From the Archive: Hobbit Monday – Beorn and the Berserkers

*Spoiler alert! If you haven’t yet read The Hobbit, proceed with caution.*

Beorn

In the chapter “Queer Lodgings” in The Hobbit, the Dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo stays at the hall of Beorn, a skin-changer.

Artwork of Beorn and part of the company by Ted Nasmith

Gandalf says to Bilbo: “I shall introduce you slowly, two by two, I think; and you must be careful not to annoy him, or heaven knows what will happen. He can be appalling when he is angry, though he is kind enough if humoured. Still I warn you he gets angry easily. … If you must know more, his name is Beorn. He is very strong, and he is a skin-changer.” (Tolkien 2010:108)

Indeed, Beorn can turn into a bear and travel very fast in this form, and is shown to be a formidable enemy when he shows the company of guests “[a] goblin’s head … outside the gate and a warg-skin … nailed to a tree just beyond” (Tolkien 2010:123). (“Wargs” are the wild wolves who are also encountered in The Lord of the Rings.)

Berserkers

In Norse mythology and folklore the berserkers are “furious warriors, in mythology associated with Odin” (Lindow 2002:75) and appears in the Ynglinga Saga, written by Snorri Sturluson. “After stating that Odin could make his enemies blind, deaf, or overcome with fear in battle, their weapons useless, Snorri added, ‘but his men went without armor and were crazed as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, were as strong as bears or bulls. They killed men, but neither fire nor iron affected them. That is called going berserk.’” (Lindow 2002:75)

Berserker Chess Pieces

Beorn’s shape changing nature also harks back to one of the etymologies suggested for the word “berserkr” – “bear-shirt”. The etymology of “bare-shirt” has also been proposed (Lindow 2002:76), referring to the way in which these warriors entered war without wearing armour.

"Beorn Finds Thorin" by Tulikoura

Karl Mortensen, in his book A Handbook of Norse Mythology (2003) notes the many instances of shape-shifting in the Norse mythology. Of Berserkers, he states the following: “Men who had a peculiar aptitude for changing form were called hamramir, ‘strong in form’. We must certainly regard the fury of the Berserk as the same category of Warriors who in the heat of battle were attacked by wild and brutal frenzy were called Berserkir or Ulfhethinn, i.e. men who wears furs or bear or wolf skin; but the original belief was really that they went about in the form of bears or wolves.” (Mortensen 2003:44).

Beorn also plays a part in the Battle of Five Armies, inflicting great losses on the goblins and wargs and carrying Thorin from the battlefield –

“In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared – no one knew how or from where. He came alone, and in bear’s shape, and he seemed to have grown almost to giant-size in his wrath.

The roar of his voice was like drums and guns; and he tossed wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers. He fell upon their rear, and broke like a clap of thunder through the ring. … Then Beorn stooped and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore him out of the fray.” (Tolkien 2010:263-4)

Berserker

A very strong person and warrior taking the shape or characteristics of a bear, and who fights ferociously, definitely fit with the description of Beorn given in The Hobbit. Tolkien, however builds a culture around the shape-shifting character, making him much more than just a two-dimensional warrior whose only skill is that of fighting and killing.

Just Because It’s Interesting

It is also interesting to note that, Jesse Byock, when describing the vengeance killings and aspects of feuds which were written into the law in Medieval Iceland, states the following about someone who goes “berserk”: “Private parties were also responsible for restraining violent individuals in their midst: ‘If a man goes berserk, the penalty is lesser outlawry. The same penalty applies to those men who are present except if they restrain him.” (Byock 1990:26). 

Sources:

Byock, J. 1990. Medieval Iceland: Society, Sagas and Power. University of California Press,Berkeley.

Lindow, J. 2002. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. University ofOxford Press, Oxford.

Mortensen, K. 2003. A Handbook of Norse Mythology. Dover Publications Inc., New York.

Tolkien, JRR. 2010. The Hobbit. Haper Collins Publishers, London.

Hobbit Maandag – Beorn en die Berserkers

Waarskuwing! Indien jy nog nie The Hobbit  gelees het nie, kan hierdie die storie vir jou bederf!

