Eyolf

“ ALLMERS. [Vehemently.] Ah? Perhaps you can unravel the mystery for me? I certainly cannot. [More gently.] Here is Eyolf, just entering upon conscious life: full of such infinite possibilities—splendid possibilities perhaps: he would have filled my life with pride and gladness. And then a crazy old woman has only to come this way—and show a cur in a bag—
ASTA. But we don't in the least know how it really happened.
ALLMERS. Yes, we do. The boys saw her row out over the fiord. They saw Eyolf standing alone at the very end of the pier. ”

“ Nothing particular is gained by such a literal observance of the unity of time. For the rest, we feel definitely in John Gabriel Borkman what we already felt vaguely in Little Eyolf—that the poet’s technical staying-power is beginning to fail him. ”

“ Borgheim and Asta utter a suppressed cry, and rush out through the garden.
Allmers. [In an agony of dread.] It isn’t Eyolf! It isn’t Eyolf, Rita!
Rita. [On the verandah, listening.] Hush! Be quiet! Let me hear what they are saying!
[Rita rushes back with a piercing shriek, into the room.
Allmers. [Following her.] What did they say?
Rita. [Sinking down beside the armchair on the left.] They said: “The crutch is floating!”
Allmers. [Almost paralysed.] No! No! No!
62Rita. [Hoarsely.] Eyolf! Eyolf! Oh, but they must save him!
Allmers. [Half distracted.] They must, they must! So precious a life! ”

“ RITA. But it was there that Eyolf—! How can they moor her there!
ALLMERS. Yes, life is pitiless, Rita.
RITA. Men are heartless. They take no thought—whether for the living or for the dead.
ALLMERS. There you are right. Life goes its own way—just as if nothing in the world had happened.
RITA. [Gazing straight before her.] And nothing has happened, either. Not to others. Only to us two.
ALLMERS. [The pain re-awakening.] Yes, Rita—so it was to no purpose that you bore him in sorrow and anguish. For now he is gone again—and has left no trace behind him.
RITA. Only the crutch was saved. ”

“ In this view, Allmers becomes a type of what we may roughly call the "free moral agent"; Eyolf, a type of humanity conceived as passive and suffering, thrust will-less into existence, with boundless aspirations and cruelly limited powers; Rita, a type of the egoistic instinct which is "a consuming fire"; and Asta, a type of the beneficent love which is possible only so long as it is exempt from "the law of change." Allmers, then, is self-conscious egoism, egoism which can now and then break its chains, look in its own visage, realise and shrink from itself ”

“ RITA. No, you feel it so, too, don't you, Alfred! You could not either, could you?
ALLMERS. No. For it is here, in the life of earth, that we living beings are at home.
RITA. Yes, here lies the kind of happiness that we can understand.
ALLMERS. [Darkly.] Oh, happiness—happiness—
RITA. You mean that happiness—that we can never find it again? [Looks inquiringly at him.] But if—? [Vehemently.] No, no; I dare not say it! Nor even think it!
ALLMERS. Yes, say it—say it, Rita.
RITA. [Hesitatingly.] Could we not try to—? Would it not be possible to forget him?
ALLMERS. Forget Eyolf? ”

“ RITA. [In dread, recoiling from him.] Let me be, Alfred! I am afraid of you. I have never seen you like this before.
ALLMERS. [Looks harshly and coldly at her.] Sorrow makes us wicked and hateful.
RITA. [Terrified, and yet defiant.] That is what I feel, too.
[ALLMERS goes towards the right and looks out over the fiord. RITA seats herself at the table. A short pause.]
ALLMERS. [Turning his head towards her.] You never really and truly loved him—never!
RITA. [With cold self-control.] Eyolf would never let me take him really and truly to my heart. ”

“ MRS. RITA ALLMERS, his wife. EYOLF, their child, nine years old. MISS ASTA ALLMERS, Alfred's younger half-sister. ENGINEER BORGHEIM. THE RAT-WIFE.
The action takes place on ALLMERS'S property, bordering on the fjord, twelve or fourteen miles from Christiania. ”

“ There was a man named Eyjolf. He was the son of Bolverk, the son of Eyjolf the guileful, of Otterdale. Eyjolf was a man of great rank, and best skilled in law of all men, so that some [Pg 263] said he was the third best lawyer in Iceland. He was the fairest in face of all men, tall and strong, and there was the making of a great chief in him. He was greedy of money, like the rest of his kinsfolk.
One day Flosi went to the booth of Bjarni Broddhelgi's son. Bjarni took him by both hands, and sat Flosi down by his side. ”

