[Prologue]
1.
Shield became ruler of the Danes which was
unusual because he grew up as an abandoned orphan. Over the years he gained
respect and power which made him king. His funeral was very elaborate and he
was shipped off a boat with different treasures. Hrothgar is Shield’s great
grandson.
[Heorot is Attacked]
1.
The magnificent work that Hrothgar undertook was
Heorot which is a mead hall and was dedicated to Hrothgar and his men. Grendel,
the monster, attacked the hall resulting in the death of Hrothgar’s men in a twelve-year
battle. The response of the Danes was to turn to prayer and hope for Grendel’s
death and defeat.
[The Hero Comes to Heorot]
1.
Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s problems with
Grendel and believes he can kill Grendel in return for the good deeds Hrothgar
did for his father. He sets sail for Denmark with his army.
2.
The Geats first meet a Danish watchman in
Denmark and he asks them lots of questions in suspicion. Beowulf clarifies that
he is on his way to defeat Grendel with his men.
3.
Hrothgar’s herald is Wulfgar of the Wendla tribe
and asks the Geats why they are carrying so much armor, but then infers they
are going to help the Danish and aren’t just on vacation. Wulfgar tells
Hrothgar that he should let them help because Beowulf is their leader of which Hrothgar
mentions he knows Beowulf’s father and sends Wulfgar to get the Geats. I’m not
surprised of Hrothgar and Beowulf knowing each other because they both have
reputations of being great warriors and Beowulf wouldn’t put his life at risk
or on hold if it wasn’t to repay a favor for a family friend.
4.
When Beowulf enters, he tells Hrothgar that he
is very skilled and experienced, that he will battle Grendel without armor, and
not to refuse his wishes. Hrothgar financially helped Beowulf’s father by
paying off some debts.
[Feast at Heorot]
1.
Unferth accuses Beowulf of not being able to
beat Grendel. Beowulf says that Unferth is drunk and retells the true story of
his separation from Breca and the vicious sea monster that he later killed.
This episode is relevant to the poem as a whole because it reveals Beowulf’s
confident, courageous, and warrior-like character. Beowulf accuses Unferth of
not being as brave as he claimed himself to be.
2.
Queen Wealhtheow is helping serve mead Goblets
to all the men during the feast and prays to God, thanking him for Beowulf
while sitting next to Hrothgar.
[The Fight with Grendel]
1.
The
difference with Beowulf is that he is getting rid of his armor. He plans to
take care of Grendel with his bare hands
2.
When Grendel enters Herot he immediately goes to
his business of eating sleeping soldiers. When he gets to Beowulf, he isn't
asleep and Beowulf immediately latches onto him. Grendel tries to flee but
Beowulf's grip is too strong. Grendel barely escapes and leaves behind his arm.
[Celebration of Heorot]
1.
Sigemund was an incredible hero who slayed a
terrible dragon that was hording a treasure chest that he won from his victory.
Sigemund’s treasure symbolizes the gold rewards that Beowulf earned from the
ring-giver, King Hrothgar. Sigemund’s story is told to celebrate Beowulf and
compare both of their heroic victories. Heremod is known as an evil Danish king
who turns against his own people which resembles the reverse of Beowulf’s
characteristics and by comparing and contrasting Beowulf to two different
kings, the narrator indicates that Beowulf will be king later in the story.
2.
Hrothgar responds to Beowulf’s deed by
celebrating him. He announces Beowulf as his son and says that he will never be
forgotten. He gives Beowulf numerous gifts including a sword. Unferth doesn’t
have much to say to Beowulf unlike the first time they spoke. He is more humbled
now that Beowulf has saved the Danes.
3.
The singer of Finn during the feasting in lines
1070-1158. The details of the Finn story aren’t really clear, but basically,
the Lord of the Frisians, marries Hildeburg, a Dane, to end a feud between the
two tribes. The bride was being used to ensure that families wouldn’t feud
anymore, except this proved unsuccessful since the Frisians ended up killing
Hildeburgh’s brother when he came to visit her. Finn ended up dying out of
revenge, as well.
4.
Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to give the throne
to Beowulf, but to trust in his biological son’s abilities to rule as king. She
believes that the throne should stay in the bloodline.
