Work Overview Summary by James Hogg

Beowulf Summary

            The story starts off talking about the king of the Danes, Shield Sheafson. He was a great king up until his death. He had a son named Beow, who took over as king after his died. After, Beow died, his son Halfdane took over the kingdom and then his son, Hrothgar became the king.

            Hrothgar had a great majestic mead hall built for the Danes in Heorot. They played loud songs, had great feasts, and drank mead at the hall. They talked about Gods creation of earth in the hall. All of this talk angered a demon named Grendal. Grendal lived in the swampland under the water in his lair. Finally, he couldn’t stand the songs and loud talk any longer and burst through the doors when everyone was asleep and killed 30 men. He did this every night when everyone was asleep. Heorot went from being a peaceful place to a fearful place every night.

            Beowulf lived in Geatland and was the nephew of the king. He heard of the tales of this great monster and decides to go to Heorot and take care of Grendal to help them. Beowulf was known all around as a great warrior and fighter. So, Beowulf and a few of his warriors got in a boat and sailed to Heorot to help Hrothgar with the demon.

            Once they got to the coast they were met by a coast watchman who led the group of men up the mead hall to meet the king. When Beowulf and Hrothgar start talking and recalled an old story about Beowulf’s father killing Heatholaf who was a Wulfing. Hrothgar sent gifts to the Wulfings in order to help establish peace and kept a war from happening. Beowulf’s father gave Hrothgar and oath of allegiance for doing his good deed. Beowulf told the king that he would fight Grendal with no armor and just his bare hands.  That night the king invites the Geats to a feast at the mead hall with the Danes.

            At the feast a man named Unferth starts telling a story of how Beowulf lost a swimming match once. He did not like all the glory that Beowulf was getting and tried to talk about the story of how he lost the match to show everyone that he was not as great as everyone made him out to be. Beowulf explained how he lost and everyone cheered and went back to the feast peacefully.  

            At the end of the feast everyone goes to sleep except Beowulf. He removes his armor and waits for Grendal to show his face. Later that night the monster ran into the hall and grabbed the first man he saw and tore him to shreds. He then tried to grab  Beowulf, but could not overcome the warrior’s strength. Beowulf tore Grendal’s arm off at the shoulder. He then ran back to the swamp to die. Everyone was amazed at his accomplishment and ran around celebrating.

            Hrothgar then held a banquet to honor Beowulf and gives him many gifts in appreciation. Wealhtheow also gave Beowulf a necklace of gold. That night when everyone is asleep, Grendal’s mother came to the hall. She is mad about what has happened to her son. She came in and got a sleeping man. All of the noise woke everyone up and she runs away. Hrothgar offers Beowulf a chest of gold if he went and killed Grendal’s mother. So, Beowulf and the warriors head toward the swamp land in search of her lair. Once they find it, Beowulf swims down to the bottom of the swamp. When he got to the bottom the demon strikes at him and grabs him but the armor stops her from crushing Beowulf.  He continuously is swinging his sword at her but it will not penetrate her skin. He finally sees a sword on the wall next to them that is larger. So, he grabs the sword and chops her head off. Grendal’s body was lying in the corner of the lair, so Beowulf chopped his head off and took it back with him. Beowulf gave the head to Hrothgar to show that the village is safe. Hrothgar gave him many treasures. Beowulf then sails back to the Geatland.

            Beowulf and his men returned to their homeland and were praised by their accomplishments. Once they get to the hall Beowulf tells storys of how the Danes were and their land. He then tells of how he defeated the monsters there. Hygelac is then killed and the kingdom becomes Beowulf’s. He then ruled for fifty more years in peacefulness.

            There is a dragon that lives beneath the earth guarding its hoard. One day a man breaks in and steals the goblet from the dragon’s home. When the dragon woke up and found that its goblet had been stolen it went crazy. The dragon went around to every village or town destroying everything and burning homes. The Geatland finally becomes threatened by the dragon. It burned the kingdom to the ground. Beowulf then decides to go and fight the dragon. When the fight starts Beowulf was striking the dragon with his sword and finds out that his strength is weaker than it used to be. As the dragon’s flame fill the countryside, Beowulf’s warriors get scared and all run away except one. His name was Wiglaf and he ran to help the king. Beowulf’s sword got snapped into trying to cut at the dragon and it bites Beowulf on the neck. Beowulf then stabs a fatal blow with a knife in the dragon. The knife cut was enough to kill the dragon but Beowulf finds out that the bite of the dragon was poisonous and he is dying. Once the king is dead they put his body on a cliff next to the sea and burned it. While the body is burning everyone praises him and recalls how good of a king he was to the people.