Eaters Of The Dead

Buliwyf is a key figure in Eaters of the Dead and one of the essential links between the novel and the epic poem Beowulf. As the similarity of their names suggests, Buliwyf is a reinterpretation of the eponymous protagonist of Beowulf. He is the leader of a group of Norse warriors who come to the aid of a king to fight a terror which has been attacking and killing his people. Buliwyf is a strong leader and respected by his followers. He embodies Norse ideals of honor and valor to the point where the people of the kingdom of Rothgar quickly respect Buliwyf when he arrives to help them. He is tall, physically imposing, and a skilled tactician, using his intellect to form defenses and plan the campaign against the wendol. Though Ahmad is the narrator of Eaters of the Dead, Buliwyf is a driving force in the narrative and serves as a secondary protagonist. His strength and leadership become an example for others to follow.

A key aspect of Buliwyf’s character is his embodiment of the heroic ideal of Norse culture. Even Ahmad, a man unfamiliar with the Norse culture, instantly recognizes in Buliwyf all the strengths that the Norse people hold to be important. He accepts Rothgar’s plea for help and willingly goes to his death because these are the honorable things to do. Buliwyf falters only out of a desperation to protect his warriors and Rothgar’s people, undertaking a surreptitious attack against the wendol. Once he has regained his honor and killed the mother of the wendol, Buliwyf dies happily. Buliwyf transcends death and lives on in Ahmad’s stories by perfectly embodying the culture in which he lived.

Herger is a Norse warrior and Ahmad’s main companion during his journey, as he shares a common language with Ahmad. As such, Herger becomes the lens through which Ahmad views Norse culture. Herger provides the insight, background, and context to events, describing cultural practices and beliefs which would otherwise confuse Ahmad, and by extension the reader. Herger teaches Ahmad how to fight and how to win his honor in battle, turning Ahmad into a true Norseman. Herger mocks Ahmad at first and claims that he knows nothing; he chides Ahmad for his supposed cowardice and laughs at Ahmad’s religion. To Herger, Ahmad’s beliefs and manners are signs of weakness or foolishness. Gradually, however, Ahmad begins to win Herger’s respect by never shying away from the challenges that the warriors face. Herger also provides external insight into Ahmad’s character. As the narrator, Ahmad is confessional and sincere, admitting that he does not believe that he is worthy of the warriors’ company. Herger points out that—even though Ahmad complains often—Ahmad does everything the warriors do. Herger is impressed by Ahmad’s actions and comes to appreciate Ahmad’s courage. By the end of the novel, the dynamic between the characters has changed. Herger shows a genuine interest in Ahmad’s culture and Ahmad teaches Herger about his beliefs; the student becomes the teacher and Herger becomes a more worldly man. Just as Ahmad learns that the Norse culture has a depth and complexity that he never thought possible, Herger also learns that other cultures can be as brave and as strong as the Norsemen, even if they show it in different ways.

Rothgar is the ruler of a small kingdom in the north. After constructing a huge and lavish hall in his kingdom, he attracts the attention of the wendol. They attack his people every night, cannibalizing the population and destroying the buildings in the town. As an old, weakened man, Rothgar is unable to defend his kingdom so sends for help. Buliwyf answers Rothgar’s request and frees Rothgar’s kingdom from the terror of the wendol. In the novel, Rothgar is presented as a Norse counterpoint to Buliwyf. He is an example of what happens when a Norse king grows old and becomes weak and ineffective if he does not die in battle. Rothgar loses his honor because he is unable to defend his people. He did not die an honorable death and so has faded into irrelevance in old age. Buliwyf is killed in battle defending Rothgar’s kingdom, demonstrating how a true warrior is meant to die. As such, Rothgar becomes a warning for the other Norsemen. His decline and loss of honor shows the importance of dying a heroic death at a young age in Norse culture, before the arrogance and weakness of old age becomes a danger to all.