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Oldham does recreate some of the poem’s “digressions” or
“episodes” in her novel. The Brecca/Sea Monster tale (lines 505-589) is
one of these, which Oldham duplicates as a digression or episode in her
novel, and she substantially revises the manner in which it is told and the
purpose it serves in the narrative, so it is useful in an examination of
Oldham’s view of the Beowulf poet’s own meta-narrational practices. In
both the novel and the poem, Unferth introduces the story of Beowulf
and Brecca’s watery race. Unferth’s motive is to demonstrate Beowulf s
worthiness to take on the task of killing Grendel. Beowulf offers a retort
in both texts, but the exchange in the novel is far more contentious and
includes an additional voice: that of the scop. He offers to tell a version
of the story which (as we later learn) favors Beowulf and which he has
heard from a Swedish trader in Uppsala. The Breeca episode gives
Beowulf the opportunity to tell his tale of bravery, and to introduce the
accusation of fratricide against Unferth. The structure in the Beowulf
poem is as follows: in lines 499-529, Unferth tells a story of Brecca
defeating Beowulf, accuses Beowulf of foolhardiness, and suggests that
Beowulf has promised more than he can deliver in pledging to kill
Grendel. In lines 529-86, Beowulf counters with his version of the story,
and explains that though Brecca was a fast swimmer, he (Beowulf) had
to contend with sea monsters. Following his account and defense of his
bravery, he rebuts his accuser Unferth by accusing him of fratricide, and
of bringing Grendel’s attaek on the Geats as a result. What Beowulf says
pleases Hrothgar: “The gray-haired war-famed giver of goldAVas happy
then . . .” (lines 607-8), and Unferth finds no response. Therefore, it
seems that the Beowulf poet smoothes over the accusation against
Unferth so that the reader will have no reason to doubt it. The lack of a
counterclaim on Unferth’s part leaves it unchallenged and unquestioned
and as a result, the accusation stands as if a statement of fact.
In Oldham’s novel, however, the tension around Beowulfs
accusation of Unferth is one of the driving forces of the narrative. In the
novel, Unferth introduces the Brecca tale, the importance of whieh
Beowulf quickly belittles, until the scop offers to tell the story himself:
“T have heard the story of the occasion that Beowulf and Brecca swam
together. It is very suitable for a feast whieh honours your present
guest’[...]The hurry and tension of the assembly slackened and his
audience smiled as they anticipated pleasure. Grendel was forgotten’”
(Oldham 44). But the scop is only just beginning his tale when Unferth
interrupts, accusing the scop of confusing “fairy stories with fact” (45).
The scop’s response points again to Oldham’s self-conscious meta
narrative strategy as he says, “I do not deal in lies. My duty is to discover