The Narrative Pulse of "Beowulf": Arrivals and Departures

134 Pages·2009·0.72 MB·English

by  John M. Hill

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THE NARRATIVE PULSE OF BEOWULF:
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
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JOHN M. HILL
The Narrative Pulse
of Beowulf:
Arrivals and Departures
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
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www.utppublishing.com
© John M. Hill 2008
Published by University of Toronto Press Incorporated
Toronto Buffalo London
Printed in Canada
ISBN 978-0-8020-9329-5
Printed on acid-free paper
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Hill, John M.
The narrative pulse of Beowulf :arrivals and departures / John M. Hill.
(Toronto Old English series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8020-9329-5
1.Beowulf. 2. Epic poetry, English (Old) – History and criticism. I. Title.
II. Series.
PR1585.H552 2008 829′.3 C2007-903501-9
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to
its publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the
Ontario Arts Council.
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its
publishing activities of the Government of Canada through the
Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).
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As always, for Barbara,
whose comings and goings are
the pulse of our life.
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Contents
1 The Narrative Pulse of Beowulf: Arrivals and Departures 3
2 Beowulf’s Sudden Arrival and Danish Challenges:
Nothing Said Is Merely a Formality 21
3 The Arrival of Joy after Grendel’s Departure,
and a Momentous Question:Succession or Not? 43
4 Beowulf’s Homecoming with ‘Celeritas’ and Loyalty 65
5 The Dragon’s Arrival and Beowulf’s Two Departures:
Deep Luck Runs Out 75
Conclusion 91
Notes 97
Works Cited 111
Index 117
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