At the beginning of the story he is looking for an adventure in order to show his skills as a warrior and his bravery. She is furious and raging. The week after that, the topic will be works inspired by Beowulf. But Beowulf was ready. Grendel then began attacking the lands around Heorot, terrorizing the Danes for the next 12 years. This was to be his battle and his alone. The story also highlights a tension in the heroic code by presenting the point of view of the Danish princess Hildeburh. Besides being a fine story, Beowulf is of great interest because it is our earliest epic, that is, the oldest poem in the Anglo-Saxon language which tells of noble deeds in noble words. Beowulf is called. Throughout the epic poem, Beowulf is displayed as possessing battle-hardened personality as an epic conqueror. The kingdom had been relentlessly attacked by Grendel, a monster descended from some of the earliest evil humans. He also knows how to be modest, but also have confidence. Joy is renewed at Heorot. With one last, great effort, the king drew a knife and drove it deep into the dragon's side, dealing it a death blow. Heorot may be identical to a 6th century CE hall excavated near Lejre in 2004-2005 CE. Scorching crops and livestock, devastating homes, the dragon raged across Geatland. More gifts were bestowed upon them by their grateful hosts, and speeches were made full of praise and warm feelings. No arms are used, both combatants trusting to strength and hand-grip. Upon discovering the identity of the thief who'd snatched the cup, Beowulf pressed him into service as a guide to the hidden passageway. There his warriors, the Scyldings, gathered to drink mead, receive treasures from the king after a battle, and listen to scops sing songs of brave deeds. They sought the help of their pagan gods, but no help was forthcoming. More festivities followed before the great Geat could take to his bed. The first actions take place in a Danish kingdom ruled by King Hrothgar. Hrothgar and his Scyldings were overwhelmed with sorrow and dismay, but they could do nothing; for the next night Grendel returned to kill again. Beowulf determines to kill him. But this is the story of Beowulf, a poem once told in timber-framed barns in Anglo-Saxon England, to the raucous noise of the mead-swilling crowd. Hygelac made a speech recognizing how much greater a man Beowulf had proven himself to be than any of the elders had realized, though they had always loved him well. Glee runs high. The Story of Beowulf, by Strafford Riggs [1933], at sacred-texts.com. The attack had happened so quickly and unexpectedly that both the Scyldings and the Geats were at a loss. The story was written in the time of 449 A.D. when the Anglo-Saxons invasion began. Then he advances towards Beowulf. Beowulf begins with a description of the life of Scyld Scefing (Old Norse Skjold), the legendary ancestor of the Scyldings or Danish royal family. Hrothgar welcomed Beowulf and his comrades and honored him with a feast. Though the specific characters and plot are mostly fictional, the poem paints a historical picture of 6th-century Danish, Swedish, and Germanic peoples. When Hrothgar’s bedtime comes he leaves the hall in charge of Beowulf, telling him that never before has he given to another the absolute wardship of his palace. Oft and anon he goes to the joyous building, bent on direful mischief. Beowulf seized the weapon in a rage, swung it fiercely in a wide arc, and hacked deep into the monster's neck, severing her head and toppling her to the ground. Then a great peril awoke. "Overview of the Poem Beowulf." Though every last Geat followed Beowulf willingly into this adventure, none of them truly believed they would see home again. Hrothgar weeps and laments at his departure. Hrothgar ordered that Heorot be refurbished, and everyone threw themselves into repairing and brightening the great hall. Beowulf A courageous Geat warrior that is willing to take on any obstacle in order to make a name for himself. Next, he turned to Beowulf, raising a claw to attack. Her attack was barely any less terrible than those of her son had been. She drags him to her den. He finds his challenge at the court of King Hrothgar of Denmark. Breca Beowulf’s childhood friend, whom he defeated in a swimming match. The king and queen bestowed great gifts on all the Geats, but especially on the man who had saved them from Grendel, who received among his prizes a magnificent golden torque. Once there, he charged his companions to wait and watch. My special thanks are due to Professors Francis A. Back in Geatland, King Hygelac greeted Beowulf with relief and bid him to tell him and his court everything of his adventures. Hrothgar is the Danish king and he and his people have been