BEOWULF: ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND PART OF THE EXTRACT
Beowulf is taken in great consideration and nobody tries to stop him. On the contrary, according to Anglo-Saxon culture, the elders inspect omens and encourage him to go. In the Anglo-Saxon society, only the elders could take great decisions, but in this case, they do not oppose to Beowulf. In the following lines, the narrator highlights the hero's leadership again and makes a comparison between present and past ("like the leader he was"), which communicates Beowulf's natural aptitude for leading.
Beowulf does not want to be caught unprepared during the expedition and organizes it with care and conviction: the "mightiest" hero looks for the "best" men and loads a cargo of "shining war-gears" in the hold of the vessel. The narrator underlines also his cleverness and experience as sailor ("canny pilot along coasts and currents").
Beowulf and his crew are compelled to wait some time while their boat is being prepared (l. 17). However, they are eager to leave, although they will have to face many dangers; this demonstrates their courage. Indeed, after few lines, they are depicted full of will and ambition. Their eagerness is represented through the series of verbs which narrates the leaving (climbed, churned, loaded, heaved - l. 19-22).
Afterwards (l. 25), the narrator draws on the kenning of the swan's road and describes Beowulf's boat as a bird, which arrives early at the destination. Beowulf and his crew look for an appropriate landfall carefully, despite their eagerness: so, they are also cautious. After the landing, they are thrilled and anxious and express these feelings with "a clash of mail and a thresh of gear". However, they do not forget to thank God for the easy crossing of the sea, obeying the religious principles.