finn's follower and Beowulf's loving recruit, Wiglaf so willingly unveiled, along with the easy relationship of the dragon's actions in Beowulf and the tribal feuds that occur in "The Tale of Finn".

The burial ceremonies for " the best warrior / of Scylding race " (1108 - 1109), Hnaef and "Hygelac's brave kinsman" (758), Beowulf display close resemblance's to each other. For example, both Beowulf and Hnaef were proudly burnt in "the greatest of corpse-fires" (1120), which are also known as pyres. A pyre is a gigantic fire that is made for the respe

Beowulf. Trans, Michael Alexander. London: Penguin, 1973

One could even show similarity between the dragon's actions in Beowulf and the feuds of the ancient tribes in "The Tale of Finn". The end result of the feuds was bloodshed and "blazing fire, / most insatiable of spirits" (1122-1123). The dragon breaths "blazing fire"(1122) and acts as a "hoard-guard" (2554) and "most insatiable [of] spirits". The finality of both the dragon and Finn are the same. Finn is destroyed Guthlaf and Oslaf (followers of Hnaef) and his treasures were taken to Geat lands. Beowulf and Wiglaf deal death to the dragon and its treasures are taken for the Geat's. In both cases a king dies so that the Geat people can enhance their lively hood.

As the blood feuds progressed within "The Tale of Finn", there is a hint of desertion, "their valor was no more. / The warriors then scattered and went to their homes " (1124 - 1125). Michael Alexander's use of the word "scattered" (1125) leads one to the conclusion, that the warriors left out of fear or cowardice; rather, than the similar translation that "the warriors then [spread away from each other] and went to their homes" (11

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Approximate Word count = 781
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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