terrorized by a monster. Sigemund’s story is told in praise of Beowulf and foreshadows Beowulf’s encounter with the … Some include the clothes, the drinking, some fight scenes, and Beowulf’s arrogance. It brings vividly before us our forefathers of pre-Alfredian eras, in their love of war, of sea, and of adventure. The heroic Geat and his brave comrades settled down for the night in the beleaguered mead-hall. In modern literature, J. R. R. Tolkien was a Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University, and an authority on Beowulf: His novels The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy are steeped in the mythology and culture in which Beowulf is set. The Danes are plagued by a monster, Grendel, who keeps terrorising and killing people. The fiend fled, bleeding, to die in his lair in the swamp, and the victorious Geats hailed Beowulf's greatness. Night after night Grendel attacked Heorot and the warriors who defended it, slaying many brave men, until the Scyldings ceased fighting and simply abandoned the hall each sunset. For the first time in years, Hrothgar and his retainers had cause to hope, and a festive atmosphere settled over Heorot. But Grendel's mother was swift and resilient; she rose to her feet and gripped him in a horrible embrace. The narrator then lists several descendants of Scyld before coming to Hrothgar, who rules from the hall of Heorot. The story begins with Beowulf, a hero among his people, offering his heroic services to the King of the Danes to expel a monster from the kingdom. Snell, Melissa. A Kingdom in Peril The story begins in Denmark with King Hrothgar, the descendant of the great Scyld Sheafson and a successful ruler in his own right. He cannot brook the sounds of joyance that reach him down in his fen-dwelling near the hall. Beowulf is considered the oldest surviving poem in the English language. The next morning, at early dawn, warriors in numbers flock to the hall Heorot, to hear the news. 4. Beowulf boldly responded with the gripping tale of how he not only won the race but slew many horrible sea-beasts in the process. Hrothgar and his retainers are lavish of gratitude and of gifts. He resolves to crush the fell monster and relieve the aged king. Beowulf was dear to Hygelac and the elder Geats, and they were loath to see him go, yet they did not hinder him in his endeavor. Below is a summary of all the events that transpire in the Old English epic poem, Beowulf. (2020, August 27). It was Beowulf's strength that overcame the creature; and though he struggled with everything he had to escape, causing the very timbers of Heorot to shudder, Grendel could not break free from the grip of Beowulf. When the dragon woke up, it knew instantly it had been robbed, and it vented its fury on the land. The dragon attacked once more, this time sinking its teeth into Beowulf's neck. Beowulf tossed the weapon aside and attacked her with his bare hands, throwing her to the ground. After traveling through the waters many hours, he meets her near the sea-bottom. Fifty years went by. A fleeing enslaved person, seeking refuge from a hard enslaver, stumbled upon a hidden passageway that led to the lair of a dragon. The next day the Geats made ready to return home. The Beowulf that emerges not only speaks to us but demands to be heard in our 21st-century moment. Try as he might, Grendel could not loosen Beowulf's hold; he backed away, growing afraid. The warriors sailed off, their ship filled with treasure, their hearts full of admiration for the Scylding king. With fourteen chosen companions, he sets sail for Dane-land. In the beginning of the story, young Prince Beowulf answers a plea for help from King Hrothgar in Denmark. Unexpectedly, young Beowulf, a prince of the Geats of southern Sweden, arrives with a small band of retainers and offers to cleanse Heorot of its monster. The wound is fatal. Overview. Through a series of retrospectives, however, we recover much of what happens during this gap and therefore are able to see how Beowulf comports himself as both a warrior and a king. The grief of the Geats is inexpressible. Unferth, no longer jealous, lent him a battle-tested sword of great antiquity called Hrunting. He survived many attacks from awful swamp creatures, thanks to his armor and his swift swimming skill. He refused to raise an army but prepared for battle himself. [1] Handbook of Poetics, page 175, 1st edition. Beowulf and his thegns (retainers or soldiers) arrive at Heorot to assist Hrothgar against the monster Grendel. Over sea, a day’s voyage off, Beowulf, of the Geats, nephew of Higelac, king of the Geats, hears of Grendel’s doings and of Hrothgar’s misery. The king looked at the riches and told the young man that it was a good thing to have this