User:Fitela

Background
Fitela (Sinfj ö tli in in the Old Norse language) is the inbred child of the Norse hero Sigmund and his sister, Signy, as well as the grandson of King V ö lsung in the V ö lsung Saga. As the story goes, Signy swapped bodies with a sorceress for three days in order to trick her brother into sleeping with her. She was eager to have a strong son after the death of her presumably weak son, and she knew her brother was a strong man. Signy told Sigmund that Fitela was his nephew once he was born.

Some years later, Sigmund and Fitela go on many awesome adventures and perform countless crimes, and Sigmund is eventually declared king of the Huns. He then marries a woman named Borghild. Fitela and Borghild's brother fight over a mutual love interest which results in the brother's death. Borghild then poisons Fitela in revenge for the murder of her brother.

Strengths
Being of the V ö lsung line, Fitela is quite tough. His mother once sewed the stitchings of his clothing into his skin to test him, and he didn't even flinch. He also is not bound by human emotion as he unabashedly kills his half-siblings to defy his step-father. These qualities are what make him fit to be a companion for other Norse heroes. Since his appearance in Beowulf is so brief, he's only shown to be a strong man in his short appearance. There isn't enough about his character in Beowulf itself to make him out to be anything else.

Weaknesses
Fitela, although a great warrior, is not as great as Sigmund and is nearly killed by him when the two are taken by magic wolf skins. He may also carry genetic defects because his parents share 50% of their DNA. As a character within Beowulf, his presence is extremely limited which makes for a weak character. Furthermore, perhaps one of Sigemund's (Sigmund in the Old Norse Language) greatest victories was won without him which points to him being dispensable in his primary role. He serves as a stock supporting character in a song that isn't even primarily about him. Most of the information we have about this character comes from the later V ö lsung Saga.

Role in Beowulf
In Beowulf, a thane of King Hrothgar tells the story of Sigemund in celebration after Beowulf triumphs over Grendel. Fitela is the companion and nephew of Sigemund although Fitela is either not present or already dead when Sigemund slays the dragon. The character of Fitela is mentioned to put Sigemund in context who himself is used as a plot device to compare the feats of Beowulf to other great heroes.

Lines
In Old Enlgish:

"...wel-hwylc gecwäð, þät he fram Sigemunde secgan hýrde, ellen-dædum, uncûðes fela, Wälsinges gewin, wîde sîðas, þâra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston, fæhðe and fyrene, bûton Fitela mid hine, þonne he swylces hwät secgan wolde eám his nefan, swâ hie â wæron ät nîða gehwâm nýd-gesteallan: häfdon eal-fela eotena cynnes sweordum gesæged. Sigemunde gesprong äfter deáð-däge dôm unlýtel, syððan wîges heard wyrm âcwealde, hordes hyrde; he under hârne stân, äðelinges bearn, âna genêðde frêcne dæde; ne wäs him Fitela mid" (875-890).

In the modern English translation:

"He told what he'd heard repeated in songs about Sigemund's exploits, all of those many feats and marvels, the struggles and wanderings of Wael's son, things unknown to anyone except to Fitela, feuds and foul doings confided by uncle to nephew when he felt the urge to speak of them: always they had been partners in the fight, friends in need. They killed giants, their conquering swords had brought them down.

''After his death Sigemund's glory grew and grew because of his courage when he killed the dragon, the guardian of the hoard. Under grey stone he had dared to enter all by himself to face the worst without Fitela. But it came to pass that his sword plunged right through those radiant scales and drive into the wall. The dragon died of it. His daring had given him total possession of the treasure hoard, his to dispose of however he liked. He loaded a boat: Wael's son weighted her hold with dazzling spoils. The hot dragon melted"'' (Heaney 873-896).