Beowulf

Group 6:
Abana, Ryan Mark
Bautista, Jerick
Domingo, Christian
Liwanag, Lhaica

History of Beowulf:

Beowulf was constructed by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet around 700

A.D.
Beowulf is one of the earliest known pieces of literature known in the
English language; written in Old English
There is only one original Beowulf manuscript existing today. It is in
the British History Museum in London.

What is beowulf?

Beowulf is considered a form of epic poetry

EPIC a long, narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a largerthan-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society

This EPIC poem of BEOWULF is often divided into 3 sections and Its
about Beowulfs 3 epic battles with evil:

The battle with Grendel

The battle with Grendels Mother
The battle with the Dragon

Who is beowulf?

Beowulf may be the title, but is also the name of the main character of
the story.
Beowulf is a young hero from a place called Geat
He is strong, courageous, valiant, attractive, and skilled in the way of
the warrior.
Beowulf is the protagonist/hero of the story

Characters:

King Hrothgar - The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military

success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm. A wise and
aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that
exhibited by the youthful warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to
Beowulf and a model for the kind of king that Beowulf becomes.

Grendel - A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgars

warriors in the kings mead-hall, Heorot. Because his ruthless and
miserable existence is part of the retribution exacted by God for Cains

murder of Abel, Grendel fits solidly within the ethos of vengeance that
governs the world of the poem.

Grendels mother - An unnamed swamp-hag, Grendels mother

seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her
terrorization of Heorot is explained by her desire for vengeancea
human motivation.

The dragon - An ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a

horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulfs fight with the dragon
constitutes the third and final part of the epic.

Other Danes:

Shield Sheafson - The legendary Danish king from whom Hrothgar is

descended, Shield Sheafson is the mythical founder who inaugurates a
long line of Danish rulers and embodies the Danish tribes highest
values of heroism and leadership. The poem opens with a brief account
of his rise from orphan to warrior-king, concluding, That was one good
king

Halfdane - The father of Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, and an unnamed

daughter who married a king of the Swedes, Halfdane succeeded Beow
as ruler of the Danes.

Wealhtheow - Hrothgars wife, the gracious queen of the Danes.

Unferth - A Danish warrior who is jealous of Beowulf, Unferth is

unable or unwilling to fight Grendel, thus proving himself inferior to
Beowulf.

Other Geats:

Hygelac - Beowulfs uncle, king of the Geats, and husband of Hygd.

Hygelac heartily welcomes Beowulf back from Denmark.

Hygd - Hygelacs wife, the young, beautiful, and intelligent queen of

the Geats. Hygd is contrasted with Queen Modthryth.

Wiglaf - A young kinsman and retainer of Beowulf who helps him in

the fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away.
Wiglaf adheres to the heroic code better than Beowulfs other
retainers, thereby proving himself a suitable successor to Beowulf.

Ecgtheow - Beowulfs father, Hygelacs brother-in-law, and Hrothgars

friend. Ecgtheow is dead by the time the story begins, but he lives on
through the noble reputation that he made for himself during his life
and in his dutiful sons remembrances.

Summary:
The story begins in the kingdom of the Danes of a land named
Denmark. It was a peaceful place of prosperity and comfort until a
great demon named Grendel arose. Grendel was a terrifying monster
that attacked and killed countless Dane people causing great sorrow
and despair within the hearts of many for several years.
Then came a very interesting man from a faraway land. A man
whose very appearance proved that of a warrior. He was tall, muscular,
confident, handsome. He was Beowulf. Beowulf heard the plea of the
Dane king and accepted the challenge of defeating the great demon
Grendel as Beowulf had never faced defeat
The king of Dane then decides to celebrate by having a party in
honor of Beowulf. Great amounts of food and drink are shared among
the party along with plenty of laughs and tales of Beowulfs previous
accomplishments. The people continued to celebrate deep into the
night until suddenly a great figure appeared from out of the darkness.
Grendel had been awakened
Grendel had done Beowulf a great favor, as Grendel came to him.
Beowulf accepted the challenge and fought the great demon bare
handed! Beowulf and Grendel both displayed great strength and
endurance as they battled to the death. Although both were admirable
foes, only one could win. Grendel possessed something Beowulf did
not.fear. This gave Beowulf the advantage
After an energetic battle of strength and cunning, Beowulf
was the victor. Although Grendel was not yet dead and Beowulf was
not yet finished. Beowulf then rips one of Grendels arms right off his
body and holds it high for all to see. Grendel manages to escape alive
but mortally wounded. Grendel returns to his swamp and spends his
last moments within the comfort of his mother

Few knew that Grendel had a mother and those that did
were most likely dead! The main theme then changes from Beowulfs
heroics to the mothers revenge. Grendels mother later kills Aeschere,
one of the Kings best men/personal aids, out of revenge for her sons
death and returns to her swamp soon after. A small group of men and
Beowulf later travel to the swamp on a quest to avenge the murder of
Aeschere
Beowulf finds the swamp where Grendels mother lies in
wait. He dives into the murky water down to the very bottom where he
discovers the underwater lair of Grendels mother. After a great
attempt of seduction, the mother charges at Beowulf and engages him
in another great battle of man versus demon. After much sweat and
bloodshed, Beowulf stands victorious as he cuts down Grendels
mother with a Sword forged for giants!
The battle is over, but the story has just begun. Amongst
the underwater lair, Beowulf discovers Grendels corpse and cuts off
his head as a trophy for the king of Dane. The people of Dane are
overjoyed as the terrifying monsters have been slain and peace has
been restored to their land all thanks to Beowulf. Beowulf then leaves
Dane and sails back home to his kingdom of Geat.
Upon returning to Geat, Beowulf is appointed king of Geat
and becomes a great ruler for over fifty years. Then, one day a thief
disturbs an old tomb of treasure that is guarded by a ferocious dragon.
The dragon is awakened and begins wreaking havoc upon the people
of Geat. Many attempt to kill the dragon but none prevail as there is
but one man who could defeat such a terrifying beast. His name is
Beowulf...
Yet Beowulf is no longer the young man he was in Denmark
as fifty years have passed and Beowulf has become an old man. Yet,
his strength and courage have not left him as he and his companion
Wiglaf set off to the dragons lair in an attempt to bring peace back to
their land.
Beowulf and Wiglaf confront the Dragon in what is to be
the most difficult and rigorous battle of their lives. After many futile
attempts, Beowulf finally manages to penetrate the strong scaly skin of
the dragon. His blade cuts deep but at a great price as Beowulf has
been bitten and the dragons venom begins to spread

Beowulf begun to feel the poison spread through his body

and ever closer to his heart. He sits down by a river with his companion
Wiglaf and speaks to him his dying words. He asks that his people
remember him and his successful reign with the construction of a
burial mound overlooking the sea. The last words of Beowulf are as
followed, You are the last of our family Wiglaf. All the others fell when
fate decided they must. Now I must follow them The End