5.
Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad
necklace. Later, the necklace is given to his uncle, Hygelac, who wears it
until he dies in battle. She asks Beowulf to guide and protect her children,
but not to take the throne from them when Hrothgar dies.
6.
So many men remain in the beer hall to sleep
because they believe it is as safe as it once was now that Grendel is dead
which was a mistake because Grendel’s mother comes to the hall for revenge for
her son. Grendel’s grandmother then takes one of Hrothgar’s esteemed men and
the arm of Grendel back to her cave.
[Another Attack]
1.
Grendel’s mother came to Heorot to take her son’s
claw. She was really mad, angry, and came out of vengeance, but not exactly
similar to Grendel’s reason.
2.
Hrothgar’s response is asking Beowulf to go to
her lair and kill her after she killed Hrothgar’s best friend.
3.
The mere is the sort of place I would describe
to be kind of like an underwater lair under a lake that was very mysterious, dank,
and eerie.
[Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother]
1.
Beowulf tells Hrothgar to respond in a compassionate
way and for his army of men to leave him behind.
2.
Before Beowulf enters the mere, Beowulf sinks
into the water for hours.
3.
Beowulf prepares for the battle by telling
Hrothgar that the things he wants as if he is speaking his last works. He takes
his rink-marked blade sword with him and then goes into battle.
4.
When Beowulf enters the mere, Grendel’s mother
grabs him, but his armor saved him. It is surprising that Grendel and his
mother live in the mere because it takes about 12 hours to get down to the
mere.
5.
The sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth breaks
as he strikes Grendel’s mother.
6.
Beowulf’s armor saves him from the knife wound
Grendel’s mother was trying to inflict on him; he then was able to use his
strength to throw Grendel’s mother off of himself.
7.
Beowulf uses the sword of Eotens (forged by
giants long ago) and cuts the mother’s throat. Seeking vengeance for those
killed by Grendel, Beowulf brings his decapitated head home. But, his sword
melts from the mother’s acidic blood; only the hilt is left.
8.
Beowulf safely swims back to the surface and
none of his men are there because they doubted his ability to beat Grendel’s
mother.
[Further Celebration]
1.
Beowulf gives Hrothgar Grendel’s head and sword
hilt.
2.
The message Hrothgar gives to Beowulf is a story
about how someone with good deeds and intentions doesn’t always mean they are/will
be good people. Sometimes evil and greed can tempt them and take over to lead
them to ultimate demise. Hrothgar wants Beowulf to know not to become
big-headed/conceited.
3.
Beowulf gives Unferth the sword before he
leaves.
[Beowulf Returns Home]
1.
Hrothgar predicts a future in which Beowulf will
come back to protect the Danes once again.
2.
Hyd is the Queen of the Geatlands (young and
wise), however, unlike Modthryth, she won’t kill and torture her people for
simply looking at her.
3.
Hrothgar is hoping that by having his daughter,
Freawaru, marry Ingeld, he can thus create peace between the Danes and
Heathobards. However, Beowulf assumes that Hrothgar is only bringing back the
feud and it’s inevitable that more conflict will arise because it’s difficult
to simply to forget history. This is a different side to Beowulf because he
previously wouldn’t put much thought theoretically and would result to acting
on impulse rather than reason.
4.
Beowulf reports that he earned glory. He doesn’t
add any false details to his stories but he does report them in a way that
makes him sound very brave and glorified.
5.
Beowulf reports about his own adventures as “slightly
exaggerated,” but pretty accurate.
[The Dragon Wakes]
1.
It takes fifty years later for Part 2 to begin.
The kings that have died in the meantime include King Hygelac and King
Heardred. The danger now exists due to the dragon.
2.
A man stole a golden goblet from the dragon
guarding the treasure, which made the dragon very angry. The dragon was to
guard the treasure for an ancient civilization since they all died out. The man
took the cup because he wanted to take the cup to his master in return for his
freedom.
3.
The dragon destroyed all the houses of the Geats
to avenge his losing the treasure.
4.
