Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the Episode: Difference between revisions
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{{book| | {{book | ||
title=Finn and Hengest| | |title=Finn and Hengest:<br><small>The Fragment and the Episode</small> | ||
image=| | |image=[[Image:Finn and Hengest 1982.png|275px]] | ||
author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] | |author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] | ||
|editor=[[Alan Bliss]] | |||
|publisherUK=[[George Allen and Unwin]] | |||
|publisherUS=[[Houghton Mifflin]] | |||
format=| | |dateUK=[[20 January]] [[1982]] | ||
pages= | |dateUS=[[1983]] | ||
|format=Hardcover; paperback | |||
|pages=180 | |||
|isbn=0048290033 | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the Episode''''' is a study by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], edited by [[Alan Bliss]] and published posthumously in book form in [[1982]]. | |||
Finn and Hengest are two Anglo-Saxon heroes appearing in the Old English epic poem ''[[Beowulf (poem)|Beowulf]]'' and in the fragment of "[[wikipedia:The Fight at Finnsburg|The Fight at Finnsburg]]". Hengest and his brother Horsa (the names meaning "stallion" and "horse") were the legendary leaders of the first Anglo-Saxon immigrants to Britain as mercenaries in the 5th century. | |||
==The Fragment | ==Contents== | ||
;The Fragment | |||
The Fragment tells the first part of the story. | The Fragment tells the first part of the story. | ||
Hnæf, a young king, notices his troops are being assailed. Sixty men of his comitatus become trapped inside a hall. A fight ensues between the sixty men and the assailers, described as ''eotenas''. The battle lasts five days, and only then, the first Dane dies. | Hnæf, a young king, notices his troops are being assailed. Sixty men of his comitatus become trapped inside a hall. A fight ensues between the sixty men and the assailers, described as ''eotenas''. The battle lasts five days, and only then, the first Dane dies. | ||
;The Episode | |||
This is a text incorporated in Beowulf (lines 1063-1159). In Heorot, a bard tells Hrothgar and his guests of the glorious Danes. The perspective lies with Hildeburh, the sister of Hnæf, and the wife of Finn. Both Hnæf and Hildeburh's son with Finn have fallen, along with most of Finn's knights. It remains unclear whether Finn was involved in the fight. | This is a text incorporated in ''Beowulf'' (lines 1063-1159). In Heorot, a bard tells Hrothgar and his guests of the glorious Danes. The perspective lies with Hildeburh, the sister of Hnæf, and the wife of Finn. Both Hnæf and Hildeburh's son with Finn have fallen, along with most of Finn's knights. It remains unclear whether Finn was involved in the fight. Desperate, Finn pleads a bargain. As Tolkien states, it hardly was a bargain: | ||
* Finn had lost so many men that he could not force his way into the hall again. | * Finn had lost so many men that he could not force his way into the hall again. | ||
* The Danes were occupying his royal hall, and he was unwilling to burn it to get them out. | * The Danes were occupying his royal hall, and he was unwilling to burn it to get them out. | ||
Line 24: | Line 29: | ||
In the end, Hengest is compelled by his thanes to break this oath to Finn and kills him. They carry off Hildeburh and many of his treasures back to Denmark. Tolkien considers this oath-breaking to be a major reason for Hengest's "exile" to England. | In the end, Hengest is compelled by his thanes to break this oath to Finn and kills him. They carry off Hildeburh and many of his treasures back to Denmark. Tolkien considers this oath-breaking to be a major reason for Hengest's "exile" to England. | ||
== | ==From the publisher== | ||
{{blockquote|Tolkien’s famous translations and lectures on the story of two fifth-century heroes in northern Europe.<br> | |||
The story is told in two Old English poems, Beowulf and The Fights at Finnesburg, but told so obscurely and allusively that its interpretation had been a matter of controversy for over 100 years. Bringing his unique combination of philological erudition and poetic imagination to the task, however, Tolkien revealed a classic tragedy of divided loyalties, of vengeance, blood and death.<br> | |||
Tolkien’s original and persuasive solution of the many problems raised by the story ranged widely through the early history and legend of the Germanic peoples. The story has the added attraction that it describes the events immediately preceding the first Germanic invasion of Britain which was led by Hengest himself.<br> | |||
This book will be of interest not only to students of Old English and all those interested in the history of northern Europe and Anglo-Saxon England, but also admirers of The Lord of the Rings who will be fascinated to see how Tolkien handled a story which he did not invent.}} | |||
