The Relation of the Hrólfs Saga Kraka and the Bjarkarímur to Beowulf: A Contribution To The History Of Saga Development In England And The; Scandinavian CountriesOlson, Oscar Ludvig
History
The Relation of the Hrólfs Saga Kraka and the Bjarkarímur to Beowulf: A Contribution To The History Of Saga Development In England And The; Scandinavian Countries
We have, therefore, only two versions of the Hroar-Helgi story (Saxo's
version and the one in the _Hrólfssaga_), and these have been subjected
to a variety of influences and manipulations. The two versions do not,
however, always employ the same features in just the same way, as is
exemplified in the treatment of the insanity motive; nor have they
always retained the same features present in the source of influence, as
where the place of concealment of the boys in one instance is a cave and
in the other a hollow tree. But the possession of the two versions is
valuable in this respect, that they afford a double confirmation of the
source of influence, as in the instances just cited and in Frothi's
consulting the witch.
It is a great transformation that has taken place in the fortunes of
Hrothgar (Hroar) from the time we become acquainted with him as the
famous King of the Danes in _Beowulf_ till we finally see him in the
_Hrólfssaga_ sitting on the throne of Northumberland in England. But the
conception of him that excludes him from the list of ancient kings of
Denmark seems to have been shared by Snorri Sturlason; for in Snorri's
_Ynglingasaga_, where Frothi, Halfdan, Helgi, Hrolf Kraki, and other
early Danish kings are mentioned, and where one would expect something
to be said about Hroar also, his name does not occur and there is no
reference to him whatever.
The foregoing explanation of how Hroar came to be regarded as King of
Northumberland has a bearing on _Beowulf_-criticism. The name of Hroar's
wife is given as Ögn. In _Beowulf_, Hrothgar's wife, Wealhtheow, is
called a Helming and is supposed to be an English lady. In support of
this idea, Sarrazin[189] and, following him, Thomas Arnold[190] have
stated that perhaps we have a reminiscence of her nationality in that of
Ögn. But, as we have seen, there is no connection between the two
women.
Finally, let it be stated that not all has been said about the
Hroar-Helgi story that one would like to say. One would like to be able
to trace still more in detail the development of the story and account
for all the variations between the two versions. Such knowledge is,
however, vouchsafed in very few instances. But if what has been said is
substantially correct, a little has been added to what was known before
about this interesting story.
III
_GENERAL SUMMARY._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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