Prologue:
1. Shield became ruler of
the Danes by fear, no one would challenge his rule because of his
power. When he died, he was put in a boat full of riches and sent off
to sea. Sheild is Hrothgar's grandfather.
Heorot is attacked:
1.
Hrothgar made a place of merry, a sort of hall for feasting and
festivity. Grendel spawn of Cain attacked this place, killing many
Danes every time he went. The Danes attempted to fight him but
failed, and eventually left.
The Hero Comes to Heorot:
1.
Beowulf hears of Grendel and seeks to fight him and win glory, and
heads to Heorot.
2. The Geats are first greeted by a hostile
watchman, who demands to know who they are. Beowulf answers, stating
he is son of Ecgtheow, coming to do battle with Grendel.
3.
Hrothgars herald is Wulfgar, who asks Hrothgar to see these men.
Hrothgar knows of Beowulf because of his father, which is not
surprising because it seems like warriors fame spread easily during
those times.
4. Beowulf speaks of his recent defeat of five giants
and states he will fight Grendel without armor. Hrothgar had helped
the Geats pay and survive through a war.
Feast at Heorot:
1.
Unferth acuses Beowulf of foolish pride trying to do what many Danes
have failed to do, such as when he saw a risky seven day race against
Breca which Beowulf lost, causing Unferth to question his commitment.
Beowulf states why he lost the race due to sea fish, and that the
contests was not one of war and that he will make Grendel pay for
what he has done to the Danes, whom Beowulf seeks no feud with. This
gives a slight view of Beowulf's motives and shows how strong his
resolve is.
2.Queen Wealhtheow is offering drinks from the cup of
the hall to everyone.
The Fight With Grendel:
1. Instead of
arming for the fight, Beowulf takes his armor off so he is equal with
Grendel.
2. Grendel enters seeing the sleeping men kills one. He
reaches for Beowulf he grips Grendel with great strength. Grendel
attempts to flee, and though immune to swords Grendel is held by
Beowulf, who rips off Grendel's arm. Grendel runs to die in his
moor.
Celebration at Heorot:
1. Beowulf is like Sigemund in how
they both fought monsters and won glory, but not like Heremod who
seized the treasure and power in greed and did not get glory.
2.
Hrothgar is very happy, thanking God, Beowulf, and Beowulf's mother.
Hrothgar gives Beowulf many riches of gold, weapons armor, and
horses.
3.The story is about how the Danes lost
battle to the king of the Frisians. When they realized that they had
no way to win, they made a truce with the Frisians. They lived under
the same ruler but separately. Using a woman showed wisdom because it
combined the tribes.
4. Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to take
Beowulf as his son because he already has sons.
5. The necklace
will be worn by Beowulf’s king. At his last battle the Franks will
steal it from his body. The queen asks Beowulf to protect her sons as
she gives him the torque.
6. The men felt safe and guarded with
Grendel gone.
Beowulf and Grendel's Mother:
1. Grendel's Mother
comes to Heorot only because she wants revenge for her sons death,
which isn't why Grendel went.
2. Grendel killed Hrothgars favorite
thane. Hrothgar summons Beowulf, who had not slept in the hall that
night.
3. The mere is a strange place where fire is seen upon the
water, home of two giants, one Grendel's mother. It is an icy lake
with many visible sea serpents.
Beowulf fights Grendel's
mother:
1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar it is best to act and not sit
and do nothing.
2. The mere is full of serpents. The warriors and
him kill one and drag it out to see the horror.
3. Beowulf puts on
his armor and gets ready. Unfreth offers his sword Hrunting which is
a superior sword. The Sword Beowulf takes is a very special sword
that is supposed to never fail its warrior.
4. Grendel's mother
drags Beowulf to her undersea lair so the monsters wont interfere.
5.
The sword has no effect on Grendel's mother.
6. Beowulf's armor
saves him from Grendel's mothers knife.
7. Beowulf finds a sword
crafted by giants and strikes Grendel's mother in the neck, seeing
Grendel's body, taking Grendel's head and his own sword. The sword of
the giants had been made useless by the hot blood of the monsters.
8.
Beouwlf returns to a few loyal warriors who had doubted his return
but rejoice in it.
Further Celebration at Heorot:
1. Beowulf
gives Hrothgar the hilt of the sword he used to kill Grendel's
mother.
2. Hrothgar talks about Heremod who abused his power by
being ruthless and not rewarding the deserving. He warns Beowulf not
to make the same mistake, and to bane the thoughts of selfishness.
3.
Beowulf returns Hrunting to Unferth.
Beowulf Returns Home:
1.
Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf will become king of the Geats.
2.
Hygd is the queen of the Geats, and is unlike Modthryth because
Modthryth was a very cruel queen.
3. Hrothgar hopes that the
marriage of his daughter will end fighting between the Danes and the
Heathobards. He thinks the feud will start all over again. Beowulf is
thinking through the situation for once.
4. Beowulf tells the
story with great pride and honor, but does not lie.
5. Beowulf
offered his treasures to hos leader Hygelac, who gives him a suit of
armor and sword given to him by Hrothgar.
The Dragon Awakes:
1.
It is 50 years later, and King Hygelac is dead and Beowulf rules. But
now, a dragon is threating the Geats.
2. The Dragon hoards gold
because he is greedy and has a big collection. His favorite peice, a
gold cup, was stolen by a runaway slave who succumbed to temptation,
which angered the dragon.
3. The Dragon attacked the town, burning
down Beowulf's home.
4. Beowulf believes he angered God in some
way to deserve this. He orders an iron shield to protect against fire
and expects to take down the dragon and die trying.
5. Hygelac
died in battle in the land of Frisian.
6. Headred was killed by
Onela,and Beowulf was left to be king and pursued Onela.
7. Eleven
others.
8. Herebeald was accidently killed by Haethkyn. King
Hrethel was forced to punish Haethkyn and was mournful and became a
bad king. The Swedes and the Geats had a feud and had been at war
with many prominent people dying on both sides.
Beowulf attacks
the Dragon:
1. Beowulf tells his companions to not interfere.
2.
Beowulf is bested by the Drgaon the first time his attacks and
defense weak. His companions flee but one stays. Wiglaf is his name,
and unlike the others he is brave and stands beside his king. He
yells for his king to fight for his life.
3. The second time
Beowulf and dragon meet, Wiglaf had to hide behind Beowulf's iron
shield for protection and Beowulf struck the dragon on the head with
the sword, but it broke. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck. But
with Wiglaf's help they are able to weaken the dragon then kills it
striking at its exposed belly.
4. Dying Beowulf asks to see the
riches he died for. When he sees it Beowulf thanks God for these
gifts for his people, and asks that the lair becomes Beowulf's Barrow
so people will remember him.
Beowulf's Funeral:
1. The
companions see Wiglaf trying to revive a dead Beowulf. The companions
know they failed their leader in his time of need because they were
afraid and know death would be better for them.
2. The messenger
tells the city of their kings defeat. ?
3. Wiglaf tells the crowd
who came to see Beowulf dead that the hoard of treasure was theirs
and that the kind had died for it and the lair would become his great
resting place.
4. The dragon was dragged to the sea.
5. The
people mourned and built a mound around their king. Everyone honored
the Geat most worthy of praise.
6. These last lines seem to
describe a kind caring person which Beowulf was but does not describe
his ferocity in battle.
