Dialectical Journal 4

1. ...the hart in flight from pursuing hounds will turn to face them with firm set horns and die in the wood rather than dive beneath its surface. (ln. 1369) Not only does this reinforce the evil that lurks in the lake, but it also reminds the reader of the idea that the duty of the king is not to enter into battle. The country can't risk losing a leader and figurehead. Instead, he must turn around and face his kingly duties of commanding his warriors, rather than fighting with them. The king would have to have a huge amount of trust in his warriors to be willing to put the good of his country, and even his own life, in their hands.

2. Grendel's mother. The author doesn't actually give the hag a name, and there could be many reasons for this. It could be argued that she is (for the most part) called Grendel's mother because that is what she associates herself with. It seems clear to me, as a reader, that she idolized her son. It is her love for him, and her grief over his death, that causes her to face her fear of people and attack Heorot in her desire for revenge. It can also be argued that she isn't evil at all. Except for the fact that she's a monster, there's nothing that suggests that she has done anything wrong. Her actions are the same as any other warrior/hero in Heorot who seek revenge for the death of their kinsmen, but she is looked down on by them because of her monster status.

3. The wide water, the waves and pools, were no longer infested once the wandering fiend let go of her life and this unreliable world. (ln. 1620) Here, the idea of Beowulf being a priest/Jesus figure is reinforced. The death of Grendel's mother and the disappearance of the monsters from the lake is symbolic of a purification. Now that two of the more powerful monsters are dead and no longer raiding Heorot, it can go on with its daily activity. There isn't the fear at the back of everyone's mind anymore that they might be taken and eaten by a monster.

4. Happiness came back, the hall was thronged, and a banquet set forth; black night fell and covered them in darkness. (ln. 1788) This is a foreshadow to the blood feud that is coming to Heorot. For right now, everyone is happy about the victory over the monsters and they can drink and eat and enjoy themselves, but later there will be jealousy between the great and the not so great. Families will be ripped apart by the need of some to be able to prove themselves. But, the way they go about proving themselves is not the traditional way, and it will create chaos in Heorot.

5. ...he put no blame on the sword's cutting edge. He was a considerate man. (ln. 1811) The way this epic talks about the named swords almost makes them seem human, or like they have feelings. The way this line is read makes it seem like Beowulf is being considerate to the sword, rather than to its owner. Earlier in the story it also talks about how the sword has to be called, which is also a human quality. These swords are less like weapons than they are fellow warriors to the person who is brave enough to bear them into battle.