Beowulf Topics-3: A Strange Custom in Beowulf and Taiwan

[Chau H. Wu]

Dear All:

In Beowulf there is another custom that is similar to a Taiwanese custom. But it is not immediately obvious, it takes a little “sniffing around” to discern it. First, let me sketch the background.

Hrethel is a king of the Geats (who are a people of southern Sweden). He has 3 sons and a daughter. The 3 princes are Herbald, Hathcyn and Higlac, and the princess (whose name is not given in the epic) is the mother of Beowulf. Herbald is accidentally killed by Hathcyn, and their father the king dies of grief, thereupon Hathcyn ascends the throne. Hathcyn is later killed by the Swedes in a war, so Higlac becomes the king. We also see that Higlac is a maternal uncle (and the only one left) of Beowulf. In the Taiwanese/Hokkien term for family relationship, he is Beowulf’s a-ku7.

When Beowulf returns home triumphantly from Denmark after slaying Grendel the monster and the monster’s mother, Higlac the king of the Geats warmly welcomes him. Beowulf tells his “a-ku7” thus (Lines 2149 – 2151 - Burton Raffel's translation, Signet Classic, 1963):

“…Your favor
Still governs my life: I have almost no family,
Higlac, almost no one, now, but you.”

Further on, we read (Lines 2169 – 2171):

“…Higlac trusted
His nephew, leaned on his strength, in war,
Each of them intent on the other’s joy.”

All of these lines are ordinary, nothing particular, as it is common between an uncle and nephew. But when I came upon the following lines further down the epic, I sat up, my eyes wide open , and pondered upon its significance:

Lines 2190 – 2196:

“Then Higlac, protector of his people, brought in
His father’s – Beowulf’s grandfather’s – great sword,
Worked in gold; none of the Geats
Could boast of a better weapon. He laid it
In Beowulf’s lap, then gave him seven
Thousand hides of land, houses
And ground and all…”

Higlac’s father was the old king Hrethel, and so the great sword (in Taiwanese/Hokkien: po2-kiam3) is a family heirloom. It should be passed on in the family. At the time, Higlac has a son Herdred, and the prince inherits the throne a bit later in the story. So, by all rights, the great sword – “worked in gold; none of the Geats could boast of a better weapon” – should have been given to Prince Herdred, not Beowulf. Especially as we learn from the epic, the ancestral sword is dearest to a warrior's heart. Isn’t it strange? Is King Higlac out of his mind?

To be continued…

Heruler

[Chau H. Wu]

It turns out that King Higlac is following a centuries-old Germanic custom. The first-century Roman historian Tacitus wrote a small book entitled Germania. In it he describes the customs of ancient Germanic peoples. In Chapter 20, he says, “The sons of sisters receive the same honour from their uncles as from their fathers. Some even regard this a more sacred and a closer tie of blood and when demanding hostages insist on it for preference. It is as if they thereby have a tighter grip on the affections and a wider hold on the family.” (Quoted from Tacitus Agricola Germany, a new translation by A.R. Birley, Oxford University Press, 1999).

[The original Latin text can be found in the Internet:
http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/tacitus/tac.ger.shtml
(It’s a pdf file. Scroll down to chapter [20].)]

In short, the sons/daughters of a man’s sister are dearest to his heart. Therefore, if you demand a hostage from a Germanic king, you specify a son of the king’s sister, which would be the most effective way to hold the king in check.

Thus, we now can understand perfectly why King Higlac gave the ancestral sword to Beowulf: he was pouring out his love for his sister’s son Beowulf.

Taiwan has the same custom. The maternal uncle (a-ku7) takes real good care of his goeh8-seng (his sisters’ children). In fact, we have the following expressions regarding the maternal uncle:

(1) Bu2-ku7 siong7 toa7 = the maternal uncle is the greatest.

(2) Tinn teng2 tinn kong, toe7 e7 bu2-ku7-kong = In heaven (there is) the Heavenly God, on earth the maternal uncle.

When a goeh8-seng is getting married, the most honored seat in the banquet is always reserved for the most senior a-ku7. Of course, all maternal uncles are expected to shower the goeh8-seng the best wedding gifts.

Another peculiar custom is, when a mother dies, the mother’s brother has to check the cause of death to assure all is proper before the coffin can be closed and the funeral can proceed. I understand that the Hakka in Taiwan also has this custom.

Do Hokkien people in SEA have such customs regarding the maternal uncle?

I should stop here. I understand that this forum is about the Hokkien language, not about customs, but since someone in the forum (namely, SaxonLeorf) mentioned that there are similarities between Beowulf and Southern Hokkien in terms of customs and language, I thought it proper to share with you what I’ve found. Customs and language are part and parcel of a people’s culture. Understanding the customs, such as the word “tang” (winter) used for “year” and “bu2-ku7 siong7 toa7”, helps us understand the peculiarities of the language too.

Best wishes,
Heruler

[niuc]

Hi Heruler

Thanks for the interesting info! I agree that language and culture are closely related, so it shouldn't be a problem to talk about Hokkien culture in this forum.

Yes, we also have those sayings and customs regarding maternal uncle. Another saying is 外甥母舅面 gue7-sing1 bo2-ku7-bin7, used to comment about a nephew that looks like his maternal uncle.

There is a matriarchal tribe named Minang/Padang in Indonesia where the maternal uncle is the one presiding at his nephew's wedding. This custom may exist in other tribes as well. Being matriarchal - unlike us - Minang people get their surnames from their mothers, not their fathers.

[Heruler]

Hi!

There is another expression which reveals the relationship between a maternal uncle and his nephew/niece most tellingly:

Bo2-ku7 chiah8 goe7-seng, na2 teh4 poo4 thih4 teng;
Goe7-seng chiah8 bo2-ku7, na2 teh4 chiah8 tau7-hu7.

母舅吃外甥, 若佇哺鐵釘;
外甥吃母舅, 若佇吃豆腐.

If a maternal uncle lives on his nephew, it is like chewing an iron nail;
If a nephew lives on his maternal uncle, it is like eating tofu.

Heruler