Beowulf Summary
The descendant of the great king Shield Sheafson, King
Hrothgar of Denmark, enjoys a prosperous and successful
reign. However, his great mead-hall, called Heorot, where his
warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their lord, and
listen to stories sung by the scops, is plagued by the
monster, Grendel. The Danes suffer many years of fear, danger,
and death because of Grendel. This challenges the young
Geatish warrior named Beowulf to sails to Denmark with a
small company of men to defeat and kill Grendel.
Beowulf offers Hrothgar to fight Grendel, which he accepts due
to a favour he had before from Beowulf’s father. Beowulf fights
Grendel with his bare hands, then kills Grendel's mother with a
giant's sword that he found in her lair.
The victory of killing Grendel and his mother made Hrothgar
showers Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor.
The Danes are overjoyed, and Beowulf’s fame spreads across
the kingdom. Beowulf returns to Geatland, where he and his
men are reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd,
to whom Beowulf recounts his adventures in Denmark. Beowulf
then hands over most of his treasure to Hygelac, who, in turn,
rewards him.
When Hygelac is killed in a war against the Shyflings, and, after
Hygelac’s son dies, becomes king of the Geats, and finds his
realm terrorized by a dragon, some of whose treasure had been
stolen from his hoard in a burial mound. Enraged, the dragon
emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery
destruction upon the Geats. Sensing his own death
approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid
of Wiglaf. Beowulf finally slays the dragon, but is mortally
wounded in the struggle. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck,
and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter.
Beowulf is cremated and buried a burial mound by the sea is
built in his honour.
The descendant of the great king Shield Sheafson, King
Hrothgar of Denmark, enjoys a prosperous and successful
reign. However, his great mead-hall, called Heorot, where his
warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their lord, and
listen to stories sung by the scops, is plagued by the
monster, Grendel. The Danes suffer many years of fear, danger,
and death because of Grendel. This challenges the young
Geatish warrior named Beowulf to sails to Denmark with a
small company of men to defeat and kill Grendel.
Beowulf offers Hrothgar to fight Grendel, which he accepts due
to a favour he had before from Beowulf’s father. Beowulf fights
Grendel with his bare hands, then kills Grendel's mother with a
giant's sword that he found in her lair.
The victory of killing Grendel and his mother made Hrothgar
showers Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor.
The Danes are overjoyed, and Beowulf’s fame spreads across
the kingdom. Beowulf returns to Geatland, where he and his
men are reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd,
to whom Beowulf recounts his adventures in Denmark. Beowulf
then hands over most of his treasure to Hygelac, who, in turn,
rewards him.
When Hygelac is killed in a war against the Shyflings, and, after
Hygelac’s son dies, becomes king of the Geats, and finds his
realm terrorized by a dragon, some of whose treasure had been
stolen from his hoard in a burial mound. Enraged, the dragon
emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery
destruction upon the Geats. Sensing his own death
approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid
of Wiglaf. Beowulf finally slays the dragon, but is mortally
wounded in the struggle. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck,
and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter.
Beowulf is cremated and buried a burial mound by the sea is
built in his honour.