treasure for the kingdom. The hours that elapse before night are spent in beer-drinking and conversation. But although the beast that had terrorized them for more than a decade was dead, another danger lurked in the darkness. But the unkindest cut of all was the desertion of all but one of his thanes. ONCE upon a time, in the far north of what is now called Europe, there was a kingdom known as Geatsland, and its ruler was named Hygelac. Mourners bewailed the loss of the great king, whose virtues and deeds were extolled that none might ever forget him. All contain heroic boasting, verbal taunting, and a hero with a troubled youth. In the face of Beowulf's grisly trophy, Unferth had nothing to say. He returned to his lord and proffered his find, hoping to be reinstated. In this section of the poem. The main character is Beowulf, our hero, who is a Prince from Sweden. It took hours for Beowulf to reach the lair of the fiends. After he has been ruling for fifty years, his own neighborhood is wofully harried by a fire-spewing dragon. Sneaking quietly through the sleeping beast's treasure hoard, the enslaved person snatched a single jewel-encrusted cup before escaping in terror. The hero had never had much use for edged weapons, his strength so overpowering that he could easily damage them; and this happened now, at the worst possible time. A great funeral-pyre is built, and his body is burnt. He then made Wiglaf his heir, giving him his golden torque, his armor, and helm. Snell, Melissa. And what a captivating shout it is, bro! Beowulf wanted revenge, but he also knew he had to stop the beast to ensure the safety of his kingdom. Other Figures Mentioned A figure from Norse mythology, famous for slaying a dragon. Joy is boundless. But lurking nearby was a hideous and brutal monster named Grendel. The story begins in Denmark with King Hrothgar, the descendant of the great Scyld Sheafson and a successful ruler in his own right. Beowulf leaves Dane-land. Return to the Beowulf Summary Return to the Anonymous Library, The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett, Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe. The hero was shaken; he stumbled and fell, and the fiend pounced upon him, drew a knife and stabbed down. He saw Grendel's corpse and, still raging from his battle; he hacked off its head. Beowulf subsequently becomes king of his own people, the Geats. Hrothgar literally pours treasures into the lap of Beowulf; and it is agreed among the vassals of the king that Beowulf will be their next liegelord. They escorted him back to Heorot; it took four men to carry Grendel's severed head. The Scyldings tried to stand up to Grendel, but none of their weapons harmed him. They determine, however, to leave nothing undone to honor the memory of their lord. There he sees Grendel lying dead. Amidst the drinking and camaraderie, a jealous Scylding named Unferth taunted Beowulf, accusing him of losing a swimming race to his childhood friend Breca, and sneering that he had no chance against Grendel. Determined to leave Heorot entirely purified, he arms himself, and goes down to look for the female monster. Arriving at Heorot, they petitioned to see Hrothgar, and once inside the hall, Beowulf made an earnest speech requesting the honor of facing Grendel, and promising to fight the fiend without weapons or shield. The enslaver agreed, little knowing what price the kingdom would pay for his enslaved person's transgression. Over the years, Beowulf had won many a battle through strength, through skill, and through perseverance. When we first read the story you can tell the description of the older style clothes and armor and spot on throughout the movie. This the hero did, in detail. The King of the Geats bestowed a precious sword on the hero and gave him tracts of land to govern. He is the hero of the hour. There one of King Hygelac's retainers, Beowulf, heard the story of Hrothgar's dilemma. Beowulf shows a sense of honor by first getting permission from his king to travel to Heorot to help. After a desperate and almost fatal struggle with the woman, he slays her, and swims upward in triumph, taking with him Grendel’s head. Beowulf story began in modern time. He told Wiglaf to go into the dead beast's lair and bring back some of the treasure. Beowulf is considered the oldest surviving poem in the English language. Snell, Melissa. When the hero arrives in his own land, Higelac treats him as a distinguished guest. He ordered a special iron shield to be made, tall and able to withstand the flames, and took up his ancient sword, Naegling. Only Wiglaf, Beowulf's young kinsman, stood his ground. Grendel comes, the great march-stepper, bearing God’s anger. There are many similarities between the poem and movie