Beowulf thinks that his house was burned down
because the dragon burned all of his kingdom. He calls for an iron shield to be
made for the battle against the dragon because he knows that a wooden shield
would do nothing against a fire breathing dragon. He planned on fighting the
dragon with a sword, too, due to its poisonous breath. He doesn't plan on being
a hero but rather accepting his death and not calling for any assistance.
5.
Hygelec died in battle! Beowulf escapes and is
offered to run the kingdom but he turns it down because he thinks that Headred
should run the kingdom.
6.
Headred lets exiled Swedes into his kingdom.
These Swedes are Orneala's brothers, which Orneala wants to kill... And he
does! He kills Headred and Eanmund in battle and Beowulf vows to avenge their
deaths by killing Orneala.
7.
Beowulf brings eleven men and the man who stole
the goblet to confront the dragon, even though he vows to fight the dragon
alone.
8.
Hygelac’s oldest brother, Herebeald, was
accidentally killed with an arrow by Haethcyn while they were hunting. His
father, King Hrethel, knew this was was an accident but died of grief
(Herebeald was his eldest son). After Hrethel’s death, the Swedes and the Geats
continued fighting which led to deaths of Haethcyn and Hygelac. Beowful avenged
the death of Hygelac by killing the great Frankish warrior, Dayraven.
[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon
1.
Beowulf tells his companions to stick together
and that he will provide armor and remain loyal to all of them. He tells this
to Wiglaf who tells the others.
2.
The first time Beowulf and the Dragon fight,
Beowulf enters the fight with confidence as he had defeated all of the major
giants with just a sword and armor. When he throws his first blow with the
sword, he is scared because the sword breaks. Beowulf’s companions all leave
except Wiglaf who remains loyal. Beowulf gives him gifts for his loyalty and so
Wiglaf couldn’t imagine going against someone who had remained so loyal to him
and his family.Wiglaf talks highly of Beowulf and explains how kind Beowulf is
for supplying armor and weapons. Wiflaf then goes to help Beowulf and the
dragon blows fire, which makes his shield useless.
3.
Wiglaf and Beowulf work together as a team to
defeat the dragon. Wiglaf fights bravely and is able to stab the dragon.
Beowulf is bitten in the neck by the dragon but is able to deliver one last
vital wound to the dragon. The killed the dragon together but Beowulf will die
from his wound.
4.
Beowulf asks Wiglaf to find the gold they
claimed from the dragon. He wants Wiglaf to bring the gold to him before he
dies and when Beowulf sees the gols then he thanks God for allowing him to
defeat the dragon and provide treasure for the people. Beowulf wants his body
to be cremated at the coastal headland and to be renamed Beowulf’s Barrow.
[Beowulf’s Funeral]
1.
When the companions return, Wiglaf says Beowulf
provided them with good armor and weapons and that if one man falls they all
fall together. He explains how supportive Beowulf is and then Wiglaf calls out
to Beowulf telling him that he has come to help him with the dragon who blows
fire, making his shield useless.
2.
The messenger tells the city that Beowulf has
died. At the Ravenswood, the Gaets were threatened by Ongetheow and his men,
but Hygelac saved the Geats from Ongentheow the next morning. Although,
Ongentheow and his men retreated, Hygelac still killed Ongentheow. The
messenger says the gold is cursed and those who tried to steal it will also be
cursed. The final image of the messenger’s speech was the dragon.
3.
Beowulf asks Wiglaf to find the gold they
claimed from the dragon. He wants Wiglaf to bring the gold to him before he
dies and when Beowulf sees the gols then he thanks God for allowing him to
defeat the dragon and provide treasure for the people. Beowulf wants his body
to be cremated at the coastal headland and to be renamed Beowulf’s Barrow.
4.
Wiglaf’s men pushed the dragon off the cliff and
fell in to the ocean. Everyone was rejoiced after the death of the dragon.
5.
During the ten days of the funeral celebration,
everyone mourns for Beowulf and place rings and jewelries around this grave.
They talk about his war achievements and praised him.
6.
The Geats said that Beowulf was the “kindest of
kings”, the friendliest, and most honorable man. The words kindest and
friendliest would not be used to describe a military hero because Beowulf
killed his enemies with no regrets. Although, he was honorable which is a
characteristic used for a military hero.
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