Interpretation of the Cluster Analysis

Abstract

Lexomic methods indicate several robust groupings of segments in Beowulf, both within each scribe’s portion of the text and in the poem as a whole. The most distinctive findings are that segment C, the Unferth/Breca episode, is substantially different in vocabulary from every other segment of Beowulf. Segments A and F (the “proem” on the Scylding dynasty and the Finnsburg episode) are highly similar to each other and distinct from the rest of the poem, with the exception of segments L and P, both of which contain Geatish and Swedish history. Segments D and G, containing the fights with Grendel and Grendel’s mother, are similar to each other but not similar to the segments that contain the dragon fight. These results show at the least the presence of distinct discourses, most likely caused by the poet’s use of multiple sources. Consistencies between the A- and B-scribe sections do not strongly support the hypothesis that the two sections have different authors.