In Beowulf digression is a common thing that happens a lot. One such digression is when Beowulf and the Geats leave their weapons in the outside the room of the king. It is a digression because the readers probably will not care where Beowulf and the Geats leave their weapons. This detail has very little has to do with the Grendel issue. Even later in the story Beowulf says that he will not even use his sword, so where does the fact that his sword is being left behind and then he will not use it relate to the story. The story will not even tell if Beowulf even went back to get his sword since he never used. To me this could not be a digression if this was more detailed. Instead we get this digression which could make a reader confused.
It has to be there for a reason. It is a detail that the author foreshadows the event that Beowulf will fight Grendel without his weapons. It could show how Beowulf cares about his and the other Geat’s weapons that he will not leave them by themselves. Or it can be trust issues with the herots at the time. The feud that Beowulf’s father may have created may have just in case made the guards stay and watch the weapons.
This event can further the narrative. This adds detail to the narrative. It shows adds some way to show that there are guards out there guarding he king. There is more attention to the Geats as the poem tells what they do when they enter to see the king of Herot. Obliviously shows the reader where the weapons of Beowulf are during his talk with king Hrothgar and where it is during the battle with Grendel. The narrative can also be furthered in that it can give more of an image to Beowulf. Show more of who Beowulf is when he is not battling monsters like Grendel. I think this is an interesting way to look at Beowulf through this digression.
The digression could possibly illuminate to the overall theme. I think that it illuminates the same way as it furthers the narrative. Earlier I said that it can further the digression can further the narrative by showing how Beowulf cares about the Geats. This aspect of the digression shows how much Beowulf cares which can lead to a theme of caring. The part where it was talking about the part of how the digression shows how Beowulf is when he is not battling monsters. This extends the fact that he cares about his people and more than his soldiers. So in a summary this digression supports the theme of caring of showing how much Beowulf cares about his people and weapons.
It has to be there for a reason. It is a detail that the author foreshadows the event that Beowulf will fight Grendel without his weapons. It could show how Beowulf cares about his and the other Geat’s weapons that he will not leave them by themselves. Or it can be trust issues with the herots at the time. The feud that Beowulf’s father may have created may have just in case made the guards stay and watch the weapons.
This event can further the narrative. This adds detail to the narrative. It shows adds some way to show that there are guards out there guarding he king. There is more attention to the Geats as the poem tells what they do when they enter to see the king of Herot. Obliviously shows the reader where the weapons of Beowulf are during his talk with king Hrothgar and where it is during the battle with Grendel. The narrative can also be furthered in that it can give more of an image to Beowulf. Show more of who Beowulf is when he is not battling monsters like Grendel. I think this is an interesting way to look at Beowulf through this digression.
The digression could possibly illuminate to the overall theme. I think that it illuminates the same way as it furthers the narrative. Earlier I said that it can further the digression can further the narrative by showing how Beowulf cares about the Geats. This aspect of the digression shows how much Beowulf cares which can lead to a theme of caring. The part where it was talking about the part of how the digression shows how Beowulf is when he is not battling monsters. This extends the fact that he cares about his people and more than his soldiers. So in a summary this digression supports the theme of caring of showing how much Beowulf cares about his people and weapons.