Anglo-Saxon Aloud

A daily reading of the entire Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records,which includes all poems written in Old English. By Michael D. C. Drout, Prentice Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College, Norton, MA.

Archive for the 'Finnsburh' Category

The Fight at Finnsburh [all]

Posted by mdrout on 3rd December 2007

A notoriously disputed fragment, the original manuscript of which is now, sadly, lost (though I keep thinking it might be behind the couch cushions somewhere in Lambeth Palace. If they would only let me wander around and ransack the place… ), the Fight at Finnsburh describes some of the events also depicted in the Finnsburh episode in Beowulf.

The fragment depicts part of the fight in the hall when Hnæf is killed but his men successfully defend the hall for five days, leading to the uneasy and temporary truce discussed in Beowulf.

icon for podpress  Finnsburh [all]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (379)

Posted in Minor Poems, Finnsburh | No Comments »