Puukko Question

drdavid · 4th July 2018, 09:00 AM

Alan, the hands appear to be pulling the scales/armour/something else forwards and there is something above the hands in the centre, I cannot make out what that might be from the photos, is it clearer in the hand.

The problem with calling this figure Grendel or indeed Grendel's mum is that the text of Beowulf does not describe Grendel in any detail, the most recent translation by Seamus Heaney says he is human like but bigger and that he is covered in scales and has talons and spikes and claws (page xlviii/8 in Heaney), so we can only have the carver's thoughts on Grendel if we are to consider Grendel and option. Grendel's mother is not described at all
drd
ps I have also had a quick look through Tolkien's translation, he describes Grendel as an ogre and as troll kind and of the race of Cain, but again no description beyond generalities

4th July 2018, 09:00 AM	#14
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 372	Alan, the hands appear to be pulling the scales/armour/something else forwards and there is something above the hands in the centre, I cannot make out what that might be from the photos, is it clearer in the hand. The problem with calling this figure Grendel or indeed Grendel's mum is that the text of Beowulf does not describe Grendel in any detail, the most recent translation by Seamus Heaney says he is human like but bigger and that he is covered in scales and has talons and spikes and claws (page xlviii/8 in Heaney), so we can only have the carver's thoughts on Grendel if we are to consider Grendel and option. Grendel's mother is not described at all drd ps I have also had a quick look through Tolkien's translation, he describes Grendel as an ogre and as troll kind and of the race of Cain, but again no description beyond generalities