Reading Recommendations: Harry Potter Websites

Have you read all the Harry Potter books countless times and still can't get enough of the Wizarding World? Not to fear! You can get your much-needed Potter fix online. Hardcore Potter fans may already know about these websites, but just in case, here are a few of the best: 

* Pottermore – Be sorted into your house. Get your wand. Create your own Patronus. Read hundreds of articles about the Wizarding World, including some by J.K. Rowling herself. Participate in book clubs. Discover more about America's Ilvermorny school. There's so much to explore. 

* The Harry Potter Lexicon – Have a question about some aspect of Harry Potter's world? You can most likely find the answer on this encyclopedic website. And while you research, you can catch up on the latest Potter news, read interesting articles, learn the latest Galleon exchange rates, and enjoy some fantastic artwork. 

* Hogwarts is Here – If you've ever dreamed about attending Hogwarts, you're in luck. At Hogwarts is Here, you can take courses in all kinds of magical subjects (your work is even graded by volunteer professors); read books in the library; peruse the Hogwarts Entertainment magazine; roleplay with other Potter fans; and earn points for your house. It's really quite a lot of fun. 

* The Hog's Head – Although this website hasn't been updated for a while, it still offers some interesting Harry Potter reading as well as archived episodes of the Hog's Head Pub Cast and helpful links. 

* Hogwarts Professor – John Granger has written several interesting books on the Harry Potter series, and his blog supplies plenty of good supplementary reading material. 

* The Leaky Cauldron – Potter news. Potter crafts. Potter essays. It's all here. 

* Mugglenet – Want to read The Quibbler or The Daily Prophet? You can do so on Mugglenet. You can also dig deeply into the little details of the books and movies, learn about Wizard Rock, try some of Rosemerta's recipes, listen to SpeakBeasty (a podcast all about Fantastic Beasts), and explore much more. 

So sit back, relax, read, take a class or two, and enjoy the Wizarding World online! 

The Resumé of a Monster Fighter, Part 3

We actually do not know. Beowulf never acknowledges Hrothgar's hint. We can, perhaps, picture him thinking something like, “Oh yes, that too, then,” but Beowulf is much more focused on another motive: bravado. He wants to make a name for himself by dealing with Hrothgar's monster problem. He wants glory, fame, and honor and perhaps a bit of the treasure that usually goes along with such esteem. The hero exudes self-confidence when he speaks to the coastguard. Iċ þæs Hrōðgār mæġ / þurh rūmne sefan ræd ġelæran, he promises (277b-278). “I can, by way of a spacious mind, advise Hrothgar counsel about that” (the king's current problem). Beowulf clearly thinks rather highly about himself. He, in his spacious mind, knows exactly what to do about Grendel. Bravado, indeed. The hero continues to emanate confidence as he tells Hrothgar all about his previous experience and then concludes, ond nū wið Grendel sceal, / wið þām āglæċan, āna ġehēġan / ðinġ wið þyrse (424b-426a). “And now against Grendel, against that formidable foe I myself shall hold a meeting with that demon.” I have come a long way, he adds, Heorot fælsian, “to cleanse Heorot” (431b). But that is not all. Beowulf wants to be fair. He knows that Grendel does not use weapons, so he will not either. Ac iċ mid grāpe sceal / fōn wið fēonde ond ymb feorh sacan, he boasts (438b-439). “But I with grasp shall grapple against the enemy and concerning life contend.” Beowulf plans to take down Grendel with his bare hands. This is the way warriors gain glory; they fight nearly impossible battles, and they do it in style. 

Beowulf ends his speech to Hrothgar with another touch of self-assured nonchalance. If he dies, he tells the king, Nā þū mīnne þearft hafalan hydan (445b-446a). “You need not hide my head.” You do not have to worry about burying me. Why? [B]yreð blōdiġ wæl, byrġean þenċeð, / eteð āngenġa unmurnlīċe (448-449). “He [Grendel] will carry my bloody corpse; he intends to taste; the solitary one will eat me ruthlessly.” Gæð ā wyrd swā hīo scel, Beowulf concludes (455b). “Fate will go as it must.” “If I die, then I die,” he seems to imply. At least he would perish doing something brave, so Hrothgar must not worry about it. Beowulf, as he later tells Wealtheow, resolves that Iċ ġefremman sceal / eorliċ ellen, oþðe endedæġ (636a-637). “I must accomplish heroic courage until my last day.” Now that is truly glorious bravado. 

