147-149) “For twelve winters, seasons of woe, the lord of the Shieldings suffered under his load of sorrow…”
Breaking down the number 12 and winters. In the bible twelve is the last of the four numbers God uses to show his perfection. It's the number that shows God is in control and actively ruling over something as King. When God wants to show us that He is ruling and that there is a perfect plan. Which is ironic in Beowulf because for 12 winters Grendel is the one in control and he is the one ruling the Halls of Heorot. Winter traditionally has come to symbolize age, maturity, and death. Although Christ didn’t actually die on Christmas or even around this time, Death during the winter months, particularly near Christmas, is a reoccurring motif in Beowulf and many other readings. Winter has also, over time, come to symbolize death because it's a time in which everything appears dead or dormant. The correlation between who is in power during this time and what it was like during this time is explained or at least hinted toward in those two words; twelve winters.
Where is the number 12 referred to in the Bible?
ReplyDelete