“ However this may be, it is noteworthy that nowhere in Beowulf do we have any hint of the skill of any sword-smith who is regarded as contemporary. A good sword is always "an old heirloom," "an ancient treasure [768] ." The sword of Wiglaf, which had belonged to Eanmund, or the sword with which Eofor slays Ongentheow, are {358}described by the phrase ealdsweord eotenisc, as if they were weapons of which the secret and origin had been lost—indeed the same phrase is applied to the magic sword which Beowulf finds in the hall of Grendel's mother. ”

“ He had no trust in his power to resist, or that he would be able to refuse the demands of the seamen, the ocean-farers, or defend the treasure he had taken, the children and the bride.81 Thence afterwards, being old, he sought refuge under the earth-wall. Then was chase given to the people of the Swedes and the banner of Hygelac borne aloft; and they swept o’er the field of peace when the sons of Hrethel thronged to the entrenchment. And there too, was Ongentheow, he the grey-haired King of the People driven to bay at the edge of the sword, and forced to submit to the sole doom of Eofor. ”

“ Remember I am always thy friend. It is Norseman to Norseman to-day. I pray that thou goest to thy people as their king.”
As Eogan turned back, Olaf grasped his hand. “Then, my Eogan, while I hasten to learn what tidings these Norsemen bear, thou canst make lighter for me a heavy duty. Pass by the palace, and if the princess my wife be not too ill to speak with thee awhile, tell her gently of the coming of the ‘Aastrid’ and what it portends, that her quick spirit may give entrance, step by step, to the thought I would not have harshly intruded upon her.” ”

“ Now it is for the king to give us good counsel, for we have great desire to be his men." After the Thing, in the evening, Brynjolf was in the king's tent, and the day after likewise, and they had much private conversation together. Then the king proceeded eastwards along Viken. Now when Eilif heard of his arrival, he sent out spies to discover what he was about; but he himself, with thirty men, kept himself high up in the habitations among the hills, where he had gathered together bondes. Many of the bondes came to King Olaf, but some sent friendly messages to him. ”

“ After Beowulf has become king of the Geats (2389) , his thoughts turn to taking his revenge on Eadgils (2391) ; he becomes his enemy [the MS. has “freond” !!] . Eadgils invades the land of the Geats (2393—4; read “gestepte” from “gesteppan,” and not “gestēpte” from “gestēpan”) , but is killed by Beowulf (2396) [then “Beowulf” is the subject of “wearð” (2392) , “sunu Ōhteres” (2394) is the subject of “gestepte,” and “hē” (2395) again refers to Beowulf! And Eadgils has meantime become king of Sweden (2396) ] .’ See also Ēanmund. ”

“ King Eystein replies, "Thus I interpret your dream, sire, -- That the bench betokens the kingdom we brothers have; and as you thought King Olaf came with so glad a countenance to our brother, King Olaf, he will likely live the shortest time of us brothers, and have all good to expect hereafter; for he is amiable, young in years, and has gone but little into excess, and King Olaf the Saint must help him. ”

“ And again she spoke: "Assign an end for the ruin and woe which thou hast brought upon us."
Oifa laughed and said: "Never shall ye be free until the woman from the south be united to the man from the north, until Lairgnen of Connaught wed Deoch of Munster; nor shall any have power to bring you out of these forms. Nine hundred years shall you wander over the lakes and streams of Erin. This only I will grant unto you: that you retain your own speech, and there shall be no music in the world equal to yours, the plaintive music you shall sing." ”

“ Why so fast? Thou dost look as if all the winds of Norway were driving thee. What is it? Thou hast tidings, I see. Speak!”
The bard looked at Eogan, and Olaf added impatiently: “No need for caution when friends are as true as Eogan of the Red Shield. Pardon him, Sir Chief,”—Olaf gave his winning smile,—“Thorgills is so faithful that he thinks none but ourselves should hear the tidings of our own land. ”

“ Eojaeu, King of Ijaveo, leaves to his daughter, Eovaai, a precious jewel, upon the keeping of which her happiness depends. One day as she is gazing at it in the garden, it slips from its setting and is carried away by a little bird. Immediately the princess is forsaken by her quarreling subjects and abandoned by her suitors, save only the wicked Ochihatou, prime minister of the neighboring kingdom of Hypotofa, who has gained ascendancy over his sovereign by black magic, caused the promising young prince to be banished, and used his power to promote his ambitions and lusts. ”