Beowulf's resumé, then, seems to have everything exactly in place. He possesses the physical ability and strength to kill a monster like Grendel. He has a good deal of experience in such battles, having bound and slaughtered numerous horrible creatures in the past. He comes highly recommended by his countrymen. He even has the motive (although it might be new to him) of repaying his father's debt. Finally, Beowulf certainly exhibits all the self-confident, glory-seeking bravado we could wish for in a monster killing hero. So is Beowulf the best man for the job? Hrothgar apparently thinks so, for he entrusts Heorot to Beowulf in hopes that the warrior will get rid of Grendel once and for all. As it turns out, Hrothgar is right. Beowulf proves to be exactly the monster slayer he claims he is. His resumé rings true in the end as Grendel's cries of defeat ring out in the night.

The Resumé of a Monster Fighter, Part 2

Beowulf is quick to assure Hrothgar that he is no novice monster killer. [H]æbbe iċ mærða fela / ongunnen on ġeogoþe, Beowulf boasts (408b-409a). “I have undertaken many glorious deeds in youth.” Then he elaborates, explaining that he of searwum cwōm, / fāh from fēondum, “came from battles stained from [the blood of] enemies” (419b-420a). He bound five eotena cyn, of the “race of giants” (421a), quite easily, and on yðum slōg / niceras nihtes, “on waves slew water-monsters by night” (421b-422a). It was not easy, of course; in fact, he was in nearoþearfe, “great distress,” (422b) but he came out victorious and avenged his people, grinding those water-monsters to a pulp (forgrand) (423-424a). Beowulf has a pretty good track record as a monster slayer already, but there are more details to come.

When Unferth challenges the hero about his swimming match with Breca, Beowulf has a chance to elaborate on his monster killing qualifications. He begins with a boast: Sōð iċ taliġe, / þæt iċ merestrengo māran āhte, / eafeþo on yþum, ðonne æniġ ōþer man (532b-534). “True I claim, that I possessed more sea-strength, powers on waves, than any other man.” That is quite a claim, but Beowulf backs it up with evidence. The merefixa mōd, “courage of the sea-fish,” of the sea-monsters, (549) was stirred up by Beowulf's presence in their territory. One even grabbed him and dragged him to the bottom of the sea, but Beowulf says, iċ āglæċan orde ġeræhte, “I hit that formidable foe with the point” of a sword (556a), and heaþoræs fornam / mihtiġ meredeor þurh mīne hand (557a-558). “The battle-storm destroyed the mighty sea-beast through my hand.” Beowulf's trials were not over, though. As he continued to swim, meċ ġelōme lāðġetēonan / þrēatedon þearle, “evil-doers frequently harassed me severely” (559-560a). Beowulf, in turn, served them well with his sword. Those mānfordædlan, “guilty destroyers,” did not rejoice in eating him for their feast; in fact, he left a whole bunch of them floating dead on the waves the next morning (563-566). Beowulf had never experienced a harder fight, but niceras nigene, “nine water-monsters,” died by his sword (575a). Indeed, his monster fighting capabilities are greater than those of most men. He climbed out of the sea to fight another day, and now he is ready to tackle Grendel.

We audience members, along with Hrothgar and the Danes, may be wondering at this point if Beowulf is firmly sticking to the truth or if perhaps he is exaggerating just a bit for effect, but the hero quickly assures us that he comes with references. The snotere ċeorlas, “wise men,” of the Geats urged him to go to Denmark after they hæl scēawedon, “examined omens,” and apparently found them favorable (202b-204). Those same snotere ċeorlas, lēode mīne þā sēlestan, “the best ones of my people,” Beowulf tells Hrothgar, mæġenes cræft mīnne cūþon, “knew my strength of might,” for they had seen him returning from his great battles (415-419). Beowulf, then, comes highly recommended. 

Everything seems to be in order. Physical capability. Check. Monster slaying experience. Check. Recommendations. Check. But what about motive? Why should Beowulf want to travel miles across the sea to face a dangerous monster like Grendel that might well kill him? Hrothgar somewhat slyly makes a suggestion. The king had once gotten Beowulf's father out of a tight spot. Ecgtheow, it seems, killed a man named Heatholaf of the Wylfings (460) and could no longer remain with his people, who did not care to enter into the feud Ecgtheow's actions either caused or exacerbated. He fled to Hrothgar and the Danes, and Hrothgar took pity on him. The old king explains, Siððan þā fæhðe fēo þingode; / sende iċ Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg / ealde mādmas; hē mē āþas swōr (470-472). “Afterward then I settled that feud with money; I sent to the Wylfings over ridge of waters old treasures; he swore oaths to me.” Was Beowulf here to fulfill his father's oaths? Did he come with gratitude to pay off an old debt?

