이동일, 고대영시에 내재된 오락의 의미와 시인의 기능 pp. 1~29
( 29 pages)
(Dongill LeeThe Iimplication of Entertainment and the Role of
Scop in Old English Poetry)
Abstract
It seems inappropriate to employ a sense of entertainment to
heroic poetry which is characterized by a solemn mood reinforced
with a dignified tone where its major subject matter is that of life
and death through battle. This seeming incongruity becomes a
double-headed coin since the contents of heroic poetry is formed of
a series of scenes from banquet and battle.
The primary function of the banquet hall where audiences
would enjoy entertainment is not to entertain the members of
comitatus but to consolidate the loyalty between the lord and his
thanes. One way of expressing the lord’ generosity is to provide a
banquet for his warriors.
I assume that in the heroic society the mood of entertainment
might be provoked by the heroic spirit embedded in the heroic lay,
in that case the modern sense of merriment or joy in the feast has
some remoteness from that in the heroic society. There are two
streams of entertainment in Anglo-Saxon literature: the one can be
found in the banquet scenes in heroic poetry and the other in Old
English Elegy. The joy of entertainment in Elegy works as
representative for worldly value as opposed to the spiritual
awakening which is aimed at in Elegy whilst in heroic poem the role
of entertainment is to conjure up heroic spirit amongst
warrior-attendants.
The poet or scop was a key figure in the culture of comitatus
in Anglo-Saxon period. The scop was not a mere entertainer but had a
clear and crucially important function in the political and military
culture of the heroic society. Their primary role is to draw pure
pleasure from the audience by evoking the mood of joy. Hrothgar’
scop or poet creates(composes) a new song, this time in praise of
Beowulf’ deeds. This highlights the importance of the scop,
literally ‘he creator’ who is supposed to conjure up heroic spirit
amongst members of comitatus. His services would help ensure the
immortality of the hero, and in the heroic society this would have
been vital.
저자 키워드 Key words
오락, 즐거움을 선사하는 자, 비가, 영웅 심리를 고취하는 자, 복수, entertainment,
gleoman, elegy, scop, revenge