“ But while they feasted envy stirred in the heart of Unferth, son of Ecglaf. He was the King’s orator, and he took it ill that Beowulf should have come to the land of the Danes on this great enterprise, for he was one who could not endure that any man under heaven should do greater deeds than himself. Therefore he stood up in the hall and spake: ‘Art thou that Beowulf who contended with Breca in swimming on the open sea? ‘Twas, indeed, a foolhardy thing so to put your lives in jeopardy, yet no man could turn you from your adventure. ”

“ In the battle between the forces of Hygelac and Ongentheow, Wulf attacks the latter and is disabled by him, but his brother Eofor comes to his aid and slays Ongentheow single-handed (2964 ff.) .
Wulfgār, 348, 360, 390, a chief of the Wendlas (348) ; an official of Hrothgar’s court, who is the first to greet the Geats (331 ff.) , and introduces them to Hrothgar.
Wylfingas (dat. Wilfingum 461, Wylfingum 471) , the Wylfings. Heatholaf, who was slain by Ecgtheow, father of Beowulf, was a warrior of this tribe.
Yrmenlāf, 1324, younger brother of Æschere, whom Grendel’s mother carried off. ”

“ Then Bjarni spoke to Eyjolf, and said "Thee, friend, have we come to see, for we much need thy help in every way."
"Now," said Eyjolf, "there is good choice of men here at the Thing, and ye will not find it hard to fall on those who will be a much greater strength to you than I can be."
"Not so," said Bjarni, "thou hast many things which show that there is no greater man than thou at the Thing; first of all, that thou art so well-born, as all those men are who are sprung from Ragnar Hairybreeks ”

“ Ongentheow earl went up to his burg.
He had tested Hygelac’s hardihood,
the proud one’s prowess, would prove it no longer,
defied no more those fighting-wanderers
nor hoped from the seamen to save his hoard,
his bairn and his bride: so he bent him again,
old, to his earth-walls. Yet after him came
with slaughter for Swedes the standards of Hygelac
o’er peaceful plains in pride advancing,
till Hrethelings fought in the fenced town. {39a}
Then Ongentheow with edge of sword,
the hoary-bearded, was held at bay,
and the folk-king there was forced to suffer
Eofor’s anger. ”

“ Great was Beowulf's joy, for he knew that the wound meant death.
When the king and queen came forth in the morning with their nobles and maids, and saw the grisly arm of Grendel fastened upon the roof of Heorot, they gave themselves up to rejoicing. Gifts were heaped upon Beowulf,—a golden crest, a banner bright, a great and goodly sword and helm and corselet, eight steeds with headstalls ornamented with gold plate, and a richly decorated saddle. Nor were his comrades forgotten, but to each were given rich gifts. ”

“ To Beowulf, too, the king gave a banner, all broidered in gold, a sword of the finest, with helmet and corselet, and eight fleet steeds, and on the back of the one that he deemed the best Hrothgar had placed his own saddle, cunningly wrought, and decked with golden ornaments. To each of the warriors of Beowulf there were also given rich gifts. And ere the queen, with her maidens, left the hall that night she said to Beowulf:
“Enjoy thy reward, O dear Beowulf, while enjoy it thou canst. Live noble and blessed! ”

“ At line 2200 in Beowulf comes the long interval of time, the fifty years between the adventure at Heorot and the fight between Beowulf and the dragon. Two thousand lines are given to the first story, a thousand to the Death of Beowulf. Two thousand lines are occupied with the narrative of Beowulf's expedition, his voyage to Denmark, his fight with Grendel and Grendel's mother, his return to the land of the Gauts and his report of the whole matter to King Hygelac. In this part of the poem, taken by itself, there is no defect of unity. ”

“ He (Beowulf) was not greedy of gold, and had more readily in former days seen the favour of God.
Wiglaf spake, the son of Weohstan: ‘Often shall many an earl of his own only will suffer misery, as is our fate. Nor could we teach the dear lord and shepherd of the kingdom any wisdom so that he would fail to be meeting the keeper of the gold treasures (the dragon) or to let him stay where he had been long time dwelling in his cavern until the world’s end. ”

“ Helper of Heroes, the hoard to open,—
even such a man as seemed to him meet.
↑ The line may mean: till Hrethelings stormed on the hedgéd shields,—i.e. the shield-wall or hedge of defensive war.—Hrethelings, of course, are Geats. ↑ Eofor, brother to Wulf Wonreding. As was noted above, this Homeric account of the fight is not difficult to follow. Wulf wounds Ongentheow, who replies with a terrific stroke, felling Wulf to earth, but not killing him. Eofor, the brother, avenges Wulf speedily, and gets his reward for killing the old hero-king. ”