Beowulf

Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume I (Beowulf), Edited by M.H.Abrams, et al, 1962, 1970, New York, W.W.Norton & Company.

Beowulf, the oldest of the long English heroic poems, is a two part story. It was written, in about the first half of the eighth century, and, although written in English, it deals with the Germanic forbears.

The Young Beowulf

The first takes place when Beowulf is a young man. Beowulf, the nephew of Hygelac, the king of the Geats (who reside in southern Sweden), hears of Grendel, the evil spirit/giant (the exact shape of the monster is not discernible from the story), who holds the Danes (who live on the island of Zealand) at bay. The good Danish king Hrothgar (good kings were often called ring-giver, dispenser of treasure, gold-giver, because they were free with their wealth, which inspired their thanes to be loyal to them) built a huge mead hall but it becomes unusable at night because Grendel comes in and slays and eats warriors who sleep there. Beowulf embarks on his boat with a group of thanes (warriors, loyal to a king or other leader) and is greeted by the old king. Hrothgar feasts him and then all fall asleep. When Grendel comes, he immediately devours one of Beowulf's thanes but Beowulf seizes him and it proves to be a grip the evil Grendel cannot overcome. In the end, Grendel escapes but he leaves his arm behind and finds his way home only to die there.

The next day Hrothgar praises Beowulf and again feasts him and gives him much treasure. That night, Grendel's mother visits the mead hall to avenge her son's death. She kills the king's favorite advisor and takes back her son's hand. Unfortunately, Beowulf is not in the hall, since he was given another sleeping room, to show him honor. The next morning, Beowulf and his thanes, along with Hrothgar and his thanes, follow the trail of Grendel's mother to her under-water lair. The water is filled with serpents and other sea monsters. Beowulf jumps in and finds the lair. There he sees the dead body of Grendel and, after a heavy battle, cuts off the head of Grendel's mother using a giant's sword he found in her cave. The blade melts from the hot blood but he bears the hilt and her head back to Hrothgar, who, again feasts him and bestows more treasure upon him. Beowulf returns to his homeland where he tells of his exploits and presents the treasures to his uncle, the king.

The Old King Beowulf

The second part takes place many years later. His uncle has died, as have his two nephews and the crown has fallen to Beowulf. Beowulf has ruled the Geats wisely for fifty winters. Now a dragon is stirred up, apparently because a man found his cave and had been stealing his treasure. Beowulf is moved to do battle with the dragon even though he knows it may be his last. He has a shield of iron made and, accompanied by twelve shield-warriors, marches off to the dragons earth-hall. Beowulf instructs the others wait outside while he goes in alone. But his strength and his sword both fail him. He strikes a blow but the dragon replies with fire. One of the companions, Wiglaf, sees how it goes for the old war-king and cannot hold back. He joins the fray and together they vanquish the worm, but not before it tears open the neck of the great Beowulf. Beowulf dies and is mourned by all. His funeral-fire roars and mixes with weeping and the surge of the wind.

26-Apr-2001