Protecting Others' Reputations

In reading Beowulf for the umpteenth time to teach it in my survey class this semester*, I am struck yet again by a repeated theme: a good man (or woman) speaks well of others, covering over their weaknesses if needed. In Seamus Heaney's beautiful, although not very literal, translation of the Old English epic poem, he chooses to use the word "courtesy" to describe right behavior (for instance, in line 613 to describe Wealtheow's proper behavior as queen). The word is not an Old English one, and probably conjures up something more like the chivalric court of King Arthur than an Anglo-Saxon mead-hall, but it gets the point across.

inside the little Saxon church at Bradford-on-Avon

I'll cite three instances in the poem of protecting someone's reputation (particularly when there's a weakness to gloss over). The first is when Beowulf is able to defeat the God-cursed monster Grendel when Hrothgar the king (either through his own might or through that of his men) cannot. This could be a "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands" moment (1 Samuel 21:11). But it's not. Instead, the Beowulf poet notes that when the heralds spread the news of Beowulf's conquest of Grendel, "there was no laying of blame on their lord, the noble Hrothgar; he was a good king" (861-2). In other words, they manage to both praise foreign hero Beowulf and protect the reputation of their (the Danes') own king.

The second example is after Beowulf has fought and killed Grendel's Mother. In an effort to make up for insulting Beowulf upon the Geat warrior's arrival in Hrothgar's realm (an example of discourteous behavior), Unferth has lent Beowulf his ancestral sword. This sword, Hrunting, has failed Beowulf in battle--or, rather, regular swords don't seem to work against the scaly skin of these monstrous creatures. Upon return from the (successful) battle, Beowulf doesn't disparage the sword (which would reflect badly on its owner). Instead, he thanks Unferth for the loan. Beowulf "said he had found it a friend in battle / and powerful help; he put no blame / on the blade's cutting edge" (1807-12). In other words, Beowulf tells Unferth, "thank you so much for the help," and leaves it at that. He covers over Unferth's sword's/Unferth's weakness.

The third instance is the one that I'd forgotten about, and that is after what basically amounts to Beowulf's failure in the battle against the dragon. In his old age, and against a fire-breathing foe, Beowulf has found himself outmatched, his own sword this time failing against the dragon's scaly hide. The only reason this foe is conquered is that a young hero, Beowulf's distant cousin Wiglaf, steps up to join in the struggle, plunging his own sword into the dragon's belly (always a more tender spot) and weakening the dragon enough to allow Beowulf's knife to finish the job. Spoiler alert: Beowulf dies from his wounds. Yet, when Wiglaf, immediately afterward, tells what happened in his battle, he puts Beowulf's deeds at the forefront and his own in the background:

. . . God who ordains
who wins or loses allowed him [Beowulf] to strike
with his own blade when bravery was needed.
There was little I could do to protect his life
in the heat of the fray, but I found new strength
welling up when I went to help him.
Then my sword connected and the deadly assaults
of our foe grew weaker, the fire coursed
less strongly from his head. . . . (2874-82)

In other words, Wiglaf subtly protects Beowulf's reputation as the consummate warrior, while Wiglaf is the helper against "our foe." He doesn't emphasize how Beowulf would have been toast (both literally and figuratively) had he, Wiglaf, not joined in the fight.

In these examples of protecting others' reputations, not only am I reminded of the Bible's commands not to gossip or slander (how we tear down others' reputations) (Colossians 3:8), but of the truth that love covers over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8) and of the exhortation to consider others as better than yourself and their interests before your own (Galations 2:3-4).

How can some people think Beowulf is just a story about fights and feasting with no relevance to contemporary life? . . .

* This is an "old book" that is truly a great work. It gets better and better each time one reads it in that there are more things to notice, to appreciate, etc.