Where "Firefly" and "Beowulf" Intersect
The beloved, canceled space western Firefly and the Old English epic poem Beowulf both mention reavers. Were the TV writers taking literature classes when they wrote this episode?
A couple of days ago I was reading some lines from Beowulf in an advance review copy of Vex Hex Smash Smooch by Constance Hale, when I smashed into the word "reaver":
"Reavers" jumped out at me because the only time I remember hearing that word is in Firefly. Much like in Beowulf, reavers in Firefly are terrifying monsters.
I rushed over to my Oxford English Dictionary browser window and discovered that "reaver" is an ancient word, and it's not unique to Beowulf. It's found in multiple Old English texts and has been in steady use ever since to describe monsters, raiders, and pirates. "To reave" is also a verb to describe plundering, raiding, and stealing.
So Firefly probably wasn't directly taking words from Beowulf. It was just a word I didn't know. But it's still a fun connection between old and new entertainment, so I thought I'd share it with you.
As an aside, I also found an interesting site called Firefly and Western Literature with a post titled "Civilization and Savagery" speculating that the reavers in Firefly take the place of the Indians you'd see in an old American western.
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Mignon Fogarty is better known online as Grammar Girl. She hopes to never meet a reaver of any kind.
A couple of days ago I was reading some lines from Beowulf in an advance review copy of Vex Hex Smash Smooch by Constance Hale, when I smashed into the word "reaver":
on the misty moors; nobody knows
where these reavers from hell roam on their errands.
"Reavers" jumped out at me because the only time I remember hearing that word is in Firefly. Much like in Beowulf, reavers in Firefly are terrifying monsters.
I rushed over to my Oxford English Dictionary browser window and discovered that "reaver" is an ancient word, and it's not unique to Beowulf. It's found in multiple Old English texts and has been in steady use ever since to describe monsters, raiders, and pirates. "To reave" is also a verb to describe plundering, raiding, and stealing.
So Firefly probably wasn't directly taking words from Beowulf. It was just a word I didn't know. But it's still a fun connection between old and new entertainment, so I thought I'd share it with you.
As an aside, I also found an interesting site called Firefly and Western Literature with a post titled "Civilization and Savagery" speculating that the reavers in Firefly take the place of the Indians you'd see in an old American western.
-----
Mignon Fogarty is better known online as Grammar Girl. She hopes to never meet a reaver of any kind.
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Jonathon
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Jun 11, 2012 09:33PM
I remember coming across this word when I was taking Middle English, too. It was used in a town chronicle to refer to the Viking raiders along the northeast coast of England. Whether or not Joss Whedon took the word from Beowulf or other Old or Middle English literature, reaver is the perfect word for the group in Firefly.
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Reivers as used by Faulkner is probably a vacation of the word....
I always saw the reavers as savage outlaws, especially after seeing the movie.Plus in so many things i read or watch i always recall the lesson of my english teacher about what a true hero is.
Reavers, well that goes to show the depth that Joss Whedon put into "The Verse". Anyone who followed Joss Whedon's career and writing will not be surprised.
Thanks Mignon ; )
Ahh, I love this on so many levels: word fun, the intersection of pop culture and classic literature, the fact that there's someone else who runs for the OED to look up words...
Except that Beowulf wasn't written in modern English, so that's somebody's translation....The original text has:
men ne cunnon
hwyder helrunan hwyrftum scriþað
where your translation is glossing "helrunan" as 'reavers'. ("hel" is "Hell" and "runan" is cognant with "runes", but in Old English often has to do with secrets.)
