Næġling (Old English: [ˈnæjliŋɡ]) is the name of one of the swords used by Beowulf in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem of Beowulf. The name derives from "næġl", or "nail", and may correspond to Nagelring, a sword from the Vilkina saga. It is possibly the sword of Hrethel, which Hygelac gave to Beowulf (ll. 2190-94).[1][2] Næġling is referenced many times as a fine weapon—it is "sharp", "gleaming", "bright", "mighty", "strong", and has a venerable history as an "excellent ancient sword", "ancient heirloom", and "old and grey-coloured".[3] However, the sword does not survive Beowulf's final encounter with the dragon, snapping in two—not because of the dragon's strength, but because of the hero's strength:[4]
Næġling forbærst, ġesƿác æt sæcce sƿeord Bíoƿulfes, gomol ond grǽgmǽl. Him þæt ġifeðe ne ƿæs þæt him írenna eċġe mihton helpan æt hilde; ƿæs sío hond tó strong
Beowulf's hand is "too strong" for the weapon. Stopford Brooke claims this is "absurd, for Beowulf had fought with it all his life", and that "some later editor" inserted the passage, conflating Beowulf with a story told of Offa of Mercia.[4] While Taylor Culbert argues the poet blames the weapon for it, effectively "aggrandiz[ing] Beowulf in the eyes of the reader",[3] Judy Anne White, in a Jungian reading of the poem, proposes that "Beowulf's inability to use a sword is a part of his destiny, a question of fate, and therefore beyond his control."[5]
The idea of a sword failing for the hero at a crucial time has parallels in other Germanic works such as in the Volsunga saga and Gesta Danorum. However this is especially true in the Gunnlaugs saga, where the author goes at pains to show that it was the hero and not the foe who broke the sword.[6] Furthermore, in Germanic tradition, exceptional swords may often use words such as old, ancient, or ancestral. However this may not always fit the story of the hero, such as when the sword is forged for him. In Næġling's case, the sword has more of a literary characteristic than a specific ancestral lineage, as is evident from its name. Nevertheless, the sword is described as being gomol ond grægmæl (old and gray).[7]
^Mullally, Erin (2005). "Hrethel's Heirloom: Kinship, Succession, and Weaponry in Beowulf". In Yvonne Bruce (ed.). Images of Matter: Essays on British Literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance: Proceedings of the Eighth Citadel Conference on Literature, Charleston, South Carolina, 2002. University of Delaware Press. pp. 228–242. ISBN978-0874138948. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
^Klaeber, Friedrich; Fulk, Robert Dennis; Bjork, Robert E.; John D. Niles (2008). Klaeber's Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg. University of Toronto Press. pp. 254, 471. ISBN978-0802095671. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
^ abBrooke, Stopford A. (1892). The history of early English literature. New York: Macmillan. pp. 54 n.1.
^White, Judy Anne (2004). Hero-Ego in Search of Self: A Jungian Reading of Beowulf. Peter Lang. pp. 105–6. ISBN978-0820431154.
^Garbáty, Thomas Jay (1962). The Fallible Sword: Inception of a Motif. The Journal of American Folklore. American Folklore Society. p. 58-9
^Portnoy, Phyllis (February 1, 2006). The Remnant: Essays on a Theme in Old English Verse. Runetree. p. 25. ISBN978-1898577102.
February 19, 2023
nægling, næġling, english, ˈnæjliŋɡ, name, swords, used, beowulf, anglo, saxon, epic, poem, beowulf, name, derives, from, næġl, nail, correspond, nagelring, sword, from, vilkina, saga, possibly, sword, hrethel, which, hygelac, gave, beowulf, 2190, næġling, ref. Naeġling Old English ˈnaejliŋɡ is the name of one of the swords used by Beowulf in the Anglo Saxon epic poem of Beowulf The name derives from naeġl or nail and may correspond to Nagelring a sword from the Vilkina saga It is possibly the sword of Hrethel which Hygelac gave to Beowulf ll 2190 94 1 2 Naeġling is referenced many times as a fine weapon it is sharp gleaming bright mighty strong and has a venerable history as an excellent ancient sword ancient heirloom and old and grey coloured 3 However the sword does not survive Beowulf s final encounter with the dragon snapping in two not because of the dragon s strength but because of the hero s strength 4 Beowulf fights the dragon wielding Naeġling Naeġling forbaerst ġesƿac aet saecce sƿeord Bioƿulfes gomol ond grǽgmǽl Him thaet ġifede ne ƿaes thaet him irenna eċġe mihton helpan aet hilde ƿaes sio hond to strong Beowulf s hand is too strong for the weapon Stopford Brooke claims this is absurd for Beowulf had fought with it all his life and that some later editor inserted the passage conflating Beowulf with a story told of Offa of Mercia 4 While Taylor Culbert argues the poet blames the weapon for it effectively aggrandiz ing Beowulf in the eyes of the reader 3 Judy Anne White in a Jungian reading of the poem proposes that Beowulf s inability to use a sword is a part of his destiny a question of fate and therefore beyond his control 5 The idea of a sword failing for the hero at a crucial time has parallels in other Germanic works such as in the Volsunga saga and Gesta Danorum However this is especially true in the Gunnlaugs saga where the author goes at pains to show that it was the hero and not the foe who broke the sword 6 Furthermore in Germanic tradition exceptional swords may often use words such as old ancient or ancestral However this may not always fit the story of the hero such as when the sword is forged for him In Naeġling s case the sword has more of a literary characteristic than a specific ancestral lineage as is evident from its name Nevertheless the sword is described as being gomol ond graegmael old and gray 7 See also EditHrunting another sword used by BeowulfNotes Edit Mullally Erin 2005 Hrethel s Heirloom Kinship Succession and Weaponry in Beowulf In Yvonne Bruce ed Images of Matter Essays on British Literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance Proceedings of the Eighth Citadel Conference on Literature Charleston South Carolina 2002 University of Delaware Press pp 228 242 ISBN 978 0874138948 Retrieved 14 August 2013 Klaeber Friedrich Fulk Robert Dennis Bjork Robert E John D Niles 2008 Klaeber s Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg University of Toronto Press pp 254 471 ISBN 978 0802095671 Retrieved 14 August 2013 a b Culbert Taylor 1960 The Narrative Functions of Beowulf s Swords Journal of English and Germanic Philology 59 1 13 20 JSTOR 27707401 a b Brooke Stopford A 1892 The history of early English literature New York Macmillan pp 54 n 1 White Judy Anne 2004 Hero Ego in Search of Self A Jungian Reading of Beowulf Peter Lang pp 105 6 ISBN 978 0820431154 Garbaty Thomas Jay 1962 The Fallible Sword Inception of a Motif The Journal of American Folklore American Folklore Society p 58 9 Portnoy Phyllis February 1 2006 The Remnant Essays on a Theme in Old English Verse Runetree p 25 ISBN 978 1898577102 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Naegling amp oldid 1008726000, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