of Beowulf. Overview of the Poem Beowulf. In the British Museum there is a little book, worn and brown with age, spoiled by fire and water. Then Hrothgar's queen, Wealhtheow, made an appearance, and Beowulf vowed to her that he'd slay Grendel or die trying. One night when the warriors were sleeping, sated from their feast, Grendel attacked, butchering 30 men and wreaking devastation in the hall. He then presented Hygelac with all the treasures Hrothgar and the Danes had bestowed upon him. Like most epics, Beowulf focuses on the titular heros victories and adventures, particularly three character-b… It is the devout desire of this translator to hasten the day when the story of Beowulf shall be as familiar to English-speaking peoples as that of the Iliad. She authored the forward for "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades.". The Finnsburg episode relates loosely to Beowulf’s central narrative. Most scholars read Beowulf as a multi-sectional poem, with the first being the story of Heorot, where the Danish warriors celebrate their heroic deeds in song until the attacks by Grendel begin. A magnificent feast followed, with more stories and poems, more drinking and good fellowship. The young man assembled a band of 14 worthy warriors to accompany him to Denmark, and they set sail. But Beowulf's armor deflected the blade. Beowulf is said to be related to a Geatish king named Hygelac, who is known from other sources to have lived in the early sixth century. The Story of Beowulf I The Prelude. It was composed and recorded in Britain between the 7th and 10th centuries by an unknown author. When he finally swam to shore, his cohorts greeted him with unrestrained joy. The poem closes with a glowing tribute to his bravery, his gentleness, his goodness of heart, and his generosity. In the meantime, the other warriors in the hall attacked the fiend with their swords; but this had no effect. "Overview of the Poem Beowulf." Although it isn’t relevant to the main plot, it invokes the idea of vengeance as a component of honor. He announced his adoption of the hero as his son, and Wealhtheow added her approval, while Beowulf sat between her boys as if he were their brother. He seizes and kills one of the sleeping warriors. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-beowulf-story-1788396. It soon became clear that this monster had to be stopped, and that Beowulf was the man to stop her. With the death of the creature, an uncanny light brightened the cave, and Beowulf could take stock of his surroundings. Beowulf armed himself for an underwater battle, donning finely-woven mail armor and a princely golden helm that had never failed to thwart any blade. He is noble and strong. To display his prosperity and generosity, Hrothgar built a magnificent hall called Heorot. Even the king's mighty stronghold was burnt to a cinder. His only flaw is that he might value treasures more than he should. So long had it taken for Beowulf to swim to the monster's lair and defeat her that the Scyldings had given up hope and gone back to Heorot—but the Geats stayed on. To display his prosperity and generosity, Hrothgar built a magnificent hall called Heorot. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-beowulf-story-1788396 (accessed March 9, 2021). Then, after an evening of feasting and drinking, the king and his fellow Danes bid Beowulf and his companions good luck and departed. Before anyone could move, he grabbed one of the sleeping Geats, rent him into pieces and devoured him, slurping his blood. He is the hero of the hour. He resolves to crush the fell monster and relieve the aged king. The hero's body was soaked red with his blood. After requesting that Hrothgar take care of his companions should he fail to defeat the monster, and naming Unferth as his heir, Beowulf plunged into the revolting lake. The young Geat presented the ancient sword-hilt to Hrothgar, who was moved to make a serious speech exhorting Beowulf to be mindful of how fragile life could be, as the king himself knew all too well. The poem’s main story – of Beowulf and the monsters he fights – is of course fictional, but some of the people it mentions were real figures. Beowulf is a young warrior in Geatland, who comes to the aid of the Scyldings. Melissa Snell is a historical researcher and writer specializing in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Out of the 30,000 lines of literature left from the Anglo-Saxon period, almost 4,000 lines are preserved in the text of Beowulf, the epic poem of the hero with the strength of 30 men in each arm.It is a story of the supernatural as well as a record of Anglo-Saxon history. Now the danger was truly gone, and Beowulf could sleep easy. Click to enlarge. Hrothgar is at the mercy