Beowulf Plot Summary: The Coming of Beowulf

The Beowulf plot begins in Denmark, where King Hrothgar has built a grand mead-hall called Heorot for his people to celebrate their power. However, the nightly feasts disturb Grendel, a monstrous creature who begins attacking the hall and killing Hrothgar's men.

Example: The mead-hall Heorot symbolizes the power and prosperity of the Danish kingdom, making it a prime target for the envious monster Grendel.

When news of Grendel's attacks reaches the Geats, their greatest warrior Beowulf decides to aid Hrothgar. Beowulf sails to Denmark with fourteen warriors, arriving with a ship full of weapons. They are welcomed with a grand celebration, but as night falls, they prepare for Grendel's attack.

Quote: "The monster's thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws: He slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies, the blood dripping behind him, back to his lair, delighted with his night's slaughter."

In a fierce battle, Beowulf manages to tear off Grendel's arm, mortally wounding the monster. Though Grendel escapes, the Geats celebrate their victory, showering Beowulf with gifts and hanging Grendel's severed arm as a trophy.

Highlight: Beowulf's defeat of Grendel using only his bare hands demonstrates his superhuman strength and bravery, key traits of an epic hero.

Beowulf's Later Years and Final Battle

The poem then jumps forward fifty years. Beowulf has become King of the Geats following the death of King Hygelac and has ruled wisely for decades. However, his final test awaits in the form of a fire-breathing dragon terrorizing the Geatish lands.

Personification in Beowulf: "The dragon began to belch out flames and burn bright homesteads; there was a hot glow that scared everyone, for the vile sky-winger would leave nothing alive in his wake."

Despite his advanced age, Beowulf resolves to face this new threat. He leads a small band of warriors to the dragon's lair, but when confronted with the beast's fury, all but one of his companions flee.

Highlight: Beowulf's decision to face the dragon, despite knowing it may lead to his death, showcases his unwavering courage and sense of duty as a king and hero.

With only his young kinsman Wiglaf by his side, Beowulf engages in a titanic struggle with the dragon. Though they ultimately slay the beast, Beowulf is mortally wounded in the process.

Beowulf death analysis: Beowulf's final battle and death serve as a fitting end to his heroic life, sacrificing himself to save his people one last time.

The poem concludes with Beowulf's funeral, as the Geats mourn the loss of their great king and prepare for an uncertain future without his protection.

Quote: "They said that of all the kings upon the earth he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame."

Beowulf: Origins and Background

Beowulf is the earliest major work in English literature, an epic poem of 3,182 lines composed in Old English. Though the only surviving manuscript dates to the late 10th or early 11th century, the poem was likely composed at least 200 years earlier and passed down orally by storytellers called scops.

Highlight: Beowulf is considered the first great work of English literature, despite being written in Old English.

While written in England, the poem recounts heroic legends of two Scandinavian tribes: the Danes of modern-day Denmark and the Geats of present-day Sweden. These were ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons, sharing a common culture and set of heroes. The events in the poem are set in the 6th century.

Definition: An epic heroic poem is a narrative that recounts the exploits of a heroic warrior in formal language, often involving supernatural foes and battles between good and evil.

Beowulf exemplifies the epic heroic poem genre, following the mighty warrior Beowulf as he battles monstrous creatures to save kingdoms. Epic plots typically span long time periods, feature arduous journeys, and climax in life-or-death battles between good and evil forces.

Vocabulary: Scops - Old English term for professional oral storytellers and poets