Beowulf’s Story



Beowulf’s Story

Beowulf has been divided into two parts. The first part opens in Denmark. The king of Denmark is King Hrothgar. He has a splendid mead hall. It is known as Heorot. It is a place of celebration and much merriment. However, the joyous noise angers Grendel. Grendel is an evil monster who lives in a nearby swamp. For twelve years Grendel has been terrorizing Heorot with his nightly visits. In his visits he carries off Hrothgar’s warriors and devours them.

After learning of the Danes’ trouble,the prince of the Geats, young Beowulf, comes to Denmark from southern Sweden with a small band of retainers. He offers to rid Heorot of its monster. Hrothgar is astonished at his dare and welcomes him. One day during the night, Grendel comes. He opens the heavy doors and devours one of the sleeping Geats. He then grapples with Beowulf. Beowulf grips one of Grendel’s hands with such force that the monster finally wrenches himself free only when his arm is torn off at the shoulder. Mortally wounded, Grendel returns to his swamp and dies. Beowulf then displays the monster’s arm in Heorot for all to see.

The next day a feast is thrown in Beowulf’s honour in Heorot. However, as the warriors sleep that night, Grendel’s mother comes to avenge her son’s death. She kills one of Hrothgar’s men. In the morning Beowulf dives into her lake to search for her. At once she attacks him. They struggle in her dry cave and Beowulf finally kills her with a sword. In the cave, Beowulf discovers Grendel’s corpse. He cuts off his head and takes it back to Heorot. The Danes rejoice once more. Hrothgar makes a farewell speech about the character of the true hero. After that Beowulf returns home to King Hygelac of the Geats with honours and princely gifts.

The second part deals with Hygelac’s death in a battle and Beowulf’s succession to the kingship and his peaceful rule of 50 years. The peace ends when a fire-breathing dragon becomes angry at the theft in his treasure. He begins ravaging Geatland. The brave but aging Beowulf resists against him. The fight is long and terrible. All his retainers except his young kinsman Wiglaf are killed. Ultimately the fire-breathing dragon is killed. But Beowulf is mortally wounded from a bite in the neck. Before he dies, he names Wiglaf his successor. Beowulf is cremated on a funeral pyre. His remains are buried in a barrow built by the sea. People of Geatland mourn his death. They also express the fear that without Beowulf Geatland will be invaded by nearby tribes.

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