A Show of Hands: The Significance of Hand Imagery in "Beowulf"

The essay explores the pervasive use of hand imagery in "Beowulf," shedding light on its multifaceted
significance in illustrating characters' power dynamics, emphasizing their humanity, and symbolizing
the broader capabilities of human agency.

The use of hand imagery in "Beowulf" has been a subject of great interest among scholars, owing to
its pervasive presence throughout the text. This essay delves into the importance of hands in scenes
depicting Grendel's attacks and victories (lines 720-836), where words like mund, hond, and folmu,
as well as references to hand-related actions like clamm, grap, and gripe, abound. Notably, this
emphasis on hands serves to highlight Grendel's role and power in these confrontations.

Beowulf's hands, being his primary tools for action and combat, feature prominently in the language
describing his actions. Upon arriving at the hall, he swiftly opens the door using his hands, as
illustrated in the line, "Duru sona onarn/fyrbendum fæst/syþðan he hire folmum onhran" (ll. 721-
722), which translates to "The door quickly opened on fire-hinges fastened when his matter by which
he seizes, and consumes the warriors, even their 'fet ond folma' (l. 745) feet & hands." In addition,
Grendel attempts to subdue Beowulf, but is met with an unexpected display of strength as Beowulf
clutches his hand, supporting himself with his arm. This moment reveals Beowulf's exceptional grip,
shattering Grendel's confidence and culminating in the breaking of the monster's fingers (l. 760).

Beowulf's hand, in concert with Cain's, ultimately facilitates the heroine's feat of tearing off the
entire arm of the monster, demonstrating the sheer force of his grip. This climactic scene culminates
in Beowulf's victory, symbolized by the line, "ƿæt wæs tacen sweotol/syþðan hildedeor /hond alegde
/earm ond eaxle/-ƿær wæs eal geador / Grendles grape /- under geapne hrof" (ll. 833-836), which
can be translated as 'That was the resistant then, for whence the warriors lay their hands down,
armed and shouldered – all, indeed, of Grendel's grip, beneath the gabled roof.'

This focus on hands extends to a broader social implication, underscoring the uniqueness of
humanity's possession of hands. Even Grendel, a fearsome monster, shares this human trait,
reinforcing the subconscious connection between him and human figures such as the hero or the
poet. Grendel's association with Cain, a man who committed fratricide with his own hands, further
deepens the thematic exploration of hands in the text.

Grendel, as an outcast and descendant of Cain, mirrors the poet's emphasis on his isolation and
otherness as he approaches the mead hall, Halot, a symbol of discord and celebration for warriors.
Both Grendel and Cain are linked not only by their cannibalistic tendencies but also by the potential
for wielding extraordinary powers, including their luminous, powerful eyes and their immunity to
conventional weapons.

In essence, hands in "Beowulf" symbolize not only physical prowess but also the broader spectrum of
human capabilities in skill, action, purpose, and expression. It is through the strength of Beowulf's
grip that he emerges as the ultimate victor, demonstrating that power lies in the mastery of one's
hands.
 Embracing Self-Love: Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places
In the grand scheme of things, self-love often finds its roots in the love we share with others. I recall
a time when a young girl, though her admirable role models didn't serve her self-esteem on a silver
platter with a cherry on top, they certainly did their best.

These mentors challenged her, guiding her to find light even in the darkest moments. Her self-love
blossomed under the influence of these unsung heroes, the invaluable gems and hidden treasures
who not only provided her with the tools to appreciate herself, but also encouraged her to embrace
her imperfections.

Even the unlikely role models from pop culture, like Miss Piggy, played their part in teaching her to
embrace not just her strengths, but her flaws as well. Although the pig's words sometimes fell short,
they were a step in the right direction.

One significant influence on her journey towards self-love - and make no mistake, it was a journey -
was a woman named after a color. One evening, a song on the radio changed her life forever.
Through the art of body positive creators, she found solace and empowerment. Drawn in by their
style and the beauty they conveyed, she saw reflections of herself in the diverse body shapes and
appearances depicted. She poured over their art, saving every piece she could to her computer,
cherishing the sweet, sugary paintings. Each new creation served as a reminder of the experiences
and influences that had shaped her. These paintings offered strength in moments of weakness and
left her craving for more. This girl, as you may have guessed, is none other than me.

I share these deeply personal experiences not for attention, but in the hopes that those who read
this, who have felt and still feel the same way, will know they are not alone. There are real role
models out there who care deeply for themselves and want the same for you. It's not an easy or
painless journey, but it is undoubtedly one that's worth every step.
 Evaluation of the toxicity of alkaline copper quat (ACQ) wood
preservative between subterranean termites
The use of chemical preservatives to protect wood from breakdown has been in practice for almost a
century. Creosote, coal-tar pitch, and arsenical compounds have a long history of successful use, and
few alternatives have been necessary until now. Due to its odor, toxicity, stickiness, and fabric-
staining properties, creosote has fallen out of favor for use in homes and residential settings,
although it remains popular for utility poles and railroad ties. Arsenical compounds were favored for
many years for use in residential decks, playground equipment, and other light-duty applications
requiring low odor or other desirable attributes.

Due to concerns about arsenic toxicity, in 2002 the EPA announced the cancellation of all uses of one
of the most prevalent preservatives for pressure-treated lumber, chromated copper arsenate (CCA),
by the end of 2003. Currently, there are two chief non-arsenical alternatives in widespread use:
disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (borates) and ACQ (ammonical copper quat). ACQ has largely
taken over the CCA market, although borates are popular in various places and for some applications
due to their perceived lower toxicity to humans and lower environmental impact.

These compounds protect wood from fungal decay through their fungicidal properties. Wood
pressure-treated with compounds such as CCA and AQC will prevent the establishing and
proliferation of wood-decay fungi spores for the time as long as the compounds remain in the wood.
One of the perceived disadvantages of borates is that, because the active ingredient is water soluble,
in exposed locations-decks, playground equipment, or sheeting — the active borate what is active
ingredient will leach out over time and allow the decay fungi to become comfortable.

The exact mechanism is unknown, but potential reasons for resistance to termites include
antifeedant properties and toxicity. One benefit of protecting wood from fungal decay by using a
preservative is that pressure treatment with these chemicals also confers resistance to attack by
subterranean termites (Hwang et al, 2005).

Despite the large market share of ACQ wood in the United States, few studies have examined the
mechanism of resistance of ACQ-treated wood to termites. In this study, we conducted simple assays
to determine how ACQ-treated wood prevents termite attack.