Hall Of Hart Herot Essay, Research Paper

The Hall of the Hart Herot, a large, majestic, fictional mead hall, is often the

stage for much of the action in the medieval epic Beowulf. Built by the ever

giving and wonderful King Hrothgar, it is a monument of Danish morals and

ideals. Hrothgar, meaning to live up to his predecessors and to make his people

happy and content, "thought of greatness and/resolved/to build a hall that

would hold his mighty band and reach higher to heaven then any/thing that had

ever been known to the sons of men." (66-70). The Danes were very proud

people. They were proud of their race. They thought themselves to be one of the

best, and why shouldn’t the best have a wonderful grandiose mead hall, better

then any other in existence? So, Hrothgar ordered Herot built and, "?the

timbers [were] tied and shaped/by the hosts that Hrothgar ruled?the most

beautiful of dwellings, built/as he wanted?"(75-77). The Danes were also

greatly appreciative of loyalty. They loved and obeyed their king and leader. If

Hrothgar wanted a mead hall built, they built it wonderfully and with care.

Herot was built and it soon became a legend. The Danes had taken pride in their

work, as they did with everything else, and it showed. It had a

"gold-shining hall" (716) and the gables were "covered with

hammered gold /and glowing in the sun-that most famous of

all/dwellings,/towering majestic, it’s glittering roofs/visible far across the

land." (307-311). This is very reminiscent of Danish pride once again. They

take pride in what they do and they like other people to know about it. The

Danes are very good warriors. They are trained well and fight till the end. They

take good care of themselves and take pride in strength. This is also reflected

in Herot. During the battle with Grendel, "Herot trembled, wonderfully

built/to withstand the blows, the struggling/great bodies beating at it’s

beautiful walls;/shaped and fastened with iron, inside/ and out, artfully

worked, the building/stood firm." (770-775). Herot was a strong, well built

structure, just like the Danes. It says that, "Hrothgar’s wise men had

fashioned Herot/to stand forever; only fire,/they had planned, could shatter

what such skill/had put/together?" (778-781). They had purposefully built

Herot to be strong and lasting, because this is something that they admire. The

Danes’ major values are courage, loyalty, pride and strength. Herot resembles

all of these things. It was built by loyal servants of a nation with much pride.

And, it was built to last. Built from whole tree trunks, it’s incredible sturdy

and will only perish through fire. Herot and all of it’s attributes greatly

reflect Danish values and morals of the time.