Difference between revisions of "Beowulf"

Revision as of 13:27, April 8, 2007

(See also Beowulf (Character) and Beowulf the Dane)

Beowulf is an early medieval epic poem, and the oldest surviving literature in the English Language. The story is set in the 500s AD, and historians speculate that is was written in the 700s AD.

The story follows the life of a great warrior name Beowulf. Hrothgar, King of the Danes and his queen Wealhtheow built a great mead hall called Heorot. The Danes proceed to spend most of their time in the hall drinking and celebrating. An angry outcast monster called Grendel is jealous of the Dane's happiness, so one night, he devours several of the best warriors while they sleep. These attacks continue, and soon the Danes abandon Heorot.

Long before writing The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien was widely known in academic circles as a Beowulf scholar. His 1936 lectures, “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," emphasized the literary aspects of Beowulf, appreciating it as a story and not just as an historical artifact. His work led to a revival of interest in Beowulf.

Plot Summary

Beowulf, a young warrior of the Geats hears of Hrothgar's troubles and resolves to kill the monster, Grendel. He and his men lie in Heorot and wait for Grendel to come. Beowulf has chosen to fight the monster with his bare hands because using a sword would give him an unfair advantage over the swordless Grendel. Beowulf pretends to sleep, and just as Grendel is about to devour him, he begins to fight the dreadful monster. After a long and trying battle, Beowulf tears Grendel's arm off and the monster flees to his lair to die.

That night, there is a great celebration in Heorot, but it is interrupted by Grendel's mother, a hag like being who lives at the bottom of a lake. She kills Beowulf's best warrior in revenge for her son's death and takes Grendel's arm back to her cave. Beowulf resolves to find and kill Grendel's mother and he tracks her to a mere. Beowulf prepares to dive to the bottom of the mere, and one of Hrothgar's warriors called Unferth presents him with a sword called Hrunting. Beowulf dives into the lake and is dragged down to the cave by Grendel's mother. There they begin to fight, but Beowulf is slowly overcome, as his sword is no match for Grendel's mother. In desperation, Beowulf takes up "an ancient sword of the giants" and with it, kills Grendel's mother. Then Beowulf finds Grendels corpse. He decapitates him and takes the head to Hrothgar. Hrothgar gives him many gifts and sends him on his way to the land of the Geats.

The story then jumps ahead many years. Beowulf is now a beloved and wise king of the Geats. When Beowulf is growing old, a man happens upon a dragon's lair and steals a gold cup. When the dragon finds her cup missing, she proceeds to burn the village and surrounding countryside. Beowulf and twelve men come to fight the dragon, but when the battle comes, they all flee except for one warrior named Wiglaf. He stays by Beowulf's side, and together, they slay the dragon. When the dragon is dead, Beowulf has been badly wounded and he dies a kingly death. Beowulf is buried with the dragons treasure beneath a mound of stones on the shore of a sea so he cairn may be a landmark for sailors to find their way by.

Characters

Beowulf: Beowulf is the hero of the poem. He is the son of Ecgtheow, and belongs to the tribe of the Geats. He eventually becomes king of the Geats.

Beowulf the Dane: A character who shares a name with the hero of the poem. He is the son of Scyld Sceafing and king of the Danes.

Breca: Breca is King of the Brondings. He once had a swimming contest with Beowulf when they were younger.

Ecglaf: Ecglaf is a Dane. He is Unferth's father.

Ecgtheow: Ecgtheow is Beowulf's father.

Grendel: Grendel is the evil monster who attacks Hrothgar and his men in Heorot.

Healfdene: Healfdene is a Danish king. His father is Beowulf the Dane and his children are Hrothgar, Heorogar, and Halga.

Heardred: A Geatish king. He is the son of Hygelac.

Hengest: Hnaef's brother who leads the Danes after Hnaef dies.

Hnaef: A King of the Danes. He dies and is succeeded by his brother, Hengest.

Hrethel: King of the Geats, Hygelac's father, and Beowulf's grandfather.

Hrethric: Hrethric is the son of Hrothgar.

Hrothgar: King of the Danes.

Hrothmund: Hrothgar's son, Hrethric's brother.

Hrothulf: Hrothgar's nephew, Halga's son.

Hygd:Hygelac's wife and queen.

Hygelac: King of the Geats, Beowulf's uncle.

Scyld Sceafing: Founder of the Danish royal house. The son of Sceaf.

Unferth: The son of Ecglaf who slew his brother. He taunts Beowulf early in the poem, but later lends Beowulf his sword.

Wealhtheow: Hrothgar's queen, the mother of Hrethric and Hrothmund.

See Also

• Actual text (old and modern) and other Beowulf resources
• Resources for the study of Beowulf