SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

Beowulf, Swedes and Geats
that brings grief, disastrous expedition' .15 Since the
revenge for Heardred is fulfilled, the only reason for
viewing the expedition as disastrous is that it brings grief
to Beowulf. Klaeber sees Eadgils as the subject of
getorac, but this interpretation is rejected for the
following reasons:
(i) He had no power to fight for himself, because he was
[easceafi; Beowulf put him on the throne (folce gestepte,
2393)·
(ii) Beowulf is the subject, centre of interest, and active
force in 2391-2400; while it is possible that there could
be a subject-shift in 2395, such a shift is by no means
necessary and is unlikely, considering Beowulf's active
role throughout the passage.
(iii) We are told that Beowulf lean gemunde lead hryres;
it seems natural to suppose that he felt it necessary to
take appropriate action in revenging his lord.
(iv) It is hard to see how the journey in which Eadgils
regains the kingship could be a ceald cearsu: for him,
whereas it could much more easily be such for Beowulf.
However, the possibility does exist that cealdum cearsioum
refers to Onela.
Certainly, this passage alone cannot be seen as an attack
on the character or actions of Onela, the Swedish king.
His reason for coming to Heardred's court is to seek out
and crush rebellion. In the course of doing so, both he and
Heardred are caught up in the bonds of heroic conduct.
Eanmund and Eadgils are in Heardred's protection, and
Heardred must fight with and for them; Onela must do
battle with Heardred. Heardred's fault is lack of
wisdom; he took the wrong side in a civil conflict. And
the conduct of Beowulf, when he is permitted the
kingship, is governed by convention as well; he must
continue his lord's obligations, and must avenge Heardred,
and thus is forced into killing the rightful king of the
Swedes, in an undertaking that is painful to him.
15 Beowulf, second edition (I958).