[PROLOGUE]
1. The unusual part about Shield
becoming king is that he used to be an orphan and became king due to the fact
that everyone was scared of how much of a fierce warrior he was they just fell
under his rule. His funeral was very nice and grand and they respected his last
wish of how he was buried through a ship with a lot of treasures to go along.
Also I believe Hrothgar was Shield's great grandson.
[Heorot Is Attacked]
2. Hrothgar undertook the
magnificent work of creating a mead-hall grander then any other ever seen that
was to be called the Heorot. Heorot was attacked by Grendel a great monster and
in his first attack killed thirty men who were sleeping in the hall. After that
his attacks continued for twelve years without stop and the Danes could not do
anything about it but live in sadness and cry for those who's lives where
taken.
[The Hero Comes to Heorot]
1. When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's
problems with Grendel he immediately goes to find a ship to go and help the king
that needs his help. He was determined to kill Grendel and save the Danes.
2. When the Geats first arrive in
Denmark they are greeted by one of
Hrothgar's warrior who was protecting the land. At first the man approaches
them and questions their identities wondering who they are and what they want
to do in the land of the Danes. Then Beowulf approaches the man and states to
him that all he wants is to defeat the enemy that is in the land and help
counsel the king through this major dilemma he is facing. With the way he
speaks the warrior realizes the honesty and the good in Beowulf's spirit and
lets them pass.
3. Hrothgar's herald is is
Hrothgar's messenger and officer and approaches the men questioning who they
are and once again Beowulf steps forward to relay who they are and they will
say what they went there to do if the king greets the men. Wulfgar who is the
herald goes to Hrothgar and tells him about Beowulf and his men and suggests
that Hrothgar go out and meet them. Given this Hrothgar talks about the fact
that he knows Beowulf and he also talks about the upbringings of Beowulf and
how powerful he is. Without hesitation them bring him forward to meet the king.
4. Beowulf tell Hrothgar that he has
heard of the monster that Grendel is and what he has done to the people of Danes. He also said he could
not live seeing what was being done to his homeland which is kind of confusing.
Hrothgar tells Beowulf that he helped Beowulf's dad when he was in troubles
with other surrounding kings and that Hrothgar paid his fathers
depths to which he father swore
oaths too. He is very grateful and ashamed that Beowulf is there to help.
[Feast at Heorot]
1. The whole controversy between
Beowulf and Unferth is that Unferth is jealous and knows that Beowulf is much
stronger then he is which does not please him. He brings up an old competition
and tells Beowulf that if he thinks he will kill Grendel that he is wrong.
Beowulf however responds with great confidence and tells Unfreth about his
accomplishments and the exact details about that incident Unfreth had brought
up about the sea leaving Unfreth in pure embarrassment. Thy is is relevant to
the story because we don't know exactly who is right and the details since one
is egotistical and the other one was drunk.
2. Queen Wealhtheow is passing around the goblet with the alcohol
for the guests and thanking God for the fact that Beowulf is there to save the
people.
[The Fight with Grendel]
1. When Beowulf is getting ready for
his battle with Grendel he doesn't have a scene to putting armor off but
instead takes al
l of his armor off and decides to
fight unarmed against Grendel.
2. When Grendel enters Heorot he is
met by the sight of all the warriors sleeping on the floor. He is happy and
decides to pick one of them up and eat him. However at that moment Beowulf up
and pulls Grendel so he cannot leave. Since Beowulf is pulling with all his
strength and Grendel is trying to get away, Grendel's arm is torn off and left
behind in the hall. After this Grendel escapes and goes into hiding in his
secret place and dies.
[Celebration at Heorot]
1. Beowulf is being compared to
Sigemund due to the fact that both were great strong men that killed a giant!
(Also a dragon but that part of the story has not been addressed as of the
moment.) He is completely different from Heremod because Heremod was a king
that turned against his people and Beowulf is only trying to help even those
who are not his people.
2. After Beowulf has done this great
deed Hrothgar feels very relieved that Grendel is not a problem he has to worry
about any longer. He offers Beowulf treasures and materialistic things as well
as tells him that he now carries him in his heart as if he was his son. Unfreth
is truly humbled before Beowulf after Beowulf has defeated Grendel and therefor
doesn't really say anything to him.