The Resumé of a Monster Fighter, Part 1

We begin with Beowulf.

Beowulf is a man on a mission. The Danes are probably wondering, “Who is this guy?” Beowulf intends to slay a monster. The Danes are likely skeptical. “What qualifications does this Beowulf have to tackle Hrothgar's monster problem?” they may ask each other. Indeed, when Hrothgar looks at and listens to Beowulf, what does he see? What indications does Beowulf give that he will actually be able to help the king? Is he credible? Is it possible that he might actually defeat Grendel? Or is he just a braggart who is biting off more than he can chew? In other words, does Beowulf have the resumé of a professional, heroic monster fighter?

At the top of Beowulf's resumé stands his sheer physicality. The coastguard notices Beowulf's splendid appearance immediately. Næfre iċ māran ġeseah, he exclaims, eorla ofer eorþan ðonne is ēower sum, / secg on searwum; nis þæt seldguma, / wæpnum ġeweorðad... (247b-250a). (1) “Never have I seen a greater one of heroes over earth than is a certain one of you, a man in war-gear; that is not a hall-man, with weapons adorned...” Beowulf stands out from the crowd. He is hardly a mere hall-man; he is not a servant of low rank dressed up in fancy weapons. No. In fact, he presents an ænliċ ansyn, a peerless appearance (251a). Beowulf is unique, in a class by himself. A while later, Wulfgar assumes that Beowulf is a þēoden mærne, a “glorious leader,” even a king (353a), and he informs Hrothgar that hūru se aldor dēah (369b). “That leader is certainly strong, vigorous, and fit.”

Of course, we already know that because the poet has given us some background information about Beowulf's physical nature and appearance even before he reaches Denmark. We learn in line 196 that sē wæs moncynnes mæġenes strenġest. “He was the strongest in might of all mankind.” Beowulf is more physically powerful than anyone else in the world. He is further described as æþele ond ēacen, “noble or glorious and immense” (198a). And this is no secret. Hrothgar has heard something even more remarkable about Beowulf: þæt hē þrītiġes / manna mæġencræft /on his mundgripe / heaþorōf hæbbe (379b-381a). “This battle-brave one has the strength of thirty men in his hand-grip.” Yes, Beowulf's resumé looks good as far as as physicality goes. He might just have what it takes in that area, but what about his monster fighting experience?

(1) The text of Beowulf is taken from Klaeber's Beowulf, fourth edition (edited by R.D. Fulk, Robert E. Bjork, and John D. Niles). The translations are my own and have been prepared using Klaeber's glossary and the Bosworth-Toller online Anglo-Saxon dictionary.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Literary Excavations blog! This will be a place for fun and fascinating excavations into a wide variety of literary works.

What you will find on this blog

* Close readings – I love to dig into the details of texts and see what the authors actually say and how they say it.

* Meditations on medieval literature – I'm a medievalist, so I have a special fascination with the works of the Middle Ages, particularly Beowulf, other Old English poetry, Arthurian stories, and Chaucer.

* Reflections on fantasy literature – Anyone for discussions of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, David Eddings, J.K. Rowling, and other fantasy authors?

* Word studies – How often do you think about the words you use, what they really mean, and where they come from?

* Reading recommendations – I have an extensive library, and I'm always ready to recommend another good book.

* Poetry analysis – Since I'm currently in the research stage of a new book about praying with poetry, I will occasionally share some of my discoveries.

* Literary tidbits – Because who doesn't enjoy trivia?

* A blend of light reading and more serious scholarship – I write both, and I like to share my ideas.

What you will not find on this blog

* Literary theories – I would rather interact with the text and let it speak than force it to fit into preconceived theoretical notions.

* Intellectual mumbo-jumbo – If you can't understand it, how can you learn from it?

* Extended, systematic, formal investigations – I'll be jumping around quite a bit as I work on various projects.

* Discussions of the latest best-sellers – Sorry, but I just don't read most of them, if any.

If this sounds like a good fit for you, please stop in now and then, read a post or two, leave a comment to keep the discussion going, and join me in some interesting literary excavations.