The mead hall in the Old English poem BeowulfWhat was the function and nature of a mead hall in the Heroic Age of Beowulf? Was it something more than a tavern for the distribution and consumption of alcoholic beverages and, occasionally, precious gifts? Yes, much more. Staying true to Anglo-Saxon culture's affinity for mead (beer/beer/wine), the characters in Beowulf often drink the strong brew. And the mead hall was their home away from home, with more entertainment than just fermented drinks: “gold and treasure in great feasts… the words of the poet, the sounds of the harp.” Needless to say, with "the greatest mead hall in the world...Hrothgar's people lived in joy." “After a mead feast the Danes… knew no pain.” When Grendel “moved into the [mead] hall,” it was an indescribably torturing pain for everyone: “Hrothgar was broken…the Danes forgot God…[were] in great distress…they wept and seethed.” When the hero and his men arrived, they immediately "made their way to the hall...then sat down on the benches...pouring a sweet drink." They have come “to purify Heorot [the mead hall],” to stop the “humiliations in Heorot” where men are “over their cups of beer.” Beowulf predicts, "When I have finished with him, whoever wishes may go happily to the mead hall." Unferth, in his battle rune at Hrothgar's feet, was insulting the hero because Unferth was "drunk on mead". When Queen Wealhtheow entertained the Geats, she first told the king “joy in drinking the mead,” then “went round each… sharing the precious cup.” When the hero began to fight the monster, “many benches of mead… flew.” The next day the queen “walked among the mead seats” and everyone “drank many cups of mead.” References to this topic... middle of the sheet... totoria for lodging and meeting place to pay debts and make alliances. It was, in a word, a joyful and useful place. BIBLIOGRAPHY Arnold, Ralph. “Royal Halls – The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial.” In Donaldson's translation, edited by Joseph F. Tuso. New York, WWNorton and Co.: 1975Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A bilingual edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977. Cramp, Rosemary. "Beowulf and archaeology." In The Beowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.Hill, John M.. “Social Milieu.” In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1997.Shippey, T.A. “The world of poetry”. In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.