of a horrible, hungry monster named Grendel, who … The protagonist Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, whose great hall, Heorot, is plagued by the monster Grendel. Beowulf leaves Dane-land. Hrothgar weeps and laments at his departure. Beowulf is a young warrior among his people the Geats. Beowulf kills Grendel with his bare hands, then kills Grendel's mother with a giant's sword that he found in her lair. Hrothgar had once done a favor for Beowulf's father, Ecgtheow, and so, perhaps feeling indebted, and certainly inspired by the challenge of overcoming Grendel, Beowulf determined to travel to Denmark and fight the monster. Grendel’s mother, however, comes the next night to avenge his death. Many tales were told, and songs are sung of the horror that had overtaken Hrothgar's kingdom, and word spread as far as the kingdom of the Geats (southwest Sweden). Some time was spent considering the wisdom of a leader placing himself in danger instead of sending younger warriors to do his bidding. She grabbed Aeschere, Hrothgar's most valued advisor, and, crushing his body in a deadly grip, she raced away into the night, snatching the trophy of her son's arm before she escaped. He fights with some fictitious character such as Grendel and the dragon. This was important because of how much the colonies were similar in March and James A. Harrison, for advice, sympathy, and assistance. Then, as the toxic blood of the monsters melted the blade of the awesome sword, he noticed piles of treasure; but Beowulf took none of it, bringing back only the hilt of the great weapon and Grendel's head as he began his swim back. For twelve years he persecutes Hrothgar and his vassals. They couldn't have known that Grendel was invulnerable to any weapon forged by man. Wiglaf spoke words of honor and encouragement to the king just before the dragon attacked fiercely again, flaming the warriors and charring the younger man's shield until it was useless. He struggled to his feet to face the monster again. Grendel's mother, enraged and seeking revenge, struck while the warriors slept. He told a tale of a dragon slayer and compared Beowulf to other great heroes of ages past. What You Need to Know About the Epic Poem 'Beowulf', Hoard vs. Beowulf is our first great epic. During this time multiple colonies were invading England to colonies. Grendel, the monster, is seized with hateful jealousy. Beowulf pledged to serve Hrothgar in any way he might need him in the future, and Hrothgar proclaimed that Beowulf was fit to be king of the Geats. Soon the trackers came to the ghastly swamp, where dangerous creatures swam in a filthy viscous fluid, and where Aeschere's head lay on the banks to further shock and appall all who beheld it. The Geats are greeted by the members of Hrothgar's court, and Beowulf boasts to the king of his previous successes as The king arrived in all his majesty and made a speech thanking God and praising Beowulf. Now Wiglaf came to his aid, running his sword into the dragon's belly, weakening the creature. Hrothgar's minstrel arrived and wove Beowulf's name and deeds into songs old and new. A fierce and desperate hand-to-hand struggle ensues. The author is unknown. Horde: How to Choose the Right Word, Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors, The 10 Greatest Heroes of Greek Mythology, The Lair of the White Worm: A Study Guide, Why Hercules Had to Perform the 12 Labors, B.A., History, University of Texas at Austin. A huge barrow was built on the headland of the coast, and when the ashes from Beowulf's pyre had cooled, the remains were housed inside it. N ow we have heard, by inquiry, of the glory of the kings of the people, they of the Spear-Danes, how the Athelings were doing deeds of courage.1 Full often Scyld, the son of Scef, with troops of warriors, withheld the drinking-stools from many a tribe. After chastising his cowardly companions, he ran to his lord, armed with shield and sword, and joined in the desperate battle that would be Beowulf's last. The golden torque Beowulf had presented him would be around Hygelac's neck the day he died. Beowulf tears Grendel’s shoulder from its socket, and the monster retreats to his den, howling and yelling with agony and fury. In it, Tolkien speaks against critics who play down the monsters in the poem, namely Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon, in favour of using Beowulf solely as a source for Anglo-Saxon history. WHICH TELLS something of the youth and early manhood of Beowulf, how he heard of the monster GRENDEL, and of Daneland. The story, therefore, gives the character of Beowulf in various ways and using a variety of descriptions. Beowulf, prince of the Geats, hears about Hrothgar's troubles, gathers fourteen of the