== | ==Relation to the legendarium== | ||
There are some names in these stories that Tolkien later used for [[Rohirrim]]: | There are some names in these stories that Tolkien later used for [[Rohirrim]]: | ||
* [[Garulf]], the instigator of the attack on Hnæf. | * [[Garulf]], the instigator of the attack on Hnæf. | ||
* [[Guthlaf]], one of Hnæf's retainers. | * [[Guthlaf]], one of Hnæf's retainers. | ||
==Publication history and gallery== | |||
;UK Editions | |||
{{Gallery | |||
|width=125 | |||
|height=125 | |||
|lines=2 | |||
|File:Finn and Hengest 1982.png|1982 hardcover | |||
|File:Finn and Hengest 1998.png|1998 paperback | |||
|File:Finn and Hengest 2006.jpg|2006 paperback | |||
}} | |||
*[[George Allen and Unwin]] hardcover ([[1982]]), pp. 180. ISBN 0048290033 | |||
*[[HarperCollins]] paperback ([[1998]]), pp. 192. ISBN 0261103555 | |||
*[[HarperCollins]] paperback ([[2006]]), ISBN 0261103555 | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Line 38: | Line 60: | ||
* {{WP|Horsa}} | * {{WP|Horsa}} | ||
{{Publishedmajorbooks}} | |||
{{title|italics}} | |||
[[Category:Scholarly books]] | |||
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]] | [[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]] | ||
[[Category:Posthumous publications]] | |||
[[Category:Publications by title]] |
Revision as of 08:32, 13 December 2022
Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the Episode | |
---|---|
Author | J.R.R. Tolkien |
Editor | Alan Bliss |
Publisher | George Allen and Unwin (UK) Houghton Mifflin (US) |
Released | 20 January 1982 (UK) 1983 (US) |
Format | Hardcover; paperback |
Pages | 180 |
ISBN | 0048290033 |
Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the Episode is a study by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Alan Bliss and published posthumously in book form in 1982.
Finn and Hengest are two Anglo-Saxon heroes appearing in the Old English epic poem Beowulf and in the fragment of "The Fight at Finnsburg". Hengest and his brother Horsa (the names meaning "stallion" and "horse") were the legendary leaders of the first Anglo-Saxon immigrants to Britain as mercenaries in the 5th century.
Contents
- The Fragment
The Fragment tells the first part of the story. Hnæf, a young king, notices his troops are being assailed. Sixty men of his comitatus become trapped inside a hall. A fight ensues between the sixty men and the assailers, described as eotenas. The battle lasts five days, and only then, the first Dane dies.
- The Episode
This is a text incorporated in Beowulf (lines 1063-1159). In Heorot, a bard tells Hrothgar and his guests of the glorious Danes. The perspective lies with Hildeburh, the sister of Hnæf, and the wife of Finn. Both Hnæf and Hildeburh's son with Finn have fallen, along with most of Finn's knights. It remains unclear whether Finn was involved in the fight. Desperate, Finn pleads a bargain. As Tolkien states, it hardly was a bargain:
- Finn had lost so many men that he could not force his way into the hall again.
- The Danes were occupying his royal hall, and he was unwilling to burn it to get them out.
- Finn must have felt both guilty and ashamed that his feuding thanes had killed Hnæf, who was his brother-in-law and guest.
In the end, Hengest is compelled by his thanes to break this oath to Finn and kills him. They carry off Hildeburh and many of his treasures back to Denmark. Tolkien considers this oath-breaking to be a major reason for Hengest's "exile" to England.
From the publisher
Tolkien’s famous translations and lectures on the story of two fifth-century heroes in northern Europe.
The story is told in two Old English poems, Beowulf and The Fights at Finnesburg, but told so obscurely and allusively that its interpretation had been a matter of controversy for over 100 years. Bringing his unique combination of philological erudition and poetic imagination to the task, however, Tolkien revealed a classic tragedy of divided loyalties, of vengeance, blood and death.
Tolkien’s original and persuasive solution of the many problems raised by the story ranged widely through the early history and legend of the Germanic peoples. The story has the added attraction that it describes the events immediately preceding the first Germanic invasion of Britain which was led by Hengest himself.
This book will be of interest not only to students of Old English and all those interested in the history of northern Europe and Anglo-Saxon England, but also admirers of The Lord of the Rings who will be fascinated to see how Tolkien handled a story which he did not invent.
Relation to the legendarium
There are some names in these stories that Tolkien later used for Rohirrim:
Publication history and gallery
- UK Editions
|
- George Allen and Unwin hardcover (1982), pp. 180. ISBN 0048290033
- HarperCollins paperback (1998), pp. 192. ISBN 0261103555
- HarperCollins paperback (2006), ISBN 0261103555
External links