1. who is scyld

Through industry, courage, and character, Scyld Scefing became a great leader and honored king. His son, Beow sometimes called Beowulf but not to be confused with the epic's central hero , continued the successful reign after Scyld's death and sea burial. Beow ruled long and well, "beloved by his people" Beow's son, Healfdene, sired four offspring, the most notable of whom is Hrothgar, king of the Scyldings as the story unfolds. Hrothgar has been a great king and won many victories for his people.

As a symbol of his success, he has built a great mead-hall, called Heorot, the finest of its kind. In Heorot, Hrothgar's men celebrate with joyful laughter and songs from the king's bard. The Scyldings prosper. An ogre named Grendel lives in the nearby moors and takes exception to his neighbors' excessive happiness. A descendant of Cain, he envies and resents mankind. One night he attacks without warning and slaughters 30 of Hrothgar's men. He returns the next night and soon drives the Scyldings from the great hall.

His ruthless dominance lasts 12 years. It is often said that Beowulf begins and ends with a funeral, and that is very nearly the case. The narrator sets the heroic tone and introduces the setting through the founding character of Scyld Scefing; his most detailed early description is saved for Scyld's parting after death. The king's body is placed on a ship, surrounded by treasure and "war-dress" 39 to accompany him into the unknown. Gold, silver, jewels, and the finest swords and armor are placed aboard with the corpse and then set afloat in the sea.

The idea is to honor the king but also to provide him with objects that might prove useful in the afterlife. Hrothgar's great hall Heorot, "Hall of the Hart" functions as both symbol and setting.

Symbolically, it represents the achievements of the Scyldings, specifically Hrothgar, and their level of civilization. It is a place of light and warmth in the dark, cold winters.

Here Hrothgar celebrates his victories and rewards his thanes warriors with various rings and treasures. Heorot is no common beer hall; it is more of a palace, towering high like a cliff. Axel Olrik in suggested a parallel "barley-figure" in Finnish Pekko , in turn connected by Fulk with Eddaic Bergelmir.

Scyld operating system — Scyld Beowulf is a cluster management software package developed by Scyld Software. It is specifically designed to be deployed to a Beowulf cluster. Scyld Software is a subsididary of Penguin Computing. The current version of the Scyld Beowulf… … Wikipedia. Sceaf — In English heroic legend, Sceaf or Scef Old English for sheaf appears as an ancient legendary king who appeared mysteriously as a child, coming out of the sea in an empty boat.

Naegling Beowulf's own mighty sword is ineffective in the fight with the fiery dragon. Magical Giant Sword Beowulf miraculously finds this wonderful weapon in the underwater cave and uses it to kill Grendel's mother. It melts down to the hilt after Beowulf uses it to decapitate Grendel's corpse. Beowulf presents the hilt to Hrothgar along with Grendel's head.

Heorot Hrothgar's mead-hall is more like a palace, symbolizing his and the Scyldings' success. Grendel sees it as a symbol of mankind's joy and delights in raiding and capturing it nightly.

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