Beorn

In die hoofstuk “Queer Lodgings” in The Hobbit, bly die Dwerge, Gandalf en Bilbo in die hal van Beorn, wat van vorm kan verander.

Gandalf sê aan Bilbo: “I shall introduce you slowly, two by two, I think; and you must be careful not to annoy him, or heaven knows what will happen. He can be appalling when he is angry, though he is kind enough if humoured. Still I warn you he gets angry easily. … If you must know more, his name is Beorn. He is very strong, and he is a skin-changer.” (Tolkien 2010:108)

Kunswerk van Beorn deur Ted Nasmith

Beorn kan werklik in ’n beer verander en ook baie vinnig afstande aflê terwyl hy in hierdie vorm is. Dat hy ’n formidabele vyand is, word ook bevestig wanneer hy “[a] goblin’s head … outside the gate and a warg-skin … nailed to a tree just beyond” (Tolkien 2010:123) aan sy gaste wys. (“Wargs” is die wilde wolwe wat ook in The Lord of the Rings voorkom.)

Berserkers

In Noorse mitologie en folklore is berserkers “furious warriors, in mythology associated with Odin” (Lindow 2002:75) en verskyn in die Ynglinga Saga, wat deur Snorri Sturluson geskryf is. “After stating that Odin could make his enemies blind, deaf, or overcome with fear in battle, their weapons useless, Snorri added, ‘but his men went without armor and were crazed as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, were as strong as bears or bulls. They killed men, but neither fire nor iron affected them. That is called going berserk.’” (Lindow 2002:75)

Berserker skaakstukke

Die manier waarop Beorn van vorm kan verander kan ook teruggespeur word na die etimologie van die woord “berserkr” – “beer-hemp”. Die etimologie “sonder hemp” is egter ook al voorgestel (Lindow 2002:76), en verwys na hoe hierdie vegters ’n geveg sonder wapenrusting betree het.

Karl Mortensen, in sy boek A Handbook of Norse Mythology (2003) verwys ook na die baie vertellings van vorm verandering in die Noorse mitologie. Oor Berserkers het hy die volgende te sê: “Men who had a peculiar aptitude for changing form were called hamramir, ‘strong in form’. We must certainly regard the fury of the Berserk as the same category of Warriors who in the heat of battle were attacked by wild and brutal frenzy were called Berserkir or Ulfhethinn, i.e. men who wears furs or bear or wolf skin; but the original belief was really that they went about in the form of bears or wolves.” (Mortensen 2003:44).

"Beorn Finds Thorin" deur Tulikoura

Beorn speel ook ’n rol in die “Battle of Five Armies”, waarin hy verwoesting en dood onder die “goblins” en wargs saai en Thorin van die slagveld dra –

“In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared – no one knew how or from where. He came alone, and in bear’s shape, and he seemed to have grown almost to giant-size in his wrath.

The roar of his voice was like drums and guns; and he tossed wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers. He fell upon their rear, and broke like a clap of thunder through the ring. … Then Beorn stooped and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore him out of the fray.” (Tolkien 2010:263-4)

’n Baie sterk persoon en vegter wat in ’n beer verander en wild baklei pas definitief by die beskrywing van Beorn wat in The Hobbit gegee word. Tolkien bou egter ’n kultuur om hierdie karakter en maak hom baie meer as net ’n tweedimensionele vegter wie se enigste vaardighede die van veg en doodmaak is.

Net omdat dit interessant is

Dit is ook interessant om te let op die gedeelte waar Jesse Byock wraak moorde en aspekte van vete beskryf wat in die wet van Ysland in die Middeleeue opgeneem is. Byock stel die volgende oor iemand wat “berserk” gaan: “Private parties were also responsible for restraining violent individuals in their midst: ‘If a man goes berserk, the penalty is lesser outlawry. The same penalty applies to those men who are present except if they restrain him.” (Byock 1990:26). 

Berserker

Bronne:

Byock, J. 1990. Medieval Iceland: Society, Sagas and Power.University of California Press, Berkeley.

Lindow, J. 2002. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. University of Oxford Press, Oxford.

Mortensen, K. 2003. A Handbook of Norse Mythology.Dover Publications Inc., New York.

Tolkien, JRR. 2010. The Hobbit. Haper CollinsPublishers, London.