3. In the story of the Finn, the
Danes have lost a battle to the Frisian people. When the Danish leader Hnaef is
killed they make a pact with Finn. Finn's wife, the Danish princess Hildeburh
wants both her son and the kind buried in the same bier. After a year under
Finn's rule the Danish people rise and take control of themselves again. Hildeburh
is then returned to Denmark and although she was meant to be the possession in
the pact the plan didn't work and the woman was not the answer.
4. When the feasting ends Wealhtheow
asks Hothgar not to promise or give his throne off to Beowulf because she
believed that the throne was supposed to be for one of his biological sons.
5. When Wealhtheow gave Beowulf the
necklace she asked him to treat her sons well and guide them in life. The
necklace was something that Beowulf ended up giving to warrior Wiglaf right
before Beowulf dies.
6. Many men remain in the beer shop
to sleep because they feel that now the Grendel is dead they will be okay and
nothing will happen to them. However they are wrong because Grendel's mother
comes to take revenge on her son.
BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER
[Another Attack]
1. Grendel's mother came to the
Heorot to seek revenge for her son instead of the reason her son went which was
in annoyance.
2. Hrothgar's response was to tell
Beowulf to set off and kill Grendel's mother at that very second because one of
her first victims had been his close friend and counselor, Aescher.
3. The mere was a swampy moor with
bloody water and a sort of magical and surreal feel.
[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother]
1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar to respond
by returning his armor to Hyglac, to treat the Geats fairly and just, and to
return Hrunting (the sword) to Unfreth in the case were Beowulf did not make it
alive.
2.
Before Beowulf enters the mere, he shoots and kills one of the sea
dragons that is within the mere that he knows can be a dangerous.
3. For this battle Beowulf takes a
completely different approach and wears full armor. He also brings a poisoned
edged sword with him name Hrunting that has never before failed him in battle.
4. Beowulf dives into the water once
he is in the mere. He finds it really interesting that down below he found a
secret dry passage way with lit torches for light. (He knew it was Grendel's
and his mom's lair)
5. For the first time ever the
Unfreth's sword, Hrunting, fails to hurt the monster (Grendel's mom) in the
least bit.
6. The fact that Beowulf was wearing
full armor was what saved him from the dagger that was aimed to kill him.
7.
When Beowulf finally escapes from beneath her he takes a giant sword
that was hung on the wall to behead her. When she dies her blood dissolves the
sword that was used to kill her. He finds Grendel and takes his head as well as
the sword hilt with him.
8. When Beowulf returns to the
surface the men are really surprised! They did not expect to see him alive so
they rejoice and carried all of his armor and weapons.
[Further Celebration at Heorot]
1. Beowulf gives Hrothgar both the
head and sword.
2. After Beowulf resurfaces,
Hrothgar tells in speech the story of King Heremod who killed both friend and
foe for wealth and power. Here he warns Beowulf of the evils that tempt men as
they grow into positions of power; fame, greed, power and even the devil it's
self. Heremod was a great warrior as Beowulf was, here Hrothgar reminds of
these temptations and the serious consequences of dishonor/immorality that will
lead to death or worse banished by the people who once loved him.
3. Beowulf gives Unferth the sword
Hrunting as he leaves.
[Beowulf Returns Home]
1. Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf
has the greatness to be a good king.
2. Hygd is the queen of the Geats,
as a queen she is kind, beautiful and young; however Queen Modthryth was cruel
and a murderer.
3. When Beowulf is explaining that
Hrothgar planned to wed his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld, he continued to
elaborate on the report to explain his point of view on the subject. This
marraige is a tool to create a peace treaty between the Danes and the
Heatho-Bards, however Beowulf sees a downside in the closeness this marriage could
bring the two tribes. The closer they become the more they can see what losses
they have suffered from one another from years of plundering and instead of
peace they get more war. In the report we see that Beowulf is being pessimistic
of the decision making skills of those he would normally trust without
question, especially out on the battle field.