bravest Geat warriors, and sets sail from his home in southern Sweden. As the day drew to a close, Beowulf was led off to separate quarters in honor of his heroic status. Beowulf shares characteristics with many Old English epic poems. Beowulf hauled his gory prize through water that was clearer and no longer infested with horrible creatures. What is the story about? J. R. R. Tolkien's essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics", initially delivered as a lecture in 1936, is regarded as a formative work in modern Beowulf studies. But the worthy blade, never before bested in battle, failed to harm Grendel's mother. And then something caught his eye in the murky cave: a gigantic sword that few men could wield. The door to the hall swung open at his touch, but rage boiled up within him, and he tore it apart and bounded inside. The hero mortally wounds the creature, who flees the hall to die in its lair. ''Beowulf'' is an epic poem about a legendary Anglo-Saxon king. The Geats are greeted by the members of Hrothgar’s court, and Beowulf boasts to the king of his previous successes as a warrior, particularly his success in fighting sea monsters. I. Hrothgar himself led a party of men in pursuit of the fiend, whose trail was marked by her movements and Aeschere's blood. Another similarity is the drinking between the two stories. Over sea, a day’s voyage off, Beowulf, of the Geats, nephew of Higelac, king of the Geats, hears of Grendel’s doings and of Hrothgar’s misery. ThoughtCo. The basic plot of the Beowulf story is rather straightforward: a young and remarkably strong warrior with a shipful of companions frees a neighboring kingdom from a pair of monstrous enemies, establishes his own kingdom, grows to an old age, and finally defeats a dragon, though soon after, dying of his wounds. In the firelight the hero beheld the hellish creature, and wasting no time, he drew Hrunting and dealt her a thunderous blow to her head. When the hero arrives in his own land, Higelac treats him as a distinguished guest. The old hero-king had a foreboding of his death, but he pressed onward, courageous as always, to the dragon's lair. Experience an epic story that has been passed across generations and centuries in Beowulf. As might be expected, Beowulf was hailed once more as a great hero upon his return to the splendid mead-hall. Thane after thane is ruthlessly carried off and devoured, while no one is found strong enough and bold enough to cope with the monster. Reaching that country, he soon persuades Hrothgar of his ability to help him. Beowulf is an epic poem of more than 3,100 lines originally written in Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) about a Scandinavian prince of the same name. Hrothgar is astonished at the little-known hero’s daring but welcomes him, and, after an evening of feasting, much courtesy, and some discourtesy, the king retires, leaving Beowulf in charge. Scyldings bedded down in the great hall, as they had in the days before Grendel, now with their Geat comrades among them. With the sunrise came joyous Scyldings and clan chiefs from near and far. With fourteen chosen companions, he sets sail for Dane-land. Beowulf: A New Translation Maria Dahvana Headley Scribe 176pp £9.99 Laura Varnam is Lecturer in Old and Middle English Literature at … Seeing that Beowulf had failed to overcome the dragon, ten of the warriors who had pledged their loyalty, who had received gifts of weapons and armor, treasure, and land from their king, broke ranks and ran to safety. As the monster weakened and the hero stood firm, the fight, at last, came to a horrific end when Beowulf ripped Grendel's entire arm and shoulder from his body. It is an epitomized history of the life of the Teutonic races. Beowulf, prince of the Geats, hears about Hrothgar’s troubles, and gathers fourteen of his bravest warriors, and sets sail from his home in southern Sweden. The story Beowulf was design in many different styles. Beowulf knew he was dying. Beowulf is one of the most important texts in Old English and is believed to date from somewhere between 975 and 1025 - around the time of Alfred the Great. Hrothgar, king of the Danes, or Scyldings, builds a great mead-hall, or palace, in which he hopes to feast his liegemen and to give them presents. While Beowulf is sleeping in a room somewhat apart [x] from the quarters of the other warriors, she seizes one of Hrothgar’s favorite counsellors, and carries him off and devours him. Beowulf subsequently becomes king of his own people, the Geats. When all but one of the warriors had fallen asleep, Grendel approached Heorot. At last, as he neared the monster's hiding place, she sensed Beowulf's presence and dragged him inside. Congratulations crowd upon the victor.