Beowulf: Mead hall || Learning The Easy Way

Mead Hall:

In this poem, we find two examples of mead-hall. One is Heothgar's great hall of Heorot, in Denmark. And another is Hygelac's hall in geatland. Both are same. The mead-hall represented a safe haven for warriors  returning from battle. It was also a place of community.  Historically, a mead-hall was usually a single room hall made especially for this purpose of merry-making for the king and his soldiers. 

The great hall of Heorot was a very important place for the king and soldiers of Denmark. It was an ancient mead-hall. It was a place where there could be feasting and drinking. It was a symbol of hope, light, and strength.  

First of all, Heorot is suggested in the text that this hall was a place of greatness, and had multiple side rooms and a chamber where the king could sleep. The king distributed the spoils of battle by "offering everyone, young and old, all he could give that God had granted" (lines 63-64). 

Songs were sung and listened to, tales of old were recounted and passed down, and the reputation of warriors was spread. It also was perceived as a place of light and refuge in the ever-present darkness surrounding them. 

So, The mead-hall was a place where traditions were preserved, loyalty was rewarded and reputations were spread.