4. Beowulf continues his reports to
cover the battles with both Grendel and his mother. Strangely his reports are
similar to how the battles were portrayed in the epic earlier, however he
shortens this to conserve on time and instead emphasizes the highlights of his
bravery and ferocity as a warrior.
5. Of the gifts he did not give
earlier to Hrothgar, he now gives the rest to Hygelac and Hygd as gifts. Some
gifts include armor, horses and a priceless necklace; this is all in exchange
for land and a prized sword that Beowulf can reign over some of the tribe.
[The Dragon Wakes]
1. Part Two is 50 years later when
Hygelac and Heardred have died in the meanwhile, and now a "The Dragon
Wakes", a dragon is disturbing the peace.
2. The dragon was angered because
someone broke into his home and stole his beloved treasured goblet. A enslaved
man takes to treasure to please his master who seems to be harsh, so the slaved
wanted "peace". The treasure was left by the lone survivor of an
ancient race and because the treasure was no longer of any use to him or his
people he created the burrow.
3. That evening the dragon when on a
rampage and destroyed Beowulf's throne hall along with many village homes.
4. Throughout the story in each
battle that Beowulf faced he believed that God was on his side, after this
attack by the dragon he believed that this was a sign from God that he had done
something severely wrong in his life. He orders a new shield in order to fight
against such a powerful foe who breathes (eh hem!) FIRE! This time he does
commission a small force, but no army to help him fight the dragon because he
is just to proud of his accomplishments in his youth.
5. Hyelac died in battle and when he
returned home he was offered the throne by Hygd; however, he declined in order
to preserve the royal bloodline instead offering to become an adviser to
Heardred.
6. It was sad that even though
Beowulf declined the throne that Heardred was murdered by the Swedes. Beowulf
planned to become friends with the man who killed Heardred in order to exact
his revenge for the king.
7. Eleven men accompanied Beowulf to
meet the dragon.
8. Hygelac's oldest brother
Herebeald was killed by their younger brother Haethcyn. Psychologically the
fact that your eldest child was murdered by the youngest seems difficult to
deal with and in this epic it showed in King Hrethel's inability to kill the
youngest himself (which seemed the custom, a personal revenge). His depression
affects the health of the kingdom and it doesn't improve until King Hrethel's
death. After Hrethel's death the Swedes and Geats began feuding and during this
time Haethcyn died.
[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon]
1. This was Beowulf's personal
battle so he told his men not to interferre
2. His protection melted from the
heat of the dragon in an instant, then and there most of his men deserted him.
All except the loyal and brave Wiglaf. As his lord fights for their homes, he
reminds the others of their oaths to this warrior and how ashamed each an every
deserter should be. Then he follows Beowulf into battle.
3. Together the two fight once more
each striking at vital areas. Wiglaf is able to tear into the dragons belly,
while Beowulf is bitten in the neck. As a team they are able to defeat the
dragon.
4. Here as Beowulf lies dying he
makes his last requests; that he see the treasure before he dies, that the
treasure be buried with him, and that this burrow be called Beowulf's Burrow.
Once he is able to see his treasures he thanks God for fulfilling his last
request.
[Beowulf's Funeral]
1. Once the others return Wilgaf
berates them for abandoning Beowulf and that in the future they remember that
Beowulf's optimism was wasted on such cowards. He knows that the riches will
mean nothing after their failure here at Beowulf's last battle.
2. The messenger explains that the
Frisians, Franks, and Swedish are now undoubtedly going to attack the Geats.
Overnight in Favenswood after Ongetheow killed Haethcyn, he had taken the queen
and retreated after Hygelac's army started to advance. The messenger also
stated that no one could touch the treasure without the will of God.
3. When the crowd meets Wilgaf he
explains the cost of this battle was their king in exchange for the riches he
displayed on his arm.
4. The dragon's body was thrown into
the sea.
5. During and after the funeral the
widow sang about the coming doom after these battles, while they built a
funeral pyre and monument for their king. The treasure was once again buried.
6. The Geats stated in the last
three lines of the poem that Beowulf was the most honored, beloved and kind
King and deserved much praise. I believe that men of this modern age are
sometimes categorized by their strength and the love each family member has for
their personal hero.
